| Course ID: | PHYS-2020-003 |
| Lecture Times: | M W F 11:30 a.m. - 12:25 p.m. |
| Lecture Location: | Brown Hall, Room 370 |
| Lecturer: | Dr. Donald Luttermoser |
| E-mail: | lutter@rmspametsu.edu (delete "rmspam" from address before sending) |
| Office: | 280 Brown Hall (423-439-7064) |
| Office Hours: | W 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. R 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
| Textbook: | College Physics, Enhanced 7th Edition (2006) by Serway, Faughn, & Vuille |
| Days | Topics | Readings | Note Sections |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 14, 16, 18 | Electric Forces & Electric Fields | Chapter 15 | I |
| January 21 | MLK Day | No Class | --- |
| January 23, 25 | Electric Energy & Capacitance | Chapter 16 | II |
| January 28, 30, 1 | Current & Resistance | Chapter 17 | III |
| February 4 | Exam 1 | Chapters 15-17 | I-III |
| February 6, 8 | Direct Current Circuits | Chapter 18 | IV |
| February 11, 13, 15 | Magnetism | Chapter 19 | V |
| February 18, 20, 22 | Induced Voltage and Inductance | Chapter 20 | VI |
| February 25 | Exam 2 | Chapters 18-20 | IV-VI |
| February 27, 29 | Vibrations & Waves | Chapter 13 | VII |
| March 3, 5, 7 | Spring Break | No Class | --- |
| March 10, 12, 14 | Sound | Chapter 14 | VIII |
| March 17, 19 | Electromagnetic Radiation (Photons) | Chapter 21 (partial) | IX |
| March 21 | Good Friday | No Class | --- |
| March 24, 26, 28 | Interaction of Photons with Matter | Chapter 28 (partial) | X |
| March 31 | Exam 3 | Chapters 13, 14, 21, 28 | VII-X |
| April 2, 4 | Reflection & Refraction of Light | Chapter 22 | XI |
| April 7, 9, 11 | Mirrors & Lenses | Chapter 23 | XII |
| April 14, 16, 18 | Wave Optics | Chapter 24 | XIII |
| April 21, 23, 25 | Optical Instruments | Chapter 25 | XIV |
| April 28* | Final | Chapters 13-25, 28 | I-XIV |
Please consult the ETSU supplemental syllabus attachment for other helpful university information.
Click here to view the web page for this course.
General Physics II is the second semester of a one-year course in physics --- a continuation of General Physics I (PHYS-2010). Students should have already taken PHYS-2010 before taking this course. Topics will include electricity, magnetism, wave motion, optics, atomic, and particle physics. The main goal of this course is to demonstrate to you how the Universe works. General Physics II is a problem-solving course, that is, the measure of a student's progress is demonstrated by the ability to solve numerical problems, and not just to quote facts, laws and formulas. Your homework will be designed to help you develop these skills and the exams will test you on them. It is assumed that you have a reasonable working knowledge of algebra and trigonometry at the General Physics I level. If you suspect your math preparation is inadequate by all means, please consult with me during my office hours (or at some prearranged meeting time). You are expected to have (and know how to use) a good scientific calculator -- especially for exams. The Department doesn't have calculators to loan, and the sharing of a calculator with your classmates on exams is NOT permitted. The book store carries such calculators.
There will be 3 exams throughout the semester, plus a comprehensive final on the dates listed on the first page of this syllabus. Each will cover material prior to the test and be taken during class time (except the final) as shown in the table below. Each exam will be worth 40 points, and the final worth 100 points. Note that all physical constants and formulae that you may require will be supplied on the exams and quiz. Otherwise, the exams are closed book and notes -- you will not be allowed to consult any external items other than your calculator. An exception to this rule concerns the final. You will be allowed to bring one 8.5x11" sheet of paper to the final with anything you wish to write on it (examples might be a better idea than a grocery list). Written make-up tests will NOT be given! YOU ARE STRONGLY URGED NOT TO MISS A REGULARLY SCHEDULED EXAM! However, should an EXTREME emergency arise, get in touch with me as soon as possible (preferably before the exam) to work out an arrangement to take an oral make-up exam. You will be required to supply written proof (such as a doctor's note with the doctor's phone number) of the need for this absence. Let me reiterate, make-up exams are oral and NOT written tests and are very tough! Don't elect to take one of these exams unless it is absolutely necessary.
| Exam | Note Sections | Textbook Chapters | Date Given |
| 1 | I, II, III | 15, 16, 17 | Monday, February 4, 2008 |
| 2 | IV, V, VI | 18, 19, 20 | Monday, February 25, 2008 |
| 3 | VII, VIII, IX, X | 13, 14, 21, 28 | Monday, March 31, 2008 |
| Final | I-XIV | 13-25, 28 | Monday, April 28, 2008 3:50 p.m. - 5:50 p.m. |
There will be 4 homework sets assigned throughout the semester composed of two sections of questions. The first section will be questions generated by the CAPA software package. These questions must be accessed through a web browser and will be graded. If you don't have access to the web at home, you can use any of the computer labs on campus including the one in Brown Hall room 264. The second section of problems will not be graded and will have solutions posted in a binder on reserve at the Circulation Desk in the main library (available on a two-hour loan). Try to do these problems by yourself before retrieving the solutions from the library. Doing both sections of questions will be a big help in studying for the exams and the CAPA problems will be used in calculating your final grade for the course.
Each exam will have a 5 point extra credit question on it. Roll will be taken occasionally during class and your attendance on those days will be counted for additional extra credit points (added onto your homework total). As such, it will pay not to miss too many classes. No other extra credit project will be allowed, so don't even ask.
Many students find General Physics I & II very challenging and have a difficult time understanding the principles of physics and solving physics problems. Mainly, this is due to a lack of training of logical thought skills at secondary school. Due to this, there are two or three ways to get additional help with this course.
1. University Tutoring Services by the Inside Track program offered by the University (see http://www.etsu.edu/insidetrack/). An announcement about Supplemental Instruction will be made during lecture the first week of class.
2. Assistance from the Professor during office hours in Brown Hall 280 (see the beginning of this page).
3. Review Sessions prior to each exam (date and times to be determined during lecture the week prior to the exam).
4. Tutors for Hire can be obtained by the individual student taking General Physics. These tutors are typically physics majors who charge a fee for their services. Most of the physics majors can be found in Room 260 of Brown Hall.
The format of the exams will be similar to those sample exams in the reference binder on reserve in the library. Many of the "full-length" problems you will get on the exams will be modified versions of the example problems in the notes and textbook, and the supplemental homework problems in the reference binder. From these three sources, you will have access from anywhere from 10 to 25 examples for each section of the notes. This will be more than sufficient to fill your need for studying for the exams. The grading system will be based by the following formula:
The final grades will be based on the following scale:
| A | = | 90% or better | B- | = | 73-75.9% | D+ | = | 56-58.9% | ||
| A- | = | 88-89.9% | C+ | = | 70-72.9% | D | = | 50-55.9% | ||
| B+ | = | 86-87.9% | C | = | 62-69.9% | F | = | Less than 50% | ||
| B | = | 76-85.9% | C- | = | 59-61.9% |
Note that a failing grade also will be given if the student has engaged in any form of academic dishonesty. Finally, you should not talk to your classmates during the class -- that is no student will be allowed to disrupt the class. The only verbal communication allowed is asking the professor a question. IMPORTANT NOTE: This also includes the ringing of cell phones! Turn your cell phones off before coming into class! If you are caught at disrupting the class once, you will be warned. A second time will result in you being dismissed from the current lecture. A third and final time will result in you failing the course. Be courteous to your neighbors, they are paying hard earned money to take this course.
General Physics II is a very difficult course, in many ways, it is more difficult than General Physics I. Do not "blow off" this course! Regularly attending class, reading the textbook, doing the assigned homework, and asking questions when you are confused are the best ways to insure a good grade in this class. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE EXAMS IN THIS CLASS! (or suffer your father's fate you will -- Yoda). Should you succeed in understanding the material in this course, you will have a better understanding of nature and the Universe than 90% of the people on this planet. Good luck!