Textbook/Materials
Course Description
Calculus-Based Physics I A calculus level treatment of classical mechanics and waves, which is concerned with the physical motion concepts, forces, energy concepts, momentum, rotational motion, angular momentum, gravity, and static equilibrium. is a lecture/demonstration course in thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism at the calculus level for science and engineering students.
PREREQUISITE: PHYS 1310. PRE- or COREQUISITE: MATH 1510
RECOMMENDED COREQUISITE: PHYS 1310L– Students are strongly advised to take the lab accompanying the lecture to gain full insight into the concepts.
If a student does not meet these requirements, he or she may be dropped from the class at any time.
Learning Outcomes
The overall objective is that the student be able to describe physical phenomena using a variety of models and develop certain analytical skills associated with problem solving. By the end of the course the student should be able to:
- Describe the relationships among position, velocity, and acceleration as functions of time.
- Use the equations of kinematics to describe motion under constant acceleration.
- Analyze linear motion using Newton’s laws, force, and linear momentum.
- Analyze rotational motion using torque and angular momentum.
- Analyze motion using work and energy.
Course Requirements
- Attendance: According to SJC regulations, students enrolled for credit or audit are expected to attend all class sessions. Attendance is taken daily at the beginning of class. If you come in after attendance has been taken, please inform me of your attendance after class. Students that come in more than 10 minutes late are considered absent for the class. Students who miss the equivalent of 15%, or 5 classes, may be dropped from the class. Students must keep in mind, however, that it is ultimately their responsibility to withdraw from the course. Absences from class do not relieve students from responsibility for missed assignments, material covered in class or exams.
- Collaborative In-Class Sessions: We will be engaging in collaborative work most of our class meetings. Be respectful of your yourself, your peers and your environment. Come well prepared and ready to contribute. Clean your area before you leave class.
- Weekly Summaries: In college, the recommended study-time you need to spend outside of class should be 2.5-3 times the number of course credit hours, for this course you need to be engaged with physics for 10-12 hours each week outside of class. We will never be able to cover all of the material from each chapter in class. At the beginning of each week, you will print out and submit a one-page typed summary, in your own words, of the content/concepts from the prior weeks material. For example, at the beginning of week 2, you will need to submit a summary of chapter 2. Please make these summaries single spaced and use 12-point font. Always include general formulas from each chapter making use of the Equation Editor in MS Word, accessed via Insert -> Equation. Come by my office hours if you need assistance. Please save these chapter summaries in a Physics 1310 folder on your computer, they will serve well in assessment preparation. It is advised that you complete the chapter summaries prior to engaging with the homework problems. Late summaries are not accepted, if you are unable to attend class, the summary must be sent via email before the end of the classtime.
- Homework: Homework will be assigned on a weekly basis. The homework assignments and solutions can be found on our class website, barbsphysics.net, under the homework tab. Answers to the odd numbered problems are in the back of your book. Each homework score will range from 0 to 10 points. Doing the homework is very important for digesting the material and crucial to performing well on the quizzes, midterm and final exam. Late homeworks are not accepted, if you are unable to attend class, the homework must be sent via email before the end of the classtime.
- Quizzes: Twelve quizzes are scheduled. Each quiz will be administered at the beginning of the week. Quizzes will be primarily based on in-class problems and homework. Your class attendance/participation, your chapter summary AND completing your homework are important to doing well on the quizzes. Both problem-solving skills and a conceptual understanding are important to your success. There may be multiple choice questions, free response problems, and/or brief explanations. You may continually build on an 8x11 one-sided formula-only sheet that you can use for each successive quiz, the midterm exam and the final exam. Formulas will not be supplied for any of the assessments. There will be no make-up quizzes. You will be allowed to submit two quiz corrections for up to 50% of your missed points earned back only if you follow the Quiz Corrections Format on our assessments page. The corrections are due at the beginning of the class that falls just after your quiz was returned.
- Midterm Exam: A mandatory comprehensive midterm exam will be administered on Thursday 3/5/2020. You may continually build on an 8x11 one-sided formula-only sheet that you can use for each quiz, the midterm exam and the final exam.
- Final Exam: A mandatory comprehensive final will be given on the last day of class. The final exam will be Thursday, May 13th, nd ; . Students may generate an 8x11 two-sided formula sheet for the final exam. You may continually build on an 8x11 formula-only sheet that you can use for each quiz, the midterm exam and the final exam. All students must receive a grade above 50% on the final exam in order to pass this course.
In the event that SJC closes on the day of the final exam, the final grade will be calculated based on all work assessed up to that point in the course.
Course Grading
Grades will be calculated according to the following scheme:
- Quiz average, with the lowest score dropped, will yield 25% of your semester grade.
- Homework average with the lowest score dropped yields 10% of your semester grade.
- Weekly summaries average, with the lowest score dropped yields 10% of your semester grade.
- Collaboration participation average yields 5% of your semester grade. This grade will be based on how well prepared you were for class, and how effectively you participated in each collaborative session.
- Midterm yields 25% of your semester grade.
- Final exam yields 25% of your semester grade.
Note: All students must receive a grade above 50% on the final exam in order to pass this course.
In the event SJC closes on the day of the final exam, final grades for students will be calculated based on all work assessed up to that point in the course.
SJC grade scale
(A 90 -100%) (B 80 - 89.9%) (C 70 - 79.9%) (D 60 - 69.9%) (F below 60%)
Students are expected to regularly check barbsphysics.net. It is there that you will find homeworksolutions, a copy of the syllabus, and any other class materials.
Tentative Schedule
This schedule is approximate. To finish the necessary material, i.e., all that is listed above, it is extremely important for you to keep up with the class. For most humans, physics is not easy. But with organization, time and effort you can do it! I am here to help. Please ask when you have questions and take advantage of my office hours!
