121 Syllabus

     PHY-121 is the first part of a three-semester sequence in introductory physics offered to engineering and other science and pre-professional majors. The prerequisite for PHY-121 is MAT-270. A working familiarity with basic differential and integral calculus will be assumed.

     PHY-121 covers the subject of Newtonian mechanics including kinematics (the description of motion), and dynamics (the relation of motion to force and mass). Among the most important topics are Newton's Laws of Motion and the conservation of momentum and energy. Other topics are rotational kinematics and dynamics, Newtonian gravitation, and simple harmonic motion. A detailed list of topics can be found on the Topic and Reading Schedule which accompanies this syllabus.

     The textbook is University Physics, by Young and Freedman, 14th Edition, (Addison-Wesley, 2015.) You may use either volume 1 only (for PHY121 only), the full edition (for PHY121 and PHY131), or Y&F with Modern Physics (for PHY 121, 131, and 241, however your 241 instructor may choose not to use Y&F). Reading assignments are keyed to this textbook. At the bookstore, the textbook should come packaged with Mastering Physics. Mastering Physics is required. If you buy a used textbook, then you must buy Mastering Physics separately at the bookstore or online through our class Blackboard page; this is the only online place to pay for a Mastering Physics account for our class. Also required is Learning Catalytics; if you purchase Mastering Physics with etext (this is what you get with the package from the bookstore), then you automatically have access to Learning Catalytics. For our online testing, a WebAssign account is required; this is most cheaply purchased with a credit card at WebAssign.

The text of the syllabus is also available as a pdf file.

Textbook Options
Course Updates No Updates Yet
Active Learning
Course Format and Policies
Topic and Reading Schedule
Recitation Schedule
Learning Catalytics Information Policies
Mastering Physics Information Tips
WebAssign Information Tips
Classroom Seating Teams Changed on Nov 13
Course Objectives
Test Rules
Sign-up Sheet Test 5 Sign-Up Now Closed
Equation Sheet
Derivations: Parallel Axis Theorem<>System Kinetic Energy
             Torque and Angular Momentum About the Center of Mass
Hint for Yo-Yo Problem:Push the Trike
Excel Orbit Simulation
Links Used in Class Meetings
Math Summary:Dot Product and Cross Product of Vectors
                        Taylor Expansion

PLACES TO GET HELP
My Office Hours
TA and LA Office Hours
Physics Success Center Schedule now in F186
Physics Dept Tutor List
Engineering Tutor Center
First-Year Center
Student Success Center
Success Center Online Tutoring
Textbook Sites - practice MC tests and more
Online Tutorials - interactive instruction

GRADES:	Final LC Grades Now Posted
	Final Exam Grades Now Posted
	Final Quiz Grades Now Posted
	Final Recitation Exercise Grades Now Posted
	Final MP HW Grades Updated on SUN 12/10
	Final Reading Quiz Grades Now Posted
	Final TW (Teamwork) Grades Now Posted
	Final CW (Classwork) Grades Now Posted
	Final Overall Grades Now Posted

Note that grades are not listed in alphabetical order

Quiz <> Exercises <> RQ <> LC <> TW <> CW <> Test <> HW <> Overall

Class Average Final Average Now Posted
HOW TO FIGURE YOUR FINAL GRADE.   

TA's
Glenn Randall