Instructor: Dr. Charles Sawicki: 212B South Engineering,
Phone 231-7049
Email: charles.sawicki@ndsu.nodak.edu
Office Hours: Monday 3:00-5:00PM and Wednesday
3:00-5:00 PM. Please feel free to
contact me to set up a meeting at other times.
Texts: 1) Horizons Exploring the Universe (8th Edition) by Michael
Seeds
2) Physics
110 Introductory Astronomy (Version 8/17/07, Class Notes Chapters 1 through
7) by C. Sawicki. Astronomy is a highly visual subject so copies of class presentations are
helpful in study and review. (bring this to class to help in note taking.
Both items
1) and 2) are Required and available at the bookstore.
Prerequisite: High school Algebra
Course Overview
Physics 110 is an introduction to the universe. Algebra will be utilized and an
emphasis will be placed on developing a conceptual understanding of the laws of
physics required to understand the structure and evolution of the universe. We start with an introduction to the
scales of time and space in the universe.
We will then follow the approximate schedule listed below. The order of topics is correct but the time spent on each part
may need adjustment.
|
Section
of Course |
Topics |
Text
Chapters |
Approximate
time for coverage
(class
weeks) |
|
Part
1 |
Scale of the universe, the sky and tools for observing the
universe |
1
to 6 |
1-
5 |
|
Part
2 |
The Sun and other stars |
7
to 11 |
6-9 |
|
Part
3 |
Our Milky Way and other galaxies |
12
to 14 |
10-11 |
|
Part
4 |
Cosmology |
15 |
12 |
|
Part
5 |
Our Solar System |
17
to 19 |
13-15 |
|
Part
6 |
Life on other worlds (if have time) |
20 |
15??? |
Students with disabilities or special needs
Students with disabilities or other special needs, who need special accommodations in
this course, are invited to share
these concerns or requests with the instructor as soon as possible.
All work in this course must be completed in a manner
consistent with NDSU University Senate Policy, section 335: Code of
Academic Responsibility and Conduct (http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/policy/335.htm).
Put simply cheating is taking advantage of fellow
students and will be heavily sanctioned.
Normally this means failing the course.
In particular, bringing the PRS unit
of another student to class to use is cheating. Allowing some one else to take your PRS unit to class is the same.
Homework and PRS Questions
Homework and
using the Texts: Effort invested in
working problems plays an important part in learning physics. Mastery of Lon-CAPA homework and the
material discussed in class as well as reading the text are required to do well. It is best to read ahead in the text
and notes since this prepares you to think about and ask questions related to
lectures. The Review Questions and
Problems at the end of each chapter provide a good resource for test
preparation. I will use some of
these, or very similar questions on
tests.
LON-CAPA
Homework Details: LON-CAPA problems
will be assigned in class.
Web based homework problems will be assigned and must
be completed by the due date assigned with each problem. Each student will receive
an individualized version of the problem. You will receive a course homework score
based on the percentage of the assigned problems that you answer correctly by
their due date.
Accessing
LON-CAPA:
Go to the physics department web site:
http/www.physics.ndsu.nodak.edu
click the LON-KAPA link.
If you have a pop up blocker running, the remote control probably will not
work. Use the menu system instead. Our LON-CAPA administrator is Mr. Nathan Schoenack. Phone 231-7047 and email Nathan.schoenack@ndsu.nodak.edu. Nathan is familiar with the difficulties previous students have
had with LON-CAPA. I’ll also try to
help though I’m also a beginner with the LON-CAPA system!
PRS
Questions: You must have your own PRS
transmitter for this course. You can purchase a transmitter at the
Varsity Mart and register it at http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/prsreg/. Registration instructions are
included at this web site. Typically
several PRS questions and a PRS quiz will be given during each class.
You
will always receive 1 point per question just for responding. A PRS quiz will be given each day
covering material from the previous lecture again you receive 1 point for
responding and 3 added points for a correct answer. PRS quizzes will be open book and notes. You will be given a limited amount of time to answer questions so
you can’t just look up answers.
Bring your calculator to class everyday since some problems will be numerical. Group study is encouraged and you
will be allowed to consult with your neighbors on all PRS questions. It is to every ones advantage to form
study groups that work together in and out of class.
Letter
Grading for the course: A total
average of 89.5% or more ensures an
A, 79.5 to 89.4% ensures a B, 69.5 to 79.4% ensures a C
and so forth. Depending on the class
average, curving may be applied to
grades however test scores below 40% will always be Fs. The lowest test score will be dropped but be sure read Test
Policy below.
Tests
will be given in class at the times listed below in class (Minard 138).
Test 1: Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Test 2: Tuesday, October 5, 2004
Test 3: Tuesday
October 26, 2004
Test 4:
Tuesday November 23, 2004
FINAL EXAM: Friday,
December 17th 2004; 10:30AM-12:30PM (Minard 138). The
Final Exam will be comprehensive with more weight given to material covered
following Test 4. You must take the
final to pass this course. An
equation sheet will be provided with each test.
Test Policy: There will be no makeup tests. If you miss a test for a valid reason, that zero will be considered your lowest score and dropped.
You must be excused prior to the time that the exam is given in order to
apply this rule, otherwise the
missed test will count as a zero in your final score. Everyone must take the
final exam!
All tests will be multiple choice (Using an Opscan
sheet which you must bring to the test;
also don’t forget pencils!)
approximately 80% of the questions will be conceptual (like the Review
Questions at the end of chapters in Seeds and on LON-CAPA) while about 20% will
be numerical problems (like the numerical Problems at the end of chapters in
Seeds and numerical problems on LON-CAPA).
Final
Grades will be calculated with the following weighting:
LON-CAPA 15%
PRS 20%
Best Three Tests 15%
Final 20%