Physics 2048, General Physics A
Prof. Stephen Hill, Course Leader
An Introduction to Mechanics, Waves and Thermodynamics
Prof. S. Tabor
Prof. G. Rogachev
Prof. T. Adams
Physics 2048: Meet the Professors
http://magnet.fsu.edu/~shill/
Prof. S. Tabor
Prof. G. Rogachev
Prof. T. Adams
http://www.physics.fsu.edu/
Physics 2048C: Organization of Course
If you are in 2048C Studio (sections 1 & 2), you should not be here!
1. Tue. and Thu. Lectures (in here): 9:30 to 10:45am
2. Mon. and Wed. Recitations: sections 3 – 6
(in MCH303 – see syllabus for your specific section)
3. Mon. or Wed. Labs (2048L, sections 1-10)
(in UPL107/109 – see syllabus for your specific lab section)
4. Pre-labs due at noon on the day of your lab
5. Two weekly LON-CAPA homework assignments
6. Credit for participation in lectures and recitations
7. Help sessions and office hours
Physics 2048C: Organization of Course
If you are in 2048C Studio (sections 1 & 2), you should not be here!
1. Tue. and Thu. Lectures (in here): 9:30 to 10:45am
2. Mon. and Wed. Recitations: sections 3 – 6
(in MCH303 – see syllabus for your specific section)
•You will hone your problem solving skills in these classes
•Instructors will explain more on Wednesday - make sure to attend
•5% of final grade based on participation (15% on homework)
•Your exams scores will also improve if you participate (see later)
Physics 2048C: Organization of Course
If you are in 2048C Studio (sections 1 & 2), you should not be here!
3. Mon. or Wed. Labs (2048L, sections 1-10)
(in UPL107/109 – see syllabus for your specific lab section)
4. LON-CAPA pre-labs due at noon on the day of lab
5. Two weekly LON-CAPA homework assignments
Physics 2048C: Organization of Course
If you are in 2048C Studio (sections 1 & 2), you should not be here!
• No Labs this week!!!!
• You must attend your lab next week
• First lab is a challenging LON-CAPA pre-lab
Physics 2048C Textbook
Richard Wolfson:
Essential University Physics
Volume 1
•Simple and to the point
•Useful Chapter summaries
•Plenty of practice problems
Volume 2 is for 2049
Physics 2048C: Lectures
• Lecturing: outline of concepts, Purchase, then register:
simple derivations of formulas, http://www.iclicker.com/
example problems, connections
between concepts and the real
world around us…
• Fun demonstrations of key ideas
• Iclicker pop quizzes
• Approximately every lecture
• Credit for participation and answers
• 25 minute Mini-Exams (multi-choice)
• First mini-exam next week (Thu., Jan. 13th)!!
• A 1:15 hr mid-term (Thu. Feb. 24th)
Physics 2048C: Labs
• No labs this week, but they start next week!
A few weeks with no lab (see syllabus)
• The lab is a required component of the course
• LON-CAPA Pre-labs due at noon on day of lab**
**Exception next week – Thu. midnight deadline
You will get help on this assignment during next week’s lab
• Hands-on training in use of scientific equipment
• Data analysis: graphing, spreadsheets, etc.
• Will reinforce lecture topics (later labs)
• Will also introduce concepts not covered in class
• You will learn to write short scientific reports
Physics 2048C Online
We will use Blackboard: campus.fsu.edu
(You will need a Garnet Account to login to Blackboard)
• There, you will find: important announcements
about the course; an updated syllabus; lecture
notes; exam solutions; grades; and more…
• Lecture notes do not substitute for lectures.
• You will also find a link to the online system for
the homework and pre-lab exercises:
loncapa.fsu.edu
Physics 2048C: Exams
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1All
Thu. Jan 13 – Mini-Exam 1
Thu. Jan 27 – Mini-Exam 2
Thu. Feb. 10 – Mini Exam 3
Thu. Feb. 24 – Mid-Term Exam (1hr 15min)
Thu. Mar 17 – Mini-Exam 4
Thu. Mar. 31 – Mini-Exam 5
Thu. Apr. 14 – Mini-Exam 6
Tue. Apr. 26, 12:30-2:30 – Final Exam
mini-exams are 25 min., starting promptly at beginning of class
2All mini-exams will be multi-choice and computer graded (LON-CAPA)
3Only the five best mini-exam scores count towards your final grade
4Mid-term and Final will be hand-graded (partial credit awarded)
Physics 2048C: Grading
•Attendance/
answer ~50/50
•Lowest 15%
dropped
Pre-lab (4%)
Lab (16%)
Physics 2048C: Grade vs. Attendance
Physics 2048C: This Week and Next
• No labs this week, but they start next week!
• First recitation classes tomorrow
• First LON-CAPA assignment due Monday
• First assignment mainly review (not all covered in lecture)
• Very strict deadline of 11:59:59 pm on due date
• See syllabus and LON-CAPA for subsequent deadlines
• First Mini-Exam next Thursday (Jan. 13th)
• This Thursday’s Lecture:
Ch. 1 – Brief Review of Units and Measures
Start Ch. 2 – Motion in a Straight Line
Physics 2048C: A Short Introduction
We are first going to learn the classical
laws of mechanics that govern the motion
of moving bodies....
....as formulated by:
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)
Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)
Isaac Newton (1643-1727)
This will be followed by an introduction to
wave motion and thermodynamics
These ideas may be applied to.......
Newton's laws:
From the Gatorade ad:
A.
B.
C.
"What makes bodies in motion remain in motion?"
"What makes what goes up, stay up?"
"What makes what goes down, get back up?"
One of these statements may be attributed to Newton
**The answer is A**
Newton's first law (Law of inertia): A body at rest
remains at rest, and a body in motion will remain in
motion at a constant velocity unless acted upon by an
external force.
Standing the test of time
• The classical laws of physics, including mechanics and
thermodynamics, have been rigorously studied through
centuries of experiment.
• This is the so-called "scientific method."
• During this course, we will explore many (though by no
means all**) of the classical laws of physics using
controlled experimental demonstrations.
• We will compare the results with simple mathematically
based theoretical principles.
• We will then use these theoretical principles to solve a
wide range of problems.
**PHY2049 will introduce you to more of these laws.
What do physicists do?
At the end of the 19th century, A. A. Michelson (very
famous physicist) stated that "all of the grand underlying
physical principles had been firmly established."
Then came two revolutions:
•Relativity
concepts of space and time change at large relative velocities
•Quantum mechanics
concept of matter changes on small length scales
•Classical laws of mechanics break down in these limits,
and much remains to be discovered
These are the things physicists study today through
experiment and theory, just as physicists have done
through the ages.
Physics, the 21st century, & you
A technological revolution
• 20th century microelectronics & the computer revolution
• Now we have "nanoscience“ (and molecular sciences)
Devices/molecules which are made up from just a few atoms
1 nanometer = 1 meter / 1,000,000,000
1 millionth of the diameter of a grain of rice
• Nanoscience is revolutionizing electronic and mechanical
engineering, biology, chemistry and medicine
• Physics is playing a larger and larger role in all of these
fields
However, before you can tackle these modern subjects,
you have to have a fundamental grasp of the underlying
classical laws of physics
Tips for success
•Practice, practice, practice!
•Do not fall behind in the homework.
•Do not leave preparation for exams until the last minute.
•Work on your exam technique.
•Form study groups, but do not let others do your work.
•Treat the text as a source of reference. Do not read it
cover to cover like you would a novel.
•If you are having difficulties, come and see me or the
other instructors during office hours, or by appointment
(or, as a last resort, send email) - we can help.
But, most of all....
....try to have fun!
Good luck!