This page is outdated and hasn’t been current for years. The course is administered in Blackboard. Current students should find our course on that site.

Welcome to the course page for Introductory Physics (PHYS110).  My schedule is on the welcome page of this site for your convenience in setting up appointments.  Check back frequently for homework, updated course documents, etc.  I’ll post solutions to homework and some in class exercises here to motivate your preparation for exams.

Introductory Physics Course Documents

Syllabus (v2020.03.21)

Tentative Schedule (v2020.04.06)

Physics Reference Card (v2019.04.12)

Introductory Physics Text

The website for the official course text, OpenStax College Physics is here.  You can download a free pdf and explore the other materials they offer to support the text.  Any text you like will work for you – here’s an alternative.

This is a primer on significant figures to supplement the treatment from OpenStax chapter one.  No new information, just more examples and more thorough explanation of doing math with significant figures.

And here’s a key to my shorthand for grading homework etc.  I don’t write excessive comments because I post extensive solutions.  If you don’t understand your grade on an assignment, I’m happy to explain at office hours.

Introductory Physics Supplementals

When we use physlets, there could be issues with compatibility on the classroom PCs.  If that happens, you may access the activities via this website: compadre.org.  Also helpful as a resource at home as you study for exams – explore the many problems and activities we don’t do in class!

video about free fall.  Under 5 minutes, sonorous British accents.

Awesome video about the gravitational waves Einstein predicted.

Local physics action: Jamestown Bridge Demolition.

Pacific Northwest catastrophe physics: Galloping Gertie!

Here’s a PHeT simulation that is super helpful for visualizing the concepts of magnetic fields and their interactions with electric fields (current).

And here’s an interesting list of isotopes with half-lives and decay processes, and one with masses.
Use the suggested decay processes to practice writing out the decay equations and doing the mass balance stuff.  Check your calculations for the energy released against the values given in the table.

Introductory Physics Old Quizzes and Exams Folder

These are hosted for the sole purpose of showing how class activities and problems become the stuff of exams.  It is a waste of time to simply memorize the solutions to these because I don’t reuse test items intentionally.  I’m happy to discuss these at office hours.

Introductory Physics Weekly Plans

to be added when the course runs again

Help!

Get help early and often if you need it.  My office hours are posted on my schedule (on my office door and on the welcome page of this site) and there are free student tutors as well (in the conference room across the hall from our classroom, schedule is across from the door to the conference room).

COVID shift – I’m planning to offer a Bb Collaborate session every time the course is supposed to meet in lieu of office hours since you’re not allowed to come to campus.