Message Archive - Ph 121, Summer 2007
(1) Welcome to Physics 121! Expect to work hard and to succeed! (6/18/2007)
(2) A few of the homework problems in the Class Supplement are designated as "( Extra credit, )" e.g., Problem 2-4. These will be graded as
regularly assigned problems, not as extra credit problems. (6/20/2007)
(3) A table of SI prefixes has been added to the list of Chapter 1 figures and tables. (6/25/2007)
(4) Please read the mini-essay "The Lazy Physicist." (6/25/2007)
(5) If you discover an error in any of the materials posted in the links on this webpage (except those items over which your instructor has no
control) please be the first to inform your instructor by email (cgchristensen@byu.edu) and earn a bonus quiz/homework point. Such
points will be accumulated under Quiz #0. (6/25/2007)
(6) Strategy for a better test performance. (7/06/2007)
(7) Please note that the Score and Current Grade functions are now operating. When grades are recorded they are placed in a file which is
not accessed by the Show Score button for security reasons. Once a day the grade file is copied into the file accessed by the Show
Score button. Thus when your homework is returned, your earned score will often not appear here until the next day. Also note that you
can check out your quiz scores with a separate button. These will not be included in the grade file until the end of the term. Then they
will appear as a single score. (7/09/2007)
(8) The key for Unit Exam #1 will be posted adjacent to the homework from tomorrow through the end of the week. (7/18/2007)
(9) Unit Exam #2 may be picked up in the Testing Center until 4 pm on Monday, July 23, not 3 pm as stated in the Course Schedule. (7/20/2007)
(10) There was an error on the key to the first exam. The requested centripetal acceleration in the final part of the first problem has a correct
value of 1.06 ´ 10-10 m/s2. If you gave this answer and did not receive credit for it (some of you did, the graders apparently discovered
the error), please see your instructor for a score adjustment. (7/20/2007)
(11) Please note that a hover button link to the Exam Score Histogram has been added to the Scores and Current Grade box above. (7/20/2007)
(12) Earn up to 10 bonus homework points! You can do so by submitting directly to Dr. C a suitable multiple choice question for unit test #3.
Please supply the answer to your question. The question must be based on the material in chapters 9-13. The deadline for submission of
a question is 10 am on Friday, August 3. You will be scored by Dr. C's subjective evaluation of the suitability of your question for use on
the test. An added bonus for submitting a good question is that you might encounter your own question when you take the test. (7/25/2007)
(13) One bonus homework assignment was submitted with no identifying CID# or name. It suggested two possible exam questions, one
involving a parachutist and a second involving a jet fighter airplane. If this is your work, please claim it and receive your earned score.
(8/03/2007)
(14) You can earn 5 additional homework points by submitting a teacher evaluation. I would be especially appreciative of your comments
which specify what you have liked and what you have not liked about the course. In order for me to know you did the evaluation you
must release your name when you do so. I will not be able to determine which responses are yours. I will only know that you
responded. (8/03/2007)
(15) Those of you who submitted possible exam questions for bonus points will find your extra points listed as homework assignment #24
when you check your scores and current grade. (8/06/2007)
(16) The Testing Center closes at 5 pm on Fridays. Please allow yourself sufficient time to complete Unit Test #3. (8/06/2007)
(17) Please submit your exam cover with Unit Test #3. It will be returned to you before the final, even if your exam is not yet graded.
(8/06/2007)
(18) If you used the physics tutorial lab this term, you are invited to rate those tutors who assisted you. To do so, please visit the rating form
and tutor photos at Physics Tutors. (8/06/2007)
(19) Are you interested in actual involvement in laboratory nuclear astrophysics at BYU? For more information visit LAN. (8/08/2007)
(20) Please click here to see a copy of the Final Examination Instructions. Then there will be no surprises awaiting you at the Testing Center.
Since the exam will be machine graded, It is especially important that you understand how to code your answers. If you have any
questions regarding coding or any other instructions, please ask your instructor. (8/08/2007)
(21) For some reason unknown to your instructor, Labs #11 and #13 were not set up as scheduled on Saturday, August 11. Because there is so
little time now available, those two assignments are cancelled. (8/13/2007)
(22) Interpreting your scores: Your quiz total, an analysis thereof which can be accessed by clicking on the button, has been
added to the other homework scores as "Homework assignment #26." Please recall that the quiz total includes the extra credit points
some of you earned by identifying errors in the course website. "Homework assignment #24" is the extra credit you may have earned by
submitting possible examination questions and "Homework assignment #25" is the extra credit you may have earned by submitting a
teacher evaluation. Note that the "maximum possible scores" for all three of the possible extra credit scores have been set to zero. This
insures that they do count as extra credit. Even with zeroes for all of these items, you would earn a total score of 100% if you performed
perfectly all other work. It is therefore conceivable, though unlikely, that someone could earn a total percentage greater than 100%. As of
today, your final score, HW #25 and HW #26 are still not available to you, but they will become so soon. The final grading scale also
remains to be determined. It will of course be at least as generous as the "Guaranteed Grade Scale" posted in the syllabus. (8/16/2007)
(23) The "Scores and Current Grade" files are now complete and updated and should accurately yield your grade for the course. If you would
like additional information such as your class rank and the grading curve for the entire class, please click on this button:
. (8/20/2007)