PH230 General Physics I

Spring 2013 Syllabus

Instructor: Dr. Michael L. Cobb / Course: PH230 General Physics
Office: RH 302 / Credit Hours: 5
Phone: x2172 / Lecture MG226: 9-10 M, W, F
Email: / Lab MG222: 8-10 R
Office Hours: 10:00 M, W, F / Computer Lab: RH301: 8-10 T
Course Web Page:
/ Prerequisite MA 140
Corequisite MA 145

Text: Matter & Interactions by Ruth Chabay and Bruce Sherwood

Course Description:

PH230 General Physics I is a calculus based course designed for Physics and Engineering majors but is also appropriate for other science and computer science majors. This course will cover Mechanics; kinematics and dynamics of linear and rotational motion; heat and thermal dynamics. The course will make extensive use of a high level computer programming language called Visual Python for modeling and simulation of various problems. Visual Python is an open source module layered on top of the basic Python language both of which are freely available and it is recommended that students install the code on their personal computers. Read Python as a First Language. The Physics Department’s computer lab in RH301 has Python and Visual Python already installed for your use.

Student Learning Outcomes:

(1) Students will demonstrate the ability to design and/or conduct experiments, as well as to interpret data in the areas of mechanics, dynamics, energy and thermodynamics.

(2) Students will demonstrate the ability to identify, formulate and solve physics and engineering problems in the areas of mechanics, dynamics, energy and thermodynamics.

(3) Students will demonstrate the ability to use techniques, skills and modern tools necessary for physics and engineering careers.

Learning Strategies:

It is assumed that students have had some exposure to Physics from high school. If this is not the case, please contact the instructor who can help you get started and not fall behind. This is a 5 credit hour course and will require about 8 hours outside of class effort each week. Do not fall behind. Spend at least 1-2 hours every night on the material. Do not spend more than one hour stuck on any one problem without getting help from someone. While dealing with frustration is part of the task, this is a learning environment and you need to use your time wisely. Download both Python and VPython on your personal computer and experiment with writing code until the mechanics of doing so are mastered. Do not wait till the last minute. Read the designated materials before lecture and then study the reading material afterward to receive the most benefit. Read over the respective laboratory manual before coming to lab.

Computer Lab:

The departmental computer lab is available for your use in RH301 between the hours of 8-5 with after hours access by student ID card. These computers will not retain user information once they have been restarted. Students need to bring a jump drive to class to store information and computer programs for the course. It is a violation of Departmental and University computer use policies to modify, alter, disable, or deny use of a computer facility without the permission of appropriate authorities. The computer lab is under constant video surveillance to help identify users who violate the computer use policy.

Home Work:

We will be using WebAssign ( to administer the on-line homework for this course. Students will need to purchase access codes on-line in order to access the site. While a certain amount of collaboration is allowed in doing homework, take care not to let your password be given to others and always log off of the site when you are finished. As in all work, the final effort submitted to the site is expected to be your own.

Grading:

It is assumed that all work that is handed in by the student is the result of their own work. While you may seek help from fellow students or the instructor if you get stuck on a problem, the work and effort must be your own. Copying of homework including computer programs from any source other than your own efforts will be considered plagiarism and disciplinary actions will be taken consistent with the University’s Academic Policies and Procedures as detailed in the Undergraduate Bulletin.

This course will have daily home work and weekly computer program assignments. There will be 4 chapter tests. The lowest home work, test, and computer programs will be dropped. There will be a comprehensive final which cannot be dropped. Late work will be penalized 10% per week late unless prior notice is made or in case of extenuating circumstances.

This course also has a required laboratory component (PH030). The lab manual may be purchased in the bookstore. See the lab manual for specific policies and procedures when dealing with the laboratory. You must be present during the lab session in order to receive credit.

Weights:

Item / % Weight
Home Work / 20%
Python Programming / 10%
Best 3 of 4 chapter tests / 40%
Laboratory write ups / 20%
Final / 10%

Grading Scale:

90-100 / A
80-89 / B
70-79 / C
50-69 / D
0-50 / F

Policies:

Plagiarism: It is assumed that ALL work turned in by the student is the result of the student’s own effort. To turn in someone else’s work without giving due credit is plagiarism and is punishable up to and including expulsion from the University. The full policy can be found here Academic Policies and Procedures.

Late Work: Late work will be accepted under appropriate circumstances but will be assessed a late penalty of 10% per week for laboratory write-ups and home work assignments. All work is due on the last day of class May 7th (not during finals week).

Attendance: While there is no official attendance policy for the lecture portion of the course there is a strong correlation between attendance and success in the course. The laboratory session does require attendance to receive any credit for a particular session. If you are 10 or minutes late to lab, then you will be counted as absent. The lowest laboratory score will be dropped to help allow for unavoidable absences.

Conduct: A level of professional conduct is expected of all students. Freedom of speech does not include verbal abuse or other derogatory statements directed at individuals. While students are free to express themselves on any topic appropriate for the course, the instructor remains the authority over what is construed as fact by the scientific community appropriate for the course materials.

Email Protocol: Email has become a vital tool for professionals to make direct contact with each other in a written form. Emails allow a rapid, personal interaction with the instructor and allows misunderstandings to be corrected and other information to be exchanged in a timely manner. Professional emails will address the instructor with appropriate salutation (as in “Dr. Cobb”), will clearly identify the sender by registered name, will include the course and section number for which the email concerns, will have correct punctuation regarding proper nouns and pronouns, and will finish the correspondence with their name. Any emails not abiding by these standards will not be answered.

GradeA: Grades will be posted and updated throughout the semester using GradeA. Because various different people are responsible for grading in the course, not all sections will have grades updated at the same time. If a “0” is reported for your grade, then I believe this is correct. If an entry is simply left “blank”, then those grades have not been fully posted. While I always welcome emails reporting errors, please refrain from sending emails asking when grades will be posted, especially at the end of the semester, as this greatly increases my workload without any real benefit. While missing the next higher grade in a course by a fraction of a point is very disappointing, the line must be drawn somewhere. I do round up for half a point or more consistent with maintaining two significant figures of accuracy. I will not accept any materials for grading or resolve any existing zeros for grades after the last day of class.

Questions?: Questions, comments or requests regarding this course or program should be taken to your instructor. Unanswered questions or unresolved issues involving this class may be taken to the department chair, Dr. David Probst <>.