Message Archive  -  Ph 137, Fall 2009                                                                 

  (0) Weather Underground:  Current Alaska Conditions.  (permanent)
  (1) Welcome to Physics 137.  Have a great semester!  (August 12, 2009)
  (2) Your instructor is well aware of the high cost of textbooks.  Unfortunately, this course is no exception to the general pattern.  If you can afford
        it, the convenience of a new, hard copy is tough to beat.  However there are some other options.  Look under "Text" in §I of the Course
        Outline, consider purchasing a 180-day on-line access to the text for about half the cost of a new text, or, for a slightly smaller price, you can
        rent a hard copy of the text for the semester.  For your information only (I am not supporting any particular vender of such services) you can
        purchase on-line access from venders such as CourseSmart.com or rent a text (for this any many other courses) from
        CampusBookRentals.com or other textbook rental services.  (August 24, 2009)
  (3) Click here for a US map with the hometown distribution of current class members.  If there is not an "´" marking your hometown, please
        notify your instructor.  (August 31, 2009)
  (4) Earn extra-credit points by identifying your instructor's mistakes.  If you encounter an error in the course outline or any of the other course
       materials posted on-line, be the first to notify your instructor and earn one point of extra credit (the same as the credit value of a correct quiz
       response) for each mistake you find.  Notify me by email at cgc@byu.edu.  (Errors discovered in the links over which I have no control don't
       count.)  (September 1, 2009)
  (5) The materials your instructor has posted for internet access have mostly been created using Microsoft's Front Page software.  For that
        reason they tend to display best using Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser.  The optimum screen resolution is generally 1024 ´ 768.
       (September 1, 2009)
  (6) If you are unable to submit a CID# via the data boxes posted on the course outline, please email your CID#, name, email address and phone
       number to cgc@byu.edu.  Thank you.  (September 4, 2009)
  (7) Megan will be holding help sessions each Wednesday at 1-3 pm in C255 ESC.  (September 9, 2009)
  (8) Please note that a key to Homework Assignment #1 has been posted (click on "Homework Keys" above to find it).  A key to each homework
       assignment will generally be posted shortly after its due date.  (September 10, 2009)
  (9) A few of you have not yet submitted CID#s.  As a reward to those of you who make my life easier by the timely submission of numbers, I
       will award 2 bonus points to all class members who have submitted CID#s before noon tomorrow!  (September 16, 2009)
(10) As the room C255 ESC is unavailable from 2-3 pm for Megan's Wednesday help sessions, hereafter she will be in room C255 from 1-2 pm,
        then will move to C247 (our classroom) from 2-3 pm.  (September 18, 2009)
(11) Megan has scheduled the following review sessions for the first unit examination.  Please come to either or both sessions.  First Session:
        Thursday, September 24, 7-9 pm in C460 ESC;  Second Session:  Monday, September 28, 1-3 pm in 366 MARB.  (September 24, 2009)
(12) This morning at BYU-Idaho.  (October 5, 2009)
(13) Click here for the five most missed questions on Unit Exam #1 (October 5, 2009)
(14) On Friday, October 9, the guest lecturer, Dr. Victor Migenes, will focus on the first half of chapter 7, "Precipitation."  We shall return to
       Chapter 6 on atmospheric stability on Monday, October 12.  Please read accordingly.  (October 7, 2009)
(15) There will be a review session for Unit Exam #2 on Thursday, October 15, 3-5 pm in 231 MARB.  (October 14, 2009)
(16) There will be a second (last minute) review session for Unit Exam #2 on Monday, October 19, 1-3 pm, in 241 MSRB.  (October 16, 2009)
(17) Check out the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Career Exploration Series.  (October 20, 2009)
(18) Most of you will be happy to find that your Unit #2 Test score has changed by a few points.  This is a consequence of my having entered
        three(!) incorrect answers on the key (question #s 13, 14 and 42).  Five of you improved by 6 points, two by 4 points and seven by 2 points,
        also two you had no change and two of you lost two points.  This raised the class average score by almost 3 points.  (October 22, 2009)
(19) Click here for the five most missed questions on Unit Exam #2 (October 23, 2009)
(20) The test score histograms have been corrected for the changes noted in item #18 above.  (October 23, 2009)
(21) Those of you who chose to present a weather forecast instead of do an observing project, please note that your assigned dates have been
        posted on the class schedule.  The order of the forecasts was randomized using a computer program so that your instructor had no control over
        that order.  Forecasts will be presented at the beginning of the class period so you will have a few minutes to check out the computer if you
        arrive at the classroom a little early.  If you have problems with your assigned date, please inform your instructor immediately.  (October 28, 2009)
(22) Google Earth Image of Utah Valley.  (October 28, 2009)
(23) Current US snow cover map.  (October 30, 2009)
(24) Some of you will probably be interested in the Department of Physics and Astronomy colloquium today at 4 pm in C215 ESC.  The speaker is
       Dr. Denise Stephens of BYU who will give a presentation entitled "Is Pluto a Planet?"  (November 4, 2009)
(25) Megan will conduct a review session for Unit Test #3 on Tuesday morning, from 8 am to 10 am, in C285 ESC.  There will be a second review
       session at the usual help session time and place, Wednesday, 1-2 pm in C255 ESC and 2-3 pm in C247 ESC.  (November 9, 2009)
(26) Click here for the seven most missed questions on Unit Exam #3. (November 20, 2009)
(27) Four years ago a Ph 137 student with a desire to become a TV weatherman sought some career advice from me.  As I am not a meteorologist,
        I contacted Mark Eubank of KSL-TV who was the senior Channel 5 weatherman at that time (he is the father of current Channel 5
        weatherman Kevin Eubank) for his advice.  Some of you may be interested in his response.  (November 24, 2009)
(28) On Wednesday, December 2, at 4 pm in C215 ESC, the weekly colloquium speaker for the Department of Physics and Astronomy will be Dr.
        Jacob Fugal, a  meteorologist with the National Center for Atmospheric Research.  Dr. Fugal is a former Physics 137 student from Winter
        Semester 1999.  You may earn 10 bonus homework points by attending Dr. Fugal's presentation, then submitting to me, in class on Friday,
        December 4, a brief statement of three facts you learned from Dr. Fugal's presentation. You can learn more about this lecture by clicking here.
        Refreshments are provided to those who arrive a few minutes early.   (November 24, 2009)
(29) The review sessions for Unit Test #4 are scheduled at 3-5 pm on Thursday, December 3, in 231 MARB and at 1-3 pm on Monday,
        December 7, in C254 ESC.  (December 4, 2009)
(30) Don't forget the optional semester review which will be held at the normal class time and place on Friday, December 11.  (December 4, 2009)
(31) For 5 extra credit points, please complete the on-line teacher evaluation.  To receive your points, do not hide your identity.  (It is not linked
        to your response.)  Thank you.  (December 4, 2009)
(32) Unit test #4 has been graded.  You can pick up your copy of the test from the box outside my office door.  (December 15, 2009)