Topic 1 Introduction Units Significant Figures PHYSICS 231 Key Concepts Syllabus SI Units kg m s and conversion Scientific Notation 4 3x1012 3 123E 2 Significant Figures Book 1 4 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 2 Syllabus Read the syllabus on course website http www nscl msu edu schatz phy231 html this is an assignment Grading overview 20 Homework on LON CAPA access on website 20 each 2 midterm exams 40 1 final exam on entire course 5 extra credit Designated in class quizzes can miss 25 Optional 1 extra credit group work project 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 3 Quizzes Quizzes are given randomly Quizzes use the iClickers Register at www icklicker com Use your student ID NUMBER with the A We will post scores occasionally check to make sure you are registered properly Three types of quizzes Spontaneous quizzes not graded Designated extra credit quizzes Reading assignment quizzes count towards extra credit typically Tuesdays 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 4 Reading The course schedule lists the relevant chapters in the course textbook All material in these chapters can be on homework and exams and not all of it will be covered in class Reading assignments will be given to read material beforehand Re reading after class is strongly recommended 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 5 Physics Learning Center The PLC is in BPS 1428 details and schedule on the website Limited TA support for this course 2 specific Tas 7h each addtl TA for 231 232 The PLC is a cooperative learning center not a helproom TAs will encourage group work and will help groups when they are stuck Group work has been proven to be a very effective learning tool for strong and weak students You must do your own assignments and you still must learn how to do problems on your own Don t do everything in groups Do assignments on your own as much as you can before working in the group PREPARE 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 6 Extra Credit Group Work Project Good option for students who feel they would benefit from structured group work Sign up by Friday midnight Jan 14 on the course website Brief summary of requirements Meet once a week with an assigned group of fellow PHY231 students 3 5 in PLC Required to prepare for meeting Do homework as much as possible Work on assigned homework problem Discuss course contents and fill out a form at the meeting that provides feedback for the course so not just homework Self grading of preparation level 1 extra credit can miss 2 meetings at most 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 7 How to succeed Read How to succeed on website Physics is about understanding concepts and organizing your knowledge according to concepts Not about memorizing facts Many physics concepts will be contrary to your beliefs This is common but the biggest obstacle to success Be willing to question your beliefs and follow up when something does not seem to make sense Keep working continuously do reading assignments think about what you heard in the lecture re read and think more AS WE GO As memorizing is not sufficient there is no way to catch up with the material in a few nights of cramming before an exam Physics requires advanced problem solving strategies that likely differ from what you are used to The steps leading towards the correct equations are the critical ones Equation hunting is not a good strategy though it might have worked in high school Pick additional problems from the book and see if you can do them yourself once you think you understood something 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 8 Current Assignments Reading Chapter 1 5 and 3 due Tuesday Jan 18 beginning of class Homework Set 1 already open covers this week due Thursday Jan 20 midnight Recommended not directly graded Homework Set 0 this week Read Chapters 1 and 2 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 9 Clicker question How important is it to learn some physics A very important B important C might help a bit D not important E complete waste of time 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 10 Why Physics Why do I have to learn physics see Pg XXVII It is likely that the world works quite differently from what you think Its important to understand how things work and why things happen Advanced problem solving strategies Units are important example deadly medical errors Estimated 44k 98k deaths yr from medication errors 4th 6th leading cause of death 7 unit conversion errors That is 3000 7000 deaths yr in US 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 11 Example Mechanics of Skeleton Mechanics of skeleton Key for Human medicine Veterinary medicine Sports medicine training Other classes teach how each bone is named medication where to drill when to replace a hip Physics teaches you HOW IT WORKS AND WHY IT WORKS and how to figure out how it works Basis for innovation 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 12 Clicker question How important is it to learn some physics A very important B important C might help a bit D not important E complete waste of time 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 13 SI Units Unit Meter kilogram Second Ampere Kelvin Mole candela Abbreviation m kg s A K mol cd Base unit for length mass time current temperature amount of a substance luminous intensity MKSA system Based on powers of 10 of base units All other units derive from these Area m2 Speed m s 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 14 Clicker question What describes best the height of an average person A 0 02 m B 0 3 m C 2 m D 6 m E 50 m 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 15 Clicker question What describes best the weight of a typical person A 1 3 kg B 8 kg C 80 kg D 190 kg E 550 kg 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 16 Unit Conversion Treat units as algebraic quantities Example John has walked 3 miles in 1 hour What was his average speed answer in MKS units Given mile 1609 3 m hour 3600 s v 3 x miles 1 x hour 3 x 1609 3 x m 1 x 3600 x s 3 x 1609 3 3600 m s 1 341 m s Result 1 m s If John walks 1 m s how far does he get in 300 s d 1 m s 300 s 1 m 300 s 300 m Right unit good check s 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 17 Scientific Notation For very large or very small numbers the scientific notation is advantageous Write number as mantissa x 10Exponent Example 0 000000001 1 x 10 9 34000000 3 4 x 107 Alternative notation 3 4E7 CAPA computers 1 11 11 Physics 231 Spring 2011 18 Powers of 10 prefixes 10 24 10 21 1018 1015 12 10 10 9 10 6 3 10 10 2 101 1 11 11 yotta …
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