PHYS 101 :: Physics Illinois :: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Course Description

College Physics:  Mechanics & Heat

Credit: Credit is not given for both PHYS 101 and either PHYS 211 or PHYS 213.

Prerequisite: Trigonometry.

Physics 101 is a non-calculus-based approach to classical mechanics and thermodynamics. Topics covered include:

• Newton's Laws
• work and energy
• rotational motion
• fluids
• thermodynamics
• waves

Course Goals

By the end of this course the student will be able to:

• describe the physics concepts in problems involving
  • mechanics
  • heat (thermodynamics)
  • waves (mechanical).
• execute basic problem-solving strategy for problems in
  • mechanics
  • thermodynamics.

Course Components

All students are required to participate in all course components. 

Credit is granted in each course component. 

All course components are subject to the Academic Integrity Policy.

Learning Strategy

Our learning philosophy is based on the idea that learning takes time. The course structure is tailored to help students take in, practice, and master physics ideas and their application.

In introductory physics, the learning philosophy of the Department of Physics can be summarized as follows:

1. Think About It (pre-lectures and checkpoints)
2. Untangle It (lectures)
3. Practice (homework)
4. Apply and Explore It (labs)
5. Challenge and Check Progress (discussion)
6. Close the Loop (exams)

This course covers a large amount of material:

• It is normal to need to try working with a new concept for a while before it becomes clear.
• Understanding what you are confused about is an important step toward understanding.
• Since the course moves fast, you will often find yourself moving toward mastery of a previous topic while learning something new. In this class each concept builds on previous course concepts. 
• The course structure will help you practice and gain mastery, but it is your responsibility to engage with the course materials and keep up with the content.

If you are struggling or fall behind, please utilize available resources to help. For assistance with Physics concepts we recommend Office Hours and OMSA tutoring. If you are encountering other difficulties and need assistance to get back on track or get connected with campus resources, please contact the Student Assistance Center.

 

Component Description

Think About It: Pre-lectures and Checkpoints

Due before each lecture, these web-based assessments are designed to introduce the key ideas/concepts of the lecture. 

Assignments are due as presented in the course schedule.

Pre-lecture

• Each question may be attempted several times.
• Each question must be answered correctly to complete the activity.
• No late credit.

Checkpoint

• Available after prelecture is complete.
• Answer all questions for full credit.
• No late credit.

Untangle It:  Lecture

Participation is required.  You must have a functional iclicker or access to the iclicker cloud service at each lecture.

A handout version of the lecture slides will be posted on the Schedule page at least 24 hours before the respective lecture. The annotated slides from each lecture will be posted on the course website within 24 hours of the end of the respective lecture. Recorded lectures will be posted on Mediaspace in a similar timeframe after the lecture concludes.

Participation will occur as follows:

• Attend the lecture in person.
• Answer questions during lecture using the iclicker response system.
• Credit will be granted:
  • Participation in each lecture.
  • Bonus credit for correct iClicker questions answered.

Each lecture will focus on a topic of the day as described in the course schedule. 

The notes from each lecture will be posted on the course website, see the links in the course schedule.

Practice: Homework

Homework is assigned and distributed through smartPhysics.  The homework is due according to the course schedule (typically on Thursdays at 8am).

You must work on the problems before, and complete them by the deadline in smartPhysics to receive full credit for the homework.

Homework problems are designed to:

• Evaluate conceptual understanding.
• Develop problem-solving skills.

Background for the homework is provided by:

• working through the pre-lectures and checkpoints
• attending or viewing the lectures.

The web-based homework covering each week's material is due the following week.

To start work on a homework assignment:

• Go to smartPhysics.
• Select the assignment for the week.
• Each problem, or part thereof, may be worked 100 times.
• Full credit for each correct problem will be awarded when an assignment is completed before the deadline.
• Up to 90% credit will be awarded for finishing a problem up to the last day of the exam on which the homework is covered.
• Up to 70% credit will be awarded for finishing a problem later than the day of the respective hour exam.
• No homework credit will be available after the final exam.

Apply and Explore It: Laboratory

The lab cycle (see course schedule) is designed to provide the opportunity to explore the applications and implications of the concepts developed in lecture.

The laboratory portion of this course will consist of eight (8) 3-hour laboratories.

1. A prelab exercise due the morning of each laboratory period.
2. The laboratory exercise in which students will:
   1. plan and set up simple experiments to investigate topics studied in class
   2. perform measurements of different phenomena studied in lecture
   3. analyze experimental results
   4. make conclusions based on their results and their understanding of the experimental system.
3. A laboratory write-up which will be completed during the session and turned in online at the end of the lab session.

Challenge and Check Progress: Discussion

Students must be on time for discussion. Students arriving more than 10 minutes late for discussion will receive a grade of 0% on their group assignment for the day.

Each discussion session will consist of the following:

• Pre-discusssion work:
  • Students will be organized in groups of four (4) within their discussion section.
  • Each student will select one of the four (4) discussion questions for the week to work on in advance of attending their discussion section.
  • Each problem in the weekly set must be worked on by a student in the small group.
• In-discussion work:
  • Each student, within their small group, will work together to complete a single problem set solution.
  • Each group should work together to resolve any differences.
  • Each group will submit one document with their solution set to GradeScope for the TA to evaluate. This solution set will count as your discussion participation grade.
  • Students will take turns submtting the problem set each week.
• The individual skills quiz:
  • The quiz will be given in the last 40 minutes of the discussion session.
  • The quiz will be taken in PrairieLearn.
  • Each student will work on their own quiz.
  • A quiz retake will be offered through Prairielearn
    • It will similar but not identical to your first quiz attempt.
    • The retake will be available beginning at 8am the Monday after the first quiz attempt and will close at 8am the next morning (Tuesday).
    • The quiz is not proctored.
    • The quiz is timed - you will only be able to access it for 40 minutes after opening the assignment.
    • Your final quiz score will be a 70/30 split: 70% will be your highest score of the two attempts, 30% will be your lowest score of the two attempts. There is no option to "keep" a better first attempt score if your second attempt score is lower.
      Scoring example: If you score 40% on the first attempt and 90% on the second attempt, your quiz score in the gradebook will be (90 * 0.7) + (40 * 0.3) = 75
    • You must have taken the first quiz attempt in class to be eligible for retake credit in the gradebook.

Supplemental

All our course staff (faculty and Teaching Assistants) are available for open office hours every week to give students one-on-one assistance. If you need help with homework, something else from class, or just want to talk about physics, come join us!

Academic Integrity

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Student Code should also be considered as a part of this syllabus. Students should pay particular attention to Article 1, Part 4: Academic Integrity. Read the Code at the following URL: http://studentcode.illinois.edu/.

Academic dishonesty may result in a failing grade. Every student is expected to review and abide by the Academic Integrity Policy: http://studentcode.illinois.edu/article1_part4_1-401.html. Ignorance is not an excuse for any academic dishonesty. It is your responsibility to read this policy to avoid any misunderstanding. Do not hesitate to ask the instructor(s) if you are ever in doubt about what constitutes plagiarism, cheating, or any other breach of academic integrity.

Infractions include, but are not limited to:

• cheating
• plagiarism
• fabrication
• academic interference
• computer-related infractions
• unauthorized use of university resources
• sale of class materials or notes
• facilitating infractions of academic integrity.

Violations of any of these rules will be sanctioned and reported to the student's home college.

All aspects of the course are covered by these rules, including:

• quizzes
• homework
• written assignments
• discussion
• iClickers
• exams
• labs
• documentation submitted for petition for an excused absence

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If you have questions about this page, please e-mail the Undergraduate Office (undergrad@physics.illinois.edu).