Physics 208
General Physics - Spring 1997

Prerequisites:

Physics 207 or equivalent. Algebra, trigonometry, and calculus will be used extensively.

Materials Needed:

Lectures:

8:50 am MWF in 1300 Sterling Hall. Prof. J. C. Sprott (3285 Chamberlin Hall, sprott@juno.physics.wisc.edu, 263-4449). The lectures supplement but do not substitute for the reading. Read the assigned material before lecture. The Friday lectures are optional except for exams and for honors students. Everyone is encouraged to attend. Attendance will be taken.

Discussion sections:

Your discussion section will be led by your TA who will be your prime contact and source of assistance. General questions about the homework are allowed before it is due, but don't expect your TA to work out the solutions for you in advance. Quizzes will occasionally be given in your discussion session and will count toward your grade.

Electronic Aids:

All of the instructors are available by e-mail, and there is an e-mail list for the entire class that will occasionally be used for important announcements. The course has a home page on the World Wide Web at https://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/phys208/ where you will find up-to-date course information and links to useful resources.

Laboratory:

Follow the "General Instructions" in the laboratory manual (pages 1-3). The experiments are to be written up during the laboratory period in the lab notebook. Have your lab instructor initial and date the work before you leave the lab. The lab notebook is not to be taken from the lab except with permission of your instructor. The lab is in 3315 Sterling.

Homework:

The homework problems are assigned in the syllabus for each week and should be handed in at the first discussion session the following week. Late problem sets will not be accepted. Homework will count toward your grade. You may work with others on the homework, but make sure the paper you turn in is not simply copied from someone else. The solutions will be discussed in your discussion session and placed on reserve in the Physics Library (4220 Chamberlin).

Hour Exams:

Exams will be given during the Friday lecture as follows:
February 21
Chapters 23-29
March 21
Chapters 30-36
April 25
Chapters 37-42
The exams will be closed-book, but you will be allowed one 8 1/2 x 11-inch sheet of notes. The exams will be graded and handed back in your first discussion session of the following week. Solutions will be discussed and placed on reserve in the Physics Library (4220 Chamberlin Hall). There will be no makeup exams.

Final Exam:

The final exam will be at 2:45 pm on Sunday, May 11 in 165 Bascom. The exam will cover the entire course (Chapters 23-44, 47-49) with equal weight. You will be allowed two 8 1/2 x 11-inch sheets of notes.

Grading:

The course grade will consist of the following components:
Hour exams (three)
300 points
Final exam
200 points
Homework & Discussion
100 points
Laboratory
100 points
TOTAL
700 points
Lab, homework and discussion grades will be assigned by your TA and will be normalized to the distribution on the hour exams. Letter grades will be assigned based on the total number of points accumulated.

Consultation Room:

Room 2312 Sterling is staffed by TA's from Physics 202 and 208 during much of the week. See the schedule card on the door. You may ask questions of any of the TA's or come during the hours that your TA is there. You may also make an appointment with your TA at any mutually convenient time and place.

Complaints and Concerns:

If you have a non-subject-matter question or concern that cannot be resolved by your TA or professor, contact Jean Buehlman, Instructional Program Manager (afternoons in 2520 Sterling, 262-2629).

Alternate References:

To see the same topics explained differently, try the following (on reserve in Physics library - 4220 Chamberlin):

General Advice:

Physics is not something you read and memorize, rather it is something you learn how to do. Try the following study procedure:
  1. Read the chapter prior to lecture, so that you will know what it's about.
  2. Listen carefully to the lecture and take notes.
  3. This is crucial: Do not go back and read and re-read the chapter until you "understand it." Rather, start working problems, going back through the chapter to clarify points as they come up.


Physics 208
Spring 1997 Syllabus

References are to Halliday, Resnick, and Walker, 4th Edition (Extended).
Lab manual is Rollefson and Richards.
 
Week
Reading
Problems
Lab
1/20
Chap 23
23: 4, 6, 16, 36, 39 
no lab
1/27
Chap 24, 25
24: 15, 26, 32, 38, 49
25: 11, 17, 27, 33, 51 
E1
2/3
Chap 26, 27
26: 8, 18, 41, 67, 76
27: 9, 26, 48, 56, 66 
E2
2/10
Chap 28, 29
28: 11, 18, 39, 47, 57
29: 10, 19, 31, 55, 77 
E3
2/17
Chap 30
30: 7, 18, 37, 44, 56
Exam 2/21 (Ch 23-29)
E6
2/24
Chap 31, 32
31: 3, 13, 38, 49, 60
32: 13, 21, 28, 40, 46 
E7
3/3
Chap 33, 34
33: 8, 12, 25, 41, 51
34: 5, 12, 19, 27, 30 
E8
3/10
Chap 35, 36
35: 9, 15, 18, 31, 38
36: 3, 21, 33, 42, 45 
E9
3/17
Chap 37
37: 1, 4, 9, 19, 21
Exam 3/21 (Ch 30-36)
E10
3/31
Chap 38
38: 2, 11, 17, 36, 52 
makeup
4/7
Chap 39, 40
39: 9, 24, 33, 46, 66
40: 13, 26, 53, 67, 72 
L2
4/14
Chap 41, 42
41: 2, 12, 24, 44, 63
42: 8, 16, 20, 28, 52 
L1
4/21
Chap 43
43: 10, 15, 35, 60,75
Exam 4/25 (Ch 37-42) 
L5-7
4/28
Chap 44, 47
44: 16, 21, 31, 39, 43
47: 16, 23, 33, 63, 70
N1
5/5
Chap 48, 49
48: 8, 21, 34, 43, 54
49: 8, 15, 28, 36, 40 
makeup


Physics 208
Spring 1997 Special Friday Lectures

 
1/24
Sprott - Problem Solving Techniques 
1/31
Richards - Electrostatic Accelerators
2/7
Tour of the Nuclear Physics Laboratory
2/14
Richards - Atmospheric Electricity
2/21
Exam #1 (Chapters 23-29)
2/28
Sprott - Fractals
3/7
Sprott - Plasma Physics
3/14
Tour of Plasma Laboratory
3/21
Exam #2 (Chapters 30-36)
4/4
Sprott - Radio Communications
4/11
Richards - Rainbows, Halos, and Glories
4/18
Sprott - More on the Theory of Relativity
4/25
Exam #3 (Chapters 37-42)
5/2
Cameron - The Good News about Radiation
5/9
Sprott - Summary and Wrap-up