Physics 326: Intermediate Mechanics II  Fall 2014

 

version as of Monday, August 25, 2014

 
    * Course schedule

    * P326 gradebook

    * Physics formulary

    * Math formulary

 

Instructor:

 

Richard Weaver.  Office: 4115 ESB.  Tel: (217) 333-3656 r-weaver@illinois.edu

 

Discussion Leader:

 

John Yoritomo            yoritom2@illinois.edu

 

Graders:

 

Chang-Tse Hsieh,       chsieh9@illinois.edu               HW B

Tong Wang                 twang92@illinois.edu             HW A

 

 

Welcome to Physics 326: Intermediate Mechanics II    The instruction for this course begins at 11:00 am on Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 in 144 Loomis Laboratory of Physics (LLP). The schedule (subject to change) can be found here.

 

General Overview

 

The format of the course is very like that of last semester's Phys 325.   See below for specifics on HW and exams and discussion.   Phys 326 will include material on multi-degree of freedom coupled linear oscillations, rotations of 3-d rigid bodies, a bit of chaos and nonlinear dynamics, and some continuum mechanics including waves in solids and fluids.  See the schedule for details.

 

Texts

 

                  * Taylor, Classical Mechanics

* Marion and Thornton, Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems. The Fifth

Edition is best, but earlier editions are also fine. (optional)

These books should be on reserve in Grainger Library.

* A booklet of 256 pages constituting an edited version of the lecture notes from last year is available at FedEx/Kinkos on Wright Street in Champaign (if they run out let them/me know).   Purchasing it is strongly recommended but not required.   Reading it before class will give you an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the material of the lecture before the lecture is presented.    Lectures tend to be much more clear when you have skimmed the material before hand.

 

Online access

 

Some of the on-line activities (e.g. gradebook) for this course run on a secure server and must be logged into.    Students enrolled in (and staff associated with) the course must log in using their UIUC NetID and their NetID password. If you are enrolled in the course and are having trouble logging in, send email to  Rebecca Wiltfong rwiltfon@illinois.edu. You should always log out of the secure server at the end of your session.

 

Lectures

 

Lectures are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00-12:20 in 144 Loomis.   Most lectures will have a 5 minute break in the middle, and a 5 minute mini-quiz at the end.    Official lecture notes will be posted at the course website after each class.   The official notes will differ Ð for example they will include the miniquizzes; also they will more closely follow the sequence and material of the actual lecture - from those available for hard-copy purchase at the beginning of the semester.

 

Problem sessions

 

The problem sessions will take place weekly (starting Aug 28).  There are four problem sessions scheduled, each lasting one hour every Thursday starting at 5, 6, 7 and 8 pm:

 

    * Thursdays,  5:00 - 6:00 pm, room 32 Loomis Lab

    * Thursdays,  6:00 - 7:00 pm, room 32 Loomis Lab

    * Thursdays,  7:00 - 8:00 pm, room 32 Loomis Lab

    * Thursdays,  8:00 - 9:00 pm, room 32 Loomis Lab

 

You are registered for one of these (Space is limited, so go to the section for which you are registered.)  Attendance at your Thursday evening problem session is obligatory. Show up on time to receive full credit.   WeÕll take 15% off the credit for each 5 minutes of being late. If you are late by more than 30 minutes you will not receive credit.    After class you will be able to access the problem session materials through the course schedule page.

 

Homework

 

Homework is an essential part of this course. The homework to be done will generally be assigned (and made available online) at the end of the each Tuesday lecture and will cover the lecture material of that week.   Like last semester, HW is broken into parts A and B.  I will collect your solutions at the beginning of lecture one week later.   Please hand in your HW with the assignment stapled as a cover sheet on the front.   You may also place your completed homework in the yellow PHYS 326 box located at the beginning of the second floor "Interpass" in Loomis, but it must be in the box by 11:00 am on the Tuesday that it is due to receive full credit. Late work will be marked down by 15% each day that it is late and will not be graded if it is more than one week late.  If you do hand in your HW late, email the graders to tell them when you did so, otherwise it will be assumed to have been deposited just before the grader checked the box.  I don't object to people working on the homework problems together as long as the work that you hand in for grading is your own.  I strongly recommend that you thoroughly struggle with the problems yourself first. You'll learn more this way and you'll do better on the exams when you're on your own. Trust me on this one.

 

You will be able to access the homework assignment through the course schedule page in case you do not get it in the lecture.

 

Quizzes

 

There will be very short "miniquizzes" to be done in the last 5 minutes of each lecture.  They are graded only for attendance, and constitute 1% of the course grade..

 

 Exams

 

There will be two (probably in-class) midterm exams and one final exam.  Dates will be announced. Please check the course calendar for full details.

 

Office hours

 

Office hours are during the following times and in the following locations (watch for changes):

 

      Richard Weaver     Tuesdays & Thursdays 12:20  to 1:00    4115  Eng Scis Building

John Yoritomo             yoritom2@illinois.edu   Mondays 11:30-12:30   room 279 LLP

Chang-Tse Hsieh,                    chsieh9@illinois.edu      Mondays 2:30-3:30 room 279 LLP

Tong Wang                             twang92@illinois.edu    Mondays 3:30-4:30 room 279 LLP

 

 

NB  Monday 9/1 is Labor Day, on which there are no office hours.    Therefore special office hours are held   Thursday 8/28  3-4   and Friday 8/29  230-430

 

 

Grading

 

Your course grade will be based on your homework (~34%),  exams (~15, 15 and 30%) quizzes (1%) and participation in Thursday problem sessions (~5%). There will be two midterm exams and a final exam.

 

Academic Integrity

 

The giving of assistance to or receiving of unauthorized assistance from another person, or the use of unauthorized materials during University Examinations can be grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion from the University.

 

Please be aware that prior to or during an examination the instructional staff may wish to rearrange the student seating. Such action does not mean that anyone is suspected of inappropriate behavior.

 

Unless a problem states otherwise, you are not to use any calculating devices or symbolic manipulation tools in any of your work.   No calculators, no computers, no slide rules.  And no use of electronic search tools to find material relating to solutions to problems you are working.   I will only permit paper and pen, and information you can find in textbooks and reference works such as calculus texts or tables of integrals and special functions. You are on your honor to hold to this.

 

 

===========

 

The campus has asked us to read and be aware of the following general instructions for emergencies that may occur during classes.    You should probably sign up for emergency text messages at emergency.illinois.edu

 

Emergency Response Recommendations

 

The Department of Homeland Security and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Office of Campus Emergency Planning recommend the following three responses to any emergency on campus: RUN > HIDE > FIGHT

 

Only follow these actions if safe to do so. When in doubt, follow your instinctsÑyou are your own best advocate!

 

RUN

 

Action taken to leave an area for personal safety.

 

    * Take the time now to learn the different ways to leave your building before there is an emergency.

    * Evacuations are mandatory for fire alarms and when directed by authorities. No exceptions!

    * Evacuate immediately. Pull manual fire alarm to prompt a response for others to evacuate.

    * Take critical personal items only (keys, purse, and outerwear) and close doors behind you.

    * Assist those who need help, but carefully consider whether you may put yourself at risk.

    * Look for EXIT signs indicating potential egress/escape routes.

    * If you are not able to evacuate, go to an Area of Rescue Assistance.

    * Evacuate to Evacuation Assembly Area and remain until additional instructions are given.

    * Alert authorities to those who may need assistance.

    * Do not re-enter building until informed by emergency response personnel that it is safe to return.

 

ACTIVE THREAT:

 

    * If it is safe to do so run out of the building. Get as far away as possible. Do not go to the Evacuation Assembly Area.

 

HIDE

 

Action taken to seek immediate shelter indoors when emergency conditions do not warrant or allow evacuation, such as for severe weather.

 

    * Take the time now to learn the different ways to seek shelter within your building before there is an emergency.

    * If you are outside, proceed to the nearest protective building.

    * If sheltering-in-place due to severe weather, proceed to the identified Storm Refuge Area or to the lowest, most interior area of the building away from windows or hazardous equipment or materials.

 

ACTIVE THREAT:

 

    * Lock or barricade your area.

    * Get to a place where the threat cannot see you.

    * Place cell phones on silent.

    * Do not make any noise.

    * Do not come out until you receive an Illini-Alert advising you it is safe.

 

FIGHT

 

Action taken as a last resort to increase your odds for survival.

 

ACTIVE THREAT:

 

    * If you cannot run away safely or cannot hide, be prepared to fight with anything available to increase your odds for survival.