Office hours:  See the assignments page for current times.
You set the agenda for office hours.  Come with questions about the lecture, reading, homework, exams, grading, or anything else of concern or interest.  Come in groups or as individuals.  If you would like to discuss something in private, please make a separate appointment with me.

Textbook:  Bloomfield, How Things Work - The Physics of Everyday Life, Third Edition, Wiley, 2005.

Content:  We will study motion, fluids, heat, electric and magnetic forces, light, and nuclear physics following the tentative schedule shown on the assignments page.  The assignments page will be updated regularly, you should check it often for reading and homework assignments as well as for adjustments to the schedule.  Please read each assigned section before coming to lecture. 

Homework:  Homework questions are posted on the Physics 109 assignments webpage. Your typed solutions to the homework questions are due by 5 PM on Fridays in the box outside room 347 (my office).  You are encouraged to discuss the homework questions with one another but must write up your answers separately and in your own words.   For additional help and discussion on the homework questions please stop by Mike's office hours.

Homework questions will be graded on a 0-4 scale.

Rough definitions of scores:
0 - You didn’t attempt to answer the question
1 - You wrote down something down, but missed the main point
2 - You sort-of understand what’s going on, but need to explain more.
3 - You understand what’s going on, but missed a minor point.
4 – Perfect, Great, Nice Work.

Exams:  There will be an in-class midterm exam during the semester as well as a three hour final exam.  Both exams will be closed book. 

Essays:  Every other week you will write a one page essay on  how something works.  The topics for these essays will be posted on the assignments page as well as additional details on my expectations.

Laboratory: Physics 109 students will also attend a 3 hour lab every other week.  Physics 160 students will not attend lab. The laboratory is run independently, but is a required part of physics 109.  You must satisfactorily complete six experiments in order to pass this course.  The lab will meet on the following dates (Friday): 2/1, 2/15, 2/29, 3/21, 4/4, and 4/18.  In addition physics 109 students must attend a lab orientation session on Friday, 1/25/2008 at 1:10 PM in Park 234.

Grading:

homework: 25% total,
midterm exam: 20%,
essays: 25%
final exam: 30%