Physics 141 Principles of Physics I  - Fall, 2004

Instructor:  Professor Wolfgang Losert (www.ireap.umd.edu/~wlosert)

NEW 9/26/04

Lectures for download:  Lecture 1, Lecture 2, Lecture 3, Lecture 4, Lecture 5, Lecture 6, Lecture 7, Lecture 8, Lecture 9, Lecture 10

Lecture 11, Lecture 12, Lecture 13, Lecture 14, Lecture 15, Lecture 16, Lecture 17, Lecture 18, Lecture 19, Lecture 20 

Lecture 21, Lecture 22, Lecture 23, Lecture 24, Lecture 25, Lecture 26, Lecture 27, Lecture 28, Lecture 29, Lecture 30 

Lecture 31, Lecture 32, Lecture 33, Lecture 34, Lecture 35, Lecture 36, Lecture 37, Lecture 38, Lecture 39, Lecture 40 

Lecture 41, Lecture 42, Lecture 43, Lecture 44, Lecture 45, Lecture 46, Lecture 47, Lecture 48, Lecture 49, Lecture 50 

Homework solutions:  Homework 1, Homework 2, Homework 3b, Homework 4, Homework 5, Homework 6, Homework 7, Homework 8

    Homework 9, Homework 10, Homework 11, Homework 12, Homework 13, Homework 14, Homework 15, Homework 16

   Homework 17, Homework 18


Course Syllabus:  www.ireap.umd.edu/~wlosert/phys141/

For up to date information, homework and required pre-class Quizzes please go to http://www.iLrn.com  (see below, how to register on iLrn)   

Class starts Monday, August 30th at 11am in rm 1410 Physics Bldg, Mon lab and discussions start 8/30 Tue labs and discussions start 9/7


ToDo for  registered Students:   

            1) Go to www.iLrn.com

            2) go to “First time users” - find "University of Maryland College Park - (NOT Univ of Maryland University College !!!)

             3) Use access code: E-3XRR5KDDDUWMN

            4)  Remember username &  password (only ONE registration per student allowed)

            Note: user registration will be disabled after 1 week, if you need to register after that time, please contact the Professor.


Syllabus 

Introduction :

The first of a two-semester series in general physics. The first semester covers the fields of mechanics, oscillations and waves, and thermodynamics.  The aim of all your coursework, including homework, quizzes, lab, midterms, and final exam will be: 

- Understanding of concepts:  understanding the basic principles of mechanics, oscillations and waves and thermodynamics:   This entails some knowledge of scientific facts such as Newton's Laws and other basic principles of physics.  The main difficulty will be to get an understanding (through practice, more practice, and occasional lectures)  how to usefully "invoke" the principles of physics to solve a specific problem.   

- Problem solving:  Once you have figured out what principle to use to solve a particular problem, the second step is to learn how to write down mathematical relations that are based on that principle and solve them with some calculus.

Lecture M,W,F,  11:00am-11:50am (PHY 1410), Physics Building

Lab and Discussion:

0102     M......... 4:00pm- 5:50pm (PHY 3314)        Lab     M......... 3:00pm- 3:50pm (PHY 4208)    Dis

(Monday labs and discussions start 8/30 already due to the 9/6 holiday, Tue labs start 9/7)

0103     Tu........ 9:00am-10:50am (PHY 3314)         Lab    Tu........ 8:00am- 8:50am (PHY 1402) Dis
0104     Tu........11:00am-12:50pm (PHY 3314)        Lab    Tu........10:00am-10:50am (PHY 0405) Dis
0105    Tu........ 2:00pm- 3:50pm (PHY 3314)           Lab    Tu........ 1:00pm- 1:50pm (PHY 0405) Dis
    
Textbook:  Serway and Jewett: "Physics for Scientists and Engineers", 6th Edition, Vol. 1 (Thomson: Brooks/Cole, 2004),  including clicker and I-Lrn software (I learned that the bundle is ONLY available in the Stamp Student Union bookstore!)

Lab manual:  "Physics 141 Laboratory Manual", Fall 2004 edition, (Wiley)

Professor:  Wolfgang Losert,  wlosert@glue.umd.edu    www.ireap.umd.edu/~wlosert/, 3359 AV Williams Bldg, ext: 5-0629 

Office hours:  12 - 2pm  Wednesday or by appointment. (3359 AV Williams Bldg, ext 5-0629)  Feel free to email or call  to make an appointment.  Please specify  a few available times (I have no recurring appointments Tue 9-12; Wed 2-5, Thu 9-12 and 2-6, and Fri 2-5).  I am usually in one of my research labs (rm 0205 and rm 0300 of the energy research building) if I am not in my office.  

Teaching Assistants:  

Elizabeth Werbos (Sec: 102, 104),     office: Phys1322                   office hours: Fri 1:30pm - 3:00pm    ewerbos@physics.umd.edu

David Garofalo     (Sec 103, 105),     office: Astro Bldg Rm 1107   office hours:: Mon 9:30am - 11:00am    garofalo@wam.umd.edu    

Grading
Homework and quizzes 25%
First Hour Exam  15%
Second Hour Exam 15%
Lab 20%
Final Exam 25%

Homework
There will be weekly homework assignments using I-Lrn (see above). Homework will be due Mondays before class (11am)(except: Mon 9/6 is a holiday, so HW will be due Wed 9/8 at 11am).  Solutions to the homework will be posted on the web.  Homework is extremely important as it will help you clarify your understanding of the material, point out areas of weakness and help you prepare for the exams. It is extremely difficult to do well in this course without carefully doing the homework.

Quizzes

You will need to complete a short on-line quiz before each lecture (except the first lecture)

Mid Term Exams
There will be two 50 minute in class mid term exams: Wednesday, October 6 and Friday, November 5.  These exams will have questions very similar to the homework and the quizzes. They each count 15% toward your course grade.

Discussion 
The discussion is scheduled just prior to your lab session.  This is an opportunity to obtain clarification of the material presented in class, in the text, or in the lab.  Discussion sessions will give you a "hands-on" introduction on how to solve problems.  They are also an opportunity to get help from the TA and from fellow students.   

Laboratory
The experiments in the laboratory are an integral part of this course. Twelve experiments are scheduled. You cannot pass this course unless you do every experiment, and submit a report.   You need to start a draft of your lab report before you come to the lab.  Bring a page with your name, lab title, and a brief introduction (a few sentences in one to two paragraphs) into what the purpose of the lab is in your own words.  Include in this pre-lab writeup at least one question for the TA about the purpose of the lab, or  questions about technical aspects of the experiment and data analysis. 20% of the lab points  will be subtracted if you do not prepare the introduction and question for the TA prior to lab.   You will have to submit a lab report at the end of each lab period.  If you need more time and  hand in a report after the end of lab, 20% of the points for that lab will be subtracted.  

The MONDAY lab and discussion section will already meet on Mon 8/30 since Mon 9/6 is a holiday.  All other sections start Tue 9/7.  
Week 1 (8/30 and 9/7)  Experiment 1 "Errors and Significance of Data"

Week 2 (9/13 and 9/14)  Experiment 2  "The Freely Falling Body"

Week 3 (9/20 9/21)      Exp 3   "Equilibrium of forces"

Week 4 (9/27 9/28)   Exp 4   "Two-dimensional collision"

Week 5 (10/4 10/5)  Exp 5    "Ballistic Pendulum"

Week 6 (10/11 10/12)  Make up week (only one experiment may be made up)

Week 7 (10/18 10/19)  Exp 6  "Centripetal forces and acceleration"

Week 8 ( 10/25 10/26)  Exp 7 "Angular Momentum and its conservation" 

Week 9 (11/1 11/2) Exp 8 "Simple Harmonic Motion and Hooke's Law

Week 10 (11/8 and 11/9)  Exp 9 "The Pendulum"

Week 11 (11/15 and 11/16)  Exp 10 "Standing waves on a string"

Week 12 (11/22 and 11/23)  Exp 11 "The ideal gas law and absolute zero"

Week 13  (11/29 11/30)  Exp 13 "Fluid Dynamics"

Week 14 (12/6 and 12/7)  Make up week (only one experiment may be made up)

Tutoring
The Physics Department has a free tutoring service, the Slawsky Clinic, run by a group of retired senior physicists. It is located in Room 1214 in the Physics building. The time reserved for PHYS141 is 10-11 and 12-1 Monday through Friday.  However, you can usually get help at any time they are open, from10 AM until 3 PM. See http://www.physics.umd.edu/academics/ugrad/slawsky.html

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Please feel free to email or call with any questions:  wlosert@glue.umd.edu , 301-405-0629