Physics 132 - Physics for Biologists II 

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Homework typically consists of 2 parts.

• One section is to be done online in the MasteringPhysics (MP) environment. This may also have two parts.
  • Exercises -- a few MP problems as warm-up. These are worth 1 point each and you can do them as many times as you want until you get them right.
  • Thinking problems -- These are from our collection. These are worth 2 or 3 point each and you only get one attempt at them. You should work them out fully before attempting to enter them. (They are given in the list below for your convenience.)
• The second part consists of one or more longer problems from our collection. It should be prepared carefully and neatly on paper (preferably on a computer and printed out). Preparing this should be like writing up a report. They will be graded in part on the quality of your presentation.
  • Please be certain to put your name is on every page and do NOT CONNECT THE PAGES with staples, clips, tape, or dogears.
    Connecting them may result in you homework being damaged or destroyed.

Please note that both the problems -- whether done in MP or on paper -- are intended to be HARD. They are NOT simply, "you've seen this sort of thing before, just make some small changes." They are rather, "you learn best by figuring out stuff that isn't obvious". For this reason, we strongly recommend you find a group and work together on these problems. (But be sure you write the answers up independently. Answers from different students that are nearly identical, neither will receive credit.)

Both parts will be due at the beginning of lecture on Friday. No homework will be accepted after the solutions are released on BlackBoard.

Homework Assignment 2
(Due Friday, 2/8/13)

To be done on paper and handed in at the beginning of lecture on Wednesday (these problems should be typed and printed).

1. Polymers and entropy (5 pts)

To be done in the MP environment: the following problems (found at HW01)

2. Enthalpy calculation for a simple molecule (3 pts)

3. Evolution and the second law (2 pts)

4. Random or not, here I come (3 pts)