PHYSICS 272: GENERAL PHYSICS II

Fall 2011

Physics 272 is calculus-based physics course covering 
Electricity & Magnetism and Light.
                                   
COURSE GOAL:   Understand the basic laws of Electricity and Magnetism
               and Optics and learn how to apply them to solving
               problems.

INSTRUCTOR:    Prof. Harris, Wat. 223
               email: fah @ phys.hawaii.edu
               phone: 956 2940

LECTURE:       8:30 - 9:20, MWF in Wat. 112

OFFICE HOURS:  9:30 - 11:00 TR,  and by appointment.  In a pinch, 
               just stop by.  

TEXT:          "University Physics", Young and Freedman, 12th Edition,
               Volume 2.  
               Also available Activ Online Physics 
               (http://media.pearsoncmg.com/aw/aw_activephysics
	       /aw_young_physics).

PREREQUISITES: Physics 151 or 170 and Math 242 or 252A.  Math 216 may
               be substituted with consent.

READING:       Reading is assigned each day, and the assignment should be
               completed BEFORE that day's lecture so that you may ask
               questions and participate in class discussion.
               Surprize quizzes may be given on the reading.

SMART PHYSICS: Smart Physics prelectures are available at
               http://www.smartphysics/smartphysics.  These are to be
               completed BEFORE lecture.  Clicker problems based on
               this material will be given at the beginning of
               class. Smart Physics prelecture points will be 5% of
               the final grade.  Please see "Registering for Smart
               Physics".

CLICKERS:      To promote active learning, "iclicker" clickers will be used
               in class. A coupon for $10 off the price of the clicker
               comes with your textbook.  You will receive a point for
               each correct clicker response.  The points will account
               for 5% towards your final grade.  Please see
               "Registering iclicker" for how to register your
               iclicker.
 
PROBLEM SETS:  Working problems is central to learning physics.  A set
               of problems will be assigned each day and will be due
               at the beginning of the next class unless specified
               otherwise.  Some problem sets will be hand-in, and some
               will be done using the World Wide Web. In order to pass
               the course, you must work at least one-half of the
               problem sets.  While discussing problems is encouraged,
               everyone is expected to write out their own solutions.
               Copying solutions from others does not help you learn
               physics. Solutions will be posted. Therefore late
               problem sets will not be accepted.  A student with a
               good justification may be excused from a problem set.

Hand-in Problems: Papers should be stapled and folded in half down the
               middle.  Print your name, student ID, and homework set
               number on the inside right hand corner of the first
               page and the outside right hand corner of the last
               page.  Show all steps in solving your problem and place
               a box around your final answer.  See "Study Tips and
               Problem Solutions" on the class web page for more
               details concerning problem sets. Solutions will be
               posted at the class web site.
               
Mastering Physics Problems: Some problem sets will be worked and
               graded using http://www.masteringphysics.com. To access
               the problems and receive credit, you will need a
               registration code, which comes along with a new text or
               can be purchased separately.

Interactive Problems: Interactive Examples are available from the
               University of Illinois at
               http://research.physics.illinois.edu/PER/ie_212.h- tml.
               These are very useful to learn how to solve problems.
               Some of them will be assigned during the semester. They
               will be referenced by number, where the number is just
               the sequence number of the problem set ("Line of
               Charge" is interactive problem 3). Print out the worked
               exercise and hand it in to receive credit.

MIDTERMS:      There will be two 50 minute exams, which are tentatively
               scheduled for Sept. 19 and Oct. 26.  These will consist
               of conceptual questions and problems similar to those
               occurring on the problem sets.

QUIZZES:       Short quizzes will be given on days marked with @@ in the
               Physics 272 Schedule.  These will consist of short
               problems and conceptual questions on recent material
               covered in the course.  Clickers will be used for the
               quizzes.

FINAL:         Monday, Dec. 12, 7:30 - 9:30

GRADING:       midterms		               - 33%
               quizzes			       - 12%
               final			       - 27%
               problems			       - 10%
	       Smart Physics Prelectures       -  4%
	       Smart Physics Clicker Questions - 10%
	       clicker questions               -  4% 

               Final grades will be determined by your final score.
               The grade cutoffs will depend slightly by the class
               grade distribution but will be approximately given by:

               C - > 50 %
               B - > 65 %
               A - > 75 %
      
WWW:           The WWW Home Page for the course may be reached via
               http://www.phys.hawaii.edu/~fah.  A computer account
               with access to the World-Wide-Web is required for
               access to the assignments, computer exercises, and
               problem solutions.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

   Learn about and understand the following:
          Charge and currents.
          Electric and magnetic fields.
          Field determination  for various configurations of charges and currents.
          Forces on charges and currents due to fields.
          Potential energy and potential.
          Electrical circuits (AC and DC) composed of resistors, capacitors, and inductors.
          Energy transfer in electric circuits.
          Maxwell's equations of electricity and magnetism.
          Electromagnetic waves.
          Properties of light.
          Reflection and refraction.
          Mirrors and lenses.