Nov 23, 2010: Due to the winter storm and early campus closure today, Labs 10 and 11 will still be available on Monday after the break.
Nov 22, 2010: My lecture notes on transformers are contained in the "Electromagnetic Induction" file rather than the "LRC circuits" file.
Nov 22, 2010: Two of our students pointed out that the wording of Lab 11 didn't do a good job of differentiating between the natural frequency and the resonance frequency of an LRC oscillator. Because you will be tested on this distinction, I have rewritten the lab so as to clarify the matter. Because the exercises are the same, you don't need to redo the lab. But you are welcome to download the new version from the Resources page to see what changes have been made.
Nov 17, 2010: There was a mistake in the reading schedule for today. I intended to assign the section (33.5) on LRC circuits. You should read this section before attempting to complete HW 29.
Nov 15, 2010: A silver LG phone with a slightly cracked screen was left in class today. It was placed on the tech panel behind the computer monitor.
Nov 11, 2010: I posted my electromagnetic induction notes this evening.
Oct 29, 2010: Someone reminded me in class today to post my lecture notes on magnetism. They should now be available.
Oct 13, 2010: The Lab 6 equipment was missing yesterday but is back in the lab as of this morning. Someone apparently decided that it was a good idea to move the equipment into a different room and just leave it there. Because we caught and fixed the problem early, I do not plan to extend the due date. It will still be due this Friday.
Oct 11, 2010: I posted my most recent lecture notes on resistance and resistivity this afternoon. If you attempt to access them, you will find that I have updated the website security settings so that you now have to enter your password twice rather than once. Sorry about the hassle.
Oct 11, 2010: A nice black TI calculator was found in our classroom at the end of class. We left it on the computer podium.
Sep 28, 2010: The students in our class have been very busy this week finding mistakes in the sample exams. I'm quite impressed because these same problems have been available to 220 students for a number of years. The errors are described on our Errata page.
Sep 24, 2010: I updated the Exam 2 Review Notes on the Resources page this morning. You may want to review these before coming to class for the exam review on Monday in order to prepare to ask more informed questions. Your most valuable exam-preparation resources are the sample exam, my lecture notes, your homework solutions, the Formulas & Chapter Summaries booklet, and your textbook.
Sep 24, 2010: Student question: I don't understand why point E was the correct response to HW8.3. Reply: Considering only the magnitudes involved, |E| = |dV|/|dx|, where you can think of dV as the potential difference between two equipotential lines and dx as the spacing between the two lines. Because all the equipotential lines in this problem were separated by 1V of potential, the key is to find the point where the line spacing is greatest. The more closely spaced the equipotentials are, the higher the field.
Sep 17, 2010: Student question about homework 6-4. Is the charge on the solid insulating sphere distributed only on the surface or throughout the volume? Response: It is distributed throughout the volume of the sphere.
Sep 17, 2010: Someone left a cell phone in the lecture hall (435 MARB) today. I placed it on the tech panel just under the computer monitor.
Sep 15, 2010: Due to an unavoidable meeting, I can't make my office hours this Thursday. If the meeting ends on time, I will be available between 5:00 to 5:30 PM.
Sep 15, 2010: I just put the stack of exams with no CID listed in the lower-right bin of the homework-return case. Students reported that the carbon paper used for lab 2 was worn out and not working well. I just requested that it be replaced. Should be fixed by noon.
Sep 14, 2010: Detailed homework solutions are now posted in a display case just outside the tutorial lab shortly after each homework due date.
Sep 12, 2010: Student comment: Some of the figures in the homework appear to violate the right-hand rule for constructing a coordinate system. Response: I endeavor to always respect the right-hand rule (RHR) when constructing coordinate systems. The RHR is obeyed whenever i ´ j = k, which holds true in the figures that we have used to date. Any exceptions should be reported so that they can be fixed.
Sep 8, 2010: Student question: "Why are the answers to HW:2-4 and SampleExam #1:8-9 different?" Response: The two different answers that you refer to reflect two different ways to cut the cone. In HW 2-4, you cut the surface of the cone into circular ribbons concentric about the z-axis. In Sample Exam 1:8-9, you cut the surface of the cone into triangles. The resulting differential areas are different. But integrating either differential area will produce the same total area.
Sep 8, 2010: Student question: "How can we access the password-protected content on the course website?" Response: I announced this in class. Catch me in class sometime for more information.
Sep 8, 2010: Student question: "What is the policy for forgiving missed quiz scores and late homework scores". Response: Read the syllabus carefully. It's all there.
Sep 8, 2010: The first exam should be available from opening time to closing time in the Testing Center, Wed. through Fri. of this week. Be aware that the Testing Center is operating on reduced hours this week. Check their website to see when they are actually open. Give yourself at least 90 minutes to take the exam just to be safe.
Sep 1, 2010: When you contact me via email, please include "Physics 220" in the subject, and always include both your name and CID at the end of the message. I enjoy a good mystery now and then. But "who sent this email" isn't my favorite subgenre.
Aug 31, 2010: Student question: "The study guide unit (Chap 23:A-C) from lecture 1 covers Coulomb's law, which we haven't discussed in class yet. Should we start on it now?" Yes, work on it this week. It will be good preparation for lecture 2. And sections A-F all together are a bit much for one sitting.
Aug 31, 2010: Student question: "When will Lab 1 be available?" It will be set up this Saturday morning (Sept. 4th).
Aug 31, 2010: Student question: "Does exam 5 really run over Thanksgiving weekend?" Yes. But you will have the Monday and Tuesday following the holiday to complete the exam.
Aug 31, 2010: Student question: "How do I submit a study-guide assignment?" The first question of each in-class iClicker quiz is "Did you complete at least 50% of your reading assignment and your study-guide assignment?".
VITAL ACTIONS FOR THE FIRST WEEK!
(1) Check your E-Mail (RouteY) for your Class ID (CID) number. Until you have a CID number, we cannot grade or return your homework or exams. After classes begin, if and only if you still haven't received it, which probably means that you have just registered within the past few days, then click here to get one.
(2) Purchase the textbook and course packet at the bookstore and bring them to the first day of class. The packet must be new. Our textbook will be Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Serway (5th, 6th and 7th editions all OK). You can either purchase the large hardbound version which covers all of Physics 121, 123, and 220, or you can purchase the custom paperback version (Vol. 2) that covers only Physics 220.
(3) If you don't already own an iclicker, you will need to purchase one at the bookstore in order to participate in our in-class quizzes. Click here to register your iclicker for our Physics 220 course. Note that we will have a quiz on the first day of class!
(4) Download your syllabus, and course schedule.
(5) Download your personal homework data sheet, and read the Online Homework Submission Tips.