Spring 2012 Porterville College
Professor: Jon D. Satko
Office: SM 211-K Phone: 791-2345 E-mail: jsatko@pc.cc.ca.us
Please refer to my website www.portervillecollege.edu/satko for information on homework assignments, office hours and class cancellations.
Class meetings:
LECTURE: MW 9:35 am – 11:00 am SM 210
LAB: F 8:30 am – 11:40 am SM 210
(Some lab meetings will be in LIB-449; that room is available to us during Friday labs, from 9:30 am to 11:40 am.)
Materials required:
Scientific calculator (graphing calculator recommended)
Text: Rex & Wolfson, Essential College Physics, Volume 1 & Volume 2
Notebook
Access to a computer with word processing / graphing capability (I will be using
Microsoft Word and Excel in class for laboratory instruction.)
Contacting the professor:
The best way to reach me, especially if you want a response, is by email (jsatko@pc.cc.ca.us).
Attendance:
Attendance at all scheduled sessions, including lectures, labs and exam, is highly recommended. If you miss a session, you will not be allowed to make up the work (this includes tests!).
Course content:
Physics can be defined as the study of the entire natural or physical world. To simplify this task, the study of physics is usually divided into the following categories:
I. Classical Physics
A. Mechanics
B. Wave Motion
C. Heat
D. Electricity and Magnetism
E. Light
II. Modern Physics
A. Relativity
B. Quantum Mechanics
C. Atomic and Nuclear Physics
D. Condensed Matter Physics
E. Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics
The first semester of this course (102A) was devoted to Mechanics. In this second semester, you will study the rest of Classical Physics, i.e., Heat, Electricity and Magnetism, and Light. As time permits, we will explore topics in Modern Physics such as and Nuclear Physics, Quantum Mechanics, and Relativity.
Although there are other natural sciences besides physics, physics is the foundation of these other sciences. For example, astronomy is the application of physics to the study of all matter beyond the earth. Chemistry is the study of the properties of matter and the transformation of that matter. Geology is the application of physics to the study of the earth. Meteorology is the application of physics to the study of the atmosphere. Engineering is the application of physics to the solution of practical problems. The health sciences use so many new techniques and equipment based on physical principles that they require an understanding of physics.
Whatever your career aspirations, I hope that this course will lead you to a richer understanding of, and curiosity about, the physical universe.
The following chapters of Rex & Wolfson’s Essential College Physics will be covered:
Volume 1
Chp. 12 Temperature, Thermal Expansion and Ideal Gases
Chp. 13 Heat
Chp. 14 The Laws of Thermodynamics
Volume 2
Chp. 15 Electric Charges, Forces and Fields
Chp. 16 Electric Energy, Potential and Capacitors
Chp. 17 Electric Current, Resistance and Circuits
Chp. 18 Magnetic Fields and Forces
Chp. 19 Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents
Chp. 20 Electromagnetic Waves and Special Relativity
Chp. 21 Geometric Optics
Chp. 25 Nuclear Physics
Lectures will be an important source of information in the course, but the lectures may not cover everything. You are responsible for reading and understanding the book as well. If there is a concept in the reading that you do not understand, please ask in class or during my office hours. You are expected to read the specified sections prior to the class meeting when it will be discussed.
Student Learning Objectives:
By the completion of this course the student should be able to:
1. Analyze and solve problems relating to electricity and magnetism.
2. Analyze and solve problems relating to electromagnetic radiation.
3. Analyze and solve problems relating to geometric optics.
4. Analyze and solve problems relating to nuclear physics and radioactivity.
5. Analyze and solve problems relating to relativity.
Disability resources at Porterville College:
Students with verified disabilities may qualify for alternate media, extended time testing, and other various accommodations provided by the Disability Resource Center. Contact the DRC in AC 115 (791-2215) for further information
Class cancellation:
If I need to cancel a class meeting, I will do my best to notify each of you, using your email address on file with the college.
You can access your grade report at any time on www.mygradebook.com. Under Email, Classword, or Primary Login ID, enter the Classword physspring2012. You will receive your individual password from me.
Consult the course catalog for the College’s definitions of cheating and plagiarism. If at any time I suspect that a student has cheated / plagiarized on an assignment, he/she will receive a zero grade for that assignment, and will be referred to the Dean’s office for probationary action.
There will be approximately five tests.
The purpose of the homework is to help you to learn and understand the concepts presented in the book and in my lecture, and to help you prepare for each test.
There may be periodic quizzes in class; this will encourage you to stay up to date with the course material.
Most weeks, you will do an activity that relates to what you are learning in the lecture. Sometimes you will be required to write your own lab report, while other times you will fill in the blanks of a pre-printed assignment. You will generally have ten days to complete lab reports; they are due at 9:35 am on Monday. Your lab report must be your own original work.
The final exam will be an open-notes, open-book, cumulative exam, covering all material from the semester.
No credit will be earned for late work, and there will be no make-up test, except in cases of emergency.
TENTATIVE Spring 2012 Schedule
Note the following days on which classes will be cancelled:
Fri., Feb. 17 President Lincoln’s Birthday
Mon., Feb. 20 President Washington’s Birthday
Apr. 2 – 6 Easter Break