Topics: waves and sound, electric forces, electric potential and electric potential energy, electric circuits, magnetic forces, electromagnetic induction, electromagnetic waves, reflection and refraction of light, special relativity, quantum mechanics, particles and waves, atomic and nuclear physics, radioactivity.
Calculator: Students may use whatever calculator they wish on quizzes and examinations. A commonly-used calculator is the one shown at the right, the TI-83+, or a later model, such as the TI-84/85/86. TI 83+ Solver Instructions TI 84+ Solver Instructions TI-84 C Silver Edition TI 85 Solver Instructions The calculators listed above are especially helpful in solving algebraic equations.

Examinations (400 points): There are four 75-minute, open-book, online examinations. The exams will consist of 20 multiple-choice answer questions.   .

The final examination (described below) score will replace the lowest of the students' four exam scores, provided the final exam score is higher than the lowest exam score.  Note:  For those students who otherwise would get a D+ or lower in the course based on the single-exam replacement rule, the lower two exam scores for those students will be replaced by the final exam score, providing the final exam score is higher than both scores.  In such an event, C- is the highest grade that will be awarded.

There are no make-up, late, or early exams; if a student doesn't take the exam on the day, and at the time scheduled, that missed examination score will be replaced by whatever score the student receives on the comprehensive final exam.

Quizzes
Dates of the exams are to be announced.

Final Examination (100 points)

The final examination is three hours long and covers all of the material presented in lecture and must be taken at the assigned time.  It consists of 33 multiple-choice answer questions.

The final exam score is used not only to replace the lowest exam score--if one of the first four exam scores is lower than the final exam score, but also counts as the fifth examination.  Thus, there are five exam scores with a total possible value of 500 points. Some students might end up with more than 500 points on the five exams because of the curving of the exam scores.

The final exam is worth 100 points. In rare cases, owing to curving, some students may have gotten exam scores higher than 100,and might, by the time of the final, already have more than the 92% of the course total of 620 points needed to receive an "A" in the class (571 points or more). In such a case, the student would not need to take the final exam, since he or she will be awarded an "A" whether the final is taken, or not. In other cases, students might only need a dozen or so points on the final exam to earn an "A."

Laboratory (120 points):  Contact the Lab Director, Prof. Gerald Hyatt, for information about the laboratory portion of this course.


Grading: Your course grade will be based on following percentage scale. The number of points possible will be the sum of the four unit exams (4 x 100), the final exam (100), the laboratory (120), and however many points are possible for the various quizzes given (to be determined).

Course Schedule