P S 303

P S 303 - Mechanics and Heat

Time: MW 12 - 2 PM (Unique #59575)
Place: RLM 8.318
Instructor: Paul Walter
Office: RLM 9.214
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 2-3 PM. If I am not in my office, check RLM 9.222.
Email: pwalter@physics.utexas.edu
website: http://wwwrel.ph.utexas.edu/Members/paul/ps304/calendar.php
Supervisor: Dr. Antoniewicz, RLM 13.206, 471-3766
 Materials needed for class
  • the PS303 lab manual Motion & Matter
  • an inexpensive scientific calculator
Optional materials
  • the textbook Conceptual Physics by P. Hewitt (any edition will do; hopefully older editions are cheaper)
Homework: The Homework Service will be used for homework. It is for your own benefit and will not count towards your grade. Homework will be due most Wednesdays at 11 PM, at which time the solutions are posted.

Quizzes: Quizzes will be on Tuesdays at the beginning of class (no credit if you are late). You will not be allowed to share calculators with anyone else during a quiz or exam, so make sure you have your own.

Exams: There will be a midterm and a final. The final will be comprehensive. The main way to prepare for the exams is to do the homework. The exams will be multiple choice (though often with 10 choices) and will have the same format as the homework.

Lab and in-class work: Labwork will be presented and graded before leaving class each day. If you want to have any hope of making up a missed lab day, I need notice ahead of time.

Daily Schedule - Links: The webpage for the course (http://wwwrel.ph.utexas.edu/Members/paul/ps303/calendar.php) provides a daily schedule for each class during the semester. Also, it provides links to topics covered that is often more in depth than will be covered in class.

Grading Policy

  • Lab and in-class work (35%)
  • Quizzes (15%)
  • Midterm (20%)
  • Final (30%)

Reading

From Hewitt, Conceptual Physics
  • Chapter 1 (About Science)
  • Chapter 2 (Newton's Second Law of Motion)
  • Chapter 3 (Linear Motion)
  • Chapter 4 (Newton's Second Law of Motion)
  • Chapter 5 (Newton's Third Law of Motion)
  • Chapter 6 (Momentum)
  • Chapter 7 (Energy)
  • Chapter 8 (Rotational Motion)
  • Chapter 9 (Gravity)
  • Chapter 15 (Temperature, Heat, and Expansion)