PHYS 151 Syllabus
A. Instructor: Galen T. Pickett
Office: HSCI-260
Phone: 562 985 4934
Email: Galen.Pickett@csulb.edu
Office hours: MWF 9:30-9:50, 10:50-11:15.
B. Meeting Time: MWF 10-10:50
Location: HSCI 100
Section: 2
C. Learning Outcomes.
Welcome to PHYS 151, “Mechanics and Heat.” In this class we will explore the foundations of modern
mechanics from the point of view of our current, best understanding of the physical universe. We will
focus on a relatively small number of fundamental principles in the course, and how to put them together
into a cohesive explanation of how and why objects move as they do. This is a course in your General
Education Program, addressing Critical Thinking, Quantitative Reasoning, and Teamwork (in the
laboratory and in the Social Homework).
D. Required Texts and materials
- Matter and Interactions, Vol. 1, 3rd Edition, Chabay and Sherwood
- PHYS 151 Laboratory manual
- i>Clicker device
- WebAssign License
E. Types and sequence of assignments and basis for assigning course grade:
The course grade will be determined by: A=90-100, B=80-89, C=70-79, D=60-69, F<59
Your course grade will be determined by:
5%: i>Clicker
25%: WebAssign online homework assignments due online every Saturday at 9:00 am (exceptions noted
below).
20%: Laboratory. Missing 2 laboratory assignments during the semester will result in you earning an F in
this course. You are required to be present in the laboratory at the start of the period. Laboratory
instructors are authorized to grade a student as “absent” if tardy.
50%: Exams, quizzes, other activities, final exam apportioned as follows and on the following dates:
20% Exam I: Wednesday, March 20 (group), Friday, March 22 (individual). You will need one
blue book for each part of the exam.
20% Exam II: Wednesday, May 15, 10:15-12:15 (here).
10% Social Homework: due Thursdays, 9pm (exceptions noted below).
F.
Withdrawals: No instructor or office staff can add or change a class for you. Only YOU, THE STUDENT,
can add or change classes in YOUR schedule. You may either add classes on-line through your MyCSULB
account or in person at Enrollment Services during the registration period. Each student is responsible to
check their MyCSULB account weekly to be certain that the Class Schedule listed accurately reflects the
courses s/he is enrolled in for the current semester. Students should also check for any notices the
University has sent to them.
G. Any student missing class for a university-approved absence (university business, illness) is entitled to a
reasonable make-up assignment. Having a fellow student use your i>Clicker in your absence will result in
an academic dishonesty case being brought against both students.
H. Any student requiring accommodation through DSSC should see me about arranging accommodations.
I.
Schedule and online resources: You must register your i>Clicker device at www.iclicker.com at the start of
the semester. If your textbook came with a WebAssign license, please login at www.webassign.com with
your CSULB student id number as your username, and your email address as your password. Please
change your password when you first login.
Social HomeWork (SHW). These are assignments you will complete in assigned groups throughout the
term. The problems you will be solving come from the homework, and will help you to prepare for
homework and exams. You will need to answer the invitation email from “edudotonline” with login
details. Your grade results from the number of posts you make and the number of votes you execute on the
forum site.
Weekly Schedule
UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, WebAssign assignments are due Saturday at 9am. Social Homework
assignments are due Thursday at 9pm.
Week 1: Chapter 1: Vectors and geometry. SHW 1 due FRIDAY 9pm, WebAssign “Introduction” due
Saturday 9am.
Week 2: Chapter 1-2: Momentum, momentum principle. SHW / WebAssign due Thr. / Sat.
Week 3: Chapter 2-3: Momentum principle , collisions, universal force. SHW / WebAssign due Thr. / Sat.
Week 4: Chapter 3-4: Universal forces, contact forces. SHW / WebAssign due Thr. / Sat.
Week 5: Chapter 4: Momentum principle under many interactions. SHW / WebAssign due Thr. / Sat.
Week 6: Chapter 5: Rate of change of momentum. SHW / WebAssign due Thr. / Sat.
Week 7: Chapter 6: Work, energy, energy principle. SHW / WebAssign due Thr. / Sat.
Week 8: Chapter 6: Potential energy. SHW / WebAssign due Thr. / Sat.
Week 9: Chapter 7: Internal energy, heat capacity. SHW / WebAssign due Thr. / Sat.
Exam I Group, Week 9: March 20.
Exam I Individual, Week 9: March 22.
Week 10: Chapter 8-9: Quantum / internal energy. SHW / WebAssign due Thr. / Sat.
Week 11: Chapter 9: Internal energy / simple vs. complex systems. SHW / WebAssign due Thr. / Sat.
Week 12: Chapter 10: Elastic and inelastic collisions. SHW / WebAssign due Thr. / Sat.
Week 13: Chapter 10-11: Angular momentum principle. SHW / WebAssign due Thr. / Sat.
Week 14: Chapter 11: Angular momentum. SHW / WebAssign due Thr. / Sat.
Week 15: Chapter 12: Engines / entropy. SHW due FRIDAY.
FINAL EXAM: WEDNESDAY, MAY 15 10:15-12:15 HERE.