| Class: | MF 3:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m., D-208 |
| Professor: | G.P.Gilfoyle; Office: Gottwald Science Center, D-110 ; phone: 289-8255; electronic mail: ggilfoyl@richmond.edu; Office hours: MTF 9:00-10:15 AM; TW 2:00-3:00 PM. Other times are when you catch me. |
| Objective: | To gain a deeper understanding of natural phenomena using Newton's Laws and related methods. |
| Textbook: | Classical Mechanics: A Modern Perspective by Barger and Olsson; Mathematical Handbook by M.R.Spiegel, Schaum's Outline Series (recommended); Physics for Scientists and Engineers by R.D. Knight (recommended). |
| Software: | Mathematica (recommended) can be obtained for your machine by going to the this address http://is.richmond.edu/hardware-software/software/specialty/mathematica.html and following the directions. |
| Webpage: | https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~ggilfoyl/cm.html |
| Prerequisites: | Physics 301 or permission of the instructor. |
| Course Work: | Each class meeting will consist of lecture, demonstration, and discussion (see SCHEDULE). |
| Attendance: | Attendance at class meetings throughout the entire period is expected and no make up work is permitted. An excused absence is one given by the instructor for what is deemed sufficient reason provided there is adequate advanced warning (one day). A student is responsible for all work missed during an absence. |
| Grading: | Grades will be computed on the following basis: |
| Written Assignments | 30% |
| Tests | 40% (20% for each of 2 tests) |
| Final Exam | 30% |
| Make-up tests will not be administered. If a test is missed because of an excused absence the next test will count more heavily to make up the loss. Unexcused absences will result in a grade of zero for the missed activity. | |
| Homework: | Homework will be assigned regularly, but only a fraction of it will be collected. The exams will be based on these assignments so it is utter madness to neglect them. Late homework will be accepted, but unexcused, late, submissions will be reduced by one point if not handed in at the start of the appropriate class period. An additional point will be subtracted for each subsequent day late. Late submissions will be excused only at the discretion of the instructor. |
| Exams: | Exams will consist of short-answer questions and problems. |
| Date | Topic (Chapter) | Date | Topic (Chapter) | |||
| Jan | 9 | Free Fall (1) | Mar | 6 | Spring Break | |
| 13 | " | 10 | " | |||
| 16 | MLK Day | 13 | Nuclear Sizes (5) | |||
| 20 | Biosensor (1) | 17 | " | |||
| 23 | " | 20 | " | |||
| 27 | 24 | " | ||||
| 30 | Molecular Vibrations (2,3) | 27 | Test 2 | |||
| Feb | 3 | " | 31 | Extra-Solar Planets (6) | ||
| 6 |  Vibrations (2,3) |
Apr | 3 | " | ||
| 10 | " | 7 | Cosmology (9) | |||
| 13 | " | 10 | " | |||
| 17 | Test 1 | 14 | " | |||
| 20 | Vibrations (2,3) |
17 | Dark Matter (9) | |||
| 24 | " | 21 | " | |||
| 27 | Collisions | |||||
| Mar | 3 | " |
To install Mathematica on your own personal computer go to the this address http://is.richmond.edu/hardware-software/software/specialty/mathematica.html and follow the directions.