Welcome to PSC-1121
Physical Science
Sprinkled with Musical
Examples
Spring 2009
Jeffrey B. Bindell, PhD
Dr. Jeffrey B. Bindell
MAP 417
bindell@physics.ucf.edu
Physical Science of Music
What the heck does music have to do with
physical science?
– Is physics a dirty word?
This course will discuss introductory physics (as
required by the college)
This course will “flavor” the course with its
specific applications to music rather than just
plow through the book talking about things you
probably don’t care for very much.
Physics and Music
The Other Section
There is another section of this course that will
Physical Science in the traditional way.
It is being taught by Dr. Brueckner in the
afternoon.
– I am better looking!
– He is smarter!
Class Information
NOTE: The Syllabus and all lectures can
be found on the website for the class:
– www.physics.ucf.edu/~bindell
Class meets in this room
– MWF @ 11:30AM – 12:20PM
CLASS RULE
Details, details, details.
Instructor Dr. Jeffrey Bindell
e-mail address bindell@physics.ucf.edu
Office MAP 417
Classroom MAP 260 (large ugly lecture hall)
Schedule MWF 11:30 AM
WebCT Utilization NO. – We will use “WebAssign”
Office Hours See Syllabus
Website www.physics.ucf.edu/~bindell
Lecture materials will be posted on this
site. CHECK IT OFTEN
We Will Study
What is science?
What is the Scientific Method?
What is Measurement? Standards?
Observation? Physics?
We will study
– Newton’s Laws
– Sound, Waves  music
– How music is structured. What is it? How does it
work?
– A bit about gasses (air), mixtures (air), density (air)
– How do musical instruments work?
– Electricity, Magnetism and their applications to music.
Textbooks– “Physics – A World View”, 6th edition by
Kirkpatric & Francis (Thompson – Brooks
/Cole publisher).
– If purchasing the textbook from the UCF
bookstore
Make sure it includes
A $10.00 Clicker discount (later)
A WebAssign registration form.
– The book can be downloaded onto your
computer (link provided in syllabus) on a chapter
by chapter basis. Since we will only use 50% of
the test, this is a good option. $5.00 a chapter.
If you print it out, the ink cost may make this
more expensive an option.
ADDITIONAL TEXT– “Measured Tones” by Ian Johnston. Second Edition
IoP Press (Institute of Physics) (2002)
– This adds the music component. You do not HAVE to
purchase this book but it is recommended that you do
so.
– OPTIONS:
Purchase from the bookstore (listed as required so they will
order enough copies)
You can buy the book on Amazon.com at a much lower price
than the bookstore’s price.
If you choose not to buy the book, you may have to rely on
the internet for the music stuff!
What Do You Need?
The textbook
– With i-clicker coupon ($10.00)
– With WebAssign registration (Normally $15)
– If you download chapters, you will have to purchase
the above separately. (Sorry)
Measured Tones
– Measured Tones: The Interplay of Physics and Music,
Second Edition by Ian Johnston (Paperback - Mar 1,
2002)
– AMAZON: Buy new: $34.99
– Bookstore $60+
An i-clicker
What the heck is an i-clicker??
i-clicker
GOOD
CPS clicker
EVIL
Clicker Numbers
The i-clicker
Student response system.
Used every day.
You answer questions in class as we go along.
– I find out what is being learned and what needs
attention.
– You will find out if YOU understand the material.
See the syllabus for information about how to
register your i-clicker for this course or goto
http://www.iclicker.com/dl/registrationoptions.pdf
i-clicker algorithm
3-Points if you answer a question
correctly.
2-Points if your answer is wrong.
0-Points if you don’t answer the question
at all.
What is WebAssign???
An Electronic Homework System
A grade book
A communications approach
– Communicate with others in the class via the forum.
– Send me e-mails
– Request extensions on overdue homework.
Penalty
Register at www.webassign.net
Movie (for instructors but you can look)
– http://www.webassign.net/movies/
About those grades …
There will be three (possibly 4) mid-term
examinations.
– I will discount the lowest grade.
There will be an all-inclusive final exam.
There is Homework.
There is the clicker grade.
– 66% if you attend all classes and get the
wrong answer on every question.
Weights
Item
Weight
Mid Semester Examinations
35%
Final Examination
35%
Homework
15%
Class Participation (Clicks)
15%
Grades
GRADE
SCORE
A
90%
B
75%
C
60%
D
50%
F
Less than 50%
The Small Print
The University of Central Florida is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with
disabilities. Dr. Bindell shares the same commitment. Students with disabilities who need accommodations
must be registered with Student Disability Services (SDS), Student Resource Center Room 132, phone (407)
823-2371, TTY/TDD only phone (407) 823-2116, before requesting accommodations from Dr. Bindell.
Students who are registered with SDS and need accommodations in PSC1121 must contact Dr. Bindell at the
beginning of the semester to discuss needed accommodations. No accommodations will be provided until the
student has met with the professor to request accommodations.
At UCF, academics comes first. Attendance at examinations is mandatory, and there will be no make-up
examinations. University excused absences exist only for religious observances, intercollegiate activities and
athletics, and university-verified family or medical emergency. Weddings, plane tickets that your parents got on
priceline.com, or tickets to the Bahamas do not count as legitimate excuses. Therefore, plan your semester
accordingly, and if you know that you will not be able to make all the examinations, you should drop the course
now and take it during spring semester.
It is Physics Department policy that making up missed work will only be permitted for University-sanctioned
activities and bona fide medical or family reasons. Authentic justifying documentation must be provided in
every case (in advance for University-sanctioned activities). At the discretion of the instructor, the make-up
may take any reasonable and appropriate form including, but not limited to the following: a replacement exam,
replacing the missed work with the same score as a later exam, allowing a 'dropped' exam, replacing the
missed work with the homework or quiz average.
Any cheating I detect on examinations will be punishable by no less than a zero on the examination in
question and up to expulsion from UCF.
HOMEWORK
Get the “stuff”
Register for i-clicker.
Register in WebAssign
See you on Friday