General Physics II (PHY 2220) Syllabus and Course Structure – Electricity, Magnetism, Waves, and Optics

Course Overview

General Physics II (PHY 2220) is the second course in a non-calculus-based physics sequence, primarily designed for students in health sciences and biology. The course covers foundational topics in electricity, magnetism, electromagnetic waves, and optics, emphasizing conceptual understanding, problem-solving, and real-world applications.

Course Content and Major Topics

• Electricity

  • Electric Force and Coulomb's Law

  • Electric Field and Field Lines

  • Electric Potential and Potential Energy

  • Equipotential Surfaces

  • Electric Circuits (Series and Parallel Connections, Kirchhoff's Rules)

• Magnetism

  • Magnetic Fields and Sources

  • Magnetic Flux

  • Faraday's Law and Lenz's Law

• Electromagnetic Waves

• Optics

  • Reflection and Refraction of Light

Student Learning Outcomes

• Apply basic laws of physics in electricity, magnetism, electromagnetic waves, and optics.

• Analyze and solve problems involving fundamental physics principles in these areas.

• Strengthen conceptual understanding and intuition in electromagnetism and optics.

• Engage in scientific debate and question results constructively.

• Relate physics concepts to real-world applications.

Course Structure and Assessment

Assessment Components

Component	Weight (%)	Description
Exams (4 total)	60	Three partial exams and one comprehensive final exam, each worth 15%.
Class Participation	20	Includes quizzes, in-class questions, discussions, and engagement.
Homework	5	Problem sets on course topics.
Special Project	15	Structured debate on a real-world issue related to electricity and magnetism.

Letter Grade Assignment

Letter Grade	Percentage (%)
A	100 – 90.0
B	89.9 – 80.0
C	79.9 – 70.0
D	69.9 – 60.0
F	59.9 – 0

Final Grade Calculation Formula

The final grade is calculated using the following formula:

$Final\ Grade = (E_1 + E_2 + E_3 + FE) * 0.10 + GPT * 0.10 + H * 0.05 + CP * 0.25 + SP * 0.20$

• $E_1, E_2, E_3$: Exam #1, #2, #3 Percent

• $FE$: Final Exam Percent

• $GPT$: ChatGPT Percent

• $H$: Homework Percent

• $CP$: Class Participation Percent

• $SP$: Special Project Percent

Additional info: The formula as written in the syllabus appears to have a typographical error in the weights; the sum of the coefficients exceeds 1.0. The main assessment weights are clarified in the table above.

Course Schedule (Selected Topics by Week)

Week	Main Topics
1	Introduction & Assessment
2	Electric Force, Coulomb's Law
3	Electric Field and Field Lines
4	Electric Potential Energy, Equipotential Surfaces
5-6	Electric Circuits: Series/Parallel, Kirchhoff's Rules
8-10	Magnetism, Sources of Magnetic Field, Magnetic Flux, Faraday's and Lenz's Law
12	Electromagnetic Waves
13-14	Reflection and Refraction of Light
15-16	Presentations and Debates
17	Final Exam

Key Physics Concepts (Brief Academic Context)

Electric Force and Coulomb's Law

• Electric Force: The force between two point charges is given by Coulomb's Law.

• Coulomb's Law:

  $F = k_e \frac{|q_1 q_2|}{r^2}$

  where $F$ is the magnitude of the force, $q_1$ and $q_2$ are the charges, $r$ is the distance between them, and $k_e$ is Coulomb's constant.

Electric Field and Potential

• Electric Field (E): The region around a charged object where other charges experience a force.

  $\vec{E} = \frac{\vec{F}}{q}$

• Electric Potential (V): The potential energy per unit charge at a point in an electric field.

  $V = \frac{U}{q}$

Electric Circuits

• Ohm's Law:

  $V = IR$

  where $V$ is voltage, $I$ is current, and $R$ is resistance.

• Series and Parallel Circuits:

  • In series: $R_{eq} = R_1 + R_2 + ...$

  • In parallel: $\frac{1}{R_{eq}} = \frac{1}{R_1} + \frac{1}{R_2} + ...$

• Kirchhoff's Rules: Used to analyze complex circuits by applying conservation of charge and energy.

Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction

• Magnetic Field (B): Produced by moving charges or currents; exerts force on other moving charges.

• Faraday's Law of Induction:

  $\mathcal{E} = -\frac{d\Phi_B}{dt}$

  where $\mathcal{E}$ is the induced emf and $\Phi_B$ is the magnetic flux.

• Lenz's Law: The direction of induced current opposes the change in magnetic flux.

Electromagnetic Waves

• Oscillating electric and magnetic fields propagate through space as waves at the speed of light.

• Wave Equation:

  $c = \lambda f$

  where $c$ is the speed of light, $\lambda$ is wavelength, and $f$ is frequency.

Optics: Reflection and Refraction

• Reflection: The bouncing of light from a surface; angle of incidence equals angle of reflection.

• Refraction: The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another, described by Snell's Law:

  $n_1 \sin \theta_1 = n_2 \sin \theta_2$

  where $n$ is the index of refraction and $\theta$ is the angle with respect to the normal.

Course Policies and Student Responsibilities

• Regular attendance and active participation are expected.

• Assignments must be completed on time; late work is penalized.

• Academic integrity is strictly enforced; violations may result in severe penalties.

• Electronic devices are to be used only with instructor approval.

• Students are responsible for checking course updates and communicating with the instructor as needed.

Support and Resources

• Textbook: College Physics (OpenStax, 2nd Edition)

• Additional materials and assignments posted on Moodle/Brightspace.

• Academic support, tutoring, and library resources are available to all students.

Career Readiness Competencies

• Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

• Communication

• Teamwork & Collaboration

• Digital Technology

• Professionalism & Work Ethic

• Equity & Inclusion

• Career & Self-Development

• Leadership

Example: Real-World Application

Application of Faraday's Law: The operation of electric generators in power plants is based on electromagnetic induction, where a changing magnetic field induces an emf and thus generates electric current.

Additional Info

• This syllabus includes university policies on academic integrity, attendance, accommodations, and emergency procedures.

• Students are encouraged to utilize academic support services and communicate proactively with the instructor.