Prerequisite: Mathematics 108 and 109 or 111
FALL 2008 Course Textbook: PHYSICS 7th EDITION, Cutnell & Johnson (2007, Wiley, ISBN 0-471-66315-8)
LECTURES: MWF 11:00pm - 11:50pm in Neckers 440
Course announcements, exam schedule, course updates, and solutions to homework problems available at the course website on BLACKBOARD: mycourses.siu.edu
Instructor:
Dr. Leo Silbert
Office: Neckers 487
Telephone: (618) 453 1062
Email: lsilbert_at_physics_dot_siu_dot_edu
Office Hours: 2pm - 4pm TWR
Help Desk: The Physics Department provides a Help Desk specifically for PHYS 203.
Every Monday at 8:00am - 8:50am in Neckers 456.
There is also a general help desk available throughout the week.
http://www.physics.siu.edu/courses/helpdesk.htm
Office: Neckers 487
Telephone: (618) 453 1062
Email: lsilbert_at_physics_dot_siu_dot_edu
Office Hours: 2pm - 4pm TWR
Help Desk: The Physics Department provides a Help Desk specifically for PHYS 203.
Every Monday at 8:00am - 8:50am in Neckers 456.
There is also a general help desk available throughout the week.
http://www.physics.siu.edu/courses/helpdesk.htm
Course Information
In PHYS 203A, we will cover
Chapters 1-17 from the textbook "PHYSICS 7th EDITION", by Cutnell & Johnson (Wiley).
See the textbook website at www.wiley.com/college/cutnell.
This is an algebra-based physics course. We will be using
College Algebra and Trigonometry and Analytic Geometry skills up to the
level of Maths 108 and 109, or 111. If you do not feel comfortable with
vectors and trigonometry you should revise this material before classes begins.
Otherwise you are likely to have difficulty throughout the semester.
Course Syllabus syllabus.pdf
Please also see the statement of emergency procedures
Course Philosophy There are two principle aims of this course:
Firstly, this course, PHYS 203A, together with its sister course PHYS 203B, is designed to introduce you to basic and applied concepts in physics.
Secondly, the lectures, assinged problems, and exams, are designed to test and develop your skills for analytical thinking. In other words, this course does not test your ability to memorize equations or pages from textbooks.
The best way to do well in this course is to attend lectures and practice as many problems as you can as often as possible.
We will make use of the student web site for this book, accessible at: www.wiley.com/college/cutnell
Click on the student companion site link on the left hand side of the page.
You will find plenty of opportunities to practice regular course questions and review quizzes for the MCAT exam.
Lecture Notes Lectures will be posted on the course website on Blackboard.
Homework Homework assignments will be given out during class. You should attempt every problem.
Exams will be based on homework problems and quizzes from the textbook and the book website.
Solutions to problems will be posted on the course web site on Blackboard under Learning Modules.
Use solutions as a last resort. It is difficult to learn something if you just read the solutions without thinking about them.
Attempt to solve every problem by yourself. If you do not understand the problem or you are unable to solve it, seek advice.
Make full use of the Physics Help Desk, Office Hours, and the dedicated Problem Solving sessions.
Most importantly, if you are still having trouble with problems after putting in a reasonable amount of effort the same thing is likely to
happen with your exams. Do not let this type of thing go on for too long and do not fall behind in class. Just ask for help.
Exams There will be 3 (three) exams during the semester plus one comprehensive final exam. The dates and topics for the midterm exams
will be announced in class, on blackboard, and on this website. They will be administered during regular lecture times and last for 50 minutes.
Exam dates are (all are 2008):
Midterm 1: Monday, February 11 (on Chapters 1,2, and 3)
Midterm 2: Wednesday, March 5 (on Chapters 4, and 5)
Midterm 3: Friday, April 11 (on Chapters 6, 7, 8, and 9)
No make up exams will be given.
The midterm exams will cover course material up to and including those chapters listed in the parantheses above.
The final exam is a comprehensive/accumulative, two-hour exam on all topics covered in class.
The final exam for this course, PHYS 203A, has now been confirmed:
NECKERS 440 at ?????????????????, December ??, 2008.
The final exam is compulsory. If you do not attend the final exam you will fail the class.
Grading Your course grade will be completely determined by your exam grades. These will be weighted as follows:
Midterm 1: 23 %
Midterm 2: 23 %
Midterm 3: 23 %
Final: 31 %
Final Grade Final grades are determined according to:
90.0 % - 100 % = A
80.0 % - 89.99 % = B
70.0 % - 79.99 % = C
55.0 % - 69.99 % = D
0.0 % - 59.99 % = F
The University has strict policies on dishonesty and conduct: Student Conduct Code
See the textbook website at www.wiley.com/college/cutnell.
This is an algebra-based physics course. We will be using
College Algebra and Trigonometry and Analytic Geometry skills up to the
level of Maths 108 and 109, or 111. If you do not feel comfortable with
vectors and trigonometry you should revise this material before classes begins.
Otherwise you are likely to have difficulty throughout the semester.
Course Syllabus syllabus.pdf
Please also see the statement of emergency procedures
Course Philosophy There are two principle aims of this course:
Firstly, this course, PHYS 203A, together with its sister course PHYS 203B, is designed to introduce you to basic and applied concepts in physics.
Secondly, the lectures, assinged problems, and exams, are designed to test and develop your skills for analytical thinking. In other words, this course does not test your ability to memorize equations or pages from textbooks.
The best way to do well in this course is to attend lectures and practice as many problems as you can as often as possible.
We will make use of the student web site for this book, accessible at: www.wiley.com/college/cutnell
Click on the student companion site link on the left hand side of the page.
You will find plenty of opportunities to practice regular course questions and review quizzes for the MCAT exam.
Lecture Notes Lectures will be posted on the course website on Blackboard.
Homework Homework assignments will be given out during class. You should attempt every problem.
Exams will be based on homework problems and quizzes from the textbook and the book website.
Solutions to problems will be posted on the course web site on Blackboard under Learning Modules.
Use solutions as a last resort. It is difficult to learn something if you just read the solutions without thinking about them.
Attempt to solve every problem by yourself. If you do not understand the problem or you are unable to solve it, seek advice.
Make full use of the Physics Help Desk, Office Hours, and the dedicated Problem Solving sessions.
Most importantly, if you are still having trouble with problems after putting in a reasonable amount of effort the same thing is likely to
happen with your exams. Do not let this type of thing go on for too long and do not fall behind in class. Just ask for help.
Exams There will be 3 (three) exams during the semester plus one comprehensive final exam. The dates and topics for the midterm exams
will be announced in class, on blackboard, and on this website. They will be administered during regular lecture times and last for 50 minutes.
Exam dates are (all are 2008):
Midterm 1: Monday, February 11 (on Chapters 1,2, and 3)
Midterm 2: Wednesday, March 5 (on Chapters 4, and 5)
Midterm 3: Friday, April 11 (on Chapters 6, 7, 8, and 9)
No make up exams will be given.
The midterm exams will cover course material up to and including those chapters listed in the parantheses above.
The final exam is a comprehensive/accumulative, two-hour exam on all topics covered in class.
The final exam for this course, PHYS 203A, has now been confirmed:
NECKERS 440 at ?????????????????, December ??, 2008.
The final exam is compulsory. If you do not attend the final exam you will fail the class.
Grading Your course grade will be completely determined by your exam grades. These will be weighted as follows:
Midterm 1: 23 %
Midterm 2: 23 %
Midterm 3: 23 %
Final: 31 %
Final Grade Final grades are determined according to:
90.0 % - 100 % = A
80.0 % - 89.99 % = B
70.0 % - 79.99 % = C
55.0 % - 69.99 % = D
0.0 % - 59.99 % = F
The University has strict policies on dishonesty and conduct: Student Conduct Code
Last updated 8th May, 2008.