Introduction to Physics 250

1. Introduction to Physics 250 Dr. Phil Womble womble@wku.edu Applied Physics Institute 270 781 3859 Office Hours: MWF 8:00-9:00 TCCW 232

2. Are you in the right place? • This is University Physics I • 9:10-10:05 am MWF • Co-requisites: Physics 251 and Math 126

3. What is different than High School Physics or College Physics? • More Mathematically based • By that, I mean calculus

4. Syllabus • Contact Info: • Dr. Phil Womble • womble@wku.edu • On MWF afternoons and TR, I am at Applied Physics Institute, 270 781 3859 • I travel A LOT! Email is the best way to find me. • I usually don’t read my email at home so usually email after 5 pm is not answered until the following morning. • Particularly on Homework Night! • I usually leave all my material at my TCCW office so it is best to contact/meet me there. • You are always welcome to come out to the API and ask questions.

5. Overall Goals • University Physics I is an introduction to Kinematics, Mechanics, and the Principle of Least Action for students in the physical sciences (including chemistry, computer science, geology, mathematics, physics, and engineering related degree programs. The emphasis will be on developing problem solving skills and understanding the basic concepts and definitions used in the study and application of these areas. • Also an understanding that these concepts are not independent of other fields of physics but part of the larger picture of physics will be emphasized. • Finally, we wish to give the student confidence to tackle simple problems in their home and their work environments. Of course, we will not be held liable for any fires, deaths, and general mayhem which may result

6. Grade Weighting Factors • 3 In-class exams are worth 60% (20% each) • Final Exam is worth 25% • Homework is worth 15%

7. 3 In-class Exams • Each worth 20% of your final grade • Usually, 5 problems long. • I supply all the formulae that you need (and some that you don’t need) • 30 minutes of the class period before an exam is dedicated to test review • I hand out old exams for you to review • These “practice” exams are examples of problems and problem-types that I have previously given. • Do not expect a problem to be repeated in its entirety from a practice exam.

8. Exams Cont’d • Exams consist of 80% of homework/class examples • Again, these are not exact copies but very close • 20% of the material is based on classwork/homework but will be an entirely new situation • I call it “the joker problem”

9. Exam Schedule (tentative) • Wednesday, October 5th • Friday, October 21st • Wednesday, November 16th

10. “The More Work Shown, The More Credit Given” • This phrase is repeated at the beginning of EVERY test • It means that I grade on your problem-solving capabilities not an answer. • I could care less if you ever got a correct answer in this class. • BUT YOUR PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUE SHOULD BE GOOD!

11. Final Exam • Essentially a two-hour in-class exam • We will review during the final class period • Consists of 10 questions Comprehensive!

12. Final Exam Schedule • MWF 9:10-10:05 • Friday, December 16th , 8:00 am – 10:00 am YUCK!

13. Textbook • University Physics 11th Ed • Young and Freedman • Available thru University Bookstore, Amazon, etc. • Expensive Text for ALL University Physics courses

14. Homework • Submitted through the Mastering Physics Server • New Texts have codes associated with them • You can purchase access from the Mastering Physics website. • 9:10 MWF class is MPWOMBLE0005

15. HW Due Dates • HW Due Dates have a tendency to “slide back” but never “forward”. • While I (usually remember to) announce the change in dates in class, I sometimes forget • The due dates on the server are the correct dates and you are responsible for them

16. Homework cont’d • Each student is required to keep a hard-copy of the problem and its solution • These will be taken up randomly and graded. • Failure to submit a written version of the problems will zero your homework grade to that point. • Your points will be returned to you when you submit a written record of ALL the homework problems to-date. • I don’t just want a print-out of the MasteringPhysics, I would like you to show me how you worked through the problem and gave the answers that you submitted to the server. • I refuse to help any student on a homework solution unless he/she has a write-up of the physics problem. VERY IMPORTANT!

17. Collaboration is more than Copying • As adults, you are on your honor to ensure that you do not copy your homework • There will be no one to copy from on a test. Therefore it is in your best interest to understand the homework. • It is in your best interest to be selfish. • It is in your best interest to help your classmates • No one really knows a subject until they explain it to someone else.

18. Attendance • I don’t have an attendance policy • YOU are responsible for everything that I say in class • I have a tendency to ad-lib from these notes and these “ad-libs” may also on the exams. • These notes will be placed on the Physics 250 server (under “Course Info” on the Physics website)