We shall assume a working knowledge of algebra and trigonometry. A limited amount of calculus will be used. I will review the necessary calculus before I use it.
"Physics for Scientists and Engineers" Vol.1 by Serway & Jewett, 6th Edition. Elements of relativity are described in Vol.2 chapter 39
A scientific calculator is a must. Necessary functions are sin, cos, tan, exp, log, and roots, as well as the inverse operations. Email and TV reception capabilities are not required.
Teaching Assistants will grade all quizzes and tests. The final course grade will be determined as follows: Quizzes 25%, Exams 45%, Final 30%.
Physics is not a spectator sport! Homework is assigned for each chapter. It should take you 2-3 hours each week to solve all problems. The homework will not be collected nor graded. I encourage you to attend the help sessions, discuss your work with a study group and to use office hours if you have difficulty.
For your convenience I provide solutions to the homework problems. I caution you that these notes may not be complete and may have errors. You should keep this in mind when you use them.
Many of the quiz and exam problems are either variants or are taken directly from the homework. I provide solutions to the homework to help you when you get stuck. This is not a substitute for working out the problems on your own. You will find, that it is not sufficient to simply read through and copy the homework solution to understand the material. Information useful for problem solving and the mathematical formulas are listed in the Appendices at the end of the textbook.
Excused Absences for University Extracurricular Activities: Students participating in an officially sanctioned, scheduled University extracurricular activity should be given the opportunity to make up class assignments or other graded assignments missed as a result of their participation. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements with the instructor prior to any missed scheduled examination or other missed assignment for making up the work. (University Undergraduate Catalog.)
Disability Accommodations: Students needing academic accommodations for a disability must first contact Ms. Rebecca Marin, Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities (214-768-4557) to verify the disability and establish eligibility for accommodations. They should then schedule an appointment with the professor to make appropriate arrangements. (See University Policy No. 2.4.)
Religious Observance: Religiously observant students wishing to be absent on holidays that require missing class should notify their professors in writing at the beginning of the semester, and should discuss with them, in advance, acceptable ways to make up any work missed because of their absence. (University Policy No. 1.9.)