Class Meetings: The Tuesday and Thursday course meetings will be in
UPL 212. Times are 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM.
These classes involve mainly lectures, discussions, problem solving, as well as some demonstrations,
student presentations, and guest seminars. Attending the classes is very important and class
participation is part of the final grade.
Course Material and Information: This syllabus, lecture notes, supplementary materials,
solutions to homework and exam problems, and other important announcements can be found on the course
CANVAS site.
Textbook: There is no single textbook that encompasses the range of topics to be covered
in this course; however, the primary textbook we will be using is Physics in Biology and Medicine,
4th Edition, by Paul Davidovits and published by Academic Press.
Class Participation: Class participation includes asking and answering questions.
If you do not actively participate in class, your performance (and grade) on homework and exams will
suffer and you are unlikely to do well. It is expected that everyone will be engaged in the class.
Pre-class Preparation: It is expected that you will have read the appropriate
sections of the book prior to class. The schedule is on the course calendar (available from the main
course website).
Some of the homework questions (see below) will be related to the upcoming material and will test
that you have read the chapter.
Homework: Success in this course depends to a large extent on the effort put
into completing the weekly homework assignments. The homework will be a significant component of
the final grade, and it is the best way to prepare for the exams.
Homework will be assigned weekly (or thereabouts) and will include problems from the text as well
as problems from other sources. Discussion of homework problems is encouraged, however everyone must
do and turn in their own work. 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).
Homework is due by 11:30 AM on the due date (usually Thursday at the beginning of class). Late
Homework Policy: Unless you have made previous arrangements or have a valid reason (such as
sickness, accident, death in family, etc.), the grade for any homework turned in after the solutions
have been posted on Canvas will count toward your final grade with 1/2 its normal weight (i.e. 100 %
will be recorded as 50 %, etc.).
Exams:
There will be two mid-term exams and a final exam. The final exam is cumulative.
Exams will offer some choice of problems and the class periods before the midterms and final exams
will be used for some review. The review will be driven by your questions. I will not attempt to cover
everything that could be on the exam, nor will I give a synopsis of the exam.
The use of any electronic device other than a calculator on a quiz or exam is a violation of the
Honor Code. Requested formulas will be posted for the entire class before quizzes start. A formula
sheet will be provided for the midterms and final exams.
Presentation/Project: Each student is required to give a Power Point
presentation on a topic related to the course. Alternatively, a paper can be written instead of
giving a presentation. Tentatively, each presentation will be about 20 minutes long with five
additional minutes for questions and answers. The presentation should cover application of physics
to biology or biomedicine, which means it should include both physics and its applications. The
presentations will take place in class in the last week of classes. A one-page synopsis of the
presentation subject must be submitted to the instructor by 2021 November 23.
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.
Advance notice for other emergencies would be greatly appreciated. Unexcused absences will result in
grade adjustments.
Completion and Grading of the Course: A student will have completed the course and will be
eligible for a grade better than "F" only if the student does the following:
- Participate in the student presentation;
- Take the final exam on Monday, December 6, at 10:00 AM - 12:00 Noon.
The final course grade will be calculated using the scores from class participation, homework, mid-term
exams, student presentation, and the final examination.
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 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 exam 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
receive 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: Florida State University (FSU) values diversity
and inclusion; we are committed to a climate of mutual respect and full participation. Our goal is to
create learning environments that are usable, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming. FSU is committed to
providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities in a manner that is consistent with
academic standards of the course while empowering the student to meet integral requirements of the course.
To receive academic accommodations, a student: (1) must register with and provide documentation to the Office
of Accessibility Services (OAS); (2) must provide a letter from OAS to the instructor indicating the need for
accommodation and what type; and, (3) should communicate with the instructor, as needed, to discuss recommended
accommodations. A request for a meeting may be initiated by the student or the instructor.
Please note that instructors are not allowed to provide classroom accommodations to a student until appropriate
verification from the Office of Accessibility Services has been provided.
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/
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.