Outline of College Physics III

Course material can be found online at URL

http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/phys213/phys213.html

Instructor

Michael Richmond
Building 8, Office 3336
Office phone: 475-2538
E-mail: mwrsps@rit.edu

Class hours

   Monday     11:00 -  11:50 am  08-3305
   Wednesday  11:00 -  11:50 am  08-3305
   Friday     11:00 -  11:50 am  08-3305

Office Hours

   Monday    10:00 - 11:00 am    08-3336
   Tuesday    2:00 -  3:00 am    in the Physics Study Center
   Wednesday 10:00 - 11:00 am    08-3336
   Thursday   9:00 - 10:00 am    08-3336
   Friday     9:00 - 10:00 am    08-3336

You may also make an appointment to see me, by telephone or E-mail. I tend to be working in my office between 9 AM and 6 PM each day, unless I'm teaching a class. Feel free to stop by and ask questions if my door is open.

Grading

   20  points  reading quizzes
   20  points  homework 
   30  points  tests (15 points each)
   30  points  final exam
    4  points  optional experiments (2 points each)
   -----------
  104  points

Course grades are based on a total of 100 points.

Before each class, you will be told to read specific sections of your textbook. At the beginning of any or all class meetings, you will be given a very brief quiz on that material. If you read the assignments in advance, you should be able to answer all questions with ease.

Homework assignments will be given each week. I encourage you to work in groups on these assignments, if you wish. The assignments must be completed using the WebWork system. I'd like to know how you feel about this mechanism after you've tried it.

Experiments are optional. Students may elect to do one or two experiments during the quarter. You may work in small groups (1 to 2 people) on experiments.

Textbook

Physics, firth edition, by Cutnell and Johnson. Available in the campus bookstore. There are associated with this textbook a Student Study Guide and Student Solutions Manual which you may also purchase.

Lab course

This course has an associated laboratory course, Physics 273. It meets for a single two-hour period per week. The lab course has its own handbook. There is also a reference manual, Uncertainties, Error Propagation, Graphing and Vernier Caliper, associated with the lab course. Both are available from the campus bookstore, for about $2 each. You might want to look at a Primer on Uncertainties I wrote for students in my own lab sections.

Other resources

There is a Physics Study Center in lobby of the College of Science. A schedule posted outside the room lists times at which someone will be available to help with questions. You may also contact the Learning Development Center, in the Eastman Building, second floor. The Office of Special Services can arrange one-on-one tutorial sessions for qualified students.

If you have any special needs, you must inform me during the first week of classes. Otherwise, I may not be able to make arrangements in time to help you. Please contact me after class or at my office.

Missing classes/tests

If you miss a quiz or test, in general, you will not be able to make up the work. In order to request a make-up test, you must provide me in advance with a note explaining your absence, signed by your academic advisor and department chair. I will base my decision to provide a make-up test on this letter and on face-to-face discussion with you.

This page maintained by Michael Richmond. Last modified Dec 11, 2002.