PHYSICS 2002 – Section 1
GENERAL PHYSICS II
Fall 2009
Tuesday, Thursday 9:30 – 10:30 AM
Classroom: Nicholson 130
Instructor:
Jiandi Zhang
Nicholson 229A
578-4103
jiandiz@lsu.edu
Text:
PHYS2002, 8th Edition, vol. 2, by Cutnell and Johnson
(The second half of Physics by Cutnell & Johnson, 8th Edition is essentially identical and
will be perfectly acceptable. Also, earlier editions of Cutnell & Johnson have basically the
same material although some of the problems may be different; again, these are perfectly
acceptable to use.)
Course material:
This course will cover Chaps. 18 - 22, 24 - 27, and 29 - 32 of Cutnell and Johnson – electricity and
magnetism, light, and an introduction to modern physics (quantum mechanics, atomic physics, nuclear
physics, radiation). Throughout the course, example problems from the MCAT exam will be used
extensively.
As in PHYS 2001, a major emphasis in this course will be on problem solving and learning to think
analytically. The schedule requires that we cover approximately one chapter per week. That means we will
be moving quickly, and you will need to be sure to keep up. The four best things you can do to keep up and
do well in this course are to 1) Do the homework!! If you can’t solve the homework problems correctly the
first time, check the solutions and make sure you understand all the assigned problems. These problems (or
very similar ones) WILL show up again on the tests! 2) Ask questions!! I always welcome your
questions, either in class or in my office. If you don’t understand something, that probably means a lot of
your classmates don’t understand it, either. Don’t be embarrassed to ask something. I welcome the chance
to explain something again. 3) Read the material in the textbook BEFORE I lecture on it in class. My
lectures will make a lot more sense if you read the material before I cover it in class. Then go over it again
after my lecture. 4) Don’t get behind! Most students find this course tough enough without getting behind.
Especially try not to get behind on the homework.
Office hours:
Wednesdays 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM. Feel to come see me any time. If you come outside of my scheduled
office hours, you might want to call or e-mail me before you come, just to make sure I am in. There will also
be a problem session every Monday afternoon 5 – 6 PM in Nicholson 130 with one of the course instructors.
Class web page:
I will keep an updated web page at http://www.phys.lsu.edu/classes/fall2009/phys2002/.
Announcements, assignments, grade lists, and useful information can be found there. You can also link to
the class web site through http://www.phys.lsu.edu. (Under “Academics”, click on “Class links” and
“PHYS 2002.”)
Homework:
Homework problems will be assigned for every chapter, about once per week. These homework
problems are the most important part of the course! Most of you will not be able to learn how to do these
problems by just reading the solutions. You need to practice doing the problems yourselves. I know it will
sometimes be painful, but the only way to learn this material is to do lots of problems. You are encouraged
to work on the homework in groups, and I encourage you come talk to me, but every student should make
sure that he or she knows how to do every homework problem! Again: The homework is the single most
important part of this course!
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Homework will be done on-line using WebAssign. Please logon and register at http://webassign.net/
student.html. If you purchase the textbook PHYS2002 new, your Webassign account will come bundled
with it. This is your best value. If you already have a book and need to purchase a WebAssign account from
the Union Bookstore separately, make sure you purchase access to Wiley Plus. You can also purchase
account access on the WebAssign web page directly. Please log on to the WebAssign system immediately
to register yourself. Your user name will be your LSU e-mail address without @lsu.edu. (For example,
since my LSU e-mail address is jiandiz@lsu.edu, my WebAssign user name would be jiandiz.) Your initial
password will be the last 4 digits of your LSU ID Number. You are invited to change this password as soon
as you log on, but remember it. I will have no record of your password and will not be able to tell you what
it is if you forget it. If you do forget your password and cannot log on, please let me know right away. Also,
if you are already registered for WebAssign from a previous course, I have not changed your registration.
The only exception to these password instructions will be if you are registered for another course (e.g.,
Chemistry 1202) which also uses WebAssign. In that case, the initial password may be determined by the
instructor in the other course. Your password will be the same for both courses, however.
Homework will be due Monday evening every week starting Aug. 31 at 11:59 PM.
Test problems will be very similar to (perhaps identical to) the WebAssign problems.
Tests:
There will be three 1-hour tests, typically given Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7 PM, approximately on
the following dates:
Sept. 23
Oct. 21
Nov. 18
Chapters 18-21
18-25 (Emphasis on 22-25)
18-290 (Emphasis on 25-29.)
The final exam will be Tuesday Dec. 8, 12:30 – 2:30 PM, and will cover Chaps. 18 – 32.
Test questions will be based very closely on the homework and quizzes.
There will be no makeup exams except in exceptional cases. In case a test is missed because of a
medical emergency or some other reason beyond your control, I will need you to provide me with a written
verification of the reason in order to be excused from the test. In such a case, that test will generally not be
used in determining your final grade. An excuse will not be given for a test which you have actually taken.
If you are a member of a sports team or must be absent on official LSU business, please let me know at
least two weeks before the test.
Note: The exam dates and assignments of chapters to be covered on each test are tentative and may
change during the semester. Any changes will be announced in class. Also, the three hour exams will
emphasize new material as listed above, but will not exclude material from earlier chapters.
Free tutoring:
Free tutoring by Physics Dept. graduate students will be provided in Nicholson 102. The schedule will
be posted on the door of room 102. If there is no tutor present at a scheduled time, please let me know
about it.
Quizzes:
I will occasionally give short unannounced quizzes which cover either homework problems or material I
have covered and emphasized in class. These will not be difficult. They will be intended to give you an
incentive to keep up and pay attention. If you have trouble with these quizzes, that should be a signal to you
to come talk to me and/or pay more attention to the homework. Quiz grades will be averaged in with
homework grades. There will be no makeup quizzes.
Grading:
Your midterm and final grades will be determined on a curve, based on how you do compared to your
classmates in this section. The final grade will be based on the homework, quizzes, and tests as follows:
Homework/quizzes
Hour exams
Final exam
400 points
100 points each (total=300)
200 points
2
900 points
I will keep your grades up-to-date and posted on WebAssign.
Assignment 1:
Read Chap. 18 by Thursday 8/27. Problems on Chap. 18 have been posted on the class web site and will
be due Monday 8/31 at 11:59 PM.
Get yourself a computer account, Internet access, and an e-mail address as soon as possible! I do not
care if you use a PAWS account, another LSU account, or a non-LSU account (although an LSU PAWS
account will probably be useful), but one way or the other, you will need computer access to do the
homework!
Students with Disabilities:
If you have a disability which may require accommodation, please immediately contact the Office of
Services for Students with Disabilities (112 Johnston Hall) to document the needed accommodation.
General Education Statement:
Physics 2002 is a General Education course in Natural Sciences (Physical). This course is designed to
teach you course material which will be useful and relevant and to address the following General Education
concepts:
• the structure and properties of atoms and matter;
• motion and forces;
• the conservation of energy; and
• the interactions of energy and matter
Physics 2002 addresses the following General Education learning objectives for physical natural sciences.
By semester’s end students are expected to be able to:
• demonstrate knowledge of a broad survey of light, electricity, and magnetism as well as several topics
in modern physics, including the underlying principles that govern the forces between elementary
charges, as well as between charges and light;
• demonstrate the ability to use inductive and deductive reasoning to understand scientific phenomena as
demonstrated by an ability to solve problems in light, electricity, and magnetism as well as topics in
modern physics; and
• demonstrate an ability to relate light, electricity, and magnetism as well as several topics in modern
physics to astronomy, space sciences, chemistry, physiology, medicine, and/or technology.
Please note the following LSU regulations concerning the University’s W and F policy:
Students who do not drop this course on or before the last drop day (Monday August 31), and then later
drop by the withdrawal date (Friday, Nov 6), will receive a grade of 'W'. The number of W grades
permitted to a student is restricted:
Students with less than 30 hours credit earned may have 3 W's.
Students with 31-60 hours may have 1 W.
Students with 61-90 hours may have 1 W.
Students with above 90 hours may have 1 W.
Unused W's cannot be "rolled over."
Earned credit does not include credit earned by placement test or transfer.
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Once your allotment of W's has been used up, the University will not permit you to withdraw from this
course, except by withdrawing from all courses via resignation. University policy also requires that, if you
get an 'F' in this course, you can retake it only once and you must retake it in the LSU system.
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Tentative schedule of lectures and tests
Monday
Wednesday
Friday
Aug. 24: Chap. 18.1 – 18.4 (First
day of class)
Aug. 31: 19.1 - 19.2
Aug. 26: Chap. 18.5-18.7
Aug. 28: Chap. 18.8 - 18.11
Sept. 2:19.3-7
Sept. 4: Chap. 20.1 - 20.4
Monday Aug. 31 – Last day to
drop course without a W
Wednesday Sept. 2 – Last day
to add class or change sections
Sept. 7: 20.6 - 20.9
Sept. 9: 20.10 - 20.12
Sept. 11: Chap. 21.1 - 21.3
Sept. 14: 21.1 – 21.3
Sept.16: 21.4 -21.6
Sept. 18 : 21.7 - 21.8
Sept. 21 : 21.9 -21.10
Sept. 23: Review
Sept. 25 : Chap. 22.1 - 22.3
Test 1
Sept. 28 : 22.6 – 22.8
Sept. 30: 22.9 -22.10
Oct. 2 : Fall Holiday
Oct. 5 : Chap. 24.1 – 24.3
Oct. 7: 24.4 -24.5
Oct. 9 : 24.6 – 24.7
Oct. 12 : Chap. 25.1 -15.2
Oct. 14: 25.3-25.4
Oct 16: 25-5
Oct. 19: 25.6 - 25.7
Oct. 21: Review
Oct. 23 : Chap. 26.1 – 26.3
Test 2
Oct. 26: 26.4 – 24.5
Oct. 28: 26.6 – 24.7
Oct. 30: 26.8 – 26.9
Nov. 2: 26.9- 26.10
Nov. 4: Chap. 27.1 -27.2
Nov. 6 : 27.3 – 27.5
Friday Nov. 6 – Last day to
drop course with a W
Nov. 9: 27.6 – 27.8
Nov. 11: 27.6 – 27.8
Nov. 13: Chap. 29.1 – 29.2
Nov. 16: 29.3 -29.4
Nov. 18: Review
Nov. 20 : 29.5 – 29.7
Test 3
Nov. 23 : Chap. 30.1 – 30.4
Nov. 25: 30.5 – 30.7
Nov. 27 : Thanksgiving
Nov. 30 : Chap. 31.1 – 31.3
Dec. 2: 31.5 – 31. 8
Dec. 4: Chap. 32
Dec. 8 : Final exam
Note that this is a preliminary, approximate schedule only. Material to be covered and
possibly test dates almost definitely will shift slightly as the semester progresses.
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