Announcements for Physics 260 (Prof. Agashe) - Spring 2009

 Information about final exam (common with sections 10* and 30*)
 
Location: Room 1407 in Chemistry Building (note that it is not the usual room for lectures) 
 
Time: Friday, May 15 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

Topics: The final exam is cumulative, i.e., all topics covered in during the semester 
(chapters 14-21 and 26-32, except sections 15.6 on Elasticity and 32.9 on RC Circuits) will 
be on it.
 
A summary of topics has been also be posted here. 
 
A sample final exam has been posted here. Solutions have already been emailed to the 
course mailing list (in addition, these solutions will be available up on email request to this 
address). 
 
The format/level of difficulty of the actual final will be similar to the sample, i.e., one problem 
from each of 6 topics (oscillations, fluids, waves, thermodynamics, electrostatics, 
current electricity). 
 
Also, all formulae will be provided (no other notes are allowed: please ignore the
“staple…card..” at the top left-hand side of sample final). As usual, the actual problems on 
final might be on different specific topics (within each of the 6 broad topics) than on sample 
(e.g., pendulum instead of mass on spring for oscillations etc.).
 
Please bring your own calculators.

Grading scheme: The total score (out of 100) will be computed as given on main course 
webpage, i.e., 
 
Final exam: 20%
 
Two Midterm exams (12.5 % each): 25% total
 
Quizzes (2 in lecture and 2 in discussion): 5 % total
 
Homework (Written 10% + Electronic 15%): 25% total
 
Physics 261 Lab: 25%. 
 
Very roughly, the top 1/3 of the class (about 40 students out of 120) will get A (irrespective of 
their actual scores), the next 1/3 will get B etc., but this scheme is subject to change, 
depending on scores on final (and in lab).

 
Other/earlier notices…
 
(1) HW13 (online only) has also been assigned, but it will not be counted for grade – it is meant for your practice only.
 
(2). All lecture notes (up to 26) are posted here and solutions to all homeworks (and quizzes,
and exams, except for sample final) are posted here.
 
(3). Average on 1st midterm is 35 (out of 50). Average on 2nd midterm is 40 (out of 50).