Welcome to General Physics I at Tulane University. This course is intended to develop problem solving skills and to prepare university students for professional careers in science and engineering, as well as to provide an understanding of the basic principles of physics. This section may differ slightly from other sections of General Physics I at Tulane University. We shall include topics in modern physics including the principles of lasers and transistors. There will be somewhat less emphasis on classical optics, mechanics and thermodynamics. In this course we shall cover fewer topics, but in greater depth. The emphasis will be to study what is important today and in the future rather than to cover all topics in the traditional syllabus. The laboratory will be an integral part of this course.
Text: "Fundamentals of Physics" by Halliday, Resnick and Walker.
Lectures: M 2-2:50, Tu & Th 11 - 12:30 in or near Boggs 104.
Laboratory: weekly in or near Percival Stern 2020 - 2022.
Office Hours: WF 2 - 2:50 in PS 5066 (or by appointment).
Three course exams 50% Final Exam 30% Laboratory 10% Homework 10%
1. Lectures and examinations. The examinations will emphasize the material indicated in the examination schedule, but may cover any topic. Some topics may be omitted. All examinations are required. Unless other arrangements are made with Professor McGuire before the exam, zero points are normally given if the exam is not taken.
A typical exam may include definitions, multiple choice questions, problems and possibly an essay. Some questions will be simple, some difficult. For each problem there will be separate spaces provided for "Theory" and "Computation". All exams are handgraded. Most credit is given for the correct method or "Theory". The correct answer is worth only a few points. It is the responsibility of the student to communicate answers clearly. Please try to present work so clearly that mistakes become obvious.
2. Final Examination. The final examination is comprehensive. It is mandatory and will be given only at the scheduled time.
3. Laboratory. The departmental policy is a student MUST PASS THE LAB to pass the course. Each student should purchase a lab manual in the book store. Each student should also have a scientific calculator. ruler with centimeter scale, protractor and graph paper. The labs are self-contained. You must read the lab before coming to lab class. Some labs will not be 'in sequence' with the lecture. The first lab (Introduction to Electronic Equipment) will be the week of Jan 24-28. There will be no labs Jan 12-14 or Jan 18-21. Every student should verify they attend the correct section (day, time and room number). Each student is required to write a short (150-200 word) pre-lab as an introduction to their lab report. There will also be a short quiz before each lab to insure the student is properly prepared for the lab. You will be expected to have a pre-lab at the first lab. More detail is given in the lab manual about lab lab grading. Make up labs are only given for officially excused absences. An official excuse is defined as: (a) illness with a doctor's note, (b) a family If you must miss a lab that does not fall under one of the above excuses, contact the lab supervisor (A. D. Hancock 862-3170) in advance of the absence. If circumstances permit, you may be able to do the lab in another section. This must occur during the same week as your normal section and only with approval of the lab supervisor.
4. Homework problems. Problems at the end of each chapter plus handouts are assigned weekly. These problems are due at the beginning of class on Thursday. Problems may be passed in before then, but will not be accepted later. The homework is intended to give understanding and insight into basic physics. This understanding and insight will help assure success in the exams whereas simply obtaining the answers to the problems is not likely to be of help at exam time. Credit for homework is given to encourage practicing and thinking about physics on a regular basis. The homework is due at the beginning of class on Thursday. Early homework is accepted, but late homework is not accepted.
5. Professional Integrity. In General Physics high professional standards, including ethical standards, are promoted. Plagerism and cheating are serious offenses and may be punished by failure on the exam, paper, or project; failure in the course; and/or expulsion from the university. For more information refer to the "Honor Code" in the Tulane catalogue.
Exam problems will be taken from problems assigned below and also other problems at the end of the chapters (not assigned) as well as problems from other sources. It is recommended that you do as many problems as necessary to do as well as you wish in physics. Some solutions are available in the Student Solution Manual and A Student Companion with softward, both available through the bookstore. Some solutions are also available via http://www.wiley.com/college/hrw (click on Student Resources near the top of the page.) The following problems are assigned and will be collected weekly. Other problems may also be assigned in class. Please be sure you know what problems are assigned before they are due in class by asking. The questions are suggested. You need not include them with your homework. The answers to most of the problems are listed at the back of the book. Some of these answers are incorrect. Chapter 1 (Measurement): (Q: none) \ P: 9,16,28 Chapter 2 (1D Motion): (Q: 1,3,9) \ P: 7,8,10,14,16,31,47,54,65 Chapter 3 (Vectors): (Q: 5) \ P: 1,2,9,11,16,21,22,31,33 Chapter 4 (Motion in 2 \& 3 D): (Q: 3,7) \ P: 2,8,9,13,17,25,27,33,45,47,57,63 Chapter 5 (Force I): (Q: 4,9,10,12) \ P: 1,5,9,16,34,38,43 Chapter 6 (Force II): (Q: 1,4,9) \ P: 1,2,7,11,21,22,37,41,43,47 Chapter 7 (KE, Work): (Q: 4,7,13 ) \ P: 3,6,11,21,22,24,30,35 Chapter 8 (PE, E Conservation): (Q: 4,5,7,9) \ P: 2,3,6,9,17,18,26,27,35,37,51,63 Chapter 9 (Systems of Particles): (Q: 1,2,5,9) \ P: 2,9,12,19,21,24,27,34,37,53,55 Chapter 10 (Collisions): (Q: 4,5,7) \ P: 1,6,9,14,21,29,40,48 Chapter 11 (Rotation): (Q: 1,5) \ P: 5,6,10,13,34,46,55,60 Chapter 12 (Torque, Angular Momentum): (Q: 1,5,8,9) \ P: 12,17,23,40,59 Chapter 13 (Equlibrium): (Q: 3,4,5,7) \ P: 10,14,21 Chapter 14 (Gravity): (Q: 1,2,3,4,5,9) \ P: 2,7,9,10,13,15,19,22,30,35,40,55 Chapter 15 (Fluids): (Q: 1,3,6,9,) \ P: 3,8,24,40,55 Chapter 16 (Oscillations): (Q: 1,3,5,10,) \ P: 1,9,14,17,29,39 Chapter 17 (Waves I): (Q: 1,3) \ P: 3,6,7 Chapter 18 (Waves II): (Q: 2,3,) \ P: 1,2,9,13,24,26 Chapter 19 (Temperture and Heat): -- to be assigned if we cover this. Chapter 20 (Gas Kinetics): -- to be assigned if we cover this. Chapter 21 (Entropy): (Q: 10,11) \ P: 42,43,45