Welcome to PHYSICS 113

16 May 2000

Time:

Lecture 4:00-5:40 Tu-Th in Room C113, MatSci Bldg

Instructor:

Rob Sheldon

Office Hours:

TBA, Room 348 Optics Bldg

Phone:

UAH:890 6276 x348
MSFC:544 1652
email: sheldonr@uah.edu

Teaching Assistant:

Text:

Fundamentals of Physics, Extended, 5th edition
Halliday, Resnick and Walker
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NY

Course Description:

Physics 113 is the third and final installment in the series of survey courses of physics, and is the introduction to waves, optics, and modern physics. The course covers the basics of electromagnetic and sound waves, geometrical optics, physical optics (interference and diffraction), special relativity, quantum and nuclear physics.

Students are expected to be familiar with the units of quantities discussed in PH111 and PH112, with the ability to solve problems using algebra, trigonometry and basic calculus.

There will be some computer calculation assignments during the course to help support the theories presented. These assignments can be completed using any computer program or package capable of calculating equations and plotting results, including MS Excel, Mathematica, Mathcad, Maple, Origin, IDL, etc. Detailed instructions will be included with the assignments. Students are encouraged to use the physics department's computer laboratory in OB249 or any other convenient computer for their work.

Preflights/Warm-ups

We are trying out a new teaching style that tries to use the WWW as a fast-response feedback loop. Before each class, a Quiz will be posted on the WWW, which must be completed before 3:00 PM on the day that it is assigned. If it turns out to be possible to grade the Quizzes faster, I will post a change to the due date time. PLEASE do not try to take the quiz after the deadline time, I will not be able to accept it. These quizzes will form the basis of the following lecture. A web site describing this approach can be found at the JiTT Website.

Grading:

The final grade will be derived from:

Exam #1----------25%
Exam #2----------25%
Exam #3----------25%
Quizzes ---------12.5%
Homework---------12.5%

In addition to the Homework will be all the in-class quizzes and "Pre-Flights" that will be prepared on the web. Exams and homework will both be scaled up so that the class average represents 75%. (No scaling will be done if the average is above 75%). That is, if the class average is 65, and you make a 70, then your recorded grade will be 70 * (75/65) = 81. This scaling then allows me to use an absolute scale for letter grades:

90-100 = A
80--90 = B
70--80 = C
60--70 = D
0--60 = N/C

Note that beginning in 2000, the "F" grade is replaced with a "N/C" for all 100-level physics courses. That is, failing will no longer reduce your GPA, but it will be treated as if you had withdrawn.

Tentative Lecture Schedule:

WK	DATE	CH	TOPIC	QUIZ	HOMEWORK	SOLUTIONS
1	May 16	17	Waves I	Quiz A	17:12,27,29,43,57,62
1	May 18	18	Waves I,II	Quiz B	18:11,22,40,56,62,96	Chap 17
2	May 23	18	Waves II	Quiz C
2	May 25	34	EM Waves	Quiz D	34:32,47,56,72,84,87	Chap 18
3	May 30	34	EM Waves	Quiz E
3	Jun 1	35	Geom Optics	Quiz F	35:10,16,20,34,42,50	Chap 34
4	Jun 6	35	Geom Optics	Quiz G
4	Jun 8	xx	Test 1	Quiz H	Test 1	Chap 35
5	Jun 13	36	Test Review	Quiz I	36:11,30,52,70,78a-c,d-f
5	Jun 15	36	Interference	Quiz J	37:13,32,43,59,69,79	Chap 36
6	Jun 20	37	Int & Diffraction	Quiz K
6	Jun 22	38	Diff&Relativity	Quiz L	38:17,23,32,38,59,66	Chap 37
7	Jun 27	38	Relativity & Quantum I	Quiz M	39:10,42,58,67,78,83
7	Jun 29	39	Quantum I	Quiz N	40:14,21,27,34,46,49	Chap 38
8	Jul 4	xx	HOLIDAY *	Quiz O		Chap 39
8	Jul 6	40	Quantum II	Quiz P		Chap 40
9	Jul 11	xx	Test 2	Quiz Q	Test 2
9	Jul 13	41	Atoms	NoQuiz	41:13,22,24,42,56,62	Chap 41
10	Jul 18	42	Atoms & Solids	NoQuiz	42:22,32,35,42,47,49
10	Jul 20	42	Solids	Quiz T		Chap 42
11	Jul 25	43	Nuclear I	Quiz U	43:22,41,50,63,71,80
11	Jul 27	44	Nuclear I,II	Quiz V	44:10,21,30,44,51,54	Chap 43
12	Aug 1	44	Nuclear II	NoQuiz		Chap 44
12	Aug 3	45		Quiz W		Chap 45
13	Aug 8		Test Review
13	Thu, Aug 10	xx	Final Exam		3:00-5:30

Homework:

Assigned for each chapter. Due the following period after completing the chapter or when the next homework is assigned. To receive full credit, answers must be submitted on time. Doing these problems is part of the process and I know that you will often work with other students. Do so as a participant, not just a passenger! Late homework will be assessed a penalty of 30% past due date.

Reply to sheldon*r@uah.edu
(due to spamming, please delete the asterisk)