Physics 106 - Spring 2008

COURSE INFORMATION

1. Web Site

This course has a home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/ugrad/106/index.html.

2. Professor

Prof. Paul Leath

• Office: Room E260, Physics and Astronomy Building, Busch
• Telephone: (732) 445-2521 but email is preferred
• Email: leath@physics.rutgers.edu
• Office Hours: Wednesdays 3:00 - 4:00 pm. Students who have a conflict with this office hour time may send me email to schedule an appointment.
• More info about me.

3. Teaching Assistant

Mr. Aatish Bhatia. For questions about homework, send email to aatish@physics.rutgers.edu.

4. Lectures

Mondays and Thursdays 11:30am - 12:50pm
211 Van Dyck Hall, College Avenue Campus

Mini-labs: Math/Science Learning Center (MSLC), 3rd floor of ARC, Busch Campus
Every two weeks, on your own schedule, and that of the MSLC.

5. Textbooks

1. Physics, Concepts and Connections by Art Hobson, 4th edition (Pearson/Prentice-Hall 2007) (required).
2. The Great Physicists From Galileo to Einstein by George Gamow (Dover, 1961) (required).

6. Grades

There will be a homework assignment due in class every Monday based upon the previous week's reading assignment, a simple mini-laboratory experiment every other week, a midterm exam, and one final exam. Each laboratory experiment and its results should be recorded in a class notebook. The notebooks will be collected for grading two times during the semester, at lectures 13 and 28. Late homework assignments and lab notebooks are not allowed. The three lowest homework assignment grades for each student will be dropped at the end of the semester.

The basis of the grades will be:

7. Midterm and Final Exams

The midterm exam will be given in class on March 10, 2008. The final exam will be held on Friday, May 9, 2008 during 8:00-11:00am. Sample exam questions are available at the MSLC. The midterm exam will consist of about seven questions, and the final exam will consist of about fifteen questions, each of which can be answered by a couple of sentences, or a paragraph. The questions will be based upon material that has been discussed in class, and which usually will also be in the reading assignments. I encourage you to study for the exam together with other students in the class.

Each student will have an assigned seat in the lecture hall and paper will be furnished. You should ONLY bring to the exam yourself, a pencil or two, your student ID card, and, if you wish, an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper with anything written on it ONLY in your own handwriting. You will not be allowed to bring a calculator, cell phone, beeper, back pack, hand bag, or anything else. If you show up carrying any items other than the approved ones, you will be asked to leave them at the front of the lecture hall.

8. Homework Assignments

The homework assignments are listed for each week on the Syllabus. All the homework assigned for a particular week is due in class on the Monday of the week it is assigned. No homework is due or collected in class on Thursdays. Graded homework is returned in class on Thursdays. Late homework will not be accepted for any excuse. Each student's three lowest homework scores in the semester will be dropped.

In the Homework column of the Syllabus, "R1:10" means "Review Question 10 in Chapter 1" of the Hobson textbook, and "C1:18" means "Conceptual Exercise 18 in Chapter 1" of Hobson.

Each assigned homework problem is essentially an essay question(s) that should be answered by a short, clear, germane, and correct statement(s), or, sometimes, a short paragraph. These questions often are to help students learn to think critically, and the style of an answer is often as important as its content. In general little or no credit will be given for answers such as any of the following:

• A rewording of a question as if it were an answer to the question.
• An answer to a different question from the one asked.
• A massive list of most everything known about the subject in the hope that some part of it may be the correct answer.

The homework questions are often very much like those asked on the exams, and doing them is good practice for the exams. Students are encouraged to study together and to discuss the homework questions and their possible answers with each other, but each student should construct the written answers for himself or herself, and certainly not simply copy another student's answer(s).

9. Help and Discussion Sessions

Professor William DeBuvitz will be conducting help and discussion sessions every Friday during 10:00am-12:00noon in Scott 207. All students are invited and encouraged to attend for any session or portion to better learn and understand the course material.

10. How To Study For This Course

From experience, we know that in order to be successful in this class, consistent weekly effort is required on your part. You need to "socialize" the material, to turn it around in your own mind, to get acquainted with it in several ways, and to discuss it with other students in the class. Try also to study with friends. Through discussions, especially through explaining concepts to others, you will understand the material in a deeper way. Do not hesitate to contact your instructors, but do this as early as possible. With most things we can help you, if we know about them early.

11. Study Groups

You are strongly encouraged to form your own informal study groups. The best way is to form a group of 3-4 people and get together at a regular time once a week to thrash out your difficulties with homework assignments, laboratory experiments, etc. You are encouraged to do the experiments in small groups, if possible (but each person must keep a separate class notebook and record the laboratory results in his/her own handwriting). Also, it's more fun to work in groups!

12. Math/Science Learning Center (MSLC)

The Math/Science Learning Center, located on the third floor of the Allison Road Classroom Building, Busch Campus is a facility to assist students studying physics and related subjects. It is your center and is mostly student run. You will find convenient study space and small classrooms for discussions and experiments. You will find there copies of the Power Point slides used in lecture. Tutors are available during the day and evening hours. Please visit the MSLC Web site.

13. Students With Disabilities

If you have a disability, you are urged to speak to Professor Leath early in the semester to make the necessary arrangements to support a successful learning experience. More information is available here http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/ugrad/disabilities.html.