COURSE SYLLABUS
PH115. Descriptive Physics for
Non-Science Majors. 4 hours credit.
Interim, 2009
Instructor: Dr.
Stan Jones
316 Gallalee 348-3791
Office Hours: Any afternoon
Graduate Assistant: Zach
Burell zmburell@gmail.com
Donglian Xu dxu@bama.ua.edu
Course website: http://bama.ua.edu/~stjones/ph115.doc
Review for 1st hour
exam
and here is another
exam (no answers) to help you study.
Review for 2nd hour
exam
.and another
Review for 3rd
hour exam
.and another
Here are
the clicker
questions we looked at last week.
And here
are some of the clicker
questions from this week. And the answers
Course Description:
This is
a course in elementary concepts of physics, designed for non-science
majors. Topics covered include matter, energy,
forces, motion, light, sound, electricity and magnetism. Emphasis is on concepts and on activities
that illustrate these concepts.
Prerequisites: none.
Course Objectives:
Upon
completion of the course, the student should have a basic understanding of
fundamental physical principles, how these principles apply to everyday
situations, and how one can demonstrate the principles experimentally. Students will also have some appreciation for
the historical development of physical principles.
Required Text:
Hewitt,
Paul G. Conceptual Physics, tenth edition.
Assignments
1. Daily homework assignments will be made from the text.
2. Each class period will include several activities of either
a hands-on or a pencil-on mode. These will
be handed in at the end of the period and graded.
3. There will be 3 hour exams. A list of text chapters/topics will be
provided.
Grading Policy
Homework 15 points
Activities 30 points
Hour Exams 45 points
Total 90 points
Attendance/Make-up
Policy
Students
are expected to attend all class sessions.
Excessive absences will lead to a penalty in the final grade for PH115.
If an
exam is missed, it is the student's responsibility to contact me as soon as
possible. In the event that the absence
was for a valid reason, the remainder of the course will count proportionately
more. No makeup exams will be given.
Academic Misconduct Policy
All acts
of dishonesty in any work constitute academic misconduct. The Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy
will be followed in the event of academic misconduct.
Disability
Accommodations
To request disability accommodations, please
contact the Office of Disability Services (348-4285). After initial
arrangements are made with that office, contact your professor.
Textbook: Conceptual Physics, tenth edition, by Paul Hewitt
Day Chapters/Topics
May 11 2 Newton's First Law, Diagnostic Exam
May 12 3 Motion, Motion Sensors
May 13 4, 5 Newton's Second and Third Laws, Bouncing Ball
May 14 7 Energy
May 15 Review, Exam
May 18 19, 20 Waves, Sound
May 19 20, 21 Standing Waves, Musical Sounds
May 21 28 Lenses and Mirrors
May 22 Review, Exam
May 25 Teaching Physics
May 26 22 Electrostatics
May 27 23 Electric Current
May 28 24 Magnetism
May 29 Review, Exam