PHYSICS 123 - INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICS I
Spring 2016
Instructor: Mike Reed
Office: Kemper Hall, Room 103L
Office Hours: Mondays 11:15-1:20, Wednesdays 10:10-11 and 2:30-3:20, and Friday 1011 (Help Desk).
Phone: 836-5131
email: mikereed@missouristate.edu
Course Web Page: http://sdbv.missouristate.edu/mreed/CLASS/PHY123/index.html
Materials: Physics, by Cutnell & Johnson, 10th edition, Turning Technologies Clicker,
WileyPlus (on-line material) are all required for this course. Blackboard will be used a lot for
this course.
General Education - This course partially fulfills the General Education Learning Goals of
Missouri State University’s General Education Program – specifically, Goal II - Knowledge of the
Natural World. By studying the natural and physical sciences, students must understand the basic
workings and interconnectedness of the universe and develop disciplined habits of thought that
strengthen their abilities to reason inductively and deductively and understand the role of science in
contemporary society. Contained in Goal II are Student Learning Outcomes that apply to the
Physical Sciences. The Student Learning Outcomes that are central to the PHY 123 course are:
1. Understand and use the processes by which knowledge of the physical world is
generated.
2. Develop knowledge and principles of the physical world through hypothesis testing and
gain the ability to draw defensible conclusions regarding the physical world.
3. Make logical connections between key concepts in the physical sciences and describe the
interaction between human lives and the physical world.
Physics is defined as the study of the basic nature of matter and the interactions that govern its
behavior. AND, it is the basic science on which all other science disciplines are built. PHY 123
will cover Mechanics, Fluids, Heat and Temperature and an introduction to Waves. The goals of
the course are:
1. Understand the fundamental concepts in physics.
2. Understand the use of mathematics as a way of describing physical phenomena.
3. Understand the relationship physics has to the natural world and through that
understanding gain an appreciation of physics within that world.
General Information for the Class - There are two components of PHY 123 course that
complement, support and enhance each other. They are lecture and lab. At times the labs will be
used as an introduction to the material and other times to provide additional experiences with the
concepts that have already been covered in lecture. For more information about the lab, see the
Laboratory Section below. Blackboard will be used to support this class. You should already be
enrolled in the course and do not need to do anything additional to access it. Realize there are
two Blackboard sections for the course; One covers the lecture component and the other the
laboratory section. Check both frequently for information.
Physics uses mathematics to describe various concepts and ideas. Therefore, we will be
approaching physics using basic algebra and trigonometry as a foundation. I expect you to be
able to use the math and be comfortable with it. If you are not, come see me. In addition, don’t
wait to come by if you are getting behind, confused, etc. – everything we do in class builds on
the previous material presented. If you get too far behind it is very hard to catch up.
Laboratory - The labs activities done are designed to provide concrete learning experiences
with the concepts discussed in lecture. Through these experiences including collection and
analysis of data, a better understanding of those concepts will occur. Therefore, it is important to
be at every class. There will be a Laboratory Report required for each lab which is described in
the Lab Manual. In addition, there is a schedule and other information that pertains to the labs
listed as well. You can access the lab manual through the Blackboard course for your lab section.
A student must pass the laboratory with a score >= 70% to pass the entire course. Please
note that I do not teach those labs and do not have control over their content or grades. For
questions/issues in labs, you should talk with your lab instructor.
Attendance Policy - Attendance in the course is extremely important and missing will cause you
to miss the material being covered. It is extremely important in lab since there will not be any
way to make a lab up. I certainly understand that absence at time is unavoidable, e.g., illness or
accident, etc. but excessive absence is detrimental to your learning of the course material, no
matter what the reason for absence.
Grades - Your grade will be based on 3 tests (40%), approximately 10 assignments (20%), labs
(20%), and a comprehensive final (20%). To pass the course, you must pass the laboratory
component for the class. The following scale will be targeted for grading: A (>= 90%); B (>=
80%); C (>= 65%); D (>= 55%) and F (< 55%). If a curve is necessary, it will be applied only
on the scores at the end of the semester. Individual exams will not be given a grade; they will
only have a score to which the above weights will apply.
Tests: Tests are all multiple choice. The test dates will be Feb. 3, March 2, and April 6. The
comprehensive final will occur during the scheduled final time.
There will be no Extra Credit given for any activities in any section of this course.
Academic Dishonesty - Missouri State University is a community of scholars committed to
developing educated persons who accept the responsibility to practice personal and academic
integrity. You are responsible for knowing and following the university’s student honor code,
Student Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures and also available at the Reserves Desk in
Meyer Library. Any student participating in any form of academic dishonesty will be subject to
sanctions as described in this policy.
Statement of Nondiscrimination - Missouri State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative
action institution, and maintains a grievance procedure available to any person who believes he
or she has been discriminated against. At all times, it is your right to address inquiries or
concerns about possible discrimination to the Office for Institutional Equity and Compliance,
Park Central Office Building, 117 Park Central Square, Suite 111, 417-836-4252. Other types of
concerns (i.e., concerns of an academic nature) should be discussed directly with your instructor
and can also be brought to the attention of your instructor’s Department Head. Please visit the
OED website at www.missouristate.edu/equity/.
Disability Accommodation - To request academic accommodations for a disability, contact the
Director of the Disability Resource Center, Carrington Hall, Room 302, 417-836-4192 or 417836-6792 (TTY), www.missouristate.edu/disability. Students are required to provide
documentation of disability to the Disability Resource Center prior to receiving
accommodations. The Disability Resource Center refers some types of accommodation requests
to the Learning Diagnostic Clinic, which also provides diagnostic testing for learning and
psychological disabilities. For information about testing, contact the Director of the Learning
Diagnostic Clinic, 417-836-4787, http://psychology.missouristate.edu/ldc.
Cell Phone Policy - As a member of the learning community, each student has a responsibility to
other students who are members of the community. When cell phones or pagers ring and
students respond in class or leave class to respond, it disrupts the class. Therefore, the Office of
the Provost prohibits the use by students of cell phones, pagers, PDAs, or similar communication
devices during scheduled classes. All such devices must be turned off or put in a silent (vibrate)
mode and ordinarily should not be taken out during class. Given the fact that these same
communication devices are an integral part of the University’s emergency notification system, an
exception to this policy would occur when numerous devices activate simultaneously. When this
occurs, students may consult their devices to determine if a university emergency exists. If that is
not the case, the devices should be immediately returned to silent mode and put away. Other
exceptions to this policy may be granted at the discretion of the instructor.
Emergency Response Statement At the first class meeting, students should become familiar with a basic emergency response plan
through a dialogue with the instructor that includes a review and awareness of exits specific to
the classroom and the location of evacuation centers for the building. All instructors are provided
this information specific to their classroom and/or lab assignments in an e-mail prior to the
beginning of the fall semester from the Office of the Provost and Safety and Transportation.
Students with disabilities impacting mobility should discuss the approved accommodations for
emergency situations and additional options when applicable with the instructor. For more
information go to http://www.missouristate.edu/safetran/51597.htm and
http://www.missouristate.edu/safetran/erp.htm.
Shelter Information (in case of severe weather).
Building
Shelter Information
1st Floor: Shelter in interior lecture Halls
2nd Floor: Shelter in interior lecture Halls
Glass Hall 3rd Floor: Shelter in interior lecture Halls and interior office suites.
4th Floor: Evacuate to 3rd Floor Lecture Halls and Interior Office Suites
using northeast, northwest southeast and southwest stairs.
Eacuation Instructions (in case the building needs to be evacuated for events such as fire, gas
leak, etc.):
Building
Evacuation Information
Glass Hall
Southwest to Strong Hall Rooms 1, 2, 3 and 4
Dropping or Auditing a Class - It is your responsibility to understand the University’s
procedure for dropping a class. If you stop attending this class but do not follow proper
procedure for dropping the class, you will receive a failing grade and will also be financially
obligated to pay for the class. For information about dropping a class or withdrawing from the
university, contact the Office of the Registrar at 836-5520 or visit
http://www.missouristate.edu/registrar/catalog/add-dropprocedures.htm .
Auditing the course is a possibility http://www.missouristate.edu/registrar/catalog/auditing.html .
It allows a student to remain in class and learn the material but removes the possibility and
pressure of getting an unacceptable grade like dropping the course does.
See Academic Calendars (www.missouristate.edu/registrar/acad_cal.html) for
dropping/changing-to-audit deadlines.
Audio and Video Recording Course Activity - Students may make audio or video recordings of
course activity. However, the redistribution of audio or video recordings from the course to
individuals who are not students in the class is prohibited without the express permission of the
faculty member and any of the students who are recorded.
Religious Accommodation - The University may provide a reasonable accommodation based on
a person’s sincerely held religious belief. In making this determination, the University reviews a
variety of factors, including whether the accommodation would create an undue hardship. The
accommodation request imposes responsibilities and obligations on both the individual
requesting the accommodation and the University. Students who expect to miss classes,
examinations, or other assignments as a consequence of their sincerely held religious belief shall
be provided with a reasonable alternative opportunity to complete such academic responsibilities.
It is the obligation of students to provide faculty with reasonable notice of the dates of religious
observances on which they will be absent by submitting a Request for Religious Accommodation
Form (http://www.missouristate.edu/equity/47491.htm ) to the instructor by the end of the third
week of a full semester course or the end of the second week of a half semester course.
This syllabus is subject to change if needs arise.