Mechanics I (PHYS*2310)

Code and section: PHYS*2310*01

Term: Fall 2010

Instructor: Luis Lehner

Details

Course Infomation

Course Objectives

The objective of this course is to continue the development of a strong foundation in classical mechanics for students in the various physics-related majors. This foundation will be strengthened further in the subsequent course PHYS*2450 (Mechanics II).

Prerequisites

One of MATH*1210, MATH*2080, IPS*1210. (preferred)
One of PHYS*1000, PHYS*1080, PHYS*1110, IPS*1220. (preferred)

Instruction

Professor Office Email
Luis Lehner MacN 452 llehner@perimeterinstitute.ca

Lab/Tutorial Instruction

TA Office Email
Paul Finlay MacN 406 pfinlay@physics.uoguelph.ca
Ryan Massey MacN 425B rmassey@physics.uoguelph.ca

Lectures/Labs/Tutorials

Lectures

Day Time Location
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 12:30 to 1:20 pm THRN 1307

Labs

Section Day Time Location
01 Tuesday 2:30 - 5:30 pm MacN 414
02 Thursday 2:30 - 5:30 pm MacN 414

Tutorials

Day Time Location
Thursday 7:00 - 8:50 pm MacK 029

Required Course Materials

Text Books

  • J.R. Taylor, An Introduction to Error Analysis -- The Study of Uncertainties in Physical Measurements (2nd Edition), University Science Books, 1997. [This book will be useful for PHYS*2460, as well as for all subsequent physics courses that have laboratory work.]
  • G.R. Fowles and G.L. Cassiday, Analytical Mechanics (7th Edition), Saunders College Publishing, 2005. [This textbook will also be used in PHYS*2450.]

Lab Manual

Available for printing from the Physics Department Website www.physics.uoguelph.ca - click on 'Student info' ad follow links for PHYS*2240.

Course Content

  • Error Analysis (approx. 2 weeks) [ref. Fowles & Cassiday, Ch. 1-5, 11]
  • One-Dimensional Motion (approx. 1-2 weeks) [ref. Fowles & Cassiday, Ch. 2]
  • Oscillations -- Including Complex Numbers (approx. 2-4 weeks) [ref. Fowles & Cassiday, Ch. 3 & App. B]
  • Gravitation and Central Forces (approx. 2-3 weeks) [ref. Fowles & Cassiday, Ch.6]
  • Two and Three-Dimensional Motion (approx 1-2 weeks) [ref. Fowles & Cassiday, Ch.4]

Evaluation

Assessment Weight
Assignments (approx. 3-4) 30%
Midterm Exam (Thurs. Oct. 22, 7:00-9:00 p.m., MacK 029) 30%
Final exam (Tues. Dec. 15, 8:30-10:30 a.m.) 40%

Tentative Laboratory & Tutorial Schedule

Tutorials: usually MacK 029 on Thursdays 19:00-20:50
Mechanics Lab: MacN 414
Electricity & Magnetism Lab: MacN 302 or SCIE 1303

Week Mechanics I (2310) Electricity & Magnetism I (2330)
Sept. 6-10 No lab, no tutorial No lab, no tutorial
Sept. 13-17 Tutorial (MacK 029)
— Stats & Errors
No tutorial or experiment
Sept. 20-24 Tutorial (MacK 029)
— Stats & Errors
No tutorial
Sept. 27 – Oct. 1 No Tutorial Tutorial (MacK 029)
Oct. 4-8 Tutorial (MacK 029) No Tutorial
Oct. 11-15 No Tutorial Tutorial (MacK 029)
Oct. 18-22 Midterm Exam (MacK 029)
Thurs. Oct. 21, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
No Tutorial
Oct. 25-29 No Tutorial Midterm Exam (MacK 029) 
Thursday Oct. 28, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Nov. 1-5 Tutorial (MacK 029) No tutorial
Nov. 8-12 No tutorial Tutorial (MacK 029)
Nov. 15-19 Tutorial (MacK 029) No tutorial
Nov. 22-26 No tutorial Tutorial (MacK 029)
Nov. 29- Dec. 3 No lab, no tutorial No lab, no tutorial

Course Policies

Illness

If you miss a lab report due-date because of illness or for compassionate reasons, please see your laboratory instructor for possible academic consideration. If you miss an assignment duedate or the midterm exam, please see your course professor, and if you miss the final exam, please see your Program Counsellor.

For more details, refer to the Undergraduate Calendar (http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/undergraduate/current/) -- go to “Section VIII Undergraduate Degree Regulations and Procedures”, and click on the heading “Academic Consideration, Appeals and Petitions.”

(Not) Working With Other Students

All work submitted for grading in this course must be each individual student's own work. While students are encouraged to share thoughts and ideas, it is not acceptable to share assignment solutions, experiment reports, etc. The assignments and experiment reports are not group projects. It is suggested that you do not show your written solutions, experiment reports, etc., to other students.

Help

One of your best sources of help is your lab/tutorial instructor. In addition, Luis Lehner is happy to answer questions in his office (MacN 452) during his office
hours: Mon. 1:30-2:30 p.m.; Wed. 11:30-12:30 p.m.; Fri. 1:30-2:30 p.m

If you wish to obtain help from Luis at another time, please see him before or after lectures to arrange a mutually convenient time to see him in his office. Short questions can often be handled in the lecture room just before or after lectures. Also feel free to email him to arrange a meeting.

Laboratories & Tutorials

The weekly tutorials are co-ordinated with those in PHYS*2330 (Electricity & Magnetism I). If you are registered in both courses, in a given week you will have a tutorial in one of the two courses (2330 or 2310), but not a tutorial in both. Tutorials are held in MacK 029 (usually) for both courses.