Course Syllabus Fall 2009

Ph141 Physics for Life Sciences I (4 Credits)

Lecturer: Chris Sulyma

Office Hours: Tuesday 2:00 – 4:00 PM, Thursday 2:00 – 3:00 PM

Office: SC 170A

Phone: 268-7621

e-mail: Sulymacm@clarkson.edu

Lab/Recitation Instructors: Dan Gonnella (Sec 51)

Office Hours: Tuesday 9:00 – 10:00 AM

Wednesday 2:30 – 3:30 (Held in SC 168)

Phone: TBA

e-mail: gonnelda@clarkson.edu

Reed Hollinger (Sec 52)

Office Hours: Friday 10:00 – 11:00 AM and 12:00 – 1:00 PM

(Held in SC 168)

Phone: TBA

e-mail: hollinrc@clarkson.edu

Textbook: Physics (8^th edition), by Cutnell & Johnson. Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Lab Manual: “Physics for Life Sciences I”, Physics 141, Only Available at the Clarkson Bookstore

Lecture: Tuesday and Thursday 12:30 pm – 1:50 pm in SC 362

Website: www.clarkson.edu/~sulymacm/PH141.htm

Course Description:

This is a non-calculus based introductory physics course. This course will cover Kinematics, Newton’s Laws, Work-Energy, Physics of Fluids and Thermal Physics (First 14 chapters). The focus of this course will be on conceptual understanding, but we will be using algebra and geometry to enhance understanding and problem solving abilities.

Course Objectives:

The objectives of this course are to introduce the students to the physical laws that govern everyday life and improve their problem solving skills. To do this we will work towards a conceptual understanding of the phenomenon we observe, as well as apply some mathematics to model these phenomena.

Expected Course Outcomes:

You should come away from this course with a better understanding of forces, energy, momentum, motion, fluids and heat. You should be better able to formulate a basic solution to any problem through the use of conceptual understanding of the situation as well as apply some mathematics to arrive at a quantitative result.

Lab and Recitation:

Lab and Recitation will meet alternately each week (see schedule) for approximately 2 hrs. Attendance is required at each session. There are 5 laboratory experiments, which must be completed by each student. Pre-lab questions must be completed and handed in at the beginning of each lab and the post lab write-up is due in the following week’s recitation session. A Lab manual is required for each student which can be obtained through the Clarkson bookstore. If absence from a lab cannot be avoided you must make arrangements with your TA either before the lab or within one week of the absence. Recitation will consist of practice problems and questions selected by the TA, and there will be time for any questions that students may have.

Homework:

Homework will be assigned during class and be due before 5:00 PM on Thursday of the following week. Homework is to be handed in at the HW box located on the wall between sc260 and sc262 (look for slot with appropriate section number and TA name).

Exams:

There will be three in class exams given over the course of the semester. The final exam will consist of 4 parts. The first 3 parts will test on the same material as the first three tests, and a higher score on these parts will replace the grade of the corresponding exam. The 4^th part will consist of new material since the 3^rd exam. Part 4 is required the other 3 parts are optional.

Grading Policy (tentative test dates):

• Homework 16%
• Labs 20%
• Exam 1 (9/24) 16%
• Exam 2 (10/22) 16%
• Exam 3 (11/12) 16%
• Final 16%

Final Exam: December 12^th, 2009 (Tuesday)

3:15 – 6:15 PM in CAMP 276

HW #	Due Date	Assignment
1	9/3/09	Ch. 2, Conceptual: 3, 22 Ch. 2, Problems: 8, 9, 18, 28, 35, 43, 47, 68
2	9/10/09	Ch 3, Conceptual: 1, 3, 6, 9 Ch 3, Problems: 4, 9, 19, 21, 29, 30, 52, 53, 67, 69
3	9/17/09	Ch. 4, Conceptual: 1, 3, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13 Ch. 4, Problems: 1, 4, 6, 8, 13, 14, 16, 98
4	9/25/09	Ch 4, Conceptual: 16, 18, 20 Ch 4, Problems: 29, 30, 43, 45, 52, 56, 95 Ch 5, Conceptual: 1 Ch 5, Problems: 15, 45, 54
5	10/9/09	Ch 6, Conceptual: 1, 8, 9, 11 Ch 6, Problems: 4, 6, 17, 76
6	10/15/09	Ch 6, Conceptual: 13, 14 Ch 6, Problems: 8, 19, 29, 33, 37, 40, 46, 80
7	10/23/09	Ch 7, Conceptual: 1, 6, 7, 15 Ch 7, Problems: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 35, 57
8	10/29/09	Conceptual Question 1, 2, 3 (Not in Book!) Ch 7, Problems: 23, 32, 53, 54
9	11/05/09	Ch 8, Conceptual: 3, 6, 10, 13, 15 Problems: 1, 3, 5, 9, 10, 20, 35, 66, 67
10	11/13/09	Ch 8, Problems: 21, 23 Ch 9, Conceptual: 3, 6, 8, 10, 13, 16 Problems: 1, 5, 6, 14, 19, 32, 34, 38, 52, 60, 71
11	11/19/09	Ch 9, Problems: 48, 49, 61 Ch 10, Problems: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10
12	12/03/09	Ch 11, Questions: 1, 4, 10 Problems: 15, 20, 27, 88 Ch 12, Conceptual: 1, 2, 4, 9, 10, 13 Problems: 50, 64, 92
13	Exam Week	X-Tra Credit: TBA

PH 141 Fall 2009: TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR LAB/RECITATION SESSIONS
Week of	HW assigned in Lecture	Lab/Recitation (Room)	Due *
08/24	1	No Lab or Rec	-------
08/31	2	Rec 1 (SC386)	HW 1
09/07	3	Lab 1 (SC272)	HW 2
09/14	4	Rec 2 (SC386)	Lab1+HW 3*
09/21	5	Lab 2 (SC272)	HW 4

FIRST HOURLY TEST: 09/24

09/28	None	Fall Break (09/28 -09/29); No lab/rec	-------
10/05	6	Rec 3 (SC386)	Lab2+HW 5*
10/12	7	Lab 3 (SC272)	HW 6
10/19	8	Rec 4 (SC386)	Lab3+HW 7*

SECOND HOURLY TEST: 10/22

10/26	9	Lab 4 (SC272)	HW 8
11/02	10	Rec 5 (SC386)	Lab4+HW 9*
11/09	11	Lab 5 (SC272)	HW 10
THIRD HOURLY TEST: 11/12
11/16	12	Rec 6 (SC386)	Lab5+HW 11*
11/23	None	Thanksgiving Break (11/25-11/27) No lab/rec	----
11/30	X-Tra 13	Rec 7 (SC386)	HW 12
12/07: FINALS’ WEEK X-Tra Credit Assignment Due at Final Exam

* Labs are due in Recitation Sessions. Homeworks are to be handed in the PH141 HW Box located between SC 260 and SC 262. Any changes to the above dates will be announced in class.

11/17/09