Physics 102H: General Physics II (Honors)
Spring 2024
Lectures: MWF, 11.00-11:50am in Small 111
Discussions: Th 3.30-4.20pm in Small 111
Instructor: Irina Novikova
Office: Small 251 |
E-mail: ixnovi[at]wm.edu |
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Office hours: Thursdays 4.30-5.30 and Fridays 12-1pm or by appointment |
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Web-site: http://www.physics.wm.edu/~inovikova/phys102H/phys102H.htm |
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Grader: Russel Kamback |
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Office hours (grading questions only): by appointment |
E-mail: see Blackboard |
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Course overview: This course is the second part of the calculus-based general physics sequence, and covers three major areas of physics: thermodynamics, electromagnetism and optics. More specifically, we will discuss the following topics:
· Kinetic Theory of Gasses
· Laws of Thermodynamics
· Electric field and electrostatic potential
· Magnetic fields
· Electric circuits (direct- and alternating-current)
· Electromagnetic waves
· Geometric Optics
· Wave optics
This course offers a more in-depth treatment that the regular PHYS102, and includes more sophisticated examples. See Course Schedule for the detailed breakdown of the covered material and for the weekly problem set assignments. Reading the appropriate sections of the textbook before the lectures is strongly recommended.
Pre-requisites: PHYS101 or PHYS101H is an obvious prerequisite, as well as Calculus II. Basic knowledge of calculus will be assumed. You should be able to calculate derivatives, Taylor series and integrals of simple functions of one variable, including basic trigonometric functions.
Laboratory: The laboratory (PHYS 102L) is a separate one-credit course, and both are required for physics major. It is possible to take PHYS 102H without taking the lab, although it is highly recommended to take both concurrently. In any case, PHYS102 (regular or honors) is co-/prerequisite for the lab course.
Textbook We will use the (free) Open Stax University Physics textbook by Ling, Sanny, and Moebs. In addition, you will need to register for Expert TA for Problem Sets (the cost is approximately $33 per class per semester). Use the following registration link: http://goeta.link/USA48VA-E04F5C-3B8
Homework: Homework assignments will be posted approximately once a week (as indicated in the course schedule). Each assignment will include several ExpertTA problems (graded automatically) and a few free-response problems (graded by a graduate student). For full credit, assignments must be turned in electronically on their due date, which almost always be on Friday. Late assignments will be accepted until the following Monday, but the grade will be reduced by 50%, unless you secure an extension from me before the due date. Please make sure that the submitted solutions are readable and understandable; the grader will not assign grade if the writing is illegible.
You will get the most out of the course if you make a serious effort to do the assignments completely on your own. While you may discuss the homework problems with other students, the final write-up must be your own work. I am well aware that it is possible (and actually not even hard) to find solutions for almost any assigned problem online, but be strong and avoid the temptation. Remember, the main goal of the homework is to train you to solve problems, and you cannot improve without practice.
Office hours: I will have a regularly scheduled office hours after class on Thursdays and Fridays. However, I do have an open door policy: if my door is open, feel free to stop by (although I cannot guarantee that I will have always have time to help you). If the office hours do not work with your schedule, email me to schedule a meeting (in person or via Zoom).
Electronic Access: This syllabus, the course schedule, lecture notes, supplemental materials, and homework assignments and solutions will be posted on the course website. I will use blackboard mainly to post confidential information, such as grades.
If you need to get in touch, e-mail is my preferred method of communication. I am usually fairly good about answering quickly, but please write your e-mails under assumption that it may take a day or two for me to respond. Also I would like to strongly discourage any physics questions over the e-mail: it is much more efficient to discuss those in person or via Zoom.
Grades: In addition to the homework, there will be three in-class tests, and an in class final exam. If you know you will miss a test due to a university-sanctioned event, please notify me by email at least a week prior to the test time, so that an alternative arrangements can be made. If you are ill on the day of the test, please contact me as soon as possible to schedule a makeup. If you have a special accommodation for the tests, please make relevant arrangements with the Watson center before each test.
Course grade will be based on the following distribution:
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Homework |
40% |
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Midterm tests |
10% each |
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Final exam |
30% |
Letter grades will be assigned according to the following approximate grading scale:
A: 90-100% B: 80-89% C: 70-79% D: 60-69% F: below 60%
Letter grade ranges will be further subdivided into + and - grades. Note, that this scale may be adjusted down depending on the overall class performance.
Important Dates:
Last day of Add/Drop: Friday, February 2
Last day to Withdraw: Monday, March 25
Final Exam: Thursday, May 9, 9-12pm
In-class Tests: Fridays, February 16, March 22 and April 12
Accessibility: William & Mary accommodates students with disabilities in accordance with federal laws and university policy. Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a learning, psychiatric, physical, or chronic health diagnosis should contact Student Accessibility Services staff at 757-221-2509 or at sas@wm.edu to determine if accommodations are warranted and to obtain an official letter of accommodation. For more information, please see www.wm.edu/sas.
Mental health support resources: William & Mary recognizes that students juggle different responsibilities and can face challenges that make learning difficult. There are many resources available at W&M to help students navigate emotional/psychological, physical/medical, material/accessibility concerns, including:
The W&M Counseling Center at (757) 221-3620. Services are free and confidential.
The W&M Health Center at (757) 221-4386.
For additional support or resources & questions, contact the Dean of Students at 757-221-2510.
For a list of other resources available to students, see:
https://www.wm.edu/offices/wellness/resources/index.php