Syllabus
Goals and Motivations:Physics 33-131, which includes classical mechanics and thermal physics, is the first course in a two-semester sequence of introductory calculus-based physics courses offered to science and computer science majors. This course deals with the nature of matter and its interactions. The variety of phenomena that we will be able to explain and understand is very wide, from the orbit of a planet to the cooling of a gas. The main goal of this course is to have you engage in a process central to science: the attempt to model a broad range of physical phenomena using a small set of powerful fundamental principles. The specific focus is on learning how to explain the nature of matter and its interactions in terms of a small set of physical laws that govern all mechanical interactions, and in terms of the atomic structure of matter. While this course will use computer modeling to both solve and understand complex physical systems, this is not a programming course and no programming experience is required.
Superficially, this course and Physics I for Science Students, 33.111,
look very similar. They both use the same textbook, and cover similar
material. However, this course will cover both more material, and in
more depth than in 33.111. More difficult problems will be covered, and
the course will take more of your time. However, you will be rewarded
by a deeper understanding of science.
Prerequisites:It is assumed that you have a very strong high school background in physics, either an AP physics course, or a University level course. It is also assumed that you have a very solid high school mathematics background, and that at a bare minimum you are currently enrolled in Calculus. No programing experience is required, though familiarity in interacting with a computer is expected. The math needed is a basic knowledge of derivatives, which can be obtained by studying calculus concurrently. It is also assumed that you are familiar with and able to use vectors. The textbook offers a brief overview of vectors in Chapter 1. Finally, we assume that you are familiar with the terminology and concepts from your high school physics course. Grading:For more details on grading, please see the 'Grades' web page. It gives break downs on letter grades.
Exams and Quizzes:At the beginning of most Friday lecture/discussions, there will be a written quiz. Get to class on time since no make-up quizzes will be given. These quizzes are based on class discussions and textbook study. Your lowest quiz score will be dropped, and if you miss a quiz, that quiz will be counted as your lowest one. The schedule of quizzes as well as a few samples can be found on the 'Exam Page'. There will be three exams during the course and a cumulative final exam. For more details, see the 'Exam' page. The dates of the exams are given there. The date of the final exam will be announced by the University by the middle of the semester. A missed exam will count as a score of zero. If you are involved in University Activities that will take you away from campus, please contact one of the instructors so that we can arrange with your coach for you to take the test while on the road. In-class Questions and Answers:During most lecture/discussion classes you will be asked to think about and answer some illustrative problems. These problems are meant as on-the-spot checks of whether you and your classmates comprehend the material. In a large class such as ours, this method gives everyone a chance to participate. The questions will occaisionally be collected at the end of class and be used to note of your attendance in class on a given day. The questions will generally be based on the content of the present or previous lecture. Apart from the questions posed by the instructor, you can anytime raise your hand to ask questions if what the instructor says is unclear to you. Class Attendance:Too many students do not realize how important it is to come to class, and giving credit for attendance is one way of emphasizing its importance. In a recent semester in an introductory physics course where lecture attendance was not required, roll was taken in two consecutive lectures. It was found that 87% of the A students came to both lectures, 75% of the B students, 54% of the C students, 33% of the D students and 10% of those who were failing. Very similar results have been obtained in Calculus I and in another introductory physics course. Regular class attendance keeps you well connected to the course, so that you know at all times what's going on, what are the most important points, etc....The most common cause of missing classes is lack of sleep. If you find that you are getting to bed very late and are missing this class, you need to get help in setting priorities and managing your time, so that you can get adequate sleep and attend classes regularly. Attendance and Participation will account for 5% of you final grade. You are allowed to miss two classes without affecting your grade. (Note: University events do not count toward the two classes, but you must notify one of the instructors in advance.) How to use the TextbookTextbook study assignments are ideally done before the associated class discussions, and most students find that they get more out of class if they read ahead in the textbook. The class covers the high points of the new material, and you are expected to go back over all of the assigned material in the textbook and work the exercises in detail, to help fix the new concepts in your mind. Class discussions will not cover all of the assigned material; it is essential that you study the textbook carefully. It is important that you take the study assignments seriously, a day at a time. If you ignore the book until it is time to attack the assigned homework problems, you are likely to waste a lot of time floundering around, desperately searching for a nonexistent magic formula somewhere in the chapter that sort of matches the homework problem, and you will lose the opportunity to acquire a deep understanding of the material. If on the other hand you devote a modest amount of daily time to working through the new sections of the book, you will be in a position to attack the homework problems efficiently, based on a clear understanding of the fundamental physics principles rather than your ability to plug numbers into secondary special--case formulas. Homework ProblemsHomework problems will be graded and will count toward the final course grade. Homework is due at the start of the specified class; it will receive half - credit if handed in by 5pm of the specified day; it will not be graded if handed in later without a valid excuse.
Important: Homework must be legible and clearly organized so that we can easily follow your reasoning, or it will be returned without being graded!
Computer WorkWe will assign computer homework, some of which will be done in class, and some to be done outside class. These computer activities emphasize computer modeling of physical systems and are designed to deepen your understanding of the nature of the modeling process. Computer modeling is an important skill that is playing an increasingly critical role in all of the sciences. We will teach you the techniques you will need; no previous programming experience is assumed. Computer programming is a powerful tool, but even the most skilled programmer sometimes gets waylaid by a computer problem that is very difficult to debug. For that reason we make the following rule:
If you have worked seriously for an hour trying without success to
debug a malfunctioning computer program, STOP! Get help from an instructor
or from another student before continuing. We do not want you to spend hours
and hours struggling with computer problems. We will make adjustments of
deadlines when we work with you. However, you have the responsibility to
start on an assignment early enough to be able to get help if necessary.
Don't wait until 2:00 am of the day the assignment is due!
Policies:Scientists and engineers normally work in groups, and social interactions are critical to their work. Most good ideas grow out of discussions with colleagues. In this course, we want you to work with others as much as possible. Study together, help your partners to get over confusions, ask each other questions, and critique each others' homework write-ups. Teach each other! You can learn a great deal by teaching. But do turn in your own write-ups: if we find you simply copying someone else's work, each person gets zero credit. While collaboration is the rule in technical work, evaluations of individuals also play an important role in science and engineering. Exams and quizzes are to be done without help from others. Cheating will be heavily penalized in accord with university regulations. In principle, late work will not be accepted. If you are sick, or have a University recognized activity, contact the instructor to make arrangements. Work turned in late but before 5:00pm of the day that it is due will be graded but given only half credit. Work turned in outside of class needs to be turned at Professor Meyer's office, (Wean Hall 8414). Slide it under the door if no one is there.
Help:You should ask lots of questions in class to clear up any initial confusion you might have about a topic. If you fall behind for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible. The sooner we know about these situations, the better we can help you make up work. We will do what we can to help you complete the course satisfactorily, but an incomplete grade cannot be given simply because you fell behind. An optional Course Center will be available. Come to work with other students on physics problems, with an instructor present to whom you can direct questions.
Course Center:The course center will be held on Wednesday evening from 6:00pm until 9:00pm and on Thursday evening from 6:00pm until 9:00pm in the recitation classroom, Doherty Hall A325.Web site:The course web site is located at http://www-meg.phys.cmu.edu/physics_33131/. Homework assignments, etc will be posted there so that you can download them when needed. Course ScheduleSee also the page giving week-by-week lists of Activities.
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