PHYS 245 Spring, 2012
Website http://physics.gmu.edu/~physics245/
Course email: phys245gmu12@gmail.com
Instructor: Rob Cressman
e-mail: jcressma@gmu.edu
Office: The Krasnow Institute rm 110
Tel: 703- 993-9643
Office Hours: M 1-3, W 1:00pm-3:00 pm
Mastering Physics: MPCRESSMAN72349
Date Lecture
1/23 16-2, 5, and 6
1/25 16-1, 3, and 4
1/27 16-7→ 16-9; 17-1
Recitation
No assignment but graded work will be done.
1/30 17-2→17-5
2/1 17-7→17-9 and 11
2/3 18-1→18-4
Ch. 16
2/6 18-5→18-8 and 10
2/8 19-1→19-3
2/10 19-5→19-8
Ch. 17 and 18:
2/13 20-1→20-5
2/15 20-6 and 12
2/17 21-1,2, and 4
Ch. 18 and 19
2/20 Ch. 21-5,and 7
2/22 Ch. 22-1→22-4
2/24 22-5 and 7; 23-1
Ch. 20 and 21
Last day to drop.
2/27 23-2→23-5
2/29 Exam I Ch. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
3/2 23-6→23-9
Ch. 22
3/5 24-1,3,4 and 5
3/7 24-6,7 and 10
3/9 25-1→25-5
Ch. 23 and 24
Spring Break 3/12 through 3/18
3/19 25-6 →25-7 and Review
3/21 26-1→26-4
3/23 26-5,7,8 and 9.
Ch: 24 and 25
3/26 27-1→27-4
3/28 27-6→27-8, and 10
3/30 27-11→27-13; 28-1
Ch 25 and 26
4/2 28-2→28-4
Ch 26 and 27
4/4 Exam II Ch. 22,23, 24, 25, 26
4/6 28-5→8 and 11
4/9 30-1→30-3
4/11 30-4→30-7
4/13 30-8→30-10
Ch. 27 and 28
4/16 30-11, 30-12
4/18 31-1,2,4,
4/20 31-9, 32-1,2
Ch 28 and 30
4/23 32-4→32-6
4/25 32-9,11
4/27 32-12, 33-1,2
Ch 30 and 31
4/30 33-3→33-5
5/2 33-6→33-8
5/4 Catch-up review
Ch 31 and 32
Final Exam for 9:30 Lecture: Monday, May 14 7:30 a.m. → 10:15 a.m.
Final Exam for 10:30 Lecture: Wednesday, May 9 10:30 a.m. → 1:15 p.m.
Grade Determination
There will be three midterm tests and a final. The final is cumulative.
Tests: 2 exams for a total of 40% (20% each) of your final grade.
Final 27%
Recitation and Homework 30% (15% online homework, 15% recitation grade)
PRS 3% (plus possible extra credit)
Please check the course web site and your GMU e-mail address for any changes in the
schedule. It is important that you be on time for tests since it will be impossible to give extra
time if you are late. You must take tests and the final exam in the class you are registered in
unless given permission by the instructor.
Tests and Exams The midterm exams will consist of approximately 50% multiple choice
problems to be taken in the testing center, and the other 50% will be written problems taken
in class. For all testing center tests, make sure not to wait until the last minute. I will break
the class into three sections with staggered testing periods, so check blackboard to see when
your exam is available.
Written problems will be similar to end-of-chapter problems, examples and problems on the
old tests. The exams will test both your understanding of concepts as well as your ability to
solve problems. An equation list will be provided for all exams including the final. Test time
is limited and students who continue working after they are told to stop are cheating, and
their exams will not be graded. The final is cumulative and will be taken during the
scheduled final time with no component taken in the testing center.
Recitation ALL STUDENTS REGISTERED FOR THE LECTURE MUST ALSO BE
REGISTERED FOR ONE OF THE RECITATION CLASSES. RECITATION IS
MANDATORY. Students must attend recitation sections for which they are registered. Your
recitation instructor will discuss the grade components (quizzes, home works, class
participation), which will make up your total recitation grade.
Homework All homework will be done online using the MasteringPhysics online program.
Peer Tutoring. Peer tutoring is available to all students, with times posted on the course
website. Students who attend these sessions will have the opportunity to complete additional
MasteringPhysics assignments to improve their homework grade up to the maximum 15% for
the course.
Personal Response System (PRS) Quizzes
We will use the Iclicker system which may be purchased at the bookstore.
Students are expected to bring a PRS device to each class to answer quiz questions given
randomly in class. The PRS grade counts 3% of the overall grade plus there is the possibility
of extra credit. The PRS quiz grade will be calculated such that a correct answer for each
question counts two points, an incorrect response counts one point and no response counts
zero. The PRS score counts 3% but there is also the possibility of up to 3% extra credit.
However there is a cap on the amount of extra credit. The cap is such that the sum of two test
scores (20% each) plus extra credit cannot exceed 40%(Which is a perfect test grade). The
PRS quizzes will be given randomly in class and there will be no make-up of quizzes and no
extra time given to students who arrive late. If you take a PRS quiz in the wrong class I will
give you credit but since quizzes will not necessarily be given on the same day there is no
guarantee that you will not miss a quiz. If a student takes the same PRS quiz twice neither
response will be accepted. January 30 is the first day that PRS quizzes will start counting. I
will request your iclicker numbers via email, so if you have not replied to this email your
iclicker will not be registered for the course.
The final letter grade will be based on a curve in which the class average will be approximately a
C+. I will give you guidance after each test as to likely cuts for different letter grades but such
guidance should not be considered as binding since it is impossible to predict the result of the
final exam, which is a large part of the final grade. Since different tests and final exams will be
given in each section, the curves for the two sections may be different.
In the event of an unforeseen school closing on a test day, the test will be given at the
very next lecture session after the university reopens. If the weather forecast indicates a
strong possibility of heavy snow I might decide to postpone the test to the next class day.
The course web page will have any announcements posted as soon as possible.
The mid-semester grades will be calculated using the grade on the first test and the
recitation grade.
Schedule The schedule listed above is subject to change, although test dates would only
be changed under extreme circumstances. It may be necessary to change test coverage or
recitation assignments and you are responsible for being aware of any such changes.
Major changes will be announced in class and posted on the course web page
Office Hours Office hours are listed above and on the course web page. If I am not able to
meet a particular office hour I will announce it in class and on the web page. If you are not
able to see me during the scheduled office hours I will try to schedule additional time. For
any inquiries, you are more than welcome to call me, but email is typically more efficient.
Web Sites The publisher of your text has a useful web site for the book.
(http://cw.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/giancoli/)
It includes such items as: chapter objectives, practice questions, physlets, puzzles and much
more. The MCAT study guide (practice questions) provided there should be particularly
helpful. You should also visit the course web site at
http://physics.gmu.edu/~physics245/.
Academic Integrity You are expected to observe the GMU Honor Code on tests and exams.
Cheating on exams will be dealt with very severely. It can even result in your dismissal from
the University. There should be no communication between students of any kind during tests
and exams. If you don’t understand a question, please ask the instructor. Students in the 9:30
a.m. lecture may not discuss or pass information about their test with students in the 10:30
a.m. class. Tests will be printed in different colors to make the exchange of information
between the two sections difficult. Students in the 9:00 lecture will be given scratch paper
which will be collected. No notes may be taken from the 9:00 lecture on test days. Please
bring a photo ID on test and exam days.
Intended audience for this course This is the second semester of a two-semester noncalculus based physics course intended for majors in biology and other sciences, excluding
math, physics, or engineering. You sign up for the lab under a separate course number
(PHYS 246).
Prerequisites: Successful completion of PHYS 243 or equivalent, a college-level math
course, and a working knowledge of algebra and trigonometry. Students who received a D in
PHYS 243 are cautioned against taking PHYS 245. If you are uncertain if you are properly
prepared for this course, please talk to me.
Required Text and Online Homework: Physics – Principles With Applications (6th ed.)
by Giancoli and MasteringPhysics. We will cover chapters 16-33 in PHYS 245. The
accompanying Study Guide is recommended. Online homework(MasteringPhysics) will be
discussed in class. You are also required to have a scientific calculator, which should be
brought to all classes, especially to exams. (Be sure you know how to use it – especially for
trig functions.) An Iclicker(PRS system) device is also required.
Letters of Recommendation It is not necessarily a good idea to request a recommendation
from an instructor of a large lecture class. However if you feel that it is your best option, I
will as long as I feel that I can write an accurate and positive recommendation. If you decide
that you would like a recommendation let me know no later than mid-February and we will
schedule several meetings throughout the term to help me better assess your work. This does
not obligate me to write a letter; nor does it obligate you to request one.
Lecture Notes: I will post the lecture notes on the course web site a few days before I
cover the material. The notes will cover most, but not all of the material covered in
lecture. Since these notes include material from the text they will have to be password
protected on the site. I will give you the login and password during lecture.