PHYSICS n317K- Prof. Rory Coker

PHYSICS 317K - Rory Coker

Prof. Rory Coker
Office: RLM 8.312
Phone: (512) 471-5194
Fax: (512) 471-9637
Email: coker's phone mail, coker's physics department mail

Office Hours: 2:15 to 3:15 PM, Fridays, in RLM 8.312

[C1] [C2] [S] [A] [OK] [F] [T] [KC] [C]

“[The new term] 'physicist' is both to my mouth and ears so awkward that I think I shall never use it. The equivalent of three separate sounds of i in one word is too much.” — Michael Faraday (1791 - 1857)

The Fall 2017 unique number is 56185; the class meets Tu-Thur from 2 to 3:30 PM in Pai 2.48. Attendance is REQUIRED in class, and the roll will be checked each day using iClickers. The TAs are (1) Yi Luo . His office is RLM 14.214 and he will hold office hours in RLM 14.318 on Thursday and 14.214 on Friday, at 4 to 5 PM. (2) Pontus Laurell, office RLM 9.210, hours Monday 4-5 PM and Tuesday 5:15 - 6:15 PM. Important! If you need immediate personal help with the homework and are on campus, the Coaching tables by the elevators on the 5th level of RLM Hall are manned by several graduate student coaches at various times between 9 AM and 6 PM. Here is the current coaching schedule, in landscape mode, best viewed with your phone. You can also check with the physics undergraduate secretary for a list of physics graduate students who are willing to do private tutoring. For example, updated to Fall 2017.

Text: Essential University Physics, by Richard Wolfson, Vol. 1, current edition (Addison-Wesley). Any edition will work for the class. This course and text cover introductory physics using advanced algebra, trigonometry and basic calculus. You should not be taking this course if you are majoring in science or engineering. Science majors take Phy 301, 315, 316 while engineers take Phy 303K and L. The 317K and L sequence used to be aimed at pre-med students, but it has evolved to become just a general, somewhat stripped-down introduction to basic physics using calculus.

Syllabus and first day handout for Fall 2017. [Preliminary.] Basis of course letter grade: Final exam, 25%; homework, 40%; exams, 25%; class attendance, 10%. The lowest homework grade is dropped, and 3 zero clicker grades are dropped. Class attendance is NOT OPTIONAL; it is required, and contributes a sizable percentage of the overall course grade.

The homework for this course is handled by the Quest on-line homework service. Homework assignments are turned in by you on-line from your web-browser, logging-in with your UT-EID from https://quest.cns.utexas.edu/. An FAQ page is available here. Complete homework and quiz solutions are available on Quest within 15 minutes or half an hour after the deadline. As of Fall 2011, Quest requires a $30 charge per student for its use, which goes toward the maintenance and operation of the resource. After the 12th day of class, when you log into Quest you will be asked to pay via credit card on a secure payment site. You have the option to wait up to 30 days to pay while still continuing to use Quest for your assignments. If you are taking more than one course using Quest, you will not be charged more than $60/semester. For payment questions, email Quest Fees.

RUNNING TABLE OF HOMEWORK DUE DATES AND TIMES:

HW 1, average 95%, with 110 of 113 students turning it in.

HW 2, average 93%, with 111 of 113 students turning it in.

HW 3, average 95%, with 111 of 113 students turning it in.

HW 4, average 95%, with 105 of 113 students turning it in.

HW 5, average 97%, with 101 of 113 students turning it in.

HW 6, average 92%, with 107 of 112 students turning it in.

HW 7, average 95%, with 107 of 112 students turning it in.

HW 8, average 94%, with 104 of 111 students turning it in.

HW 9, average 95%, with 105 of 111 students turning it in.

HW 10, average 97%, with 89 of 110 students turning it in.

HW 11, average 93%, with 101 of 109 students turning it in.

HW 12, average 94%, with 97 of 101 students turning it in.

HW 13, average 91%, with 99 of 101 students turning it in.

HW 14, average 93%, with 96 of 101 students turning it in.

HW 15, average 97%, with 89 of 101 students turning it in.

HW 16, average 88%, with 92 of 101 students turning it in.

HW 17, average 87%, with 91 of 100 students turning it in.

Quiz 1 statistics: Average grade 62%, highest grade 100%, lowest grade 10%. 110 of 112 enrolled students took the quiz. 4 students made 100, 9 students made 90, 12 students made 80, 22 students made 70, 25 students made 60, 15 students made 50, 17 students made 40, 2 students made 30, 3 students made 20, and 1 student made 10. Unless you have been doing the homework pretty much on your own, the homework is not usually going to provide you with the conceptual comprehension you need to do well on a quiz.

Quiz 2 statistics: Average grade 68%, highest grade(s) 100%, lowest grade(s) 25%. 102 of 108 enrolled students took the quiz. 21 students made grades from 100 to 90%; 14 students made grades from 89 to 80%; 20 students made grades from 79 to 70%; 9 students made grades from 69 to 60%; 17 students made grades from 59 to 50%; 13 students made grades from 49 to 40%; 3 students made grades from 39 to 30%; and, 5 students made grades from 29 to 20%. In almost most cases, students made approximately the same grade on Quiz 2 that they made on Quiz 1, which is the usual case.

The final exam average was 69%. 91 of 98 enrolled students took the final. 6 students made from 100 to 90; 24 students made from 89 to 80; 14 students made from 79 to 70; 23 students made from 69 to 60; 15 students made from 59 to 50; 6 students made from 49 to 40; and, 3 students made from 39 to 30.

What is weight?

Forces!

Here is a way to get extra credit!

Here is the Golden Rule of physics problem-solving. Ignore it at your extreme peril.

Important: the Laboratory Course is a REQUIRED CO-REQUISITE for 317K. It is your responsibility to register for and take the lab, simultaneously with 317K, unless you have already taken and passed it in a prevous semester.

COACHES AND TUTORS: Coaches are present at tables by the elevators on the 5th level of RLM, at various times between 9 AM and 5 PM weekdays. Coaches are there to give you hints on homework problems, and mini-lectures on key concepts in physics. You can obtain a physics graduate student tutor by contacting the undergraduate secretary, whose office is around the corner from the coaching tables on the 5th level. If you are experiencing any difficulties in doing the homework you probably need a tutor, and you would need to work with him or her beginning as early as possible in the semester.

EXAMPLES WORKED IN CLASS: Ch. 2, More Ch. 2, Ch. 3, Ch. 4, Ch. 5, Ch. 6, Ch. 7, Ch. 8, Ch. 9, Ch. 10, Ch. 11-12, Ch.13, Ch. 14, Ch. 15, Ch. 16, Ch. 17, Ch. 18, Ch. 19.