Physics 117A --- Fall 2007
Overview


Getting Started


Grading Policies


Instructors


Syllabus


Reading Questions


Homework


Exams


Help Desk


Instructor Notes


. . Ernst


. . Sheldon


External Links


. . Mastering Physics


. . ILT (Ernst)


. . ILT (Sheldon)


. . Physics Tutors



Syllabus

The schedule of topics for the semester is given below.

You are expected to read the assigned sections before each class.  An online reading quiz is due before each class. See the Reading Questions page for more information.

The topics for the semester have been broken into four color-coded groups for mid-semester exams. All sections of Phys117A will take these exams at a common time. They will be scheduled for early evening (5:15-7:15 pm) to allow more time than would be available for an in-class exam. The final exam is cumulative, but will emphasize the fourth topic group. Please see the Grading Policies page for more information.

Homework sets (online via MasteringPhysics) will be due:
       Prof. Ernst  --  each Tuesday by 9:00 pm central time. 
       Prof. Sheldon -- each Wednesday by 9:00 pm central time.
       Note that the last two assignments are due on Thursday (Ernst) or Friday (Sheldon) at 9pm.
       Always check the Mastering Physics website for up to date information on due dates and times!!!


 

Ernst - Section 1
Sheldon - Section 2
                   
Week   Date Topic Reading     Date Topic Reading
1 
W 29-Aug Intro - Concepts of Motion     Th 30-Aug Intro, Units, Estimation
 1.0-1.6
  F 31-Aug Units, Estimation Problems 1.0-1.6          
2 
M 3-Sep Straight Line Motion 2.0-2.3   T 4-Sep Straight Line Motion 2.0-2.4
  W 5-Sep Straight Line Motion 2.4-2.6   Th 6-Sep Freely Falling Bodies, Vectors
 1.7-1.9 and 2.5-2.6
  F 7-Sep Vectors, 2D/3D Motion 1.7-1.9 and 3.0-3.1          
3 
M 10-Sep 2D/3D Motion - Projectiles 3.2-3.3   T 11-Sep 2D/3D Motion, Projectiles
 3.0-3.3
  W 12-Sep 2D/3D Motion - Circular Motion 3.4-3.5   Th 13-Sep 2D/3D Motion, Forces 3.4-3.5 and 4.0-4.1
  F 14-Sep Newton's 1st & 2nd Laws 4.0-4.3          
4 
M 17-Sep Newton's 3rd Law 4.4-4.6   T 18-Sep Newton's Laws 4.2-4.6
  W 19-Sep Applying Newton's Laws 5.0-5.2   Th 20-Sep Applying Newton's Laws 5.0-5.3
  F 21-Sep Applying Newton's Laws 5.3-5.4          
5 
M 24-Sep Applying Newton's Laws 5.5   T 25-Sep Applying Newton's Laws 5.4-5.5
  T 25-Sep Help Session, 5:15-7:15 pm  SC 4327   T 25-Sep Help Session, 5:15-7:15 pm  SC 4327
  W 26-Sep Alt Exam #1 - 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327   W 26-Sep Alt Exam #1 - 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327
  W 26-Sep Dot Product, Work  1.10 and 6.0-6.2   Th 27-Sep Dot Product, Work, Kinetic Energy  1.10 and 6.0-6.4
  Th 27-Sep Exam #1 - 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327/4309   Th 27-Sep Exam #1 - 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327/4309
  F 28-Sep Work and Kinetic Energy 6.3-6.4          
6 
M 1-Oct Conservation of Energy 7.0-7.2   T 2-Oct Potential Energy 7.0-7.3 
  W 3-Oct Potential Energy & Energy Cons 7.3-7.5   Th 4-Oct Cons of Energy, Momentum 7.3-7.5 and 8.0-8.1
  F 5-Oct Conservation of Momentum 8.0-8.2          
7 
M 8-Oct Impulses, Collisions & Rockets 8.3-8.6   T 9-Oct Cons of Momentum, Collisions
 8.2-8.5
  W 10-Oct More Momentum -----   Th 11-Oct Collisions, Rockets, Ang. Variables 8.3-8.6 and 9.0-9.2
  F 12-Oct Rigid Body Rotation 9.0-9.3          
8 
M 15-Oct Rigid Body Rotation 9.4-9.6   T 16-Oct Rigid Body Rotation 9.3-9.6
  W 17-Oct Torque, Vector Cross Product 1.10 and 10.0-10.4   Th 18-Oct Cross Product, Rot. Dynamics 1.10 and 10.0-10.4
  F 19-Oct Cons of Angular Momentum 10.5-10.7          
9 
M 22-Oct October Break
  T 23-Oct October Break
  T 23-Oct Help Session, 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327   T 23-Oct Help Session, 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327
  W 24-Oct Alt Exam #2 - 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327   W 24-Oct Alt Exam #2 - 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327
  W 24-Oct Rigid Body Equilibrium 11.0-11.3   Th 25-Oct Ang Momentum, Equilibrium 10.5-10.7 and 11.0-11.3
  Th 25-Oct Exam #2 - 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327/4309   Th 25-Oct Exam #2 - 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327/4309
  F 26-Oct Newtonian Gravity 12.0-12.4          
10 
M 29-Oct Satellite & Planetary Motion 12.5-12.6   T 30-Oct Ang Momentum, Equilibrium 10.5-10.7 and 11.0-11.3
  W 31-Oct Periodic Motion, Oscillations 13.0-13.3   Th 1-Nov Newtonian Gravity, Satellites
 12.0-12.4
  F 2-Nov Pendula, Damping & Resonance 13.4-13.8          
11 
M 5-Nov Pendula, Damping & Resonance
 13.4-13.8   T 6-Nov Kepler's Laws, Periodic Motion
 12.5-12.6 and 13.0-13.4
  W 7-Nov Fluid Pressure & Buoyance
 14.0-14.3   Th 8-Nov Damping & Resonance, Fluids
 13.5-13.8 and 14.0-14.2
  F 9-Nov Fluid Flow, Bernoulli's Eqtn
 14.4-14.6          
12 
M 12-Nov Mechanical Waves
 15.0-15.4   T 13-Nov Fluids, Bernoulli's Eqtn
 14.3-14.6
  W 14-Nov Wave Interference
 15.5-15.8   Th 15-Nov Mechanical Waves, Interference
 15.0-15.6
  F 16-Nov Sound & Hearing
 16.0-16.3          
  M 19-Nov Thanksgiving Break
     T 20-Nov Thanksgiving Break
  
  W 21-Nov Thanksgiving Break
     Th 22-Nov Thanksgiving Break
  
  F 23-Nov Thanksgiving Break
            
13 
M 26-Nov Sound - Resonance, Beats
 16.4-16.7    T 27-Nov Standing Waves, Sound & Hearing 15.7-15.8 and 16.0-16.3
  T 27-Nov Help Session, 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327   T 27-Nov Help Session, 5:15-7:15 pm
 SC 4327
  W 28-Nov Alt Exam #3 - 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327   W 28-Nov Alt Exam #3 - 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327
  W 28-Nov Sound - Doppler Effect 16.8-16.9   Th 29-Nov Sound, Beats, Temperature
 16.4-16.7, 17.0-17.3
  Th 29-Nov Exam #3 - 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327/4309
   Th 29-Nov Exam #3 - 5:15-7:15 pm SC 4327/4309
  F 30-Nov Temperature
 17.0-17.4          
14 
M 3-Dec Heat, Phase Changes
 17.5-17.7   T 4-Dec Heat, Phase Changes 17.4-17.7
  W 5-Dec Thermal Properties of Matter
 18.0-18.6   Th 6-Dec Thermal Properties of Matter
 18.0-18.6
  F 7-Dec 1st Law of Thermodynamics 19.0-19.4          
15 
M 10-Dec Ideal Gas Thermodynamics
 19.5-19.8   T 11-Dec 1st Law of Thermodynamics 19.0-19.8
  W 12-Dec 2nd Law of Thermo, Entropy
 20.0-20.8   Th 13-Dec Cyclic Processes, Engines
 20.0-20.8
  F 21-Dec  Final Exam - Ernst (9 am)     W 19-Dec Final Exam - Sheldon (3 pm)  
     
           

**Note that the Final is cumulative, but with a focus on Chapters 17-20. As an Alternate Final, students may take the exam with either section.

For more information, please contact Webmaster.