Required Texts/Materials

• OpenStax, College Physics, 2e by Peter Urone and Roger Hinrichs
• Scientific Calculator (any one will do)
• Colored pencils, pins or markers (at least 3 colors).

You will need to register for the following online platforms as instructed on Blackboard.  Note: Everything is already paid for so no worries!

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS.  WebAssign

LAB ASSIGNMENTS: Google Classroom

LIVE POLLS: PollEverywhere 

OFFICE HOURS: Class Discord Server   

Course Policies

Attendance/Class Participation.  Regular and punctual class attendance is expected of all students. Attendance will be taken using a sign-in sheet.  You are responsible for signing the attendance sheet!  If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw you from the course.

Pre-Lecture Reading.  It is very important that you read the assigned material before lecture.  Reading assignments for each day are posted on the BB schedule.

Grading System.  The final grade consists of both a lecture and a lab component as shown in the table below.   You must earn a grade of “C” or better in both the laboratory portion and the lecture portion of the course in order to earn a grade of “C” or better for the course.

SCALE: A = 90 - 100%     B = 80 - 89%      C = 70 - 79%      D = 60 - 69%      F = Below 60%

EXAMS.  There will be three (3) exams, given in class, each one worth 10% of your final grade.  You need to make arrangements with me in advance if will be unavoidably absent on the date of an exam.  Otherwise, missed exams receive a grade of zero unless documentation of illness or unavoidable emergency is provided. 

FINAL EXAM.  A comprehensive final exam, given on the last day of class, will be worth 30% of your grade. Missed final exams receive a grade of zero – regardless of the circumstances.  An incomplete may be granted by the College (see section on Incompletes below) but only in extreme situations.

The final exam score will automatically replace a lower test score that is above a 50.  Test scores below 50 may also be replaced by the final score,  but you’ll have to come talk to me first.

HOMEWORK.   Homework, which is worth 10% of your overall grade, will be done online using WebAssign   Each assignment is generally due one week after it was posted.  Exact due dates are shown at the top of each assignment.  Extensions may be granted prior to the exam over the material it covers. 

• Procrastination is NOT a valid reason for requesting an extension.   
• Extensions CANNOT be granted after you've viewed the solutions.

Doing and understanding the homework is essential to your success in this course!

The addendum, Accelerated Course Guidelines, explains how much homework you can expect each week and how much time you can expect to spend doing it. 

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES.    Live polls and quizzes make up the final 5% of your course grade.  These are done in-class so they CANNOT be made up if you are absent!

LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS.   Each class will incorporate one or more lab activities, including demonstrations, simulations, experiments, and problem-solving practice.

Laboratory activities are a major component (25%) of your overall grade.  Lab attendance is mandatory.

Each experiment requires a written lab report.  For most experiments, each lab group will turn in one lab report.  However, some will require individual lab reports as will be explained in the lab handout for the experiment.  Lab reports, which should be completed outside of class, are due by the end of the following week.

You MUST make-up lab activities if you are absent. Make-up experiments are done during Open Lab on Friday. 

• The lab tech must sign off on your data for you to receive credit.
• A maximum of two labs can be made up during the semester.

PROBLEM SOLVING PRACTICE.  Problem solving practice is worth 5% of your lab grade.  Practice problem sets will be posted on Google Classroom. You work on them with your lab group, but EACH person is required to write down the full solutions ,which will be checked at the end of each lab period.  

College Policies

Open Stax, College Physics, 2e

Chapter 18.  Electric Charge and Electric Field

Chapter 19.  Electric Potential and Electric Field

Chapter 20.  Electric Current, Resistance, and Ohm's Law

Chapter 21.  Circuits, Bioelectricity, and DC Instruments

Chapter 22.  Magnetism

Chapter 23.  Electromagnetic Induction, AC Circuits, and Electrical Technologies

Chapter 24.  Electromagnetic Waves

Chapter 25.  Geometric Optics

Chapter 26.  Vision and Optical Instruments

Chapter 27.  Wave Optics

Chapter 28.  Special Relativity

Chapter 29.  Introduction to Quantum Physics

Chapter 30.  Atomic Physics

Chapter 31.  Radioactivity and Nuclear Physics

Tentative Class Schedule.  This schedule is subject to change. 

The schedule posted on Blackboard will be kept up to date.

Course-Level Learning Outcomes.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Develop techniques to set up and perform experiments, collect data from those experiments, and formulate conclusions from an experiment.
• Demonstrate the collections, analysis, and reporting of data using the scientific method.
• Record experimental work completely and accurately in laboratory notebooks, and communicate experimental results clearly in written reports.
• Solve problems involving the inter-relationship of fundamental charged particles, and electrical forces, fields, and currents.
• Apply Kirchhoff’s Rules to analysis of circuits with potential sources, capacitance, inductance, and resistance, including parallel and series capacitance and resistance.
• Solve problems in the electrostatic interaction of point charges through the application of Coulomb’s Law.
• Solve problems involving the effects of magnetic fields on moving charges or currents, and the relationship of magnetic fields to the currents which produce them.
• Use Faraday’s and Lenz’s laws to determine electromotive forces and solve problems involving electromagnetic induction.
• Articulate and Solve problems applying the principles of reflection, refraction, diffraction, interference, and superposition of waves.
• Solve practical problems involving optics, lenses, mirrors, and optical instruments.
• Describe the characteristics of light and the electromagnetic spectrum.
•  

General Education Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate competence in:

• Critical Thinking

Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information.

• Interpersonal Skills

Interacting collaboratively to achieve common goals.

• Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning

Applying mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods.

• Technology Skills

Using appropriate technology to retrieve, manage, analyze, and present information.

• Written, Oral and Visual Communication
  Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.