General Physics II (PHYS 2360) – Syllabus and Study Guide

General Physics II (PHYS 2360) – Syllabus and Study Guide

Course Overview

This course is the second part of a two-semester sequence in general physics, focusing on electricity, magnetism, optics, and modern physics. It is designed for students in science and pre-professional programs and includes both lectures and laboratory sessions.

• Prerequisites: PHYS 2350 and either MATH 1250, MATH 1200, or MATH 2100H

• Credits: 4.0

• Frequency: Every Fall and Winter

Course Structure and Logistics

Instructor and Contact Information

• Professor: Raul Coto Cabrera

• Email: [e-mail]

• Office Hours: Multiple times throughout the week (see syllabus for details)

Class Schedule and Locations

• Classes are held at the Ft. Lauderdale/Davie Campus in various buildings (Parker Building, Carl DeSantis Building, HPD-Assembly II Building-MORRIS).

• Lecture and lab times vary by section and CRN (see detailed schedule in syllabus).

Course Description

This course covers the fundamental concepts of electricity and magnetism, optics, and selected topics in modern physics. The curriculum includes laboratory sessions to reinforce theoretical concepts through hands-on experiments.

Course Objectives / Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Calculate electric and magnetic fields, forces, and potentials from a given set of charges or currents.

2. Solve basic problems of electromagnetic waves and show their application to optics and simple, real-life scenarios.

3. Solve circuit problems for both AC and DC circuits containing batteries, inductors, capacitors, and resistors.

4. Use the concepts of geometrical and physical optics, such as refraction and diffraction, to solve simple optical problems.

5. Solve simple problems in special relativity involving energy, momentum, length contraction, time dilation, and mass-energy equivalence.

Course Schedule and Topic Outline

The following is a week-by-week outline of the main topics covered in the course:

• Week 1: Electric charge, Coulomb's law, electric field, electric potential, field, potential energy, conductors, capacitors, dielectrics.

• Week 2: Electric current, Ohm's law, DC circuits, capacitors, circuit analysis, resistors, Joule's heating effect, EMF, batteries.

• Week 3: Magnetism, Biot-Savart law, Ampère's law, electromagnetic forces, Lorentz force, magnetic fields due to currents, parallel and series arrangements, Electromotive force (EMF).

• Week 4: Faraday's law, Lenz's law, inductance, energy in magnetic fields, mutual inductance, RL circuits, AC circuits, transformers.

• Week 5: Maxwell's equations, electromagnetic waves, speed of light, energy transport, Poynting vector, electromagnetic spectrum.

• Week 6: Geometrical optics: reflection, refraction, Snell's law, mirrors, lenses, optical instruments.

• Week 7: Physical optics: interference, diffraction, polarization, double-slit, single-slit, gratings, Rayleigh resolution limit.

• Week 8: Modern physics: photoelectric effect, Compton scattering, de Broglie wavelength, atomic structure, quantum numbers, Bohr atom, spectra.

Sample Table: Grading Criteria

The following table summarizes the grading distribution for the course:

Component	Percentage
Homework	20%
Laboratory	20%
Exam 1	12%
Exam 2	12%
Final Exam	26%

Letter Grade Scale

Letter Grade	Percentage
A	92-100
A-	90-92
B+	88-90
B	82-88
B-	80-82
C+	78-80
C	75-78
C-	70-75
D	65-70
F	Below 65

Key Physics Concepts and Formulas

Electricity and Magnetism

• Coulomb's Law: The force between two point charges is given by: $F = k_e \frac{|q_1 q_2|}{r^2}$

• Ohm's Law: The relationship between voltage, current, and resistance: $V = IR$

• Faraday's Law of Induction: $\mathcal{E} = -\frac{d\Phi_B}{dt}$

• Maxwell's Equations: Fundamental equations describing electromagnetism (in integral form): $\oint \vec{E} \cdot d\vec{A} = \frac{q_{enc}}{\varepsilon_0}$ $\oint \vec{B} \cdot d\vec{A} = 0$ $\oint \vec{E} \cdot d\vec{s} = -\frac{d\Phi_B}{dt}$ $\oint \vec{B} \cdot d\vec{s} = \mu_0 I_{enc} + \mu_0 \varepsilon_0 \frac{d\Phi_E}{dt}$

Optics

• Snell's Law: Describes the refraction of light at an interface: $n_1 \sin \theta_1 = n_2 \sin \theta_2$

• Lens Equation: $\frac{1}{f} = \frac{1}{d_o} + \frac{1}{d_i}$

Modern Physics

• Photoelectric Effect: The energy of emitted electrons: $E_k = h\nu - \phi$

• de Broglie Wavelength: $\lambda = \frac{h}{p}$

• Mass-Energy Equivalence: $E = mc^2$

Course Policies and Resources

• Attendance is required for both lectures and labs.

• Homework, quizzes, and lab reports are essential for success in the course.

• Refer to the university and course-specific policies for academic integrity, accommodations, and student support resources.

Recommended Textbook

• Text: Physics for Scientists and Engineers (latest edition), by Douglas Giancoli, Pearson.

Additional info:

• Some details about weekly lab schedules and specific experiment titles are not included in the syllabus but are typically provided in the course's online platform or by the instructor.

• Students are encouraged to use a scientific calculator and may benefit from additional math review if needed.