Course Overview and Logistics

Course Structure and Grading

This course introduces fundamental concepts in physics tailored for life sciences students. The grading is based on multiple components to ensure a comprehensive assessment of student understanding and participation.

• Homework: 10%

• Clicker Score: 10% (participation and correctness)

• Midterm #1: 17.5%

• Midterm #2: 17.5%

• Labs: 25%

• Final Exam: 20%

• Bonus: Up to 5% extra for pre-lecture homework

Students must independently pass both laboratory and lecture portions to pass the course. The grading scale may be adjusted to reflect overall class performance, with top 90% guaranteeing an "A", top 75% a "B", and top 60% a "C".

Textbook and Resources

• Textbook: "College Physics: A Strategic Approach" (4th Edition) by Knight, Jones, Field

• MasteringPhysics: Online homework and eText access required

• Course Platform: Brightspace (PHY121.00)

Homework is assigned via MasteringPhysics, with one homework per lecture (two per week), due approximately one week after the lecture at 9:00am. The lowest three homework scores are dropped. Bonus homework is available for extra credit.

Clickers

• In-person students: Use the Turning Point app ("PointSolutions") for clicker questions during lectures.

• Online students: Answer clicker questions on Brightspace after watching lecture videos.

• Grading: For in-person students, 50% of clicker grade is attendance, 50% correctness. For online students, 100% is correctness.

Labs

• All students must complete all labs; none are dropped.

• Receiving zero on more than three labs results in failing the lab portion.

• Final grade is an average of lecture and lab grades; failing either results in failing the course.

• University-excused absences require documentation and a make-up request.

Exams

• Two midterms and one final exam; formats announced in class and on Brightspace.

• Midterm 1: Wednesday, September 17th @ 8:15–9:35pm

• Midterm 2: Friday, November 4th @ 8:15–9:35pm

• Final Exam: Friday, December 11th @ 2:15–5:00pm

Office Hours and Help Room

• Staffed by teaching assistants and professors.

• Schedules posted on Brightspace.

• Available both in-person and via Zoom.

Fundamental Concepts in Physics (Sections 1.1–1.5)

Section 1.1: Motion – A First Look

Motion is the change in an object's position or orientation over time. The path along which an object moves is called its trajectory.

• Motion Diagram: A series of images showing an object's position at equal time intervals, useful for visualizing motion (constant speed, speeding up, slowing down).

• One-dimensional motion: Movement along a straight line.

• Two-dimensional motion: Movement with changes in both speed and direction.

Section 1.2: Models and Modeling

Physical theories are mathematical models developed to explain observed phenomena. Theories must be falsifiable—able to be tested and potentially disproven by experiments.

• Example: The evolution of the theory of gravity, from Aristotle's separate theories for terrestrial and celestial objects, to Newton's unified law, and Einstein's general relativity.

• Particle Model: Simplifies a moving object by treating all its mass as concentrated at a single point.

Section 1.3: Position and Time

To describe motion quantitatively, we assign numbers to position and time using a coordinate system.

• Coordinate System: Defined by an origin and axes with positive and negative directions.

• Position (x): The location of an object along an axis, measured from the origin.

• Time (t): Each position in a motion diagram is labeled with its corresponding time.

• Displacement (): The change in position, .

• Time Interval (): The elapsed time between two events, .

Example: If Emily moves from 3 miles east to 2 miles west of a water tower in half an hour, her displacement is miles (westward).

Section 1.4: Velocity

Velocity describes both the speed and direction of an object's motion. Uniform motion refers to motion at constant speed in a straight line.

• Speed: How fast an object moves, regardless of direction.

• Velocity: Displacement divided by time interval; includes direction.

Formulas:

• Average Velocity:

• Speed:

Example: An albatross moves from 60 miles east to 80 miles east of its roost in 0.25 hours. Its velocity is east.

Section 1.5: Significant Figures, Scientific Notation, and Units

Measurements in physics must be reported with appropriate precision and units.

• Significant Figures: Digits in a measurement that are reliably known. The number of significant figures reflects the precision of the measurement.

• Rules:

  • For multiplication/division: The answer should have the same number of significant figures as the least precise number.

  • For addition/subtraction: The answer should have the same number of decimal places as the least precise number.

  • Exact numbers (e.g., counting numbers, defined constants) do not affect significant figures.

• Scientific Notation: Used to express very large or small numbers clearly and to indicate significant figures.

  • Example:

  • Example:

• SI Units: The standard system of units in science.

  • Length: meter (m)

  • Time: second (s)

  • Mass: kilogram (kg)

• Unit Conversion: Important for translating between different systems (e.g., English and SI units).

Table: Common SI Units

Table: Approximate Unit Conversions

Summary of Key Concepts

• Motion diagrams and the particle model help visualize and simplify the study of motion.

• Position and displacement are described using coordinates and differences in position.

• Velocity and speed quantify how fast and in what direction an object moves.

• Significant figures and scientific notation ensure clarity and precision in measurements.

• SI units are the standard for scientific measurements; unit conversion is essential for practical applications.

Additional info: These notes are based on the syllabus and introductory lecture slides for Physics for Life Sciences I, covering foundational concepts in motion, measurement, and scientific modeling.