| Class: | MWF 1:30 - 3:30 pm, D115 |
| Professor: | Dr. Jerry Gilfoyle; Office: Gottwald Science Center, D110; Phone:289-8255; electronic mail: ggilfoyl@richmond.edu; Office hours: MWF 10:45-11:45 am, MF 3:30-4:30 pm, T 3:30-4:30 pm. Other times by appointment or availability. |
| Objective: | To gain an understanding of the ideas of physics and to develop problem solving skills. Physics 131 satisfies the Natural Science Field of Study requirement. |
| Textbooks: | Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 4/e by Knight (recommended) and Physics For Doing by Belk et al. (required). |
| Prerequisites: | Calculus I (Math 211). May be taken concurrently. |
| Course work: | The course is taught in a `workshop' format and will consist of lecture, lab, demonstration, and problem solving. Attendance at class and lab for the entire period is required even for those taking the course remotely. This is University policy. No make up work is permitted for unexcused absences. Excessive unexcused absences will have a negative effect on your grades. |
| Grading: | Grades will be computed on the following basis: |
| Tests | 45%(15% for each of 3 tests) |
| Quizzes | 10% |
| Lab Notebooks | 10% |
| Lab Summaries | 5% |
| Final exam | 30% |
| Make-up tests, quizzes, and labs will not be administered. If an activity is missed due to an excused absence the next activity will count extra to make up the loss. Unexcused absences will result in a grade of zero. An excused absence given by the instructor for sufficient reason provided there is adequate warning in a timely fashion. The student is responsible for all missed work. Disability accommodations must be arranged with the instructor at least one week in advance. | |
| Tests: | Tests consist of short-answer questions and problems based on readings, homework, lectures, and lab. Each test is 50 minutes. The final exam is three hours. |
| Homework: | Homework assignments will consist of readings and problem sets listed on the course webpage. Homework will not be collected, but it is the basis for quizzes and tests so it is utter madness to neglect them. See below for details. |
| Laboratory: | Lab work includes documenting your work in the `activity' spaces. The entries consist of observations, measurements, calculations, graphs, and answers to questions. You may use the same data and graphs as your partner, and discuss concepts with your classmates, but all entries should reflect your own understanding. Each entry should be written in your own words. Lab Summaries should be handed in within 1-2 meetings after completion. Periodically your lab notebook will be handed in and graded for completeness and quality of results. |
| Supplies: | Pencils, a calculator, a laptop, and headset for each meeting. |
Holding face-to-face meetings during a pandemic with a mix of in-class and remote participants is more than a little challenging. To reduce the chaos and maintain your health, safety, and sanity along with the integrity of your education here at Richmond, I list here rules and requirements to make this semester go a bit more smoothly.
We are facing a challenging situation in which all of us are called on to make a good faith effort to be flexible and to make decisions in the best interest of the community, including staying home when sick. Students who are sick should not attend class and should inform the instructor in a timely fashion. They will not be required to provide formal documentation from a health care provider, and will not be penalized for absences.
Classes may be recorded using Zoom and we may use other electronic recordings. Recordings of any type will be made available only to students registered for the course and should be used only for personal study by students enrolled in the course.
Students shall not:
| Date | Topic (Chapter) | Date | Topic (Chapter) | ||
| Aug | 24 | 1-D Motion (1-2) | Oct | 19 | Momentum (9) |
| 26 | 1-D Motion (2) | 21 | Test 2, Collisions (9) | ||
| 28 | 1-D Motion (2) | 23 | Collisions (9) | ||
| 31 | 1-D Motion (2) | 26 | Collisions (9) | ||
| Sep | 2 | 1-D Motion (2) | 28 | Rotation (12) | |
| 4 | 1-D Motion (2) | 30 | Rotation (12) | ||
| 7 | 2-D Motion (2) | Nov | 2 | Angular Momentum (12) | |
| 9 | 2-D Motion (3-4) | 4 | Angular Momentum (12) | ||
| 11 | 2-D Motion (3-4) | 6 | Angular Momentum (12) | ||
| 14 | 2-D Motion (4) | 9 | Harmonic Motion (14) | ||
| 16 | Test 1, Force (4) | 11 | Harmonic Motion (14) | ||
| 18 | Force (4-5) | 13 | Harmonic Motion (14) | ||
| 21 | Force (5) | 16 | Harmonic Motion (14) | ||
| 23 | Applications of Force (5-6) | 28 | Relativity (36) | ||
| 25 | Gravity (6,13) | 20 | Test 3, Relativity (36) | ||
| 28 | Gravity (6,13) | 23 | Thanksgiving Break | ||
| 30 | Centripetal Force (8,13) | 25 | Thanksgiving Break | ||
| Oct | 2 | Centripetal Force (8,13) | 27 | Thanksgiving Break | |
| 5 | Work and Energy (10-11) | 30 | Relativity (36) | ||
| 7 | Work and Energy (10-11) | Dec | 2 | Relativity (36) | |
| 9 | Work and Energy (10-11) | 4 | Relativity (36) | ||
| 12 | Work and Energy (10-11) | ||||
| 14 | Momentum (9) | ||||
| 16 | Momentum (9) |
Introductory Physics with Calculus is taught in a `workshop' format that emphasizes active learning rather than the passive approach of strictly lecture courses. In a given class meeting, there can be a combination of activities including laboratory work, lecture, discussion, problem solving, and demonstration. During class you will document your activities by filling in entries in the activity space provided in the laboratory units that make up the Investigative Physics Student Guide. The entries consist of observations, predictions, derivations, calculations, and answers to questions. You may use the same data and graphs as your partners and, of course, discuss concepts with your classmates and the instructor. However, your entries in the activity units must reflect your own understanding of the concepts and the meaning of the data and graphs you present. Each entry should be written in your own words. It is important for your success in this course that your entries reflect a sound understanding of the phenomena to observe and analyze. Make-up units will not be permitted and you are responsible for any material that you missed.
The field of natural science is concerned with the physical universe from subatomic to cosmic levels of organization, including inanimate as well as living systems, their structure, diversity, interaction, and evolution. Based upon the generation and testing of hypotheses, scientific inquiry is restricted to the study of repeatable, measurable, and verifiable phenomena. Within this field, knowledge may be gained either by controlled experiment or diligent observation, depending upon the phenomena being studied. Similarly, some of the field's methodologies rely upon quantitative analysis, while others are primarily qualitative.
The natural science requirement is designed to enhance students' appreciation of the beauty of science as well as their understanding of the challenges of doing science. Students gain experience in the formulation and testing of hypotheses and are introduced to scientific methodology. The natural science requirement consists of a single laboratory course selected from the three areas of science represented at the University of Richmond, namely, chemistry, physics, and the biological sciences.
The introductory, general physics courses (Phy 131-132) cover the full range of the physical universe from the subatomic regime to cosmic scales. The central ideas of physics (forces, energy, conservation laws, etc.) are introduced as hypotheses and repeated observations are then made in the laboratory to support or reject their validity. The students learn not only the ideas of physics, but also reasons for their validity. This theoretical framework is used repeatedly to explain natural phenomena that we see around us and observe in the laboratory.
A VERY effective way to study physics is to do the homework as the material is covered in class and then do additional problems when you study for an exam. See the course website below for the latest updates on assigned homework problems.
https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~ggilfoyl/genphys.html
Electronic copies of the problems are linked to the homework assignment page. Solutions for those assigned problems can also be found on the course website at the appropriate time usually the week after they are assigned. The problems and solutions are password-protected and are solely for the use of students in Physics 131-01 and are not be shared with people outside this class. The solutions, in particular, are not be downloaded, printed, or archived in any way. Sharing, saving, or archiving these solutions are Honor code violations.
The sections on the website refer to the text Physics for Scientists and Engineers (4th edition) by Knight. Items labeled with an `L' refer to the laboratory manual Physics For Doing by Belk, Bunn, Fetea, Gilfoyle, Helms, Nebel, Rubin, Serej, Singal, Trawick, and Vineyard.
If you have trouble with homework help is available from me during my office hours (see page 1 of this syllabus) and at other times when I'm available. The Physics Department is also arranging tutoring sessions. More on that as the schedule develops. The Academic Skills Center (http://asc.richmond.edu, 289-8626 or 289-8956) provides several services including tutoring. A list of their services is at the following address along with other information.
https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~ggilfoyl/genphys/links.html
A summary of the services at the Academic Skills Center is here and below.
In each meeting there will be laboratory work. During the laboratory you will document your activities by filling in entries in the activity space provided in the laboratory units that make up Physics For Doing. The entries consist of observations, predictions, derivations, calculations, and answers to questions. You may use the same data and graphs as your partners and, of course, discuss concepts with your classmates and the instructor. However, your entries in the activity units must reflect your own understanding of the concepts and the meaning of the data and graphs you present. Each entry should be written in your own words. Below is a tentative schedule of labs for the semester. For the latest information on upcoming labs consult the course webpage.
| Date | Topic (Lab) | |
| Aug | 24 | Pretest, Position vs Time Graphs (1) |
| 26 | Velocity vs. Time Graphs (2), Relating Position and Velocity Graphs (3) | |
| 28 | Changing Motion (4) | |
| 31 | Slowing Down, Stopping, and Turning Around 1-D Motion (5) | |
| Sep | 2 | Slowing Down, Stopping, and Turning Around 1-D Motion (5) |
| 4 | Measurement, Uncertainty and Variation (6) | |
| 7 | Projectile Motion (9), histogram | |
| 9 | Projectile Motion (9) | |
| 11 | Uniform Circular Motion (11) | |
| 14 | Uniform Circular Motion (11) | |
| 16 | Test 1, Uniform Circular Motion (11) | |
| 18 | Force and Motion I (12) | |
| 21 | Finish L12, Newton's Third Law, Tension, and Normal Forces (15) | |
| 23 | Friction and Applying the Laws of Motion (17) | |
| 25 | Gravitational and Electromagnetic Forces (20) | |
| 28 | Gravitational and Electromagnetic Forces (20) | |
| 30 | Finish L20, Centripetal Force (21) | |
| Oct | 2 | Finish 21 |
| 5 | Work and Power (22) | |
| 7 | Work and Kinetic Energy (23) | |
| 9 | Work and Kinetic Energy (23) |
| Oct | 12 | Conservation of Mechanical Energy (24) |
| 14 | Momentum and Momentum Change (25) | |
| 16 | Impulse, Momentum, and Interactions (26) | |
| 19 | Impulse, Momentum, and Interactions (26) | |
| 21 | Test 2, Newton's Laws and Momentum Conservation (27) | |
| 23 | Newton's Laws and Momentum Conservation (27) | |
| 26 | Momentum Conservation and Center-of-Mass (28) | |
| 28 | Introduction to Rotation (30) | |
| 30 | Newton's Second Law for Rotation (32), Lab notebooks due | |
| Nov | 2 | Newton's Second Law for Rotation (32) |
| 4 | Conservation of Angular Momentum (35) | |
| 6 | Conservation of Angular Momentum (35) | |
| 9 | Hooke's Law (36), Periodic Motion (37) | |
| 11 | Derivatives of the Sine and Cosine (38) | |
| 13 | Periodic Motion (37) | |
| 16 | Periodic Motion (37) | |
| 18 | Galilean Relativity (40) | |
| 20 | Test 3, Galilean Relativity (40) | |
| 23 | Thanksgiving Break | |
| 25 | Thanksgiving Break | |
| 27 | Thanksgiving Break | |
| 30 | The Twins Paradox (42) | |
| Dec | 2 | The Twins Paradox (42) |
| 4 | The Twins Paradox (42) |
During this semester we will approach physics as a series of problems or themes. Each problem will be introduced and the physics principles needed to solve the problem will be gradually developed until we reach the answer. Some problems can be answered in a few sessions. Others may require much longer. The motivation here is to enhance learning by developing the technical ideas in the context of an overall goal or solution.
| Date | Theme | Date | Theme | ||
| Aug | 24 | Quest for Quarks | Oct | 19 | Dinosaur extinction |
| 26 | " | 21 | Test 2, Dinosaur extinction | ||
| 28 | " | 23 | Dinosaur extinction | ||
| 30 | " | 26 | Dinosaur extinction | ||
| Sep | 2 | Amazing Basketball Shot | 28 | A Star Is Born | |
| 4 | " | 30 | " | ||
| 7 | " | Nov | 2 | " | |
| 9 | " | 4 | " | ||
| 11 | Dark Matter | 6 | " | ||
| 14 | " | 9 | Biological Attack | ||
| 16 | Test 1, Saturn's Rings | 11 | " | ||
| 18 | Saturn's Rings | 13 | " | ||
| 21 | " | 16 | " | ||
| 23 | " | 18 | Twin's Paradox | ||
| 25 | " | 20 | Test 3,Twin's Paradox | ||
| 28 | " | 23 | Thanksgiving Break | ||
| 30 | " | 25 | " | ||
| Oct | 2 | Bungee Jumping | 27 | " | |
| 5 | " | 30 | Twin's Paradox | ||
| 7 | " | Dec | 2 | " | |
| 9 | " | 4 | " | ||
| 12 | Dinosaur extinction | ||||
| 14 | " | ||||
| 16 | " |