PHYS121 Fundamentals of Physics IMWF 12–12:50pm in PHY 1412Instructor: Dr. R. Padraic SpringuelOffice: Physics 1326Email: [email protected]: x56179Office Hours: MWF 1–2pmFall 2011TextbooksThe primary textbook for this course is Collge Physics: A Strategic Approach, 2nd Edition by Knight, Jones,and Field (Addison-Wesley publishers, ISBN 978-0-321-59549-2). I will not be assigning readings or requiredhomework problems from this text, but it is invaluable for gaining a different perspective on the materialthat I present in class. Other perspectives can be gained online, but remember that I cannot and will notvouch for the veracity of every webpage out there. Read what you find online critically and always askyourself if the source is trustworthy before using material found online in this course. Please note that thisbook is sold in two forms: a two-volume paperback and a one-volume hardback. The ISBN above is forthe single volume hardback, which I recommend because you will need both volumes for the entire 121–122sequence and the single volume version is cheaper than buying both of the paperback volumes. The bookalso comes in a variety of packages which bundle different supplements with the textbook. You will not needany of these supplements in this course, so I suggest avoiding the bundles to save money.For tutorials and labs you will need Physics 121: Tutorials and Laboratories, Fall 2006 Edition (ISBN978-0-470-10771-3). This is a custom book published by Wiley & Sons specifically for use in this course.Because you will be writing in this book for the tutorials, you will need a new copy of this book.You will also need a RF Clicker from Turning Point Technologies. This is the campus standard clickerand thus you may already have one from previous courses. You can also use the ResponseWare software fromTurning Point Technologies to turn your smartphone or laptop into a clicker (it’s actually cheaper this way).Don’t forget that you will need to register your clicker (be it a stand-alone unit, an app simulating one, or theweb interface) in order to use it. If you are using a stand-alone clicker you will need to ensure that it is setto channel 6 for each class in order to get participation credit. If you are using an app or the web interfacewhich simulates a clicker then you need to login to session ID Springuel121. You can learn more aboutclickers, including how to register it, change channels, or set your session ID, at http://clickers.umd.edu/.Class ParticipationYou are expected to attend all classes—lectures, discussions (tutorials), and labs. Each will involve yourparticipation, including lecture. Most of these activities will result in participation points. Taken altogetherparticipation is a full 20% of your grade.1LectureLectures will be non-traditional and you will be expected to participate. Through the use of informaldiscussions with your neighbors, coordinated whole class discussions, clickers, and interactive lecture demon-strations I hope to create an environment in which you can express your opinion and contribute to thedirection of the course.ClickersWhen clickers are used in class, you only get participation credit (1 point) for answers which are submittedat the appropriate time by using your clicker. You get points for participation only, not for simply attendinglecture. If you forget your clicker, it doesn’t work, or you fail to submit an answer on time, you won’t getparticipation credit for that question. At the same time, you are encouraged to give your best answer when-ever submitting an answer via clicker, but your answers will not be graded for correctness. Any submittedanswer will get you the participation point. In order to account for the inevitable technological failure, I willoffer more opportunities to earn these participation points than is necessary to get full participation creditfor the course. Participation above the necessary level will earn you extra credit.Interactive Lecture Demonstrations (ILDs)ILDs are worksheets which use a combination of clicker questions, small group work, and whole class discus-sions to go over a topic in more depth. We will be doing several of these during the course of the semesterand you will get 5 points of participation credit for each one (this is on top of the points you get for anyclicker questions included in the ILD). Worksheets are to be handed in at the end of class so that I can verifyyour participation, but will not be graded and will be returned during the next class.TutorialBased on past experience with other courses and instructors, many students find tutorials to be the mostvaluable element in the class for learning to do exam questions and homework problems.All discussion sessions are run as group tutorials. — The discussion sessions will be run as groupactivities using the tutorial worksheets in the Tutorial and Lab Manual. The tutorials have two goals:1. to help you develop your conceptual understanding of the basic ideas underlying the physics,2. to help you learn to think about how you know what you know.Get problem help in the Course Center! — Since we will not be answering questions about HW inthe discussion sections, we have set up a Course Center in room Toll 0208. You can come there to checkother texts for ideas, to work with other students, and to ask the course center monitor (me or one ofthe TAs) some questions. Don’t expect the monitors to show you how to do the problems, however.The problems are designed so that you learn by thinking about them, not by memorizing them orwatching someone else show you how to do them. Monitors are encouraged to ask you questions first,to find out where you are coming from, and then to give you suggestions and hints for what you mighttry to solve them. Your colleagues are free to tell you anything, but you have to decide if they areright or wrong!At the end of each tutorial, you will be given a short worksheet to complete at home. This worksheet isdesigned to review important concepts from the tutorial and/or prepare you for the next one. It is due atthe beginning of your next tutorial but will not be graded. Instead, you will get 5 participation points forcompleting it.2LaboratoryYa gotta do the labs! — There will be an introductory lab plus 5 two-week labs during the semester.You must complete all of these labs in order to pass this course. This is a requirement in order to meetprofessional school criteria.These are
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