UMass Boston
http://www.faculty.umb.edu/tomas_materdey/114
Prof.
Tomas Materdey, Office: S-3-110; Phone: (617) 287-6435, e-mail: tomas.materdey@umb.edu
Lect.:
1.
Registration: All students are required to
register for the course, both lecture and discussion.
2.
Text: Essential University Physics 2nd Ed by Richard Wolfson, Pearson Addison-Wesley, 2012
This
course covers chapters 16-32 of the textbook, with the big topics being
Thermodynamics, Electricity and Magnetism, and Optics. Chapters 16-19 are in
Vol. I, chapters 20-32 are in Vol. II
3.
Discussions: Discussions will be held after
the lectures by the instructor. Problems are solved in details, and questions
are encouraged.
4.
Homework problems:
learning to solve problems is the only way to learn the subject
materials. This deserves the biggest part of your time dedication to the
course, and the study of physics in general. Lectures, textbook reading, and
solved examples will provide the background and motivations for you to start
and finish this important task. Getting helps in a timely manner, and see how
different problems are solved are essential and facilitated by the discussions
sections. Between
30 and 40 problems are assigned in each of the 6 weekly problem sets, selected
to represent the main topics. From these assignments you will need to turn in
approximately 15-20 problems per set (see attached list) for credit. The
homework are due on Thursdays and cover materials up to the previous day, in
general. For each chapter, some conceptual questions are assigned of which one
is due. Work shown for this question is required for your solutions to the
problems to receive credit. Homework solutions should show intermediate steps
leading to the final solution, you will likely receive constructive comments
from the grader. Late homework will not be accepted.
5.
Examinations: There are three examinations as shown in the
syllabus. Each of the exams will only cover materials in the preceding part of
the course. The examinations consist of problems and questions similar to any
of those (not just the underlined ones!) in the assignments. You must bring
a working calculator to exams. Each exam will be of closed book. You may,
however, bring a US letter-size sheet (one sided) on which you have been
writing the formulas you needed while doing the assignments. Makeup exams will
not be arranged unless the emergency/conflict situation is justified with
documents.
6.
Hand calculators: one is needed for work in
this course. It should have trigonometric, logarithmic, and their inverse
functions. Statistical function keys will help you with the laboratory work.
7.
Mathematical preparation: an elementary but working
knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus is
needed.
8.
Grades: The final grade is computed
as follows: 30% for each examination
and 10% for the homework.
Participation points will decide a grade between boundaries.
9.
Participation Points:
These class-works will be collected at the end of each discussion (no credit
awarded otherwise). They are designed to encourage active learning and
individual participation. These extra credits will serve to decide a grade
between boundaries.
10.
Teamwork and extra exam points: you are asked to join a team
of 3 students. Set of three short problems will be distributed in some
discussion sessions, several times before each exam, each team member will be
in charge of one problem. Up to three teams (in order of submission) with
reasonable solutions in all three problems will receive an extra credit of 3
points toward the next closest exam.
11.
Labs: If you need a laboratory
course, you should be enrolled in Physics
182 separately. Labs start the first week of classes.
12.
Tutoring and grader office
hours: will be
held 11:00 -5:30 (M.-Th.) in room S-4-073.