The wise man doesn't give the right answers, he poses
the right questions. |
PHYSICS 202 |
Spring 2016 |
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Instructor |
Igor Glozman | |||||||
Lecture |
MF 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM, Rm 29-306 (6246) Tu 11:00 AM - 12:50 PM, Rm 29-207 (6246) | |||||||
Lab |
Th 11:00 AM - 12:50 PM, Rm 29-306 (6246) | |||||||
Office Hours |
MTuThF 10:00
AM - 11:00 AM | |||||||
Textbook |
Any calculus-based physics textbook (published within the last 10 years)
is acceptable. Here's the latest edition of a classic textbook, although
several others are probably just as good: Giancoli, Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 4th ed. | |||||||
Course description |
The first installment in a year-long calculus-based introduction to physics, with primary emphasis on mechanics. Major topics include Newton’s laws of motion, conservation of energy, collision and momentum. Students are presumed to have had some exposure to calculus. | |||||||
Why Physics? |
Whether you are a participant or a spectator, you need to know the rules of a game before you can fully enjoy it. To fully appreciate Mother Nature, in all her glory, you need to know the rules she plays by. And that’s what physics is all about. | |||||||
Course objectives |
In addition to helping students master course content (i.e.,
physics) and develop academic maturity (see
below), this course is designed to help students achieve the following
more general objectives:
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Grading | Homework | 10% | ||||||
Participation | 5% (or more) | |||||||
Journal/Evals | 5% (or more) | |||||||
Lab | 15% | |||||||
Presentation/Science Articles | 20% | |||||||
Midterm | 20% | |||||||
Final | 25% | |||||||
*The midterm occurs roughly 5 weeks into the quarter and the final occurs during finals week. All due dates will be announced in class. |
Students often want to know where they stand in the class. While the question is difficult to answer with accuracy before all the assignments are turned in and the results compared to the rest of the class, the scale below should give you a rough idea.
Decimal grade | Type of student |
4.0 | Exceptional student, strong in every aspect of the class. |
3.0 | Pretty good student, strong in most aspects of the class, with some weaknesses |
2.0 | Average student, weak in many areas but has a reasonable grasp of the important ideas |
1.0 | Serious issues with effort and motivation (or evidence thereof) |
0.0 | Little or no effort, virtually no motivation (or evidence thereof) |
For a more detailed analysis, please visit the grade calculator, http://people.highline.edu/iglozman/classes/gradecalc.htm.
Chapters numbers are based on Physics for Scientists and Engineers, by Giancoli, 4th ed.
Whether you have a gripe, an excuse, or a question related to the class, the answer can probably be found here: http://people.highline.edu/iglozman/classes/phy_syl_faqs.htm. (Click here to hear what most excuses sound like to someone who has heard it all before.)
Participation: There is an old saying that "It's better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." While this attitude is quite pervasive among students, it usually constitutes an impediment to learning in the classroom. Class participation is very important not only for your own success but also for that of your classmates. So try to become active participants in the learning community, whether it be the actual classroom or in the discussion board. Form study groups, participate in classroom discussions, and be prepared to answer questions when called upon in class. Of course, feel free to ask questions at any time. While attendance is not mandatory, except in labs and during student presentations, excessive absences can lower you participation grade and will also leave a bad impression.
Homework: To help you keep up with class material, weekly graded (required) assignments have been set up at at http://webassign.net. Expect about 20 problems per week to 10 days, which will translate to about 2-3 problems per day (with proper time management). For best results, you should first work on the problems by yourself with as few resources as possible, as if you were taking a test. That means no notes, no books, no tutor. Remember that frustration and some trial and error are essential parts of the learning process. Merely getting the right answer with the help of the book or a tutor may bypass the critical learning component. Students who rely too much on outside help often develop a false sense of security and experience a collapse on the exams. Of course, you should get help after making a sincere effort and hitting a dead end. However, even after getting help, make sure to reproduce the solution under test-like conditions.
Exams: This is your chance to show off what you have learned. Much of the material on the exams is taken almost directly from the homework. So if you do your homework and stay alert in class, you should have no trouble. The final tends to be a bit more challenging than the midterms, particularly for those students who tend to cram and memorize. On the other hand, the final can also be your opportunity to make up for any weaknesses that may have existed up to that point. Because of the wide spectrum of preparedness on the part of the students, the distribution of scores on the exams can also be quite broad. An average of 50-60% is not unusual, with some students significantly above and some below. If you need special accommodations, please let me know in advance.
Lab: This is the place where you get a chance to participate in some "hands-on" activities, designed not only to make the subject matter less abstract but are hopefully also just plain fun.
"In the matter of physics, the first lessons should contain nothing but what is experimental and interesting to see. A pretty experiment is in itself often more valuable than twenty formulae extracted from our minds."--Albert Einstein, A. Moszkowski, Conversations with Einstein, page 67, Horizon Press (1970)
Students will form groups of about 3-5 people and will apply the scientific method to the collection and analysis of data from various experiments related to class topics. For each lab, each group will submit a write-up subject to peer review. We'll try to keep lab as fun and informal as possible, but attendance and punctuality are mandatory.
Webassign and Canvas: All assignments in this class are submitted online either at www.webassign.net or in Canvas (http://Canvas.highline.edu). Webassign is used for homework and exams; Canvas is used for everything else. You should log in regularly to make sure that you are aware of all due dates. To access and submit your assignments, you need to input your username, password, and institution name. The institution name is highline.cc.wa. While webassign is a powerful instructional tool for both student and teacher, it is regrettably not free. Students pay a per-quarter fee of about $20 online (http://www.webassign.net/info/support/access_codes.html).
Group presentation: This is your opportunity to research a topic of interest to you (but related to course material) in some depth and educate your peers (the class), while sharpening your communication skills. They do say, after all, that the best way to learn a topic is to teach it. Your presentation should include a short poster and/or PowerPoint presentation. You are encouraged to choose a topic of particular interest to you. Keep in mind, however, that it is ultimately your responsibility to find a topic. You are also encouraged to use any other props which you feel will enhance your presentation and stimulate your audience. For instance, you may choose to entertain the class with a demo (related to the class), which is a simple experiment that demonstrates an important scientific principle. A degree in engineering or astrophysics is not required, but a creative spirit and an outpouring of enthusiasm wouldn't hurt. You should work in groups of 3-5 people, but you must share the workload.
Journal: A journal is a record of occurrences, experiences, and reflections kept on a regular basis--a bit like a diary. Whether in industry or in an educational setting, making observations and generally being more self-reflective are helpful in identifying areas of strength and weakness so that appropriate adjustments can be made and better problem-solving algorithms can be developed. By directing you to be more self-reflective, a journal can increase your effectiveness by helping you define objectives and set goals, and monitor progress toward them. Secondarily, this process would also allow an outside observer (e.g., supervisor or teacher) to offer some useful feedback. In this class, you will be expected to keep such a journal and make regular entries in Canvas, roughly every couple of days. Entries can include things you've learned or are having trouble with, and any other school-related experiences that may be affecting your performance. Here are some guidelines:
Your first entry should be some comment on the syllabus--basically, to leave the impression that you've looked it over.
Your progress and mastery of the material should be addressed regularly.
You should offer thoughtful critique of the various sections of the textbook.
You should report on your progress with procrastination (a serious issue for most students).
A separate assignment, called 'grade', similar to the journal, will give you the opportunity to argue for the grade that you think you have earned based on the criteria listed in this syllabus. The grade calculator, http://people.highline.edu/iglozman/classes/gradecalc.htm, has a rubric to help you come up with reasonable numbers.
Sample journal entry: "I have been so excited about taking this class, but I'm so frustrated this week because I've been sick with such a bad cold that it's been hard to think and do much of anything. I don't feel like I've gotten as involved in the class yet as I would like to be. I did most of the first homework and really enjoyed it. It was kind of like a learning scavenger hunt."
Evaluations: In addition to the day-to-day observations in your journal, you will have the opportunity to evaluate the class, the instructor, and your classmates. Two important areas of evaluation will be the student presentations. Evaluation criteria for the presentation are suggested at: http://www.people.highline.edu/iglozman/classes/preseval.htm. Lab evaluations are described here: http://www.people.highline.edu/iglozman/classes/labeval.htm. The effort that goes into your evaluations is no less important than the actual presentation, so please take it seriously. The exercise of evaluating others (as well as yourself) is a valuable learning tool because it forces the evaluator to take responsibility and focus on important issues.
Evaluations will be graded mostly on the effort and thought that goes into them. Constructive criticism generally receives the highest marks. An effective critique is one which takes a position and offers a justification. An ineffective critique is one which offers an empty statement like "Everybody was great," with no further justification. Remember, everyone can always do better, so try to come up with some tips and observations. Evaluations should be submitted in a timely manner in Canvas. Toward the end of the course, you will also have the opportunity to evaluate the course and estimate the grade that you think you deserve based on the criteria in this syllabus. Here's the list of important opportunities to make observations and offer analysis:
Forum: One good way to interact with your classmates without the headache of organizing meetings is to exchange ideas in the “virtual forum” or discussion web set up specifically for your class in Canvas. I encourage you to use the forum to solve homework problems together, ask questions, make suggestions, or simply air some thoughts. In addition, important announcements will appear in the forum. Remember that you are all in this adventure together, so please do as much as you can to contribute. Most of you will find visiting the forum a pleasant adventure, a way to hang out with familiar characters. For some, the forum will turn out to be an addiction--but fortunately one of the healthy ones. Note: To get full credit for forum participation, you need to demonstrate not only a consistent effort throughout the quarter but also some depth in at least a few of your posts. As with the science articles (see below), it is not sufficient to unload during the last couple of weeks.
Science articles: Read an article on a science-related topic and submit (post) a short blurb in the Articles forum. This blurb should be no longer than a couple of sentences, a quick summary of the big ideas--just long enough to whet the reader's appetite. Include a couple of challenging questions (and answers) related to the article, as well as a reference (link). Science sources can be found all over the web, as suggested by (but not limited to) to this list:
http://people.highline.edu/iglozman/bibliography.htm
Here is a couple of examples::
Read about it here: http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planets_quickly_021129.html
Q: How are planets generally believed to be formed? A: After the formation of the core, the young planet begins collects material, 'snowballing' into a larger planet. It is a slow process, and can take millions of years.
Q: What's wrong with that? Sounds good to me! A: Well, beyond Saturn there doesn't seem like there would be enough material to form Neptune and Uranus. Also, it is believed that the only likely way Jupiter could have come into being is through a more rapid formation (this was determined from the composition of Jupiter's atmosphere).
Older article here: http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/jupiter_elements_991117.html
Q: How is it supposed to work? A: It isn't, people believe stupid things
Q: Has there been any proof? A: No, as a result cancer patients have not been accepting more reliable forms of treatment.
Q: Is there any hope? A: For us or the sharks? There may be a possibility to refine a compound for anti-cancer purposes from shark, but that has yet to be done. As for the sharks...they can only hope we get smarter (for our sake, as well as theirs).
To learn more about the stupidity of some people.. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=17189
Q: What is beneficial about a robot with pressure sensing abilities? A: Pressure sensing would allow robots to handle more sensitive/fragile objects, and may be one step closer to a human-like robot.
Q: Are there any other possible applications for transistor arrays such as this? A: There are many ways pressure sensing arrays like this can be implemented. Some examples are monitoring hospital patients in their beds with pressure sensing sheets, or possibly a new variety of home security systems.
Ref: http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/2004/092204/Flexible_sensors_make_robot_skin%20_092204.html
Q: How often does HST have to be serviced: A: That varies with circumstances (plans, failures, etc.), but every 2-4 years is typical. HST was last serviced in March of 2002 to have one of its cameras replaced. A couple of new cameras were to be installed in 2006, but those plans have now been scrapped.
Q: How long can HST remain in orbit without being serviced? A: Failure of one of its critical components is a random event which could occur at any time between now and a few years from now. The most critical components include gyroscopes (for maintaining direction) and batteries (from 1990, were to be replaced in 2006). Of the six gyroscopes onboard, two have already failed and a third is showing signs of trouble.
Q: Why abandon HST, which has been so hugely successful? A: Maintaining HST is quite expensive and would have involved the development of new technology in the wake of the recent Columbia Shuttle disaster. Its abandonment represents one of many sacrifices science would have to make to help pay for the president's new initiatives. Also, NASA is committed to building the James Webb Space Telescope, considered Hubble's successor and currently scheduled for launch in 2011.
Q: What can be done to extend HST’s life without servicing it? A: As far as preserving battery life as long as possible, HST could run only one science instrument at a time, instead of all of them at once (as it has in the past).
Q: Wouldn’t HST threaten people and property on the ground when its orbit decays and it crashes to Earth? A: To prevent serious injury on the ground, NASA plans to develop a robot which would fly to the telescope, attach a retrorocket, and steer the spacecraft to a harmless reentry over an unpopulated area.
These articles are intended to encourage you to practice your written communication skills, especially as they relate to scientific material. Your effort on the articles will become part of your overall grade on the presentation. While some students find it difficult to add yet another task to their already busy schedules, the potential benefits suggest that it might be a good investment. These include:
Be prepared to respond to questions that might arise in connection to these articles. This is all very informal, so try not to be too stressed about it, but do put some effort into it. As with forum participation (see above), consistency is very important, so try not to unload during the last week or two. You need to do about 1 article per week (in the forum). More is better, less is worse. You also need to respond to at least two articles per week in the forum. Your response not only keeps you alert to others' posts, but also encourages others to keep posting. (An indifferent audience is not very motivating.) Keep track of your activities with regard to articles and comment on them in the journals.
Attitude and perspective: Although physics tends to be challenging for most students, the real difficulty is not the subject matter but rather the attitude with which it is approached. The best approach is to work hard and apply oneself. In addition, maintain a positive attitude and a love of learning at all times. Try not whine about how difficult the material is; instead, try to have fun and be grateful for your educational opportunities. When you start to feel a little stressed from school, try to think about the starving orphan in some third-world, poverty-stricken village who would love to trade places with you. It's all a question of perspective, so try to maintain a healthy one.
Deadlines and due dates: Deadlines and due dates are an integral part of the world we live in. We all have to deal with them and they help us stay on track. In that regard, this class is no different: All assignments come with a due date. The due date should not be interpreted as the day to work feverishly on an assignment; rather, you should be working on assignments with consistency (not in spikes) as soon as they are available, keeping the due dates in mind as aids in helping you manage your time and tasks efficiently. Those that have trouble staying on top of due dates might consider mentally moving the due date up to a somewhat earlier time. Keep in mind that the ability to keep up with the due dates is part of each assignment. If you miss an assignment (for any reason), you should explain your circumstances in your journal and/or in person to your instructor.
***Preparing for class: In this course, students are expected to come to class prepared, having gone over at least some of the relevant material in the textbook. For best results, the class should be considered a supplement rather than a substitute for reading and independent study. The instructor cannot make you learn; the instructor is only the tour guide. So don't be afraid to learn things on your own, outside of class. You are expected to do so--during this class and during the rest of your lives. Throughout the quarter, students will be given frequent opportunities in class to demonstrate their level of preparedness by making a sincere attempt to answer questions posed by other students or by the instructor. While this may seem intimidating at first, it is really an effective way to motivate students to be actively engaged in a classroom discussion. (The alternative, and usually less appealing, option is the dreaded pop quiz. So stay on your toes and don't make me resort to it.:))
Academic maturity: Academic maturity is an umbrella term used to describe those characteristics which allow students to reach their academic potential and achieve growth in an academic environment and ultimately in the field of their choice. Characteristics generally associated with academic maturity include:
In their book Making Sense of College Grades (Jossey-Bass, 1986), Ohmer Milton, Howard R. Pollio, and James A. Eison found that learning-oriented college students were more inclined to explore possibilities and relationships rather than to work only with known facts; they also were more attentive to lectures. In contrast, grade-oriented students who focus on "making the grade"--for example, who only read material that will be tested and view other class reading as an inconvenient waste of time--performed less well on exams, had poorer study habits, and were twice as likely to report having cheated repeatedly. So try to approach your educational opportunities in a mature, knowledge-hungry way. Remember that only about half of your grade will be based on exams. The other half will be based on academic maturity (in its various forms).
Independent learning: In this class, students are expected to develop the ability to read the book and to be independent of the instructor (as much as possible) in learning the material. The instructor should be viewed more as a tour guide and facilitator than a transferrer of knowledge. For best results, you should try to familiarize yourself with the concepts before seeing them in class. The due dates for homework assignments are timed to motivate you to stay on top of the material and discourage you from procrastination.
Critical thinking: "Critical thinking" and "thinking outside the box" are catch phrases which are receiving increasingly more attention in both education and in the industrial world. Traditionally, education of the masses has emphasized the rote memorization of facts rather than depth of understanding. In today's fast-paced world, however, as information proliferates and becomes obsolete more rapidly, the traditional assembly-line philosophy of learning can no longer be considered adequate. Indeed, information becomes less important than the ability to access information, to identify and define issues or problems, to generate hypotheses, to construct arguments, to make inferences, and to evaluate results. All these new demands require that students actively engage in learning rather than passively "receive" knowledge. So do your best to become active learners.
Understanding vs memorization: Physics deals with quantitative as well as qualitative concepts. The quantitative aspects of physics generally involve the manipulation and application of formulas. While the initial impression may be that there are many, many complicated-looking formulas, the reality is that all these formulas are based on only a few fundamental and relatively simple relations. You will find that if you invest some time into understanding these simple relations and the qualitative concepts behind them, you will not only gain a deeper and longer-lasting understanding of physics, but you will also save yourself from the daunting task of having to memorize these formulas and from the recurring nightmare of misapplying them. For your continued edification, the "internalize but do not memorize" mantra will be chanted repeatedly throughout the course.
***Computer literacy: Computers are a general-purpose tool; they may appeal to different people in different ways. One person may like graphics and animation. Another may like electronic mail. Another may prefer video games. Whatever one's particular uses of a computer, proficiency with a computer can dramatically increase one's productivity and potential for success. Unfortunately, not everyone is completely comfortable with the use of computers, and some even suffer from computer phobia. Fortunately, like all irrational fears, computer phobia is no match for a determined, curiosity-driven mind and gradually dissolves with practice and perseverance.
As with most new things, there is a learning curve, and feeling some frustration at times is perfectly natural. The important thing to realize is that learning to use computer technology (in its many incarnations) is not something that should be considered a distraction from class work; it IS a big part of the class. Irrespective of background, all students in the class will be expected to master the following list of computer-related skills:
A paradigm shift: According to William Perry's Scheme of Intellectual Development, the typical first-year college student has a dualistic view of knowledge, believing that right answers for everything exist in the absolute and that the role of the instructor is to teach them. Knowledge represents a gradual accretion of right answers acquired through effort and obedience to the instructor. Sadly, traditional teaching practices, particularly in introductory courses, tend to reinforce, rather than challenge, this unsophisticated view of learning. Traditional approaches emphasize the presentation of information, and define learning as its absorption. In contrast to this traditional content-driven paradigm, an effective student-centered, learning-oriented classroom involves a more active approach to learning, characterized by the following basic principles:
Active vs passive: ***In the traditional model of education, the instructor is expected to have all the answers, while the student is expected to listen, take notes, and then demonstrate how full of knowledge he/she has become (usually on a test). In this model, brains are essentially treated as passive receptacles to be filled by the expertise of the instructor. And while most educational experts today recognize that this is not an effective mode of teaching (as this learning pyramid illustrates), it is still unfortunately the predominant mode of education at the undergraduate levels. Hopefully, we can do a little better in this class. In particular, students in this class will be expected to be active participants in the learning community, teaching themselves as well as others, being proactive instead of reactive. While this is not always most comfortable for many students, it does appear to be the best way to learn, which is the objective in this class.
If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Here's an interesting pamphlet with some useful tips for and observations about learning physics. For example, it points out that taking good notes in a physics class is quite different from taking good notes in a history class. Do you know the difference? Although written just after World War II, the pamphlet shows that the approach to learning physics has remained essentially the same.
Bloom's Taxonomy: Much of the philosophy behind the various class activities and components is based on Bloom's Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain, a learning theory based on six levels of intellectual behaviors: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. These levels progress from the simplest, knowledge (the remembering, either by recognition or recall, of ideas, materials, and phenomena) to the most complex, evaluation (the making of judgments about the value, for some purpose, of ideas, works, solutions, methods, material, etc.).
Learning styles: Have you ever wondered why you loved history while your friends hated it, felt inspired by one particular faculty member while your friends thought she was boring? Have you ever been uncomfortable at a party while others seem to be having a wonderful time? Do you ever wonder why others miss deadlines and never seem to have things organized? All of these are connected to our personality type and our preferred way of doing and viewing things. When we are in a classroom environment that matches our learning style, everything feels right. The teacher is stimulating, the material exciting, the work enjoyable. But if the environment does not match our preferred learning style, we feel out of place, uncomfortable, and unable to do our best. There are no right or wrong, good or bad learning styles, just preferred styles. Understanding learning styles and personality preferences provides an important dimension of self-discovery and personal growth for students. Knowing what we have in common with others, how we differ, and what is unique about ourselves can be both empowering and critical to our success in college and beyond. One of the most popular rubrics for understanding personality types is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). What's your MBTI? Find out here: http://www.gsu.edu/~dschjb/wwwmbti.html.
Cooperative learning: Extensive educational research indicates that when students learn together in pairs or in small groups, the learning is faster, there is greater retention, and students feel more positive about the learning process. The value of cooperative learning has resulted in its widespread use throughout the country, and it has become a standard part of most pre-service training. Several components of this course, including lab and group presentation, are designed to give you the opportunity to develop some of these skills. When working on group projects, all group members must participate in all aspects of the project, not simply taking turns. While we can all come up with pretty creative excuses why it's difficult to meet as a group outside of class, the ability to do so is an important objective of the class (and in the real world), no less important than the scores on an exam.