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PHY 120

I. TITLE: General Physics I

II. CATALOG DESCRIPTION:  Elementary mechanics, heat and wave motion.  Fundamental laws of nature,  definitions and physical measurements are stressed.  Three lectures and two hours laboratory per week.   Prerequisite:  MAT 140 or equivalent.

III. PURPOSE: Physics is the science which seeks to describe and understand the natural world. As the most fundamental of the natural sciences, it deals with the composition, creation, structure, motion, and interactions of all things physical.  Its purview is all that can be observed, and all that can be measured.  Most advances in the physical sciences, medicine, engineering, and technology are the result of applications of the laws of physics. Consequently, a thorough understanding of physics is appropriate and necessary for a large segment of students in a variety of fields of study.

This course is intended to introduce students to the classical fields of physics commonly referred to as mechanics, thermodynamics, and wave motion.  Material is presented at an introductory level which assumes that students are entering with a college-preparatory high school science background.  However, prior instruction in high school physics is not assumed nor required.

Students completing this course will: (1) engage in independent thought, expressing those thoughts orally in the classroom as well as in writing by means of required laboratory reports; (2)  understand, appreciate, and utilize the critical and scientific methodologies that scientists employ to discover fundamental physical laws and perform experiments to test their validity; (3)  learn to apply sound standards of critical analysis and evaluation to reach logical decisions.  In physics, this usually involves mathematical calculations.  The rational, logical use of appropriate mathematical equations will yield a result that is physically meaningful.  The student may then logically conclude that the approach is valid.  Learning which equations may be used under a particular set of conditions is a goal of this course; (4)  gain an understanding of how applications of physical principles are important in the technological advances which are evident in our world.  These applications include everything from automobiles and rockets to roller coasters and musical instruments; (5)  recognize that technology may be used responsibly or irresponsibly, depending upon the scientific literacy and level of understanding present in the educated population.  (For example, is a highway designed appropriately for cars traveling at high speeds); (6)  gain an understanding of the fundamental principles of physics which will prepare them for additional study in their chosen major, as well as forming a foundation for life-long learning.

These six objectives correspond  to six of the eight characteristics of the MSU graduate.

IV. COURSE OBJECTIVES:  The student should gain an understanding of, and proficiency in the following items.
 A. The experimental foundations upon which physics is based.
 B. The development of physical laws in the solution of problems.
 C. The application of physical laws in the solution of problems.
 D. The development of analytical, logical thought processes which are required for problem solution, and   which are also
      applicable in analyzing situations which occur in everyday life.
 E. The experimental techniques which are used in science.
 F. A familiarity with laboratory equipment and measuring devices.
 G. The student should gain an appreciation for the history of physics as a science, with particular attention  to the contributions
      made by individual scientists from a variety of backgrounds and nations.

Objectives A, B, C, and E are intended to introduce students to fundamental concepts in physics, as required by criterion #8 for University Studies elective courses.  Objective D meets criterion #4 and is applicable to students from a broad range of disciplines.  Every MSU student would benefit from the logical, organized approach to problem solving which is taught in the course.  Topics covered in the course are those which affect all persons.  Energy, motion, momentum, gravity, equilibrium, waves, and temperature are important science concepts to the non-scientists as well as those students majoring in a scientific, technical, education, or health-related field.  Objective G emphasizes the international contribution to the development of physics as a science.  This meets criterion #7 for University Studies elective courses.

V. CONTENT OUTLINE:
 A. Units, Physical Quantities, and Vectors
 B. Motion Along a Straight Line
 C. Projectile Motion
 D. Newton’s Laws and Their Applications
 E. Work and Energy
 F. Impulse and Momentum
 G. Rotational Motion
 H. Equilibrium of Rigid Body
 I. Periodic Motion
 J. Temperature and Heat

VI. INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:
A.   This course is a problem-solving course designed to develop the student’s ability to independently and logically determine a strategy for approaching a problem which has been posed in narrative form.  The student must interpret the nature of a given problem, form a solution using a set of mathematical and scientific tools developed during the lecture periods of the course, and test the solution to ascertain its physical validity.  The course is thematic in its approach, concentrating on those areas of physics known as mechanics, thermodynamics, and wave motion.

B.   Active participation in experimentation, observation, data acquisition, mathematical modeling, and graphing are emphasized in the required laboratory which accompanies the course.  Students work in groups of 3-4, collaboratively testing the concepts introduced in the classroom.  The laboratory experience helps the student visualize real physical systems whose behavior can be quantified and predicted.  Each laboratory promotes reading, writing, and critical thinking.  Students are asked to read introductory materials for each lab, and each project requires the student to form conclusions based on the acquired data.  These conclusions are expressed in written form as part of a laboratory report that is submitted at the end of each lab period.

C.   Each laboratory is equipped with six computers which are used to accept and organize data and print out appropriate graphs.  All students are required to use the computers for data acquisition.

VII. FIELD, CLINICAL, AND LABORATORY EXPERIENCES:  PHY 120 includes one 2-hour laboratory per week, with  experiments complementing the lecture material.

VIII. GRADING PROCEDURES:
Performance on regular examinations, homework sets, laboratory activities, and a comprehensive final exam will be considered in determining the PHY 120 course grade.  Evaluation of the hourly examinations and homework problems is based primarily on the student’s ability to:
(1)  read the problem carefully, extracting the relevant information necessary to address the problem.  This would typically constitute approximately 10% of the grade for minor errors or misreading of information.  If the student is not able to interpret the problem, the student is unable to solve the problem and receives no credit.  Material on exams is based on application of reading assignments from the text and problems posed in the text, as well as topics covered in lecture sessions;

(2)  select the appropriate mathematical relationships which lead toward the correct solution.  Often, this requires making a choice between more than one possible correct method.  In other cases there is only a single valid approach, or one that is clearly  more efficient or optimum in its ability to address the problem.  Much emphasis is placed on this disciplined and reasoned approach to problem solving, as these are the critical thinking skills which are a goal of the course.  This would typically constitute approximately 50% of the grade;

(3)  carry through with the mathematical calculations to achieve the correct result, when applicable.  Many questions are conceptual rather than numerical in nature.  For these questions, evaluation is based on the accuracy of the conclusion drawn by the student upon application of the appropriate physical principle.  This would typically constitute approximately 40% of the grade.

In the laboratory component of the course, student performance is evaluated in the areas of:

Laboratory Technique:  25%
Includes preparation prior to lab period, ability to follow instructions, active participation in lab experiment (no passive observers accepted), and clean-up of workstation at the end of the period.

Content of Written Lab Report:  75%
Includes accuracy and completeness of responses to questions posed in the lab manual.  Written responses should be answered in complete sentences with proper grammar and punctuation.  Data should be presented in tabular or graphical form, identified and labeled with correct units of measure.

Typically 11-13 labs are performed during the semester.  A lab report is required at the end of each lab period.

Four Hourly Exams-56%
Final Exam-14%
Homework-10%
Laboratory-20%
A=90-100  B=80-89  C=70-79  D=60-69  E=0-59

Note:  No student may receive audit credit for the course without consent of the instructor.  Attendance and  participation is required for audit credit.

Note:  No student may withdraw from the course and receive a “W” (no penalty) after the University’s  posted deadline date.  Students who officially withdraw from ALL courses after the deadline will receive a  grade of “WP” or “WE”.

IX. ATTENDANCE POLICY:  No attendance record will be kept.  However, each student will be held responsible for  all material covered, homework assignments made, changes in exam time, etc. that might have occurred  during missed periods.

Make-up:  Permission from the instructor prior to the due date is necessary for the make-up of any  assignment.  Permission from the instructor prior to the scheduled exam time is necessary for the make-up  of any missed exam.  Exceptions will be made in the case of sudden illness or accident if supporting  statements are received from a qualified physician, addressed to the instructor, stating that the student was  prevented from performing the missed task.

X. ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY:  Complete academic integrity is expected of all students.  Graded individual
assignments and examinations should consist solely of the work of that individual whose name is on the document.  Cheating on examinations will not be tolerated.  Cheating is defined to be the use of any unauthorized source of information for the purpose of deceiving the instructor in evaluating the student’s performance or to gain an unfair advantage over fellow students.  Students who are caught cheating will receive a failing grade in the course.

XI. TEXT: College Physics, Serway and Faughn

XII. PREREQUISITES:  MAT 140 or equivalent.

Last updated February 14, 2000. Designed and maintained by Kyosung Koo