Spring semester 2016: PHY 309K. Elementary Physics for Nontechnical Students.
Designed for students who do not intend to do further work in natural sciences, engineering, mathematics, or medicine. Mechanics, heat, and sound. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted without prior approval of the department: Physics 301, 302K, 303K, 309K, 317K. May not be counted toward a degree in the College of Natural Sciences.
Meets MWF 3:00PM- 4:00PM PAI 2.48
Instructor CHELIKOWSKY, JAMES R
Office POB 4.324 Phone 512-232-9083 E-mail JRC@UTEXAS.EDU
Office hours: 10-11 a.m. Tuesday, 1-2 p.m. Thursday and by appointment
Textbook: The Physics of Everyday Phenomena, 8th Edition, by W. Thomas Griffith and Juliet Brosing (McGraw Hill Education, 2015) ISBN-13: 978-0073513904
Course description: : Physics 309K covers mechanics and heat: the first two units (11 chapters in the text). No prior physics or math is required other than ordinary high school math and science. The succeeding course is PHY 309L; it covers electricity, magnetism and selected topics in modern physics. These courses are conceptual, not computational, and are designed for non-technical students. There are frequent demonstrations, some messy, and occasional films.
Hour Exams: There will be three in-class exams at the dates listed below, and all three will count toward the final grade. Together the in-class exams will count for 45% of your grade. The exams will consist of a mix of multiple choice, short answer and longer answer questions. Practice problems that are representative of the exam questions will be distributed periodically to help you prepare. If you are absent from a examination for a legitimate reason, e.g., the observance of a religious holy day or illness, you may complete the work missed within a reasonable time after the absence or chose to have the final count in the place of the exam missed, if proper notice has been given. Notice must be given at least seven days prior to the exam.
Exam 1: Friday, February 19
Exam 2: Wednesday, March 23
Exam 3: Friday, April 22
Final Exam: The Final will be a comprehensive exam similar in format to the hour exams and will count for 30 % of your grade. It is required to pass the course.
Our final exam is scheduled for Wednesday, May 11, 7:00-10:00 pm
Approximate grade assignments:
85-100 A
70-84 B
60-69 C
50-59 D
0-49 F
(pluses and minuses will be used for borderline cases as warranted.)
Homework: Homework will be distributed and due approximately weekly and will count for 25% of your grade. You are encouraged to discuss homework with anyone you wish; however, all written homework must be prepared independently (by you). Homework is due at the end of class on the specified day. Homework that is between one minute and one week late will be accepted with a 50% penalty. Homework later than this will not be accepted.
Reference Cards: You may use 3”x5” cards with anything you have written on them as help cards on any exam (including the final), but no other reference may be used. You may use as many cards as you want. Anything you personally write on the cards is allowed, but you are not allowed to use printed, xeroxed, or copied material and are not allowed to use others’ cards. Organize your cards well right from the start!
Concept quizzes and attendance: Concept quizzes (CQ’s) will be short, one or two question quizzes given intermittently during most classes. They will not be graded, save to see if a good faith answer was attempted, but will be used to evaluate attendance. If you miss no more than two of the CQ’s preceding each in-class exam, you will receive a bonus of 5% on your score for that exam. If you miss no more than five of the CQ’s for the entire semester, you will receive a bonus of 5% on your score for the final exam.
Coaching: Available on the fifth level of RLM by the elevators. The coaches are graduate student teaching assistants. Insist they explain things without math. They will not want to do that! So, be firm and insist they do, coaching hours are part of their job. Hours: 9:00-5:00.