Passaic County Community College

Science Department

PY 120 – Physics I

Syllabus Fall 2007

I. Course Code: PY 120

II. Course Title: Physics I

III. Prerequisite: MA 120

IV. Number of Credits: 4

Credit Hours – Lecture: 3, Laboratory: 1

V. Instructor's Information:

Name: Dr. John Jurcevic

Phone: (973) 684-5213

E-mail:

Office: E 503

Office Hours: Monday 1:00 pm–2:00 pm

Tuesday 11:00 am–12:00 pm

Wednesday 4:00 pm–5:00 pm

Thursday 11:00 am–12:00 pm

VI. Catalog Description:

This is the first in a three-semester, calculus based physics sequence. Recommended for majors in engineering, pure science or mathematics. Covers vectors, kinematics, dynamics, Newton's laws, energy, momentum, circular and rotational motion, gravitational forces, solid and fluid mechanics, heat and thermodynamics.

VII. Course Objectives:

As an active participant in this course, you will strive to successfully attain the following educational goals:

·  Enhancement of your critical thinking skills. You will be able to decompose complex problems into their constituent parts and understand the relationships between those parts. You will utilize fundamental concepts from multiple sources, logic, and insight to create new complex ideas and solutions to problems. Your critical thinking will be demonstrated through written work and discussions.

·  Develop knowledge of the connection between science and technology to your everyday life and society. You will understand that the knowledge and inner workings of science and technology are comprehensible. Your comprehension of science and technology will empower you to make informed decisions for yourself and society regarding current and emerging technologies.

·  Develop an ability to connect knowledge from multiple disciplines. You will discover relationships between concepts from different disciplines and be able to meld information from those sources into a consistent worldview. You will appreciate the value of multidisciplinary approaches and their use to solve problems in the real world.

·  Develop skills for learning and communicating knowledge. You will clearly communicate your ideas through writing and speaking. Your will work collaboratively with your classmates and actively exchange ideas with them. You will engage in informed discussions on topics covered in our class.

·  Learn about the nature of science. You will understand the strengths and limitations of the scientific method. You will value the importance of models in scientific inquiry. You will understand the influence of technology in the progress of science. You will gain a positive attitude toward science.

·  Develop knowledge of our World that is consistent with physical reality.

·  Understand and apply the following physical concepts:

o  One-dimensional dynamics: displacement, velocity, and acceleration.

o  Scalars, vectors, and vector components.

o  Projectile motion.

o  Newton’s laws of motion.

o  Work, kinetic energy, potential energy, power, and conservation of energy.

o  Momentum, impulse, and conservation of momentum

o  Rotational dynamics: angular position, angular velocity, angular acceleration, moment of inertia, angular momentum, rotational energy, torque, relationships between angular and linear quantities, centripetal acceleration

o  Newton’s law of universal gravitation

o  Fluid dynamics: density and pressure.

o  Thermodynamics: heat, internal energy, specific heat, calorimetry, latent heat and phase changes, energy transfer by conduction, radiation, and convection.

VIII. Course Outline:

Week / Date /

Topics

/ Textbook Reading
1 / Sep. 6 / Physics and Measurement
Motion in One Dimension / Ch. 1
Ch. 2
2 /

Sep. 10

/ Vectors / Ch. 3
3 /

Sep. 17

/ Motion in Two-Dimensions / Ch. 4
4 /

Sep. 24

/ The Laws of Motion / Ch. 5
5 / Oct. 1
/ Circular Motion

Exam 1: Thursday in class

/ Ch. 6
6 / Oct. 8 / Energy of a System / Ch. 7
7 /

Oct. 15

/ Conservation of Energy / Ch. 8
8 /

Oct. 22

/ Linear Momentum and Collisions / Ch. 9
9 /

Oct. 29

/ Rotation of a Rigid Object / Ch. 10
10 /

Nov. 5

/ Angular Momentum

Exam 2: Thursday in class

/ Ch. 11
11 /

Nov. 12

/ Static Equilibrium and Elasticity / Ch. 12
12 /

Nov. 19

/ Universal Gravitation / Ch. 13
13 / Nov. 26 / Fluid Mechanics / Ch. 14
14 /

Dec. 3

/ Temperature
First Law of Thermodynamics / Ch. 19
Ch. 20
15 /

Dec. 10

/ Kinetic Theory of Gases
Heat Engines and Entropy
Exam 3: Thursday in class / Ch. 21
Ch. 22
16 /

Dec. 18, 20

/ Final Exam, Tuesday, Thursday

IX. Required Texts and Materials:

Textbook: Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Raymond A. Serway and John W. Jewett

Brooks Cole, 7th Edition, ISBN-10: 0495112453

You will also need a scientific calculator for both lecture and laboratory.

X. Methods of Evaluation:

Homework: Homework will be assigned every week. Part of your homework will be completed through the website WebAssign.net. The other part of your homework will be completed by hand and will be due in class on Thursday each week. Late homework will not be accepted.

Lab Attendance and Quizzes: Attendance of lab is compulsory and will count equally toward your lab grade along with quizzes given during lab. Late lab quizzes will not be accepted.

In-class Projects: Assigned during some class periods and will be due in the same class period that they are given. Late in-class projects will not be accepted unless you have an excused absence as outlined below.

Exams: Four exams will be given for this course as indicated in the Course Outline. Three exams will be held during the semester and one final exam will be given during the scheduled exam week following the regular semester. All exams carry the same weight in counting toward your grade. Missing an exam will count as a zero for your grade on that exam.

Make-up Work: There will be no make-up work for missing homework, lab quizzes, in-class projects, or exams.

Your class grade will be based on the following components in the proportions indicated:

Homework (WebAssign) 10%

Homework (Written) 10%

Lab Attendance and Quizzes 15%

In-Class Projects 5%

Exams (4) 60% (15% each)

Grade Scale:

Grade / A / A- / B+ / B / B- / C+ / C / D / F
Breakpoint (%) / 90 / 86 / 82 / 78 / 74 / 70 / 66 / 54 / Below 54

Expectations:

Attendance of class is not a part of your grade but class attendance is nigh on mandatory. You must inform the instructor of any planned absences at least one day prior to your absence. An absence may also be excused by showing the instructor a note from your medical practitioner detailing the reasons for your absence.

If you have an excused absence from class then it is your responsibility to see the instructor to obtain any in-class projects that were missed. Such projects are due the very next class meeting.

You are expected to have the required textbook reading completed prior to attending each class.

You are encouraged to see the instructor during office hours when you have difficulties understanding the material covered during the course.

Students that require any special educational needs must notify the instructor and show the requisite documentation prior to the end of the second week of class.

The Passaic County Community College Academic Bulletin Student Code of Conduct policies on your rights and responsibilities as a student all apply to this course. Make sure you have read and understand all those policies.

Academic Conduct:

You must abide by the rules listed in the Passaic County Community College Academic Bulletin Student Code of Conduct with regards to academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

All work you submit must be your own.

Every instance of academic dishonesty and plagiarism will be dealt with as described in the Passaic County Community College Academic Bulletin Student Code of Conduct.

I endorse group discussion of homework problems, lab work, and in-class projects. If you do discuss problems with other students then credit them in the work that you submit with an appropriate attribution. Do not take this to mean that copying someone else’s work is allowed. If any part of your work looks very similar to that of another student then it will be considered plagiarism.

Disabilities:

If you have a disability and believe you need accommodations in my classroom, please see a counselor in the Center for Student Success. If you require testing accommodations, you must notify me at least one week in advance of the test.