INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS I, PH209: Syllabus, Fall 2007

Instructor: Prof. M. J. Graf Office Hours: Mon. 3:30 – 4:30 pm

Higgins 230B Thurs. 1 – 3 pm

2-4128 (office), 2-8479 (lab) Fri. 10 - 11 am

grafm@bc.edu

Text: Physics, V.1, 5^th ed, Halliday, Resnick, and Krane (Wiley & Sons, New York, 2002)

Class: MWF 9 am, Th 3 pm, Higgins 225

Prequesites: Students should have a good working knowledge of vectors, trigonometry, and derivatives.

Corequistites: Introductory calculus (MT102-103 or equivalent). Students should also be enrolled in Physics Laboratory I PH203.

Grading: 3 mid-term exams (15% each) 45 % Graders:

1 final exam 20 % Justin Butler, Higgins 230K

homework 25 % Ryan Johnson, Higgins 230

course participation 10 % Alistair Ward, Higgins 230J

Exams: There will be three 1-hour midterm exams, during the weeks of Oct. 1, Oct. 29, and Nov. 26. The dates are approximate; the actual exam date will be given one week in advance.

Final: There will be a 2-hour cumulative exam during the scheduled period, Friday, Dec. 14^th (12:30 pm). No one is allowed to take the final at any other time without permission of the Dean.

Homework: Approximately 1 assignment of 5-7 problems per week. Homework turned in 1 class late will be reduced by 20%; unexcused later homework will not be accepted.

In order to receive FULL CREDIT for your problem solutions you must fully explain your solutions: briefly (and neatly!) outline the logic of your approach to the solution in words, and write out all equations used to obtain your solution. Students are strongly encouraged to discuss problems with the instructor – during or outside office hours!

Course participation: Students are expected to participate in class discussions and exercises, and will be given a grade based on that participation. Clearly you need to attend class to participate, and attendance in classes will be monitored.

Course content: We will cover the basic elements of classical mechanics, including Newton's laws, energy, rotational motion, oscillations, waves, and gravitation. Integral calculus will be gradually introduced into the classwork during the semester. A detailed listing of the chapters and sections to be covered is given in the attached Class Calendar.

Reading: I will assume you have read the material before class (see attached class schedule). If you have not, you will not follow the lectures. Also, if you only skim the text in order to do the homework, and put off serious reading until you are studying for tests, I believe you will have great difficulty with this course.

Course Goals: PH209 is geared towards students in the physical sciences and mathematics. The general goal of this course is to develop analytical skills within the context of introductory physics. Specifically, we aim to: (1) to better understand the fundamental principles governing the macroscopic world around us; (2) to formulate these principles in clear mathematical terms; and (3) to be able to use these mathematical expressions to predict the behavior of simple (or rather, simplified) systems. The amount of material to be covered is rather large, and no student is expected to be able to learn all the material on his/her own. If you have questions, ask them!

Class Resources:

The following materials are on 2-hour reserve for PH209 in O'Neill Library:

- Physics, D. Halliday, R. Resnick, and K. S. Krane (textbook, see above).

- Great Ideas in Physics, A. Lightman (a “big picture” view of physics, not very technical).

- The Character of Physical Law, R. P. Feynman (an interesting discussion on the laws of physics by one of the great and imaginative physicists of the 20^th century).

Extra help: Please see me if you have any questions or concerns. Also, there are additional resources. You may drop in on afternoons without an appointment to the Department of Physics “Undergraduate Resource Room” (URR), located in Higgins 223, across the hall from our classroom. On the 2^nd floor of O’Neill Library, the Connors Family Learning Center has tutors available for introductory physics. Sessions are free of charge, but you must make your appointments in advance.

Homework solutions: Solutions will be available on-line after the assignment has been turned in. Go to the library website http://www.bc.edu/libraries/ , and click on “Course Reserves Catalog”. You will be prompted for your BC username and password. When you gain access, do a search under my name (Graf), and you will see the homework solutions, which can be downloaded as PDF files.

Class webpage: syllabus, homework, class news and announcements, class calendar, and internet references can be found at http://www.physics.bc.edu/Fac/education/graf/ph209/209_res.html , which is also link-accessible from the Physics Department homepage www.physics.bc.edu .

Academic Integrity:

Discussion of the concepts and problem-solving techniques between students, and with the instructor and graders is strongly encouraged. However, under no circumstances is it acceptable to copy and turn in solutions taken from ANY source. Please review the Boston College Standards of Academic Integrity, published in the university catalog and on the web at:

http://www.bc.edu/offices/stserv/academic/resources/policy/#integrity .

Make sure that all work you submit is in accordance with university policies. If you have any questions, please consult with me. Violations will be reported to the Deans' Office and reviewed by the College's Committee on Academic Integrity. This could result in failure in the course or more severe sanctions.