The required textbook for the course is Physics: Calculus (2nd edition), by Eugene Hecht.

The course meets MWF at 11:30AM-12:30 in KINSC Hilles 108 (lecture) and either Tuesday or Wednesday lab every other week (approximately) 1:15 to 4pm in KINSC H105.  Recitations meet Monday at 6pm and Tuesdays at 9am in KINSC H106, starting the second week of the semester.  The Physics Clinic, a student-run help session, will be held Monday and Tuesday 7 to 10pm in the Physics Lounge, KINSC H107, starting the second week of classes.

Blackboard web site for assignments, labs, problem solutions, and announcements

Course Description

This course is the second half of a year-long comprehensive introduction to physics begun in Physics 101.  It is complementary in approach to our Physics 105/106 sequence in that 101/102 covers more material (including topics in quantum and nuclear physics) with an emphasis on applications in the life sciences, while Physics 105/106 goes into more depth for students likely majoring in the physical sciences.  Both courses include significant numbers of applications to astrophysics and other interesting areas.  Calculus is a pre-requisite for both 102 and 106.

Instructors

Suzanne Amador Kane (Lecture)

Office:  KINSC L103 (just off the first floor of the Rotunda in the Link)  (610) 896-1198

Email:  samador@haverford.edu

Office Hours:  Monday 9:15am to 11:25am (I keep the half-hour before class for lecture prep);  Tuesday 1:30 to 3pmm (most week's I'll try to be around in the AM too, but not all);  Wednesdays 9:15am to 11:25am & 1:30 to 3pm

I am unavailable Mondays 4 to 6pm, Thursdays all afternoon, Fridays 1 to 3pm (first quarter), and noon to 1pm (lunch if I can swing it!), but am often in my office otherwise.

Please feel free to drop by  my office any time--make an appointment if that works better, either by email or phone.  I will be happy to meet most times, and I will respond rapidly to emails.  Do not hesitate to contact me, even to chat about the course or science!  If you are having trouble understanding the material or solving the homework problems, come and see me as soon as possible1   Also, please let me know if you have any concerns about the course, or ideas about how to make it better.

Scott Shelley (Lab)

Office:  KINSC L207   (610) 896-1310

Email:  sshelley@haverford.edu

Jorge Moreno (Lab & recitation)

Office:  KINSC L104   (610) 896-1196

Email:  jmoreno@haverford.edu

Office Hours:  Tuesday 10am to 11:30am & Thursday 9am to noon and after labs.

Location & Times

Lecture meets MWF at 11:30AM-12:30 in KINSC Hilles 108 (lecture)

Laboratories meet either Tuesday or Wednesday every other week (approximately) 1:15 to 4pm in KINSC H105.  You will be assigned one of these days the first week of the semester; lab will start either the second or third week of the semester.   A schedule will be posted on Blackboard the first week of the semester;  see below for an approximate lab schedule.

Recitations Monday at 6pm and Tuesdays at 9am inKINSC H106;  they start the second week of the semester.

Help & Resources

As mentioned above, please feel free to be in touch with any of your instructors if you need help in the course.

The Physics Clinic, a help session staffed by friendly and experienced physics majors, will be held Monday and Tuesday 7 to 9 pm in the Physics Lounge, KINSC H107, starting the second week of the semester.

You may also wish to ask questions about homework and other course issues during recitation.

Finally, the Dean's office provides Peer Tutors at your request in all subjects, including physics.

Textbook & Lab Manual

The required textbook for the course is Physics: Calculus (2nd edition), by Eugene Hecht.  While a terrific textbook, this has recently gone out of print, so search for used copies on the internet and in our bookstore.

Lab manual assignments will either be passed out in class or posted on Blackboard.

You will need a scientific calculator (but not graphing capabilities).  All other supplies will be provided.

Requirements

Regular attendance:  It is essential that you come to lecture and laboratory to master the concepts and material in this course.  If you are ill or expect to miss class due to an athletic event or other special circumstance, discuss this with me in person first. Absences from laboratory require the lab instructor's advanced permission.  Excessive absences can result either in your being dropped from the course, or hurt your overall grade.  Recitation is optional, but highly recommended.  You are responsible for all in-class events, including knowing the timing and dates of exams, assignments and labs.

You are expected to attend every lab on the schedule, on the day posted. Any exception must be discussed in advance with the instructor, unless you have a Dean's excuse for extraordinary circumstances (such as illness or emergencies.) Making up missed labs is at the lab instructor's discretion if you do not have a Dean's excuse.  You also must come to lab thoroughly prepared every day, both to make the most of the experience as well as to complete the lab exercises in the time alocated.

Grades, Homework and Exams

Homework:  There will be weekly homework assignments, to be due 4pm each Wednesday in my office (L103).  You may turn these in to my door, on the marked pocket, or in class in the envelope provided.  These will be graded and returned regularly.  You will be able to see your grades and progress in the course at all times on Blackboard's Grade Center.

You are expected to answer all homework questions in full, legibly and neatly.  It is never enough to just write down a numerical answer:  you should briefly yet thoroughly indicate your reasoning using a narrative description, equations and where appropriate a sketch or graph.  Units and significant figures will count in the grading.

Exams:  There will be two midterm exams and one self-scheduled final exam.  Exams must be completed on the day announced with in the period alocated, except by prior agreement or with a Dean's excuse.  You may get an extension on an exam only with a Dean's excuse.

Email:  We expect you to read your email regularly and to pay attention to all course announcements on email and Blackboard, as well of course as those made in lecture and laboratory.

Submission of any coursework by email is not permitted.

Grading:

The grade for the course will be based on the following weighting:

First Midterm Exam                      15%

Second Midterm Exam                 15%

Final exam                                    20%

Laboratory                                   20%

Assignments (homework & other) 25% 

Participation                                    5%

Late policies

• Labs must be done on the scheduled date unless cleared in advance by the lab instructor or department assistant. 

• For weekly homeworks, you are permitted two 1-week extensions without any penalty during the semester when you are stressed out with work.  Just email me or turn in a sheet of paper indicating that you are giving yourself a "free extension."  The two extensions must be used for separate problem sets; they cannot be combined to get a two-week extension on one problem set. 

Save these extensions for when you really need them.  After you have used up your free extensions, a penalty of work turned in up to 1 week late will receive 85% credit (a 15% penalty) and after that 70% credit (30% penalty).  

• Exams must be turned in not later than the stated times, except with a Dean's excuse.

Honor code matters

We value Haverford's honor code for the integrity it fosters and the pedagogical flexibility it affords.  The important guiding principle of academic honesty is that you must never represent the work of others as your own.  The following guidelines should govern your behavior in the course; please request clarification if you find yourself in any doubtful situations.

• You may seek assistance from the instructors, at the Physics clinic or from your fellow students in doing the weekly assigned exercises (except for “individual problems”) but only after attempting each problem yourself.  (Discussion without prior effort, except to clarify what the question is asking, is not permitted.)  You may work together with other members of the class on these assignments and this is often quite beneficial.  For your own good, avoid situations in which you are either contributing either too much or too little to such collaborations.  Do not work in groups of more than five people; three or four is usually ideal.  Just copying someone else's work is clearly a representation of another student's work as your own and is a violation of the Code.

• If you receive help from a group, another person or an instructor, you must not write down any notes from that interaction, but instead do the work independently, after receiving the advice and help.

• You may consult with me about any problem (including individual problems), but again only after attempting it yourself.  

• Your textbook gives the answers for most of the odd-numbered exercises.  These are given so that you will know if you have done a problem correctly.  It is not sound learning procedure to try to work backwards from given answers, but doing so is not a violation of the honor code.

• Solutions to the written exercises will be made available on the due date .  (If you are doing a late set, you may consult the solutions, but you may not copy them.  However, we encourage you strongly to give the problems an honest effort on your own first, so as to learn from them most effectively.)

• The exams, whether in-class or take-home, must be entirely your own work.  Detailed instructions will be given on the exams themselves and discussed in advance.  No collaboration of any sort is allowed once you start an exam.  The allowed time (a single contiguous block) must be strictly observed.

• Honor code guidelines for the lab are contained in the lab manual.

Advice

You may need to improve your study habits in order to do well in this course.  The following suggestions are based on the experience of previous students:

• Review  your class notes between lectures, and come prepared to ask questions.  Annotate your class notes as you read them.

• Stay up to date on the reading; preferably read the assigned material twice; for example, once before the relevant lecture, and once after. 

• Read with pen in hand to work out things described only briefly in the text or lecture.  Ask yourself "what is the main point of each section", and answer the question.

• When you take notes in class, don't just write down equations!  Qualitative information is often essential! 

• Don't spend more than 1 hour on a single homework problem.  Show clearly where you're stumped and just move on.  Don't feel badly if this happens occasionally, or worry about the effect on your grade.  Consistency in doing the homework is more important.

• You need to allocate about 7 hours for study and homework per week (plus class time and lab responsibilities).

• Do stop in to see one of us if you have questions or suggestions. 

• When studying for an exam, do NEW problems, don't just review solutions and your graded problem sets!

• When you’re studying for an exam, do review the solutions  to problems and previous exams for insights into what you may have missed.

Remember that if the material is a new or unfamiliar for you, learning will take time, just as learning a new language takes time  Try not to become discouraged if the going is rough at times, and don't prejudge your ability to master the material.  Generations of students have done it before you.  There is no magic method of presenting the material that we can use to make it easy.

Accommodations

Students who think they may need accommodations in this course because of the impact of a disability are encouraged to meet with me privately early in the semester.  Students should also contact Rick Webb, Coordinator, Office of Disabilities Services (rwebb@haverford.edu, 610-896-1290) to verify their eligibility for reasonable accommodations as soon as possible.  Early contact will help to avoid unnecessary inconvenience and delays.

Approximate schedule