I've posted a practice final exam, which we will go over in class tonight, and a set of slides
that outline the chatpers and sections required. Use these as a study guide for the final
over the next week.
For tonight, the plan is to review the homework given in class last week and then to
move on to the practive final. I hope you will find this enjoyable and enlightening.
The start to the slides for chapters 10 and 11 are up, but only the first slides that
shows what we'll be doing Monday and what sections of the test you will be responsible for
learning. I'll give the homework assingments later when the slides shows are finished. Let
me know if you have any questions or concerns.
The class schedule has been
updated. Since the make-up midterm is not for everyone, I will simply pass out the results
and if you have questions, we'll address them. Otherwise we will have time tonight only to
review last weeks Chapter 8 homework and to take a short quiz on Chapter 8. The
lecture will cover Chapter 9 but only selected sections (9.1, 9.3 and 9.7). See the
class schedule.
The next two weeks will cover Chapters 10, 11, 12, and 13, selected sections.
Those particular sections that will be covered in these four chapters will be on
my Wednesday update (Tuesday night, if possible) so that you can plan accordingly.
--13-Apr-2014 19:00 PST
Updates and Tonight's Plan
The class schedule has been
updated as we roll with the punches. Monday nights class will finsh Chpater 8 by doing the
homework, intrducing the magnetic field and the transformer. Then we'll answer questions
and go to the makeup midterm exam for those of you who need it. If you're not taking
the make up, you can leave.
Please note that I am planning to give a Chapter eight quiz next week.
--7-Apr-2014 14:50 PST
Updates and Tonights Plan
The class schedule has been
updated with a slightly new plan of study and some homework assignment. We will first go
over Chapter 5 homework, of course, and then will have a quiz of the relevant portions of
Chapter 5. Tonight we'll cover only the electric portions of Chapter 8. See the slides.
I've updated the class schedule. Tonight we will cover Chapter 5 only.
Be sure to turn in all the homework up to date. You can turn it in anytime. Just do it!
The answers to our recent midterm test are posted. Just go to the links on the left menu
and click on "Midterm page 1" and so on. The average grade was 71% but there was a wide
reange. So, those of you below 70% on the midterm, let's think about how to bring your grades
up. Perhaps we could meet sometime outside of class, either one-on-one or in a group. If you
can think of how I can help, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Also, it's never too late to turn in homework. Just get it done and turn it in. Only four
students turned in Chapter 4 homework Monday. Perhaps you forgot? Anyway, turn it in.
And one more reminder, if you'll check the class schedule (it's on the menu to the left) you
are assigned reading in Chapter 5. Homework will be assigned for Chapters 5 and 8. I'll
have those on the class schedule by Friday night/Saturday morning.
From now on, I'll be very careful to lecture on only those things that will be covered in
class. Chapters 5 and 8 will not be covered entirely. I'll be sure to spell out exactly
what will be required from those chapters since we will not have time to cover everything.
Do read the entire chapters, though. They provide good background information.
Please go to the Chapter 3 slides to find your homework assignment on the last slide. You
will need to finish reading and studying Chapter 3. Next week I would like to deviate from
the plan a bit to provide a comprehensive review of the first three chapters. Please re-read
Chapters One and Two. And please come prepared to take part in classroom problem solving and
discussion.
In the meantime, if you have and questions on the material or any criticisms of the course
so far, email me. I do respect and appreciate your help in making this a better course.
--24-Feb-2014, 13:45 PST
Tonight's PSCI-1 Class
We'll be having a quiz tonight on chapters one and two. First, we'll review a few things,
have a quick question and answer period before the quiz. The quiz will be open book, with
calulators (though you should not need them).
After the quiz we'll get right into the next chapter, Chapter Three. I plan to
bring a jug of coffee, like last time, but I'm afraid I must ask for a donation of $1 per cup.
See you there!
--09-Feb-2014, 8:00pm PST
Physical Science 1, Spring 2014
Our next class is Monday, Feb 10.
At this point you should have read and understood Chapter 1. We will discuss the homework
assinged (all problems in end of chapter exercises 1.5 through 1.7). We will then have a
quiz on Chapter 1.
Lecture will be on all of Chapter 2 to begin our study of motion. The slides are already
posted in the menu on the left if you want to take a peek. I will assign homework problems
in class.
The pic on the right is that of
Nikolus Kopernikus
who, asside from having great hair, in 1543
make a very significant advance in the study of the motions of the heavens. He found
the best reference point for the study of planetary orbits. His system was called the
heliocentric system.
In our future studies, we'll see how Newton then worked out the dynamics, which includes
forces, of planetary orbits. So, the progression is, and we'll see this over and over again,
the selection of the best reference frame leading to the simplest solutions of problems
of motion.
