Instructor:  Dr. C.D. Ross   Office:  Ruffner 104
Office telephone: 434-395-2054

Office Hours:  MT 9:00-11:00 

Course Description:  An introduction to the basic concepts of Newtonian mechanics.

Text:  J. D. Cutnell & K. W. Johnson, Physics. Sixth edition. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,2004.

Course Objectives: 1)  To encourage an appreciation of physics in everyday life.

                                 2)  To help students learn to think logically in order to solve problems.

                                 3)  To provide physics content required for higher level coursework.

Course Schedule:

Kinematics: Describing how things move

Tuesday 1/16 - Tuesday 2/21

• The math skills you need to know to succeed in PHYS 101
• Introduction to Vectors
• Uniformly Accelerated Motion

Test 1: Tuesday 2/21

Dynamics: Explaining why things move as they do

Thursday 2/23 - Thursday 3/23

• Understanding the reasons for linear motion
• Understanding the reasons for circular motion

Test 2: Thursday 3/23

Conservation Laws

Monday 3/27 - Thursday 4/6

• Conservation of Energy
• Conservation of Linear Momentum

Test 3: Thursday 4/6

Rotational Kinematics and Dynamics

Monday 4/10-Tuesday 4/18

Text Coverage: Chapters 9,10

Fluids

Thursday 4/20 - Thursday 4/27

• Fluids at rest
• Fluids in motion

Final Examination:  TBA

Course Requirements:

(1)  Three tests; (2) Final exam; (3) Homework problems as assigned.
Assignments are due at the beginning of  the class period on the due date.
Late homework will not be accepted unless due to an excused absence.
Format for problems will be discussed in class.  (4)  Laboratory activities -
much of your learning will take place in the laboratory.  (5)  Quizzes - At the
end of most lecture periods there will be a 5 to 10 minute quiz on material
covered up to and including that class.  This includes both lecture material and material from the reading assignment for that class.

Grading:  Your point total for the semester is calculated from the formula
below:
Point total = Highest test (25%) + Next highest test
score (25%) + Exam (25%) + Homework (15%) + Quizzes (5%)

Your final grade is determined by adding all points earned by the number of possible points to calculate a percentage.  This percentage is graded according to
the following scale:

A+ 98 and above; A 94-97; A- 90-93; B+ 88-89; B 84-87; B- 80-83; C+ 78-
79; C 74-77; C- 70-73; D+ 68-69; D 64-67; D- 60-63; F+ 58-59; F 54-57; F-
53 and below

**There is no extra credit awarded in this class, so please don't ask.**

Attendance Policy:  All assignments are expected to be handed in on time
and all tests taken at the assigned time unless prior arrangements have been
made.  Exceptions may be made in the event of a certifiable emergency.  If
you miss more than 25% of the class meetings (lab and lecture combined) you
will receive a final grade of F for the course.  This includes excused and
unexcused absences and there are no exceptions to this rule. Attendance sheets and/or quizzes
will be used to verify attendance.  It is your responsibility to see
that your name is signed on the attendance sheet. Signing for anyone else
will be considered an honor offense. If you are chronically late (i.e. more than twice), I will mark you absent for each subsequent incident of tardiness.

Quizzes:  Quizzes will occur at the end of most lecture periods (unless it is
the class before a test) and occasionally at the beginning of a lab session.  If
you have an excused absence and you see me before the next class meeting I
will let you take a makeup quiz.  

Homework:  Homework will normally be assigned on Tuesdays and will be due one
week later.  The assignment will normally consist of six problems varying in
difficulty, with the point total for the entire assignment being 15 points.  The grading and format of
homework problems will be discussed in class.

Honor Code:  Students are expected to live by the Longwood University Honor
Code. If you are found responsible by the Honor Board for an Honor Code violation in this class you will receive a grade of F.

Other Requirements:  You must be properly attired for class.  In particular, this means you must wear shoes to class.  If you are sleeping in class, you will be asked to leave.  If this happens consistently you will lose points from your final grade at my discretion.  Please turn off all cell phones and pagers before entering the classroom.

Bibliography:  Any introductory physics text may help you by presenting
material in an alternative way.

Students with Special Needs:  If you have a condition which requires special
attention or accommodation, please discuss your situation with me.
 

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Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)

"Facts which at first seem improbable will, even on scant explanation, drop the cloak which has hidden them and stand forth in naked and simple beauty."