Physics 105a - Fundamental Physics I
This course is the first half of a one-year introduction to physics. The sequence is suitable for students interested in the physical sciences or mathematics. We will discuss Newtonian mechanics (including kinematics, force, energy, and rotational motion) as well as wave phenomena, fluid motion, and thermal physics. You should have received advice through the placement process as to the suitability of your background. Generally, a semester of college level calculus equivalent to Math 113 is expected, and a year of high school physics (any level) is desirable though not required.
Many students will have studied some (but not all) of this material before. You should still achieve a deeper understanding from this course, and there will be supplementary material (e.g. rotating systems and fluid motion) that is new to all members of the class.
Physics is very satisfying once mastered. We will do our best to help you learn, and to reveal the fun side of physics.
Instructors
Lecture: Joseph Ochoa
Office: KINSC L102 (telephone 795-6232)
E-mail: jochoa@haverford.edu
Please feel free to drop in at my office any time, or make an appointment if you prefer. I will also be happy to reply to your e-mails. Do not hesitate to contact me. If you are having trouble understanding the material or solving the homework problems, come and see me as soon as possible! Also, please let me know right away if you have any concerns about the course or ideas about how to make it better.
I will announce my office hours after everyone's schedules have settled down.
Laboratory: Scott Shelley
Office: KINSC L207 (telephone X1310) Scott is at X1310, email sshelley@haverford.edu
Location and times:
Classes: MWF 11:30 am - 12:30 pm in KINSC Hilles 108
Laboratory: Tuesday or Wednesday 1:15 - 4:00 pm in KINSC Harris 105. You will be assigned to one day or the other on the basis of a questionnaire to be distributed in class on the first Wednesday. The results will be announced in class. You may not switch sections without approval because we need to keep the sections approximately equal in size for logistical reasons.
The laboratory does not meet every week; a schedule is contained in the lab manual.
Physics clinic: An optional physics clinic staffed by experienced and friendly physics majors is run each Wednesday and Thursday evening, 7-10 pm, in the Physics Lounge, KINSC H107.
Textbook and Mastering Physics.
The required text is Essential University Physics (EUP) by Richard Wolfson, with Mastering Physics (MP). MP provides access to a website on which you will submit much of your homework, receive guidance, and obtain immediate feedback on your learning. This website provides many of the benefits of a personal tutor.
You will also need to purchase a laboratory manual for this course from the bookstore. All other supplies needed in the laboratory will be provided.
Requirements.
Regular attendance: It is essential that you come to all classes 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 circumstances, you should send jochoa an e-mail message explaining your situation. Excessive absences can result in a grade reduction.
Labs: You are also expected to attend every lab on the schedule; any departures from the schedule must be discussed in advance with the instructor. (Experiments are normally not kept set up after the week in which they are used.) You will only be able to complete the lab in the allotted time if you have read the instructions thoroughly and made a good effort to understand them in advance. You are therefore expected to come to each lab fully prepared, having read the manual and having answered all pre-lab questions beforehand.
Homework: There will be weekly homework assignments. You are expected to complete your work by the scheduled due date at the MP website. The assignments include some questions that are not in EUP. Late assignments will incur a penalty.
Reading: Reading assignments will be given to prepare you for class discussion.
Exams: There will be two midterm exams plus a self-scheduled final exam. Exams must be turned in by the specified times, except by prior agreement.
Grading
The grade for the course will be based on the following weighting
| Homework assignments: | 22.5% |
| Laboratory: | 22.5% |
| Midterm 1: | 13% |
| Midterm 2: | 17% |
| Final exam: | 20% |
| Participation: | 5% |
Note: you must complete and report on all labs to pass the course.
Accommodations for Disabilities
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.
Honor Code.
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 and preparing for class discussions. You may also work together with other members of the class on these assignments and this is often quite beneficial. However, when submitting your work on MP or on an exam, you must work independently.
- Your textbook gives answers to odd-numbered exercises. These, and the guidance given in MP, are intended to be helpful to you.
- Solutions to some of the written exercises will be made available after the assignments are due, on Blackboard, but should not be consulted until your homework is submitted.
- Honor code guidelines for the lab are contained in the lab manual.
- All exams must be entirely your own work. No consultation with anyone apart from the instructor is allowed during exams.
Approximate Schedule
| Week | Subject | EUP chapters | Labs/Exams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Sep | Motion in One, Two, and Three Dimensions | 2, 3 | No Labs First Week |
| 10 Sep | Force and Motion | 4 | The Pendulum |
| 17 Sep | Using Newton's Laws | 5 | |
| 24 Sep | Energy | 6,7 | Newton’s Second Law: Tonka Truck Physics |
| 1 Oct | Gravity | 8 | Midterm #1, Due ~Oct 5 |
| 8 Oct | Systems of Particles | 9 | Energy Transformations |
| 15 Oct | FALL BREAK | ||
| 22 Oct | Rotational Motion | 10, 11 | |
| 29 Oct | Statics; Chaos | 12, Handout | Collisions |
| 5 Nov | Oscillations | 13 | Midterm #2, Due ~Nov. 16 |
| 12 Nov | Waves and Sound | 14 | Rotational Motion |
| 19 Nov | Fluid Motion | 15, Handout | |
| 26 Nov | Catch up | Sound and the Science of Musical Instruments | |
| 3 Dec | Temperature and Heat | 16 | |
| 10 Dec | Thermal Phenomena | 17 | Thermal Properties of Matter |