Physics 1408 Web Page

Textbook

Physics For Scientists & Engineers, by Douglas C. Giancoli

The 4^th Edition, Chapters 1-37, bundled with a MasteringPhysics access kit (Pearson, 2008) is REQUIRED!!

The MasteringPhysics link is Here. Please be very careful to buy the right package!

The ISBN numbers (for the book + the access kit package) are 0-13-227559-7 or 978-013-227559-0.

These numbers are the easiest way to find the correct book!! The publisher & author produce several other versions of this book (split into volumes; more chapters for modern physics;.). They also produce an algebra-trig based book for (non-calculus) Physics. The algebra-trig based book ISN'T ACCEPTABLE for this course! A Google search finds 60,000+ websites with information on this book! Some have helpful items:

Topical Outlines, ExtraProblems, Homework, Help Resources & discussions of "What is Physics Good For?"

I URGE YOU to take advantage of these many helpful resources!

Note: The book is available from bookstores & on-line, new or used. An online search finds prices in the range $25 - $275!! Note: A used version likely won't come with a MasteringPhysics access kit! If you buy it used, you will probably have to ALSO separately buy an access kit. These should be available on the publisher's Website.

I URGE YOU to shop around & to find the best book price!!

Given the book's cost, don't you think that it would be worthwhile to READ IT???

Course Topics, Objective & Level

Topics: (Selected) from Chs. 1-16 of the text. Detailed coverage will be announced as we go. Level: This is standard introductory,

Calculus Based Physics!

Objective: A survey of 1^stsemester Calculus Based Physics (mechanics, fluids, waves). Details are in the Objectives & Assessments document. It's a survey, so the pace is very fast, especially in the summer. (Some call it "firehose Physics" because it goes so fast that learning something is analogous to trying to drink from a firehose!). More course details, discussions of Exams, Homework, Quizzes, grading scheme, etc. are in the

Course Syllabus. PLEASE READ IT!!

Co-Requisites & Pre-Requisites

Math Co-Requisite: You MUST be enrolled concurrently in (or have already taken) Calculus I (Math 1351, or an equivalent elsewhere)!

Math Pre-Requisites: Algebra & Trigonometry (or Pre-Calculus) are also assumed! This ISN'T a math course!

It isn't my job to teach you math!! Also, there is no time to do so!!

I must assume that you know it! Major problems students have with this course are the fast pace & the math!

Lab Co-Requisite: You MUST be enrolled concurrently in Physics 1408 Lab. Exceptions? Ask the Physics office (Sc. Room 101, 742-3767)!

Lab Syllabus. PLEASE READ IT!!

NOTE: PHYSICS 1408 Labs Meet This week! Labs Start Wednesday, July 6!!!

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Attend as many classes as possible, come to class prepared, do the homework.

READ the material BEFORE I lecture on it, & keep up as we go along.

Attendance: I don't take roll & I have no attendance policy. But, isn't it obvious that (unless you're a genius!) attendance is REQUIRED to get a good grade (or to LEARN SOMETHING!)? Class attendance & grades are correlated! Skipping class also WASTES the tuition/fees that you (or someone) paid! With tuition & fees for a full-time (Texas) student, each meeting costs about $36. So, each time you skip, you're throwing away $36!! After a while this adds up! My lectures may not be entertaining or brilliant, but I do expose you to the material.

NOTE: The weekend doesn't start Thursday evening or end Monday evening!

Friday & Monday are class days, NOT weekend days!!!

WHERE TO GO FOR HELP?!

Many help resources are available! Please take advantage of them!

Here is a Physics Help Resources document & a Physics Problem Solving Strategy document. Also see the Syllabus.

Another useful Document: "How to Succeed in Physics by Really Trying"! I may attempt to organize Help Sessions.

Hints: This course is difficult & very fast paced! If you are typical, to get a good grade, you should spend

at least 2 to 3 hrs/wk outside of class studying this course for every class hour!!

Announcements & Calendar Items

Announcements Page: This page has announcements & calendar items. It is usually updated shortly after each class.

Please check it at least 2 or 3 times a week!

Facebook Group

Our Course has a Facebook Group Page: The Facebook Group name is Texas Tech Physics 1408, Summer II, 2011.

To try to be in the 21^stCentury, I've started this Group. I'll try to post announcements & topics of class interest on the Group Wall.

I encourage you to join. If you join, you'll be able to post course-related questions & comments on the Wall, so that others can see them & comment. This may start discussions about the course between some of you & between you & me. It is a "private" Group restricted to students in TTU Physics 1408, Summer II, 2011 ONLY! This means that you have to ask me (Group Administrator) to join before you will be able to post. I'll check that you are registered in the course before I let you join. Please bear in mind that I'm fairly new to Facebook, so I may not do everything this in the most efficient way.

Lectures

COPYRIGHT: Lectures are copyrighted & owned by C.W. Myles! No reproduction or use of them other than by students in this course is allowed!!

Click Here to learn how to reduce the # of pages when printing a Power Point file!

Click Here to learn how to get Power Point & Word for free or almost free!

Lecture Page: (Under construction!) This page has some Physics 1408 Lectures (Power Point format).

A good strategy is to download Lectures BEFORE I cover the material in class. You can print them, several slides/page. Rather than try to take notes on everything in class, follow along on the printed Lectures, making extra notes on them. I'll attempt to complete some unfinished Lectures before we cover the material.

Note: Some Physics 1408 Lectures (from Fall, 2007) are on the old 1408 Lecture Page.

A different book was used then & those are based on it. You might look at them for a different treatment of the same material.

You might also want to look at my Phys 1403 Lectures, which cover the same material & are based on a book by our author that doesn't use calculus.

Exams

COPYRIGHT: Exams are copyrighted/owned by C.W. Myles! No reproduction or use of them other than by students in this course is allowed!

Exams Page: (Under Construction!) This page has some old Physics 1408 Exams & Solutions.

I'll attempt to post new Exams & Solutions shortly after each Exam.

You are strongly encouraged to form study groups to study for exams together! This is how professionals work in real life!!

Try to solve old Exams BEFORE looking at the solutions. You CAN'T LEARN PHYSICS by copying solutions!

Note: Some Exams & Solutions from Fall, 2007 are on the Physics 1408 Exam Page.

A different book was used, but the material was the same as in our book & the style & content of those is typical of my Exams.

Othe examples of my Exam style & content can also be found on my Phys 1403 Exam Page, where old Physics 1403 Exams/Solutions are posted.

Homework

On-Line Homework is assigned & graded through the commerical site Mastering Physics

Homework comes (mostly) from end of chapter problems in the text. Once you register on Mastering Physics, you can work on assignments. I'll ATTEMPT to post assignments about the same time as we start a chapter. Doing homework is the most effective means of learning physics, which is impossible otherwise!! Typically, assignments will be Due at 11:30pm about a week later. There will be several problem sets (+ quizzes, see below!). Please read the explanation on MasteringPhysics about homework scoring. You might find problem solutions elsewhere. If so, try to solve them first without looking at the solutions!! Copying solutions won't teach you physics!!!

Instructions for accessing Mastering Physics & registering for it are Here. A document on this is Here.

Instructions should also be in your Student Access Kit. If you didn't get a Student Access Kit with the book, please buy one ASAP at Mastering Physics!!!

Our Course ID is: MPMYLES43904

Remember that the Mastering Physics website isn't at TTU, so you should give yourself plenty of time before the deadline for submitting answers. Sometimes, the network may be slow or down. NOTE: I've used MasterinPhysics for a while now. But, I'm NOT an expert & there may be aspects of it I still don't know about. Thanks for your patience & understanding about this!

Quizzes

COPYRIGHT: Quizzes are copyrighted/owned by C.W. Myles! No reproduction or use of them other than by students in this course is allowed!

Quiz Page: (Under Construction!) This page has some old Physics 1408 Quizzes & Solutions.

I'll attempt to post new Quizzes & Solutions shortly after each Quiz.

To try to prevent the large attendance decreases seen in previous sessions, especially on Fridays, a short (10 min.) Quiz will be given EACH FRIDAY, with simple questions about what recently happened in class and/or with problems similar to those in the Homework.

These are averaged with the Homework grade. The Quiz average counts equivalently to 1 Homework assignment.

So, the quiz grade counts as an extremely small potion of your course grade. See Syllabus. You are strongly encouraged to form study groups to study for exams together! This is how professionals work in real life!! Try to solve old Quizzes BEFORE looking at the solutions. You CAN'T LEARN PHYSICS by copying solutions!

NOTE: Fall, 2007 Quizzes/Solutions are on the Physics 1408 Quiz Page.

A different book was used, but the material was the same as in our book & the style & content of those is typical of my Quizzes.

Examples of my Quiz style & content can also be found on my Phys 1403 Quiz Page, where old Physics 1403 Quizzes/Solutions are posted.

Other Course-Related Topics

Miscellaneous Course-Related Information is Here. Items covered are

Textbook, Attendance, Study Groups, Labs, Email, Fonts in Course Related Files Tips on Downloading & Printing Course-Related Files

Miscellaneous Topics; 1. Are you curious about Dr. Myles? Do you want to know about his education, experience, research, personal & family?; See his Homepage, his Research Page, & his Personal & Family Page.; A page discussing his Current & Future Teaching is Here.; 2. Are you curious about Physics? For up to date Physics News go to Physics Central (a website for the public).; A more advanced link is Focus News from the American Physical Society.; 3. To see that Physics Can Be Fun, click Here!; 4. If you want more fun with Physics & with other science as well, the following is for you! I'm sure that you all have heard of the Nobel Prizes. Well, have you ever heard of the Ig-Nobel Prizes? These are real prizes, awarded each fall in a ceremony at Harvard U. to the most entertaining research published recent years in several areas. The research projects sound strange, but each is a REAL research project published in a REAL scientific journal. For the most part, researchers receiving an Ig Nobel are practicing scientists, some of them are really very distinguished & a few of them have also been awarded a Nobel Prize. The presentation ceremony streamed live on the internet. The Ig Nobel website has downloadable video clips of the ceremonies. The Ig Nobel presentations are always made by Nobel Prize winners. The Ig Nobels are awarded by the same people who publish the Journal of Improbable Research (JIR). There are two requirements for a research paper to be published in JIR: The paper must contain actual research that A. Makes People Laugh and B. Makes People Think! These are also the two requirements for research to be considered for an Ig Nobel Prize.; 5. Look at the Top 10 "most influential people" of the last 1,000 years!; You will find that 4 of the 10 were physicists. (Link borrowed from Dr. Tom Gibson!)
: 5. In this course, we'll talk about the view of the physical (mechanical) world developed first by Galileo Galilei & later put into precise mathematical form by Sir Isaac Newton. The lives of both are interesting (to me) from a historical viewpoint as well as from a scientific viewpoint. The following documents give brief illustrations of what I mean.; Galileo Galilei document. A "Google" search on Galileo gives more than 26,000,000 hits. Here is an interesting one.; Sir Isaac Newton document. A "Google" search on Newton gives more than 3,700,000 hits. Here is a good one.