Physics 139 and 139NG
Introduction to Physics
Fall 2011
Preliminary syllabus
Meeting times: Classes are held in Hasbrouck 134 on Tuesday and Thursday from 4:00 –
5:15.
Professor: John F. Donoghue
Contact information during the registration period: Email at
donoghue@physics.umass.edu is the best contact route until mid-summer. Prof.
Donoghue is away from UMass on sabbatical during the Spring 2011 semester. He can be
reached by email at any time. If a direct conversation is desired, this can be arranged
using Skype.
Textbook: We will use Inquiry into Physics (First Edition) by Ostdiek and Bord
published by Brooks Cole (the parent company is called Cengage ). We will also use the
WebAssign online system for homework problems. The text and WebAssign access code
can be purchased as a bundled package from the bookstore (ISBN: 1111233675). If you
buy the textbook used, you can purchase the WebAssign code separately, and you will
need to do so. Note that the text is listed as the 1st Edition. However there are other
versions of a previous series of the same textbook with the same title and authors in
editions from 1st to 6th. These will differ slightly on paging and graphics, but any of these
earlier editions will be acceptable for the course.
Material covered: Physics is the study of the most basic properties of our world. The
table of contents of our textbook gives an indication of the topics that we will study.
1. The Study of Motion.
2. Newton's Laws.
3. Energy and Conservation Laws.
4. Physics of Matter.
5. Temperature and Heat.
6. Waves and Sound.
7. Electricity.
8. Electromagnetism and EM Waves.
9. Optics.
10. Atomic Physics.
11. Nuclear Physics.
12. Special Relativity and Elementary Particles.
Requirements:
The main content of the material is provided in the class lectures – attendance is
important. There will be weekly homework assignments using the online WebAssign
system. There will be two midterm exams and a final. The midterms are not cumulative,
but 50% of the final will be a cumulative review of all the material. For students
registered in the 4 credit version of the course – Physics 139 – there will be additional
written assignments.
Grading:
Unless a change is announced early in the semester, the grading scheme for the 3-credit
version – Physics 139NG – will be 25% for each of the midterm exams, 30% for the final
exam and 20% for the homework. For the 4 credit course – Physics 139 – this division
will be rescaled to make up 80% of the final grade and the additional written assignments
will make up the remaining 20%.
Further information:
More detailed information will be provided at the start of the class. If you need specific
information not described above, please email Prof. Donoghue.