PHYS 1111L -
Introductory Physics I Laboratory – Summer 2009
Section 365,
Monday and Wednesday, 815pm-1115pm, SB-1150
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Instructor |
Jeffrey
M. Canfield, Ph.D. |
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Phone |
404-636-4189
(home, but please use e-mail instead) |
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|
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Office Hours |
none, but Jeff tutors in SB-1150 Tuesdays 2pm-9pm and Thursdays 1pm-9pm |
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Web Site |
EXTRA CREDIT
There are 4 ways to
earn extra credit in my Physics 1111 Lab section:
Since extra
credit is only meant to boost grades, it will not contribute until after the
letter grade cutoffs for the course have been determined. Also, since extra
credit is not meant to replace required course content, if it seems to me that
you are not making a good faith effort to complete the required lab reports,
midterm, and final exam for the course, you will not be eligible to receive
extra credit.
Finally, the most extra credit can boost your final grade is 10% (one letter grade).
Each of the 4 types of extra credit involves some
writing. Please write in your own words and do not just copy someone else’s
work. You can write by hand or type on the computer. If you type on the
computer in Microsoft Office Word 2003, you can look near the top under Tools
for Word Count and use this to see if you have written enough words.
Please turn in all extra credit on or before Wednesday July 22.
Below are details about each of the 4
kinds of extra credit:
Write an essay about why you should study physics (approximate value: 1 lab
report):
For this, write a 2-page (1000 word) essay about why a person like you should
know about Physics. Don’t just say Physics is a prerequisite for some other
course or is a requirement in your major/curriculum. Instead, try to explain
why Physics is a prerequisite or why it is a requirement. What do you think the
program administrators want you to learn from Physics? How do you think knowing
Physics could help you in your career? How do you think knowing Physics could
help you in your daily life? Has anything you have learned in class already
proven to be useful in your life? What would you say to others to convince them
to study Physics?
Write a summary of an online science program that involves physics
(approximate value: 1 lab report):
For this, watch or listen to an online science program that involves physics
and is at least 30 minutes long. List its web page and write a 2-page (1000
word) summary of what this show discussed, especially what aspects of Physics
were involved. Discuss things in the show that were new, interesting, or
surprising to you. Try to write as if you were promoting this show as a
learning experience for one of your fellow students.
Where
to look for online science programs:
Explain using your physics knowledge how some modern piece of technology works
(approximate value: 1 lab report):
For this, please read one or more articles in Scientific American, Popular Science, Wikipedia, etc.
about some modern piece of technology and how it works. Then, write a 2-page (1000
word) summary of what you learned, especially what aspects of Physics
were involved. Discuss things you found that were new, interesting, or
surprising to you. Try to write as if you were explaining how the technology works to one of your fellow students.
Please also list the references on which you base your summary.
Below are some topic ideas:
Discuss what physics is shown by an online physics demonstration
(approximate value: 1/2 lab report):
For this, find a brief online physics demonstration (links to many are under "Other Neat Stuff" at http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~jcanfiel/index.html#Phys
and http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~jcanfiel/sum08.html). This demonstration can be a
videotape of an experiment done in a lab or lecture hall, or it can be some
kind of animation or interactive online Flashlet or Applet. List the
demonstration’s web page and write a 1-page (500 word) description of what
Physics concepts (conservation of energy, conservation of momentum, constant
acceleration, etc.) are exemplified by this demonstration. If possible, list
relevant equations (Microsoft Office Word 2003 has an equation editor under
Insert/Object/Microsoft Equation 3.0). Did any aspect of the demonstration
surprise you? Try to write as if you were promoting this demonstration as a
learning experience for one of your fellow students. If the demo is
interactive, describe a simple but interesting way to use the demo (for
example, what values to input or settings to use).
This document is tentative and subject to change at the discretion of the Instructor.
Last revised 7/1/09.