College Physics First Year Pdf

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Firman Lamarre

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Aug 3, 2024, 4:48:38 PM8/3/24

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Welcome to the Physics Department at the University of Michigan! The first year in a new department can often be overwhelming, confusing, exciting, and unpredictable. We have provided some information that will answer some questions and, hopefully, help you feel more prepared as you enter your first year in our department.

As a first-year student, you'll likely be enrolling in one of our introductory courses. The Physics Department offers three introductory course sequences. All sequences are calculus-based and consist of two semesters of lectures with labs. As such, we recommend that students have completed MATH 115 (Calculus I) or equivalent for the 100-level intro courses. The courses are designed to be taken one at a time (enrolling in the lecture and lab) as they build on each other. While they can be mixed (i.e. students can take PHYSICS 150/151 followed by PHYSICS 240/241), it is recommended that they are pursued in a single sequence.

Topics that are covered include vectors, linear motion, projectiles, relative velocity and acceleration, circular motion, Newton's laws, particle dynamics, work and energy, linear momentum, torque, angular momentum, gravitation, planetary motion, fluid statics and dynamics, simple harmonic motion, waves, and sound.

PHYSICS 160/161: Honors Physics I: This is a more intensive class that is recommended for students with a background in physics. Students who took AP physics in high school and scored well on the AP test may want to consider this path.

Students who feel that they would like a stronger math foundation, particularly those who do not have a calculus background, may want to consider PHYSICS 115: Principles of Physics. This two-credit mini-course is offered in the second half of the semester (Fall and Winter) and helps students become more familiar with concepts and math skills that will be used in the introductory courses.

Because the content is not directly equivalent, the Physics Department does not accept AP credit to replace any of our courses. While students can receive credit toward their degree as a result of AP credit, they are not exempt from any physics classes.

Please note: LSA policy precludes AP credit from being used toward the requirements of a major or a minor. The Physics Department does not recognize AP credit as equivalent and students who receive AP credit are not exempt from pre-requisite courses. If you are considering a Physics or Interdisciplinary Physics major or a Physics minor, you may need to take additional coursework.

Topics that are covered include charge, Coulomb's law, electric fields, Gauss' law, electric potential, capacitors and dielectrics, current and resistance, EMF and circuits, magnetic fields, Biot-Savart law, Amperes law, Faraday's Law of Induction, simple AC circuits, and electromagnetic waves.

PHYSICS 260/261: Honors Physics II: This is a more intensive class that is recommended for students with a strong background in physics or for those who did very well in their first semester physics course and are interested in challenging themselves.

"Office hours are a must. For the introductory courses everyone in the physics help room should know how to do your problems, or at least 95% of it. Never be afraid to ask people for help. If you see some older students in the physics help room, they usually will help and should know a little bit about what you are doing in case no one else can help you."

"Using the Help Room is probably the best time-efficient way to work on your problems, and hence do well in the class. I'd recommend working on your weekly homework at the Help Room, so you have instant access to a tutor if you ever find yourself stuck on a problem."

"Knowing what math level is recommended for a course and being up to date on that is the best way to make sure you do well---many students' difficulty in courses like 260 especially (which uses multi-variable calculus often but whose requirements may not say so) is seeded by being unfamiliar with math concepts."

Physics is a challenging subject. While the departmet does not keep a running list of private tutors, below you'll find some links to resources that can be helpful if you find yourself in search of some additional help with the material.

The physics major offers a rigorous preparation in the intellectual developments of modern physics, along with extensive exposure to the mathematical and experimental techniques required to conduct basic and applied research in physics.

For the major, the department offers a set of required courses well-suited to prepare students for the most rigorous course of graduate study. These can be supplemented by elective courses in a variety of advanced topics. Although most majors go on to graduate work in physics, the intellectual skills acquired in the study of physics can also provide the basis for work in a variety of other scientific and nonscientific areas.

Research is an extremely important component of the Columbia physics experience. Because the department has a very small student-to-faculty ratio, essentially all physics majors and concentrators engage in experimental, computational, or theoretical research under the close supervision of a faculty member during part, if not all, of their time at Columbia.

The department offers a stand-alone one-semester course for nonscience majors, one introductory sequence in physics intended primarily for preprofessional students, and three introductory sequences in physics for engineering and physical science majors. Students are given credit for courses from only one of the different sequence groups.

Mixing courses across the sequences is strongly discouraged; however, physics majors who begin their studies with PHYS UN1401 INTRO TO MECHANICS THERMO - PHYS UN1402 INTRO ELEC/MAGNETSM OPTCS should take PHYS UN2601 PHYSICS III:CLASS/QUANTUM WAVE as the third-semester course.

Students may earn a maximum of 6 credits in physics. The department grants 6 credits for a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Physics B exam, but the student is not entitled to any exemptions. The amount of credit is reduced to 3 if the student takes a 1000-level physics course.

The department grants 3 credits for a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Physics C/MECH exam, but the student is not entitled to any exemptions. The amount of credit is reduced to 0 if the student takes PHYS UN1001, PHYS UN1201, PHYS UN1401 or PHYS UN1601.

The department grants 3 credits for a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Physics C/E&M exam, but the student is not entitled to any exemptions. The amount of credit is reduced to 0 if the student takes PHYS UN1001, PHYS UN1202,PHYS UN1402 or PHYS UN1602.

Prospective physics majors are strongly encouraged to begin one of the introductory physics sequences in their first year. Majors should aim to acquire as extensive a background in mathematics as possible.

The department considers laboratory experience to be an essential part of the physics curriculum. Majors and concentrators can gain such experience in the intermediate-level laboratories, the electronics laboratory, and through experimental research in faculty research groups.

A grade of C- or better must be obtained for a course to count toward the majors or the concentration. The grade of P is not acceptable, but a course that was taken P/D/F may be counted if and only if the P is uncovered by the Registrar's deadline.

It is also possible to major in astrophysics, biophysics, and chemical physics. Students interested in these areas should consult with the director of undergraduate studies and with cognate departments (astronomy, biological sciences, chemistry).

The book can continue to be the primary text for introductory college physics courses, even in its present form. Of course, updates such as references to the latest physics and astronomy news will be welcome and make the text fresh and more compelling. The html format of the book makes such updates modular and easy to implement in a distributed manner.

The book is written clearly and simply, in a manner that is appropriate for its target audience. But there are some weak points in the text. For example, in section 7.3, Example 7.7 can be explained much more clearly by invoking the conservation of mechanical energy. But this principle is only introduced in the _next_ section, 7.4. Example 7.7 really belongs in section 7.4.

The book also lacks polish and excitement, mainly in its figures. This may seem to be trivial issue, but for students who don't care for physics in the first place, this can unfortunately dampen their already limited enthusiasm for the subject.

The book is organized logically and clearly. In cases when the instructor wants to cover topics in a different order, e.g., introduce the kinematics of uniform circular motion before Newton's laws of motion, the modular html format of the book makes it easy to direct students to different sections of the book.

This book is an excellent open resource, especially when competing textbooks from the big publishing houses can cost in the vicinity of $200. I have been using it for four years, and plan to continue with it. The book has a lot of potential for improvement, though. For example, as an html book, the figures can be dynamic and interactive with sliders to vary parameters etc. The embedded phet simulations do help, but this idea can be developed and make the book much better than even expensive, printed texts from big publishers.

This is a good Physics textbook for Algebra based Physics courses taught in colleges. This textbook covers almost every topic for two semester Physics I and Physics II courses. Physics instructor can use this Open Textbook as an option for their Physics textbook if they do not want students to purchase books. I personally use this open textbook and recommend to students to read chapters or look for examples problems when I explain some topics in Physics. Sometimes, I also use this textbook in my courses. It is a great alternative to college Physics paid textbooks if anyone wants to use it.