Syllabus for General Physics A Studio

Department of Physics

Syllabus for General Physics A Studio – Summer 2022

PHY 2048C - Section 3

Class web site: http://hadron.physics.fsu.edu/~cakondi
ExpertTA: http://www.theexpertta.com/

Last update: 18 April 2022

Chandrasekhar Akondi sakondivenkatasurya"@"fsu.edu	Office: KEEN 215	Office Hours: Thu 3:00 - 5:00 PM
Ms. Sudeshna sc15f"@"fsu.edu	Office: KEEN 610	Office Hours: Fri 3:00 -5:00 PM
Mr.Rajat ra21m"@"fsu.edu	Office: KEEN 220	Office Hours: Fri 1:00 - 2:00 PM Mon 2:00 -3:00 PM
Mr.Keshav ks21ba"@"fsu.edu	Office: KEEN 220	Office Hour: Fri 2:00 - 3:00 PM Mon 1:00 -2:00 PM
Mr. Rafey Hashmi rh19g"@"fsu.edu	Office: KEEN 522	Office Hours: Thu 1:00 - 3:00 PM

Course Description

General Physics A with Lab (5 credit hours), Section 3 (Prequisite: Calculus I, MAC 2311; MAC 2312 is also recommended). The course is designed to give an understanding of how and why things move, so we will cover kinematics, forces, energy, momentum, rotational motion, oscillations, and thermodynamics. The course is intended for physical science majors and engineers, and designed to be taken as a sequence with General Physics B (PHY 2049C) and Intermediate Modern Physics (PHY 3101). Completing the latter entitles you to a Minor in Physics! Calculus is used.

This class consists of three meetings per week, from 9:00 AM- 12:00 PM, Monday and Wednesday, and from 09:20 AM- 10:10 AM on Friday. On Mondays, your instructors will often introduce concepts in the form of short "mini-lectures". You will then work, typically in groups of three, on in-class exercises. On Wednesday, you will work in groups of three to discover a new physical concept using a hands-on laboratory investigation, and computer-based homework. The Friday classes will typically be devoted to completing in-class work and homework for the week, followed by quizzes. You will be investigating phenomena, understanding how they fit within the body of physics knowledge, and applying that knowledge. You must be responsive, think, and perform hands-on tasks during class. You are expected to read and begin understanding the course material before each class and again when necessary. There will be on-line homework assignments, which are due each week on Friday, just before the quiz starts.

We will be replicating the way science is done - you will investigate phenomena, make conjectures, test conjectures, discuss, revise, test again, etc. With this approach, you have the opportunity to thoroughly understand the material.

Our course goals are to:

Develop a model-centered, constructivist basis of mechanics.

Develop strong laboratory skills using computer-based data acquisition and analysis tools.

Develop autonomous learning skills.

Learn to think clearly and simply about the physical world.

Course Strategy

Central to the course is developing an ability to think for yourself. There is no simple way to gain this skill. It comes slowly over time and with practice. You must be actively involved to learn the material. The course is structured with this in mind.

Preparation: You will be expected to read the book prior to class. It would be foolish to think that one can fully grasp physics by reading the material alone, so class time will be spent on clarifying and applying the material. Reading prior to class is a critical step in your learning. Past students have found that spending 1-2 hours per week reading and outlining the material saved 4-8 hours per week on work outside class.

Classes: Laboratory investigations followed by additional group exercises and discussions will form the basis of this course. Results will be summarized and presented to the class and discussed. Class attendance is therefore vital to success, and is recorded and made part of your grade.

Collaborative Work: Scientists and engineers work in groups as well as alone. Social interactions are critical to their success. Most good ideas grow out of discussions with colleagues. This course encourages and incorporates collaborative teamwork, a skill that is valued by most employers of scientists, engineers, and technicians. As you work and study together, you and your partners will clarify confusing topics by asking each other questions, and critiquing your group assignments. Everyone benefits from cooperative learning. Expressing your ideas so that others can understand them helps clarify them for yourself.

White-boarding: Results of group exercises will be summarized on whiteboards and then presented to the class. Discussions and comparisons of the results will follow. Whiteboard presentations should include the relevant facts and details from the exercises, appropriate sketches, graphs (with labels), and other useful points. These whiteboard presentations will form a crucial part of the course. The point of the presentation is to firm up your physics knowledge and build confidence in presenting material.

Socratic Method (Constructivist Approach): Much of the class discourse will be through Socratic dialogue. In other words, questions will be used to encourage you to think about the underlying physics. Your questions will usually be answered with more questions, since simply answering your questions does not lead to you understanding the material. Having you link the ideas in your own mind to form the answer is much more useful. Questions will also be used to test your self confidence, sometimes even when you have the correct answer. In the past, students have found this approach frustrating: a common complaint is that your professor "never teaches us anything, but expects us to learn it all ourselves". Experience has shown that discovering concepts for yourself, rather than having them described to you by someone with a lot of knowledge, leads to permanent gains in your understanding.

Course Details

Class Meetings: The Monday and Wednesday course meetings will be in HCB 308. Times are 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM. The Friday meeting, 09:20 AM- 10:10 AM.
Textbook: We will be using Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach, Vols. 1 (Chs 1-15), and Vol. 2 (Chapters 16-19), 3rd or 4th Edition, by Randall D. Knight, published by Addison-Wesley; if you find a used 2nd Edition, it will also work.,

Whiteboard Presentations: You will receive handouts as whiteboard exercises. Your group should work the problem collaboratively on the whiteboard with the proper information (legible, good labels, appropriate graphs / sketches, etc.) and one group will then be randomly chosen to present it to the class, and respond to questions. Having the right answers on the whiteboard at the beginning is not crucial, but having them in your notes by the end of the discussion is. Your instructor will randomly choose a table to check at the end of class that you have good notes, with the correct approach to each exercise recorded, and you will not receive credit for class participation that day if you do not have complete notes. These will be useful to you when studying for quizzes and exams.

Group Work: Each time groups are formed, your new group will need to assign group roles, and these roles must rotate. These group roles will help your group function better as a team.

Homework: There will be graded homework assignments using the ExpertTA system for every topic we cover, due on Friday during class. Hints and other feedback are provided by the online system. You are encouraged to discuss the approach to the problems among yourselves, for example, with an open Facebook group; however, each of you is responsible for understanding the solution and submitting your own individual answers. Participating in a closed online group is considered unauthorized group work and is a violation of FSU's Honor Code (see item 3).

In order to pass this course, you must practice the techniques you are learning. Unfortunately, many people discover shortcuts to getting the correct answer to homework problems. This hurts them on quizzes and tests, and often this discovery is made when it is too late to fix the problem. You must avoid the temptation to cut corners in working homework. By taking the homework assignments seriously, you reduce the overall difficulty of the course.

Lab Reports: Labs will be written up and handed in for grading at the beginning of the next class period. Typically, the lab will consist of data (preferably in an Excel spreadsheet) and graphs, one set per three-person group, and answers to questions prepared individually by each student. The required lab report format will be explained in grading rubrics corresponding to each lab, which are posted on the calendar. The Pendulum Lab will be used to assess the laboratory portion of the Liberal Studies Natural Science Competencies. If you do not complete the Pendulum Lab, your overall course grade will be reduced by one full letter grade.
Exams: There will be an exams (Six in total) on every alternative Friday. Exams will usually have both conceptual problems (which tend to be more qualitative in nature, like those we discuss in class) and computational problems (which are more quantitative, like the homework problems and some in-class problems).These will include what you should know from each chapter, and the equations and concepts you need to know.
The use of any electronic device other than a calculator on a quiz or exam is a violation of the Honor Code. A formula sheet will be provided for the exams.
Makeup exams are not given. Notification of an unavoidable exam absence must be made prior to the exam. Your lowest quiz grade will be dropped. If you miss a quiz, even for a valid reason, that will be considered your lowest quiz grade. If you miss two quizzes, documentation of a valid reason for missing them both will be necessary for me to consider excusing you from one of them.
Class Canvas Site: Please look to the class Canvas site for additional resources. The site contains links to this syllabus, the course calendar with problem assignments, each days activities and deadlines, and other resources. If you have any suggestions for improvements, do not hesitate to let me know.

Class Absences: Active participation is critical to the class; however, absences may occur. In general, there are four acceptable excuses for missing class: illness or medical emergency, religious holiday, family emergency, and approved university activity. To receive an excused absence, you must provide a signed paper note explaining why you were absent, what work you missed, and what you will do to make it up. Documentation for absences should be stapled to the note. You are not penalized for excused absences. Advance notice is required for religious holidays and approved university activities. Each student shall, upon notifying their instructor as soon as possible upon receipt of the course syllabus, but no later than two weeks before the religious holy day observance, be excused from class to observe a religious holy day of their faith. Advance notice for other emergencies would be greatly appreciated. Unexcused absences will result in grade adjustments.

Learning Environment: The goal of the course is for you to learn physics. There are many resources to help you learn, including your book, your classmates, your instructor and teaching assistants, and the class web page. You should take advantage of as many of these as you need in order to learn the material. If, at any point during the course, you feel your performance is slipping, immediately seek assistance. Please do not wait until the day before the midterm or final to ask for help. I am available to help during class, office hours, and other hours by appointment. Please send an e-mail or call my office to make sure I am available during non-office hours.

This is a college course and we expect an appropriate learning environment. If you use your cell phone for a call, texting, or web browsing you will be asked to leave the classroom, and you will not get credit for being present that day. Using a cell phone for any purpose during a quiz or exam is considered a violation of the academic honor policy (see below).

University Attendance Policy: Excused absences include documented illness, deaths in the family and other documented crises, calls to active military duty or jury duty, religious holy days, and official University activities. These absences will be accommodated in a way that does not arbitrarily penalize students who have a valid excuse. Consideration will also be given to students whose dependent children experience serious illness.

Academic Honor Policy: The Florida State University Academic Honor Policy outlines the University’s expectations for the integrity of students’ academic work, the procedures for resolving alleged violations of those expectations, and the rights and responsibilities of students and faculty members throughout the process. Students are responsible for reading the Academic Honor Policy and for living up to their pledge to “. . . be honest and truthful and . . . [to] strive for personal and institutional integrity at Florida State University.” (Florida State University Academic Honor Policy, found at http://fda.fsu.edu/Academics/Academic-Honor-Policy.)

Americans With Disabilities Act: Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should: (1) register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center; and (2) bring a letter to the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type. This should be done during the first week of class.

This syllabus and other class materials are available in alternative format upon request.

For more information about services available to FSU students with disabilities, contact the: Student Disability Resource Center, 874 Traditions Way, 108 Student Services Building, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4167, (850) 644-9566 (voice), (850) 644-8504 (TDD), sdrc@admin.fsu.edu, or online at http://www.disabilitycenter.fsu.edu/

Free Tutoring from FSU: For tutoring and writing help in many courses at Florida State University, visit the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) Tutoring Services’ comprehensive list of tutoring options - see http://ace.fsu.edu/tutoring or contact tutor@fsu.edu for more information. High-quality tutoring is available by appointment and on a walk-in basis. These services are offered by tutors trained to encourage the highest level of individual academic success while upholding personal academic integrity. Separate from the ACE tutoring, your instructors are available during office hours and the Physics Department pays a graduate student to be available for help solving problems. The schedule for the Physics Department tutor will be announced when it becomes available.

Syllabus Change Policy: Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.

Grading

In order to foster cooperation and collaboration among as many of you as possible, grades will be based on an absolute scale. This means that helping others will not jeopardize your grades, it will, most likely, improve your grade as explaining concepts to others helps develop understanding for yourself. The grading scale is:

Grade:

Minimum Average:

A

90

A-

87

B+

84

B

80

B-

77

C+

74

C

70

C-

67

D

60

F

0

The breakdown of components is:

6 Exams

55%

Lab Reports

20%

In-class (whiteboard) exercises (3%), preparation (3%),
and worksheets (3%)

9%

Before class reading

4%

ExpertTA homework

12%

Please note that 45% of your grade is derived from non-exam work. This means you have a great deal of control over your grade. Also note that 33% of your grade originates from in-class work and reading, it is in your best interest to attend class and actively participate. If you make the effort on the homework and classroom exercises, you receive credit for the work and will be better prepared to perform well on quizzes and exams.

We will be using Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Knight, 3rd or 4th Edition. Below are the chapter sections we should cover during each week of the semester. Some sections will be covered in greater depth than others. It is important to read the sections prior to each class.

Tentative Class Schedule*

DATE	WEEK	CHAPTER-SECTION
May 9 - 13	1	Units and Measurement 1: 1 - 8 Concepts of Motion.
May 16 - 20	2	2: 1 - 7 Kinematics in One Dimension. 3: 1 - 4 Vectors and Coordinate Systems. Exam 1
May 23 - 27	3	4: 1 - 7 Kinematics in Two Dimensions.
June 1 - 3	4	5: 1 - 7 Forces and Motion. Exam 2
June 6 - 10	5	6: 1 - 6 Dynamics I: Motion Along a Line.
June 13 - 17	6	7: 1 - 5 Newton's 3rd Law. Exam 3
June 20 - 24	7	8: 1 - 7 Dynamics II: Motion in a Plane.
June 27 - July 1	8	9: 1 - 6 Impulse and Momentum. 10: 1 - 7 Energy. Exam 4
July 6 - July8	9	11: 1 - 9 Work.
July 11 - July15	10	12: 1 - 11 Rotation of a Rigid Body. Exam 5
July18 - July22	11	14: 1 - 8 Simple Harmonic Motion and Oscillations.
July25 - July29	12	17: 1 - 18 Work, Heat, and the First Law of Thermodynamics. Exam 6

*Schedule is subject to change but not exams

Back to Class Page

6 Exams	55%
Lab Reports	20%
In-class (whiteboard) exercises (3%), preparation (3%), and worksheets (3%)	9%
Before class reading	4%
ExpertTA homework	12%

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