PHYSICS 107

Spring 2005

Dr. Allan Pringle

Course Instructor
Room 122 Physics, 341-4031

pringle@umr.edu
http://www.umr.edu/~pringle/Phys107
 Course Description

Introduction to Modern Physics. (Lect. 3). An

elementary survey of the modern concepts in physics and
their applications: relativity, blackbody radiation, the Bohr
atom, particles and waves, quantum mechanics, atoms,
molecules, solids, statistical mechanics, radioactivity, nuclei,
and elementary particles. (Math 22 and Physics 24 or 25.)

Modern physics is not really concerned with things, but with the mathematical
relations between certain abstractions which are the residue of the vanished
things.A. Koestler
 Text

The text is Concepts of Modern Physics, sixth edition, by

Arthur Beiser, McGraw-Hill, publisher.

This book is designed to follow the standard two semester

introductory, calculus-based, classical physics course.

An understanding of the concepts of calculus is prerequisite.

The necessary differential equations and wave mechanics
are explained as needed.
 Schedule

Physics 107 meets from 2:00-2:50 Monday, Wednesday, and

Friday.

There are three scheduled hour examinations and a final:

Exam 1 Monday, February 7

Exam 2 Monday, March 7
Exam 3 Monday, April 11

Comprehensive Final Examination,

Tuesday, May 10, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m .

See the syllabus for other important dates.

The three one hour examinations are worth 100 points each.

They will cover concepts and definitions, assigned problems

with minor numerical changes, and problems similar to those
assigned.

You may use an official starting equation sheet (which I will

provide), one 3"x5" card and any calculator containing any
information you want.
The final examination will consist of multiple choice questions
and multiple choice short problems, and is worth 100 points.

About 30% of the final exam will be taken from the chapters
covered after Exam 3.

Along with your calculator and OSE sheet (which I will

provide), you may bring to the final exam four 3"x5" cards or
one 8.5"x11" sheet of paper containing any information you
want.

The lowest score of the four exams will be dropped.***

***Except that I will drop the final exam score
only if you attend at least 6 of the 9 class
meetings scheduled after exam 3.

If you attend 5 or fewer class meetings during this time,

I will drop the lowest of the 3 in-semester hour exam
scores.

If the exam 3 date is moved, I will keep the attendance

cutoff at 2/3 of the class meetings after exam 3, and will
inform you how I will round off fractional days.
 Homework

The homework for this course consists of problems and

examples from the text. Specific homework assignments are
given later. Homework is "due" (i.e., quizzable) after the last
lecture for each chapter.

Homework will not be handed in. Nevertheless, the

homework is critical, because your mastery of quizzes and
hour exams will depend upon your mastery of the homework.
If you don't do the homework, you won't do well on
the quizzes and on the exams.

Because this is a survey course, we will review many topics in

a relatively short time. You are urged to form a study group
to help you master the large amount of material covered in
this course.
 Quizzes

Ten quizzes will be given during the semester. The quizzes

will test your comprehension of recently assigned lecture
material and homework.

Each quiz will be worth thirty points. Quizzes will not

necessarily be announced in advance. Numerical constants
and equations required for the quizzes will be given to you
with each quiz. The quizzes are closed-book, closed-notes,
but you may use any calculator you wish.

At the end of the semester, your two lowest quiz scores will
be dropped.
 Make-Up Policy

Because the lowest exam and two lowest quiz scores will be
dropped, there will be no make-ups in this course.

The dropping of the lowest score is intended to accommodate

students who miss one exam and two quizzes due to
hospitalization, illness, family emergencies, mental stress,
athletic events, etc. It is not intended to encourage you to
underperform on an exam or quiz.

See the syllabus regarding incompletes and procedures for

taking an exam if you are off-campus at a university-
sponsored event.
 Points

The following table summarizes the points available during the

course:

Three Hour Exams 300

Comprehensive Final 100
Ten Quizzes 300
Total 700

Total After Low Scores Dropped 540

See the syllabus for regrade procedures.

 Grades

Semester letter grades for Physics 107 will be assigned as

follows:

483 up A (89.50%)
428-482 B (79.50%)
375-427 C (69.50%)
321-374 D (59.50%)
Below 321 F

There is no limit to the number of As, Bs, etc.

 Actions To Avoid

Not reading this syllabus.

Not doing the homework, and then complaining because you

can't do the quizzes and exams.

Coming in at 1:00 p.m. on exam day, saying you haven't

done the homework yet and you don't understand the
material for today's exam, and asking to be shown how to do
the homework.
 Course Material on the Web

http://www.umr.edu/~pringle/Phys107

Unresolved Complaints

It is hoped that any complaints about the course can be

resolved in a collegial manner through discussions between
student and instructor. However, if there are any
complaints that cannot be resolved, you may take them up
with the Physics Department Chairman, Dr. Paul Parris
(parris@umr.edu) or the Dean of the College of Arts and
Sciences, Dr. Paula Lutz (plutz@umr.edu).