Physics 3 -- Summer 2003

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Textbook:

Physics is the scientific study of the fundamental nature of the material universe. It is the most basic of the sciences and the foundation of our understanding of the natural world. Physics 3 is an introduction to the field of physics.

During the course we will study the theory of classical mechanics and investigate the macroscopic and near-microscopic nature of matter. During our investigation of the nature and behavior of matter, we will explore the subjects of particle dynamics, statics and dynamics of extended systems, gravitation, fluid statics and dynamics, wave motion and sound, and heat and thermodynamics. Throughout the course, I will emphasize fundamental concepts, the use of mathematics in describing physical phenomena, and the development of skill in rigorous thinking and problem solving.

1. Honor. Academic integrity and personal integrity are inseparable, and I regard personal integrity--honor--to be the foundation of civilization. I will therefore put some emphasis on the formalities our culture has evolved to encourage academic integrity. Basically I ask that we all cultivate an environment of trust and trustworthiness. Do not take credit for work that is not your own. Give generously of your insights with confidence that you will not be taken advantage of. Help your colleagues; acknowledge the help you have been given. Don't steal ideas, share them!

2. Collaboration. I encourage (and sometimes require) collaboration. As you work on problems, I encourage you to seek aid and assistance wherever you may find it--your classmates, colleagues, tutors, books, the Internet. This is the way of the world, and there is no reason that it should not be the way of our class as well. But just as in the "real world," I expect you to attribute all your sources clearly in any written work you hand in. If you didn't figure it out completely by yourself (or with the help of our assigned text), I want to see a citation. If Joe said something that helped you get the answer, I want to see a citation for Joe. If you found an explanation of the problem in a book, I want to see a citation for the book. If you worked out a problem in a study group, I want to see a citation for the study group. I don't need anything fancy; just let me know where you got any ideas not strictly your own. And don't worry about it. Science--indeed all scholarship--is a group effort. Honesty about where ideas come from helps you think more clearly and learn more thoroughly. In this course there will be no reward for figuring everything out yourself, and no penalty for getting help with (nearly) everything. Honest.

3. On some occasions, I will ask that you not collaborate. You're on your own for the weekly quizzes, for example. I will be clear in these requests, and in return I expect you to be rigorous in observing them.

4. Don't worry about cheaters getting ahead. If Joe cheats, that's going to be his problem, not yours. I intend to respect your integrity; I won't be snooping around, or proctoring, or enforcing. But at the same time, be aware that I consider your integrity to be a matter of great importance, and I will not ignore any signs that you are having difficulty living up to the standards of our class.

We have a mere twenty-six meetings to cover half of classical physics--the product of three thousand years of the intellectual efforts of the greatest geniuses in history. So don't fall behind. To help you keep up, I plan to operate on a weekly cycle of activity.

Monday: Quiz, followed by discussion of the quiz contents. If the quiz goes well, we move on to new material. If the quiz goes badly, we concentrate on remediation--and we hold a catchup class on Tuesday during the X-Period. There will be homework due Wednesday.

Wednesday: A quick look at the homework, then new material. There will be homework due Friday.

Friday: A quick look at the homework, then new material. There will be homework due Monday, but we will not review it in class. (There's that pesky quiz.)

Notice that there is homework every class, due the next class. Don't fall behind!

We'll have some kind of "evaluative experience" during the X-Period 15 July. I don't like tests, but I've been known to use them. We'll have another one of these adventures during the X-Period 12 August. [evil chuckle]

I reserve the right to deviate from the syllabus and this routine as necessary. The best-laid plans and all that...

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