Syllabus Physics 122 Summer 2003

Textbooks:
Cutnell & Johnson: Physics, Ed. Wiley 2001 (5th Edition),
Physics 122 Fundamentals of Physics II Laboratory Manual, Ed. Wiley 2001
In order to do most of the book during the semester, we will roughly cover two chapters per week (on the average). It is possible that extra material or references will be given during the course.

Laboratory: Room 3316 - Laboratory: Room 3316 - The lab will be run by the TA who will be in charge of the laboratory. The laboratory experiments are an essential part of this course. You cannot pass the course unless you have completed everyone of the ten experiments and submitted the relative lab reports. Since time in the laboratory is limited, come to the lab fully prepared. Read the lab manual and any supplementary materials in advance. Generally lab reports must be submitted before leaving the lab. Late lab reports will be allowed in the case of long experiments. In these cases lab reports should be finished and turned in to the teaching assistant no later than the next lab class. You should follow the suggested format for reports as given in your lab manual. Your TA will discuss the report format and his lab grading policy during the first lab period.
Laboratory Make-up: There are "make-up" days on the lab schedule during which time you are expected to do missed experiments. A maximum of two experiments may be done during a make-up period. You must submit a written request (e.g. via email) to your TA with the name of the experiment(s) you wish to make-up at least one day before the make-up period.

Homework: Homework will be assigned every week for practice and solutions will be posted every Friday. The homework will not be graded, however remember that Quizzes and Exams will be based on the homework problems (and the lecture content), therefore you will not do well in the course if you do not do the homework. If you have troubles with your homework do not hesitate to contact the instructor or the TA. Act before it is too late!

Quizzes: Brief “closed book” quizzes based upon recent materials will take place weekly. These will be based on previously assigned homework. Make-up quizzes may be offered in the case of excused absence (this shall require a previous notification or a written documentation).

Exams: There will be three hourly exams and one final exam. The exact dates of the exams will be announced during the class. (If you must be absent from an exam for a religious observance, you must notify Dr. Liberati before the end of the schedule adjustment period.) During the last week of the course a make-up exam will be given.

Grading: Your semester grade will be based on overall course score, computed with the following weights:

You must take Final Exam and do every lab to pass the course. The % necessary to obtain a particular letter grade is not pre-decided. After each exam I will discuss the class distribution and give you a good idea where you stand.

Extra Help: : We will not use calculus. However, algebra and trigonometry are used throughout. Review your high school knowledge thoroughly. If you need help, get it as soon as possible. As described below, I am always available. Never hesitate to contact your Instructor or TA if you are experiencing difficulties. The only way to alleviate a problem is to address it immediately. Dr.Liberati will be available after each lecture, or in his office (Physics Bld. Room 4205D) during his weekly office hours or at any other time by appointment (just email him in advance). The TA will help with the lab, grading, and will also answer questions that you may have in his office hours. You are encouraged to ask for help whenever you feel it may be useful, and better sooner than later. In addition to your instructor and TA you can ask for help at the Slawsky Clinic. This is an excellent (free) tutoring service. It is staffed by very dedicated physicists who can help you improve your problem solving skills. Do take advantage of this highly acclaimed feature of the physics department. Moreover, the University's Learning Assistance Service (LAS) offers general assistance. If you are experiencing difficulties in keeping up with the academic demands of this course, you might wish to contact the Learning Assistance Service, 2201 Shoemaker Bldg., 301-314-7693. Their educational counselors can help with time management, reading, note-taking, and exam preparation skills.

Calculators: You should bring a scientific calculator to the class, and especially to the lab and exams.

Cellular Phones and other wireless devices: The use of any wireless device (especially the use of “text messaging”!) will be forbidden during quizzes and exams.

Lab Notebook: You should keep all of your original lab notes in a single notebook. A square ruled page format is convenient for plotting graphs as you go. See the 122 Laboratory Manual for further details on lab notebooks and reports.

The University has a nationally recognized Honor Code, administered by the Student Honor Council. The Student Honor Council proposed and the University Senate approved an Honor Pledge. The University of Maryland Honor Pledge reads:

In Physics 122, you may be asked on occasion whether you wish to append this pledge to a work (e.g., Exam, Report, Assignment) you are submitting for course credit. We recommend that you do so at each opportunity as a constructive re-affirmation of your support, in principle and in practice, of academic integrity. Whether or not you choose to do so will have no affect on any aspect of your Physics 122 course record.