Physics with Applications (PHYS*1130)

Course Information

Important: Please retain this material and consult it regularly during the semester. This information will be important to you as the course progresses.
Prerequisites: (MATH*1080 or MATH*1200), [1 of 4U Physics, OAC Physics (or equivalent), PHYS*1020] 4U or OAC Mathematics

Students in this course will need to use Desire2Learn (D2L) to write REQUIRED pretests, perform a simulated experiment on radiation (pretest #9), and check their term marks. As soon as possible, you should check that you can log in to D2L:

• Use a web browser to go to: http://courselink.uoguelph.ca/
• Follow the login instructions.

Final Exam Conflicts

The University‟s policy regarding examination conflicts, as stated in the Undergraduate Calendar, is as follows: “Students who drop and add courses are required to consult the examination timetable in order to avoid conflicts in examination times. Written approval must be obtained from the dean or director and the instructor-in-charge of the course to register in courses that have conflicting examination times.”

Instruction

Quiz Room Administrator

Please e-mail the Quiz Room Administrator with course related inquiries and to report any errors in your Desire2Learn (D2L) record.

Course Objectives

1. improvement of analytical problem-solving skills
2. ability to communicate (in writing) a logical problem solution
3. improvement of the proper use of calculus in mathematical problem solving
4. expansion of breadth of knowledge, particularly in the application of physics to engineering and the environmental sciences
5. development of proper experimental and data collection techniques by participation in hands-on laboratory sessions
6. growth in physical understanding of everyday phenomena

Course Materials

OPTIONAL – Book bag lock. Book bags are not allowed to be taken to your quiz writing station in the quiz room. The designated area for book bags is equipped with cables for locking (you must bring your own lock).

1. Text: (required) Physics for the Biological Sciences, 4th Edition, Hallett, Hunt, McFarland, Renninger, Stinson, Sullivan. Available in the Campus Bookstore (1st floor MacNaughton) or the Co-op Bookstore (Johnston Hall). Handbook for PHYS*1130, December 2009 Printing: Available in the Quiz Room SCIE1101A ($15.00, CASH ONLY)*.
   * The Quiz Room will be open for the sale of manuals Mon Jan. 11 – Wed. Jan. 13 9-12 and 1-4. After Jan. 13th this item may be purchased in the Quiz Room during normal Quiz Room hours.
2. i-Clicker Student Response Unit – available in the University Bookstore. A Classroom Response System is recommended but not required for this semester where students use Personal Response Units (commonly known as “clickers”) to register their responses to questions posed in class.
3. The following items are available on D2L;
   (a) Solutions to Self-Tests in the Study Guides
   (b) Sample Final Examinations
   (c) Sample Quiz on each study guide
4. Calculator (get one with trig functions, ex, etc)(graphing calculators and electronic devices are not allowed in the quiz room).
5. This Course Outline: includes important dates or deadlines, lecture schedule, evaluation information, personal record sheet, etc.

Drop and Add Forms: Instructor's signature is not required in this course.
Lost and Found: "Lost and Found" is in the Quiz Room (SCIE1101A).

Lectures

Final Exam: April 13, 2010 7:30-9:30pm

Deadlines and Important Notes

Students must show their U of G photo ID card in order to write a quiz.
Note: Only 1 quiz attempt per time slot allowed on same.
*See page 6 for detailed material requirements to attempt related quiz group.

Your 1st attempt should be at least 3 time slots before the deadline to allow for a possible 2nd or 3rd attempt.

Pretests must be passed with a minimum of 60% before the required quiz is attempted. Allow at least 1 hour for your grade to be processed.

Labs must be signed/sealed by TA in the lab room at least 24hrs before attempting the related quiz group.

Lab experiment sign up is done on-line via d2l. It is strongly recommended that you sign up for your labs early in the semester to ensure that all labs can be completed by the lab quiz deadline dates.

Please note: lab sign-up is restricted to 1 hour time slots which is sufficient time to collect the required data. Read over the lab material before arriving to ensure that no time is wasted at the station. Once you have collected your data please move to the centre tables to complete your calculations. If you decide to complete your calculation at a later time be sure that your book is signed and sealed by a TA before you leave the room.

Quiz Room Hours (SCIE1101A)

Posted on D2L – see Quiz Room Hours
Note: times given are when the door opens and closes.

Lab Room hours (MacN 304)

Extra opening times may be added depending on enrolment.

CLOSED – FRIDAY, APRIL 2ND (GOOD FRIDAY HOLIDAY)

Tentative Lecture Schedule

How the Course Works

Introduction

Students' study schedules at University are often based on a crisis-to-crisis approach (When's my next midterm exam?) rather than on organized learning. To reduce this problem, Physics with Applications is offered using a "Personalized Instruction" method which gives the student some flexibility in scheduling study time.

The central idea of this teaching method is the accommodation of both the student who needs or likes formal lecture teaching and the student who prefers guided self-instruction. Indeed, in this course, any combination of these two extremes may be mixed to the student's own taste.

Many thousands of students have taken this course and almost every semester has seen some modification, usually minor, in the operation of the course. The present version of the study materials incorporates a large number of constructive suggestions made by students. We hope you will continue to point out errors, omissions and weaknesses so that the course and its teaching materials can be regularly upgraded. We are confident that this thoroughly tested learning concept will continue to be met with enthusiastic approval from the majority of our students.

Lectures

Formal lectures will be given and you will find a detailed timetable of dates and topics in this course handout. Students may attend all of the lectures or select only those topics in which they feel they need lecture support. You are strongly advised to attend lectures until you are sure that the self-study method works for you. In any case, the entire course content will be covered in these lectures. Whether you attend lectures or not, it is your responsibility to check D2L and the quiz room for important weekly notices regarding the course.

Modules (Study Guides)

The Handbook contains the ten Study Guide modules (SG 1 to 10) for this course. These ten modules cover the entire course and are designed so that you need never actually attend a lecture if you follow their advice scrupulously. (You must, however, do laboratory work.) Each module provides you with:

1. a brief introductory discussion of what the module is about,
2. the educational objectives of the module,
3. a detailed study guide (reading and problem lists, etc.)
4. self tests,
5. answers to problems, and sometimes
6. extra problems.

These self-study modules are your chief help; the Study Guide is a teacher at your side constantly and should be studied with care.

Course and Quiz Organization and Preferred Path

Quiz 1 - required material

• SG's .1 & 2
• Pretest 1 (online) min 60%
• Experiment 2 (MacN304)

Quiz 2 - required material

• SG's 3 & 4
• Pretest 2 (online) min 60%
• Experiment 4 (MacN304)

Quiz 3 - required material

• SG 5
• Pretest 3 (online) min 60%

Quiz 4 - required material

• SG's 6, 7 & 8
• Pretest 4 (online) min 60%
• Experiment 7 (MacN304)

Quiz 5 - required material

• Pretest #9(computer lab) 100% Pass

Study Guide 10 and experiment 10 will be tested on the final

Diagnostic Quizzes

You can in principle try quizzes in any order. However, note that quizzes are withdrawn on specific dates, so these should be attempted as appropriate. Also, note that some quizzes may require a knowledge of material from previous quizzes. A non-credit PRETEST must be completed before its Quiz for credit can be written. The PRETESTs are available on D2L. See page 1 for details. A PRETEST is available for Module 10 even though there is no quiz. These are strongly recommended for study purposes.

Each PRETEST is an aid to help you learn the material contained in the associated Study Guides. When you have passed the PRETEST (min. 60%), you should have acquired a basic understanding of the material in the Study Guides. The format of the PRETEST is DIFFERENT from that of the QUIZ. A sample of each QUIZ is provided on D2L for you to look at. The QUIZ tests mastery of that material, and so you may find that you do not pass the QUIZ on the first attempt.

Regardless of the combination of formal lectures and/or self-study you use to acquire knowledge in the course, the question is "how do you demonstrate this knowledge and receive credit for it?" When you think you have mastered the contents of the required modules, and have passed (60%) the associated PRETEST, you should go to the Quiz Room where you may request a Diagnostic Quiz. This quiz is designed to test your mastery of the required material. It is very important that you come to the quiz room prepared and have passed the pretest. ALLOW 1 HR. FOR PRETEST MARK TO PROCESS BEFORE ATTEMPTING

THE RELATED QUIZ GROUP. You will need your University of Guelph photo ID card in order to write a quiz. . The time allotted for each quiz is 20 minutes. When you have completed the quiz, it is marked immediately by a tutor in your presence (If you absolutely cannot stay to have your quiz marked, you may leave it. It will be marked at the end of the quiz period and the mark posted. It will be available for you to look at for two further quiz periods.). In this way, no time is wasted teaching you things you already know, but the quiz will isolate those things (if any) you don't know. It is important to emphasize the diagnostic aspect of this quiz; diagnosis is its prime purpose. It is of no value to write one if you are not prepared; you are wasting everyone's time. The level at which you are considered to have "mastered" the material is 80%, i.e., the "pass mark" is 8 out of 10.

Each quiz that is mastered contributes 10% toward your course mark. If you do not get 80% on your first attempt (and you may not), it doesn't matter. There is no stigma attached to failing this quiz; that is not its purpose. You may go away, study, and try again. The quiz will have served to show you what you must study. Obviously there must be a limit to the number of times you may write quizzes on a single group, and this has been set at three. Also, you may not attempt more than one version of each quiz in a single quiz period.

During quizzes (and the final examination), you may use a pocket calculator (graphing calculators or any electronic devices are not allowed). In the quiz room, each desk is provided with a sheet of formulae. A copy of this sheet will be included in the final exam. No material in the form of quizzes or paper may be taken to or from the Quiz Room and all paper used when writing a quiz must be turned in. You should visit the quiz room during the first week of the semester to see how the system operates.

Self-paced study is a new experience for most students. At best, it permits you to work ahead in physics early in the semester, freeing study time for other courses during heavy weeks. At worst, there is a temptation to leave things too late. To help pace students, deadlines are placed on quizzes.

Experiments

There are 5 experiments to be done, associated with S.G. units 2, 4, 7, 9 and 10. Four of these experiments are done in the lab room (MacN 304) and they may be performed in any order, at any time the lab is open. The laboratory operates as an open lab, but you must reserve a space. An experimental station may be reserved up to three weeks in advance by reserving a 1 hour block of time on D2L. There is also one computer simulation (Pretest #9) which can be done at the Physical Sciences Microlab (MacN 315), the library, from home, or from any location which is connected to the internet. To obtain credit, there is a certain minimum amount of each experiment that must be completed and signed/sealed during the 1 hour lab period (see detailed instructions in lab manual). . If you choose to leave the lab room after obtaining your data but previous to completing the calculations the lab t/a must sign the page at the start of your lab to verify that the correct data has been collected. Once your lab is complete (data and calculations) you must have the laboratory instructor sign and stamp your Lab Pass Sheet (back pages of your lab manual) which you take to the quiz room when making your first attempt at that quiz group. Notice that the lab instructor does not assign a mark to your lab work, although he/she may refuse to accept it if he/she judges the work to be inadequate. Your understanding of the material is tested in the quiz on the associated Study Guide.

Pretest #9 is a computer simulation, which can be done anywhere there is a computer connected to the internet; the CPES microcomputer lab is in MacN 315, home, library, etc. You can access Pretest 9 from D2L found at http://courselink.uoguelph.ca. When you have completed the experiment, this information will automatically be transferred to your record (allow at least 1 hour).

Remember that labs are a requirement to attempt some quizzes. Note: Have your labs signed/stamped at least 24 hrs prior to attempting related quiz.

Evaluation of Quiz Marks

Quizzes are marked out of 10
Quiz marks 8/10 or higher receive 10 out of 10 (highest possible mark per unit)
between 4.0/10 and 7.5/10 (inclusive) receive 2 marks per attempt†
less than 4/10 receive zero

† This mark of 2 does not add to a mark of 10. It is awarded on the condition you do not receive a “pass” on future attempts on that quiz group. See the examples below.

Four examples:

1. A student earns 4.0/10 on the first quiz attempt, 6.0/10 on the second quiz attempt, and 8.0/10 on the third quiz attempt. Mark received: 10 out of 10.
2. A student earns 4.0/10 on the first quiz attempt, 5.5/10 on the second quiz attempt, and 7.5/10 on the third quiz attempt. Mark received: 6 out of 10.
3. A student earns 2.5/10 on the first quiz attempt, 4.0/10 on the second, and 7.5/10 on the third. Mark received: 4 out of 10.
4. A student earns 7.5/10 on the first quiz attempt and tries no further quizzes. Mark received: 2 out of 10.

Summary of Marks: quiz marks 50% (5 x 10.0) + 50% (final exam) = 100%

Accuracy of Records

It is your responsibility to use D2L to check that your marks are recorded correctly. Please check your record often and report any discrepancies immediately to the Quiz Room Administrator. As an aid, a „Personal Record Form‟ is attached to this handout. You should use this form to record your quiz attempts, etc., and from time to time check the computer record against your personal record.

Illness

If you are away for brief periods of time due to illness or for compassionate reasons, see the Quiz Room Administrator about consideration of extension of deadlines, etc. For an extended illness, etc. (> 1 week), you should obtain a medical certificate or similar documentation and consult the instructor or the quiz room administrator. If you miss the final examination because of illness or for other reasons, consult regulations in the current Undergraduate Calendar.

Course Notes

From time to time, notices pertaining to the course will be given in lectures and/or posted on D2L, by the quiz room door or inside the quiz room (SCIE1101A). You should check weekly for notices and reminders, etc. It is your responsibility to keep yourself informed regarding these special announcements.

Obtaining Help in the Course

1. Help may be obtained from the lecturer before and after lectures, or in his office.
2. Help Room (MacN 318) – The hours will be posted on D2L
   NOTE: This Help Room is for help in physics courses PHYS*1070/1080/1130.
   The help room will open in week 3. Help will be available in the quiz room during regular quiz room hours in weeks 1 and 2.
3. Help may be obtained in rooms MacN 304 or 304A. These are the lab rooms for this course, PHYS*1070 and 1080. When these rooms are open you may obtain help with course-related problems from the instructors, but remember that their first priority is to help students who are doing experiments.
4. The Solutions to the Self-Tests (which are on reserve in the Library) and the set of 3 sample final examinations will be helpful (see pg.1). These are available through D2L and the College Microlab (see next item).
5. College Microlab (MacN 315): Computerized tutorials can be accessed here. Follow the instructions on the bulletin board beside the entrance to the room. Then follow the instructions posted in the workstation you have chosen. By following instructions on the computer screen, you will sooner or later obtain a screen which allows you to select WINDOWS. Once you are in WINDOWS, you can use the mouse to click on your choices when applicable. Double click on the icon PHYSICS TUTORIALS and you will see a number of them listed, including the radiation lab. Other useful ones for this course are:
   - Dimensional analysis
   - Trigonometry
   - Logarithms
   - Graphing simple functions
   - Graphing log paper
   - Oscillating functions
   - Graphing
   - Exponential growth and decay
   - Solutions to the Self-Tests
   All of the above can be accessed from the internet via D2L
6. Video Tapes: two video tapes related to SG 1 are available at the Library Reserve Desk: (about 20 minutes long)
   (i) Travelling Waves - VTR 78461
   (ii) Standing Waves - VTR 79888

Final Examination

The final examination will consist of approximately 20 questions with multiple-choice answers. Sample final examinations are available through D2L. Normally there are 2-3 questions based on each of Study Guides 1-6 and 2-3 questions each on Study Guides 7 and 8, for which there are no quizzes. At least half of the questions on Study Guides 1-6 are based on Quiz questions for these Study Guides. Many students have found that the final examination is difficult, even with a perfect mark on the Quizzes. This is because mastery of all of the Study Guides is required in order to achieve a perfect mark on the final examination. A thorough review of all of the course material is highly advisable in preparing for the final examination.

The Pretests

Before any Quiz can be written for credit, A PRETEST must be taken and passed at the level of 60%. Allow at least 1 hour prior to attempting related quiz. These PRETESTS are designed to permit a self-examination of the basic concepts and objectives of the module in question. Each PRETEST consists of a variety of simple questions in one of 4 formats:

1. multiple choice
2. true or false
3. pairwise matching
4. enter a number or symbol

The PRETESTS are delivered using D2L and so can be taken from any location which has computers connected to the internet (MacN 315, Library, home, etc.). 

Follow the login instructions and the instructions which follow, enabling you to take the PRETEST. *IMPORTANT NOTE: - If you open a pretest to look at it you must either continue the test or if you are not ready go directly to the bottom - “submit for grading-view results”. Once cleared, another version of this pretest will be available immediately to you. If you fail to submit a pretest for marking, that version will stay open and will not allow you to make another attempt. Upon completion it will be marked and an explanation provided for every question for which you selected the wrong answer. These should be studied carefully.

When you obtain at least 60% on the PRETEST, you may proceed to the Quiz Room to write a QUIZ for credit. (Allow at least 1 hour for your mark to process before attempting related quiz).

If you failed to get 60%, you must repeat the Pretest until 60% is obtained. A new version of the pretest will be available immediately.

Of course, you get the maximum advantage from these PRETESTS if you do them without help and, as much as possible, without aids (textbook, etc.).

It is a serious academic offence to copy, print or otherwise store the Pretest and Sample Quiz material or to attempt to alter them in any way.

Also available on D2L is a SAMPLE QUIZ for each Study Guide, similar to quizzes that you will write in the Quiz Room.