Syllabus

Personnel

Course Coordinator:	B Alex Brown, Tibor F Nagy, Richard J Hallstein
Teaching Assistant:	Ian Howard Warn, Timothy Gilbert Bazil, Jayson Frank Grassi, Brian Matthew Wirsing, Edward Michael Walton, Oskar Ubysz, Samuel Drake, Andrew Thaddeus Bundas, Eric J Lee, Tibor F Nagy 9, Kraig Jacob Andrews, Eric Edwin Ciolek, Erin Mackenzie May, Sudheer Mallikarjun Dhoop, Dron Manojkumar Mandhana, Jared Andreas Staubin, Robert Joseph Harrison, Stephen Michael Peltier, Eric William Goodwin, Matthew David Walter, Charles William Swanson

Instructor Information

Tibor F. Nagy (sections 001 and 002)
Homepage: http://www.pa.msu.edu/~nagy_t/
Office: BPS 1253.
Phone: (517) 884-5508.
Email: nagy_t@pa.msu.edu or nagytibo@msu.edu.
Office hour: Tuesday 12:30-1:30PM, BPS 1248.

Alex Brown (section 003)
Homepage: http://www.nscl.msu.edu/~brown/
Office: Cyclotron Room 2043.
Phone: 517-333-6328.
Email: brown@nscl.msu.edu.

Teaching Assistants: Kraig Andrews (andre220@msu.edu), Eric Ciolek (cioleker@msu.edu), Eric Goodwin (goodwi63@msu.edu), Erin May (mayerin1@msu.edu).

Course Description

PHY 231 is an algebra-based general physics class, recommended for a variety of majors. Topics include: kinematics, Newton's laws of motion, work and energy, momentum and collisions, oscillations, rotational motion, gravitation, solids and fluids, waves and sound, temperature, heat, thermodynamics.

Prerequisites

MTH 103 or MTH 116 or MTH 124 or MTH 132 or LBS 117.

Class Hours

BPS 1410; Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
Section 001 (Nagy) : 8:00-8:50 AM,
Section 002 (Nagy) : 9:10-10:00 AM,
Section 003 (Brown): 10:20-11:10 AM.

Helproom Hours

BPS 1248, Strosacker Learning Center.

A: Kraig Andrews, C: Eric Ciolek, G: Eric Goodwin, M: Erin May.

Monday: C:9-11AM; M:11:30AM-12:20PM; M:2:30-5:30PM; G:5-8PM; C:7-9PM; A:7-9PM
Tuesday: M:9-10AM; A:10AM-12PM; M:11:30AM-12:30PM; C:3-6PM; G:4-9PM; A:6-9PM; M:7-9PM
Friday: C:9-11AM; A:11:30AM-12:30PM;

You are also encouraged to use the discussion board inside LON-CAPA. If you don't understand a problem, or you need help, just click on the "Post Discussion" link and post your question. If you know the answer to somebody else's question, just don't be afraid to post your answer. Don't forget: The best way to learn is to teach. (Doscendo discimus.)

Project Information

Honors option: Honors option is not be available for PHY 231 in the Fall of 2013.

Exam Information

For each exam, each student should bring a picture ID, two #2 pencils, an eraser, a calculator with fresh batteries. (Graphing calculators are allowed, but not necessary.) On the exams the students must work individually and rules and procedures regarding academic dishonesty are strictly applied without exceptions.

Students with disabilities or other circumstances that require special arrangements should inform their instructors as soon as possible (ideally in the first two weeks) and well ahead of the exams so that proper arrangements can be made. Please present the instructor with your RCPD form.

Make-ups: Attendance of a make-up exam requires advance approval from the instructor and evidence of a serious conflict (e.g. Doctor, Dean, Coach etc) must be provided at least one week before the exam date. In case of sickness where you cannot contact us 1 week in advance, you should inform us at least prior to the actual exam time. As a rule, make-up exams are scheduled BEFORE the regular exam dates.

Midterm exam #1: Sep 25, Wednesday, lecture hour and room (BPS 1410).
Midterm exam #2: Oct 23, Wednesday, lecture hour and room (BPS 1410).
Midterm exam #3: Nov 20, Wednesday, lecture hour and room (BPS 1410).

On the midterm exams a one-sided handwritten help sheet is allowed together with the sheets from the previous midterm exams. On the final exam the three one-sided help sheets from the midterms together with a fourth one-sided sheet are allowed. These can all fit on two pieces of paper.

Grading Information

Percent weights: Homework: 20%. Three midterm exams: 3 x 16% = 48%. Final exam: 32%, Clicker questions: 4%. Total: 104%.

Clicker questions: Correct answer: 3 points. Incorrect answer: 1 point. Not present: zero point.

Homework: Every homework question is worth 1 point.

Midterm exams: Maximum score on each midterm: 50 points. The midterm exams will have correction exams as a homework. 30% of the positive difference between the correction exam and the in-class exam will be added to your in-class exam score as bonus.

Final Exam: Maximum score on the final: 100 points. The final exam will not have correction.

Grading scale:
4.0 >= 94%,
3.5 >= 86%,
3.0 >= 78%,
2.5 >= 70%,
2.0 >= 62%,
1.5 >= 54%,
1.0 >= 46%,
0.0 < 46%.

This grading scale might be lowered, but it will not be raised.

Textbook

Andrew Rex, Richard Wolfson: Essential College Physics, Volume 1, 1st edition, 2010. ISBN-10: 0-321-61116-0, ISBN-13: 978-0-321-61116-1.

We will use i-clicker in this class.