Introduction
Physics 221, Elements of Physics I, Spring 2023, is an
introductory physics class with laboratories. To become familiar with the
course layout and all the course requirements, please start with these steps.
- Read the syllabus for the class.
- Familiarize yourself with the
course schedule.
- On Canvas, under Modules, read through the short modules under More
Course Information.
- Under Account, on Canvas, set your Canvas your notification preferences
so that you receive announcements when they are published.
This is very
important for an hybrid course. There is no excuse for missing an
important announcement.
- On Canvas, under syllabus, review the Spring 2023 Physics 221 Lab
Syllabus.
Class structure
There are 12 modules. Each module is divided into two parts.
- Attend class on Thursdays, 11:20 am - 12:35 pm and earn class
participation credit by answering clicker questions.
- Carefully study the class material for the sub-module before or on the
day shown on the schedule.
You have to read it. This is the
material the assignments and tests refer to.
Read it slowly. It is not an extremely large
amount of material. Study the solved problems. Ask yourself if you understand
the concepts and how to apply them. Use the discussion forum to ask questions
and help other students. Explaining something to others is the best way to learn
it. (Read the corresponding chapters in the textbook to review the
material. You may prefer the presentation in the textbook.)
- Attend your the studio session on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday and complete
your lab report.
Do not copy lab reports from cheating sites on the web. All labs have
been modified from previous semesters, so that it is easy to spot a copy.
If you submit a lab report with a plagiarized section, you will get zero points
for the lab and may be reported for plagiarism.
- Submit all assignments associated with the sub-module before their due
date. Again, use the discussion forum to ask and answer questions.
- After you have completed a module, review the summary slides for this
module under "Modules" on Canvas. They offer some additional problems
to test your understanding. There are also short video summaries for
each module under Panopto Video on Canvas.
Note: I strongly recommend submitting earlier than midnight on the due date and not
waiting until the last minute. You can submit all homework assignment
multiple times. Submitting early allows you to ask questions and get
feedback if your first answer was incorrect, and it allows you to help other
students once you have arrived at the correct answer.
If you need more help, attend the office/tutoring hours of the instructors. They
are offered at various time throughout the week. You can attend the
office/tutoring hours of any instructor.
The online material is my contribution to the class. It covers all
topics that may appear on homework assignments and tests. Example problems
are worked out in the online material. The textbook presents the same
material but expands on some aspects of it. It is always beneficial to go over
new material more than once. Different presentations are better suited for
different audiences.