PHYSICS 107 Spring 2005 Dr. Allan Pringle Course Instructor Room 122 Physics, 341 ‑

Course Description Introduction to Modern Physics. (Lect. 3). An elementary survey of the modern concepts in physics and their applications: relativity, blackbody radiation, the Bohr atom, particles and waves, quantum mechanics, atoms, molecules, solids, statistical mechanics, radioactivity, nuclei, and elementary particles. (Math 22 and Physics 24 or 25.) “Modern physics is not really concerned with ‘things,’ but with the mathematical relations between certain abstractions which are the residue of the vanished things.”—A. Koestler

Text The text is Concepts of Modern Physics, sixth edition, by Arthur Beiser, McGraw ‑ Hill, publisher. This book is designed to follow the standard two semester introductory, calculus ‑ based, classical physics course. An understanding of the concepts of calculus is prerequisite. The necessary differential equations and wave mechanics are explained as needed.

Schedule Physics 107 meets from 2:00-2:50 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. There are three scheduled hour examinations and a final: Exam 1 – Monday, February 7 Exam 2 – Monday, March 7 Exam 3 – Monday, April 11 Comprehensive Final Examination, Tuesday, May 10, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. See the syllabus for other important dates.

The three one hour examinations are worth 100 points each. They will cover concepts and definitions, assigned problems with minor numerical changes, and problems similar to those assigned. You may use an official starting equation sheet (which I will provide), one 3"x5" card and any calculator containing any information you want.

The lowest score of the four exams will be dropped.*** The final examination will consist of multiple choice questions and multiple choice short problems, and is worth 100 points. About 30% of the final exam will be taken from the chapters covered after Exam 3. Along with your calculator and OSE sheet (which I will provide), you may bring to the final exam four 3"x5" cards or one 8.5"x11" sheet of paper containing any information you want.

***Except that I will drop the final exam score only if you attend at least 6 of the 9 class meetings scheduled after exam 3. If you attend 5 or fewer class meetings during this time, I will drop the lowest of the 3 in-semester hour exam scores. If the exam 3 date is moved, I will keep the attendance cutoff at 2/3 of the class meetings after exam 3, and will inform you how I will round off fractional days.

Homework The homework for this course consists of problems and examples from the text. Specific homework assignments are given later. Homework is "due" (i.e., quizzable) after the last lecture for each chapter. Homework will not be handed in. Nevertheless, the homework is critical, because your mastery of quizzes and hour exams will depend upon your mastery of the homework. If you don't do the homework, you won't do well on the quizzes and on the exams. Because this is a survey course, we will review many topics in a relatively short time. You are urged to form a study group to help you master the large amount of material covered in this course.

Quizzes Ten quizzes will be given during the semester. The quizzes will test your comprehension of recently assigned lecture material and homework. Each quiz will be worth thirty points. Quizzes will not necessarily be announced in advance. Numerical constants and equations required for the quizzes will be given to you with each quiz. The quizzes are closed-book, closed-notes, but you may use any calculator you wish. At the end of the semester, your two lowest quiz scores will be dropped.

Make-Up Policy Because the lowest exam and two lowest quiz scores will be dropped, there will be no make-ups in this course. The dropping of the lowest score is intended to accommodate students who miss one exam and two quizzes due to hospitalization, illness, family emergencies, mental stress, athletic events, etc. It is not intended to encourage you to underperform on an exam or quiz. See the syllabus regarding incompletes and procedures for taking an exam if you are off-campus at a university- sponsored event.

Points The following table summarizes the points available during the course: Three Hour Exams300 Comprehensive Final100 Ten Quizzes300 Total700 Total After Low Scores Dropped540 See the syllabus for regrade procedures.

Grades Semester letter grades for Physics 107 will be assigned as follows: 483 – upA(89.50%) B(79.50%) C(69.50%) D(59.50%) Below 321F There is no limit to the number of A’s, B’s, etc.

Actions To Avoid  Not reading this syllabus.  Not doing the homework, and then complaining because you can't do the quizzes and exams.  Coming in at 1:00 p.m. on exam day, saying you haven't done the homework yet and you don't understand the material for today's exam, and asking to be shown how to do the homework.

Course Material on the Web Unresolved Complaints It is hoped that any complaints about the course can be resolved in a collegial manner through discussions between student and instructor. However, if there are any complaints that cannot be resolved, you may take them up with the Physics Department Chairman, Dr. Paul Parris or the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Paula Lutz