Instructor:  Dr. C.D. Ross   Office:  Stevens 212
Office telephone:  395-2577

Office Hours:  If you have any questions about the course or anything in the course, please come see me.  My "official" office hours, when you should be able to find me in Stevens 212 are :  TR 10:45-12:00; W 11:00-12:00.

Course Description:  A study of the nature and behavior of visible light and other electromagnetic radiation.

Text:  Eugene Hecht, Optics, 4th edition, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Massachusetts, 2002.

Course Objectives: 1)  To convey an understanding of the behavior of electromagnetic waves and their interactions with materials in the world around us.

2)  To prepare students so that they are able to make use of optical devices and optical properties in future courses or careers.

Course Schedule:

Historical Background

Geometrical Optics and Optical Devices

Test 1:  Wednesday, February 12

Wave Optics

Test 2:  Wednesday March 19

Coherent Optics: LASERs and Holography

Science of vision and color

Test 3:  Wednesday April 23

Final Exam:  Monday April 28 8 am - 10:30 am (or 11:30 - 2 pm, if class prefers)

Course Requirements:
(1)  Three tests; (2) Final exam; (3) Homework problems as assigned.  Assignments are due at 11:00 a.m. on the due date.  Late homework will not be accepted unless due to an excused absence.  Format for problems will be discussed in class.  (8)  Laboratory reports.

Grading:  Your point total for the semester is calculated from the formula below:
 Point total = Highest test (100 points possible) + Next highest test  score (100) + Exam (100) + Homework (60)  +  Lab reports (40)

Your final grade is determined by dividing your point total by 400 possible points and computing 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

If your final grade is exactly on the boundary of two grades (i.e. 79.5) I will round up to the higher letter grade if you have a total of five class absences or less.  If you have more than five absences, I will assign the lower letter grade.

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 fail to attend 75% of the class meetings 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.

Honor Code:  Students are expected to live by the Longwood College Honor Code.

Other Requirements:  Each student must have a calculator capable of performing trigonometric and logarithmic operations.  You must be properly attired.  In particular, this means you must wear shoes to lecture and lab. Please turn off cell phones and other simiilar devices when in this class.

Bibliography:  You may want to refresh your memory on some topics by looking back in an introductory physics text.

Final Comments:  Please note that the test dates are approximate and may actually be a few days earlier or later.  I will notify you at least ten days in advance if a test date will change from the above date.  Also, please note that we will use the text book as a reference and a source of homework problems, and that our coverage of topics will roughly parallel those in the first ten chapters of the text.  However, the book is in no way a substitute for class attendance - the topics and methods discussed in class are those for which you will be responsible.