PHYS 151 Syllabus
A. Instructor: Galen T. Pickett
Office: HSCI-260
Phone: 562 985 4934
Email: Galen.Pickett@csulb.edu
Office hours: MTWR 11-12
http://www.csulb.edu/~gpickett/phys151/phys151.html
B. Meeting Time: MTWR 12-2
Location: HSCI-105
Section: 1
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
20%: WebAssign online homework assignments due online every Friday at 9:00 pm (exceptions noted
below).
25%: Laboratory. Missing 2 laboratory assignments during the semester will result in you earning an F in
this course.
50%: Exams, quizzes, and final exam apportioned as follows and on the following dates:
15% Exam I: Thursday, June 13. You will need 2 blue books for this exam.
15% Exam II: Wednesday, July 3. You will need 2 blue books for this exam.
10% Social Homework, due Wednesdays, 9pm (exceptions noted below).
10% Face-to-Face Group interactions, during class.
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.
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.iclciker.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 assignment 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
Week 1: Chapter 1-3. Vectors, geometry, momentum, momentum principle, collisions.
SHW 1: Thurs 9pm.
Sat 9AM, Assignments Intro, Assignment 1, 2.
Week 2: Chapter 3,4,5. Universal forces, contact forces, friction, rate of change of momentum.
SHW 2: Wed. 9pm.
Sat 9AM, Assignment 3,4,5.
Week 3: Chapter 6. Work, energy, energy principle.
SHW 3: Wed. 9pm.
Exam I.: Thursday
WebAssign, Sat 9AM, Assignment 6,7.
Week 4: Chapter 7-9. Energy principle in collisions, internal thermal energy, quantum energy principle.
SHW 4: Wed 9pm.
WebAssign, Sat 9AM, Assignment 8,9.
Week 5: Chapter 9-10. Internal energy, rotational kinetic energy, simple and extended systems.
SHW 5: Wed 9pm.
Webassign, Sat 9AM, Assignment 10,11.
Week 6: Chapter 11, 12, 13. Angular momentum. Heat, entropy, engines.
SHW 6: Tues 9pm.
Webassign, Wed 9pm, Assignment 12,13.
Exam II: Thursday, July 3.