PHYS 150 SYLLABUS Fall, 2007
CATALOG DESCRIPTION: PHYS 150 Physics I
A beginning course in physics introducing the topics of scalars and vectors, one and two
dimensional kinematics, dynamics including Newton's laws of motion and gravitation, work and
energy including the law of conservation of energy, momentum, rotational kinematics, rotational
dynamics including angular momentum, and oscillations. Prerequisite: MATH 131. Corequisite:
PHYS 150L.
TEXT: Physics For Scientists and Engineers/ with Modern Physics, any edition, by Serway
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Johnny B. Holmes, Professor of Physics; office: S202; phone: 321-3448
PREREQUISITES BY TOPIC:
Definition of derivative, definition of integration, basic trigonometry, solution of simultaneous
equations.
GOALS:
1. To teach the concepts of vectors, inertia, force, energy, power; to introduce Newton's laws
of motion, law of gravity, and the conservation laws of energy, momentum, and angular
momentum:
a) to understand better how the world works;
b) for use in future courses;
c) to provide a fund of concepts, images, and metaphors that can be utilized to
imagine how other things in the world might work.
2. To give the student some sense of how big and how small some standard quantities are
(i.e., mass of earth, accelerations of cars, average power output of a person, etc.).
3. To see how physical phenomena can be organized into qualitative and quantitative theories.
4. To develop analytical reasoning skills (as opposed to pure memorization).
OUTLINE:
PART I: VECTORS AND BASIC MOTION (10 class days)
PART II: NEWTON'S LAWS (11 class days)
PART III: ENERGY AND MOMENTUM (10 class days)
PART IV: ROTATIONS AND OSCILLATIONS ( 8 class days)
GRADING:
There will be four tests during the term, one for each of the four parts listed above. Each of
these tests will count as one grade. The final exam will count as three grades. There will be 20
computer assignments (see pages 5-7) which together will count as two grades. There will be
homework assignments of two types: one collected (see pages 3-4) and one not collected (see the
study guides). The collected homework will count as one grade, but the uncollected homework
will not be graded. Thus, there will be ten grades. If you have three or fewer absences, I will drop
the lowest of the ten grades (excluding the computer and collected homework grades) and
