Physics 132: General Physics II with Professor Charlie Duke
Spring 2000

Science 1032 / 1033 (research laboratory)
Phone x4387 / x4873
Duke@grinnell.edu

Weekly Assignments
Exams, Problem Sets & Grading
Weekly Schedule

Welcome to General Physics!!!! Our class is the second of a two-semester sequence which will explore the full range of physical interactions, beginning with the study of classical mechanics which underlies all of physics and concluding with an introduction to the wonderful, strange world of quantum physics. The course emphasizes general principles with less emphasis on technical, mathematical details; specific calculus techniques are used especially in developing concepts but are not emphasized otherwise.

The course is divided into five interconnected areas: mechanics, heat and thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, optics, and quantum physics. We will study the first two in the first semester course, Physics 131, and the last three in the second semester course, Physics 132. These areas are not independent of each other. Rather, they pyramid upward building on each other. Thus, we will always be extending the base upon which we can build another area of physics. For example, the study of electrical phenomena requires a through understanding of mechanics. You will see that "Understanding" means having a physical sense of "What's going on" and being able to express the phenomena in terms of basic physical theories. The course will emphasize such understanding rather than pure memorization of mathematical formulae.

The course has three 50-minute classes and one afternoon laboratory meeting each week so everyone should enroll in a laboratory section. There is a separate handout on laboratory procedures and requirements.

Problem sets will usually be due at the start of class either on Friday or on Monday. I will post solutions on the bulletin board and put copies on 2-hour reserve in Burling soon after the due date. I encourage you to work together on the solving of problems but not on their solutions; to maintain academic honesty, write up the results yourself (Refer to the section on Academic Honesty in the Student Handbook. If you are in doubt about how these pages apply to physics assignments, please consult me.)

Text: Halliday, Resnick, and Walker, Fundamentals of Physics, Extended Version, Fifth Edition (John Wiley & Sons, 1997)

Exams:
There are three one-hour, in-class exams and a three-hour, comprehensive final exam. All exams are closed-book exams.

Problem Sets:
I will accept late problem sets only under unusual circumstances.

Grading:
The weight in determining your final grade will be:

3 one-hour exams: 45%
Final exam: 25%
Problem sets: 15%
Laboratory: 15%

Weekly schedule:
Here is a rough course outline. However, our actual schedule (but not the exam schedule) may change from this outline, particularly after Spring break. Each week, I will give a more detailed assignment listing specific chapter sections.

 Week of

 Chapters

 Topics

 Lab

 Jan. 24

34, 35, 36 

 Geometrical optics, Physical optics

 none

 Jan. 31

 37, 27

 Physical optics, Electrical current

 Geometrical Optics

 Feb. 7

 27, 28

 Voltage, Resistance, Circuits

 Interference & Diffraction

 Feb. 14

 28

 Circuits

 Volts, Amps, Ohms

 Feb. 18 (Friday)

 EXAM

    

 Mar. 6

 23, 24

 Electric Field, Gauss' Law

 Oscilloscope

 Mar. 13

 24, 25

 Gauss' Law, Electric Potential

 Fields
 

 BREAK

    

 Apr. 3

 25, 26

 Electric Potential, Capacitance

 Field Mapping

 Apr. 7 (Friday)

 EXAM

    

 Apr. 10

 26, 29, 30

Capacitance, Magnetic fields, Ampere's Law

 Magnetism

 Apr. 17

 30, 31

 Ampere's Law, Faraday's Law

 Magnetic Force on Electron

 Apr. 24

 31

 Faraday's Law, Inductance

 Radio I

 May 1

 39, 40

 Quantum Physics

 Radio II

 May 1 (Monday)

 EXAM

    

 May 8

40, 43, 44

Nuclear Physics

 Atomic Spectra & PE Effect

 May 18 (Thursday)
2:00PM

 FINAL EXAM

 8:00 Class Section

  

 May 17 (Wednesday)
9:00AM

 FINAL EXAM

 9:00 Class Section

  

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