Physics 131 Schedule Fall 2011

(Note: This schedule is TENTATIVE and subject to frequent change)

Class Class number Reading Assignments (online with commentary in MP due 9 PM prev eve.)
 Assignments (Due at beginning of lecture) Content Lab Recitation
             
Week 1
  No lab-- Survey (FMCE)
8/31
1
R110831
Why is this class different from all other classes?    
9/2
2
R110902
Mechanism, Measurement, and Math: Dimensions and units    
Week 2
 

No lab--

 Scaling and estimation
9/7
3

R110907
HW 1
Coordinates, Graphs, Vectors    
9/9
4

R110909

Rate of change and velocity -- instantaneous and average    
Week 3:
  Lab 1 --
Measurement		 Cheetah and antelope
9/12
5
R110912
Graphs: Velocity and consistency Quiz 1  
9/14
6
R110914
HW 2
Acceleration    
9/16
7

None
Physical content of Newton's laws    
Week 4
  Lab 2--
Grandfather clock:1
 Woodpecker
9/19
8
R110919
What's a force? Quiz 2  
9/21
9
R110921
HW 3
Newton 0, 1, and 2    
9/23
10
R110923
The implications game; Newton's 3rd Law    
Week 5
  Lab 3 -- Grandfather clock:2
Water coat forces
9/26
11
R110926
Forces: Springs Quiz 3  
9/28
12
R110928
HW 4
Forces: Tension and normal forces    
9/30
13

R110930
Forces: Friction, Viscosity, and Drag    
Week 6
  Lab 4 -- Let it roll  
10/3
14

R111003
Forces: Gravity Quiz 4  
10/5
15
None
HW 5
Review    
10/7
16
MIDTERM EXAM 1  
Week 7
  Lab 4 -- Let it roll part 2
  
10/10
17

None
Go over exam 1    
10/12
18
R111012
HW 6
Electric charge    
10/14
19
R111014
Forces: Electricity    
10/14
Make up exam 1    
Week 8
  Lab 5 -- Endangered creatures
10/17
20
R111017
Electrical examples Quiz 5  
10/19
21
R111019
HW 7

Momentum and momentum conservation

    
10/21
22
R111021
Properties of solids    
Week 9
  Lab 6 -- No free launch:1
10/24
23
R111024
Basics of fluids: Pressure Quiz 6  
10/26
24
R111026
HW 8
Buoyancy    
10/27
25
R111028
Fluid flow  
Week 10
  Lab 7 --No free launch:2
  
10/31
26
R111031
Work and Energy Quiz 7  
11/2
27
R111102
HW 9
Potential energy      
11/4
28
R111104
Various kinds of PE    
Week 11
  Lab 8 -- Roller coaster:1
11/7
29
R111107
Mechanical energy conservation Quiz 8  
11/9
30
HW 10
Review    
11/11
31
MIDTERM EXAM 2    
Week 12
  Lab 9 -- Roller coaster:2
  
11/14
32
Go over exam 2    
11/16
33
R111116
Molecular forces and energies    
11/18
34
R111118
Chemical energy:bonds    
Week 13
  No lab--


11/21
35
R111121
Heat and temperature Quiz 9  
11/21
Makeup exam 2    
11/23
36
None
HW 11
Guest lecture: RNA Polymerase, the Ribosome and the Work-Energy theorem (Prof. La Porta)    
Week 14
  Lab 10 -- Gravity:1
11/28
37
R111128
Kinetic theory of gas: Molecular interpretation of pressure and temperature    
11/30
38
R111130
HW 12
Energy -- 1st law    
12/2
39
R111202
Random motion and diffusion    
Week 15
  Lab 11 -- Gravity:2  
12/5
40
R111205
Fick's law Quiz 10  
12/7
41
R111207
HW 13
Motivating the 2nd law    
12/9
42
R111209
Entropy    
 
     
12/12
43
R111212
HW 14
Transforming organization: The second law    
12/21
FINAL EXAM (8:00-12:00)    

*
UP="Understanding Physics" by Cummings et al.
K = "College Physics" by Knight, Jones, & Field
T = "Introductory Physics: Building Understanding" by Touger

RETURNS

University of Maryland Physics Department Physics 131 Home

This page prepared by

Edward F. Redish
Department of Physics
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Phone: (301) 405-6120
Email: redish@physics.umd.edu

Last revision 8.December.2011