Physics 240 Assignments - Fall, 2008 - Dr. Cohen
Show your work or reasoning for all problems!

Due Assignment Comments
Mon 8/25 The following instructions pertain only to students already registered for Physics 240 at Grossmont College.  Registering with WileyPlus does not give you permission to take the class.  It is something you do after you have enrolled in the class at Grossmont College!

The first thing you need to do is to register for the course with WileyPlus.  You do that by going to the site http://edugen.wiley.com/edugen/class/cls70004/ which is specific to Physics 240, not to sections of Physics 140.  If you cannot easily figure out what to do, you can go to www.wileyplus.com and look at the materials labeled as:

Need Help Registering? View a 2-Minute Tutorial now.

Visit the students' 1st Day of Class website for tutorials, user guides, & more.

I had a mistake in the link to the class (above) but it is fixed now.
Assaignments will be listed on the date due, not on the date assigned! Other announcements will be listed as they occur.
We will be covering the first two chapters of the semester merged together.  The order will be approximately as follows:

18-1 → 18-8 (with the constant volume gas thermometer and 18-6 in lab)
18-12 (conduction only)
19-1→ 19-5 (skipping 19-6 & 19-7)
18-9→ 18-11 (work done by an ideal gas in the second part of 19-3 will be covered here)
19-8→ 19-11
Thu. 8/28 Calorimetry lab.  For the next three labs, we will be using open flames.  If you have long hair, bring a hat or use some other way to keep your hair out of the flames.

Bring your lab notebook to record your data. 

Be there at 8 A.M.

I find the following website useful for constants:

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/tables/ttab.html

 
Mon. 9/1 Holiday, no class.
Thu. 9/4 Because we are not having a lecture on Monday, we will have a lecture during the lab period instead.  For this class only, the lab period will start at 9 A.M.
Sun. 9/7

The first homework assignment is assigned and is due on this date!

When you go to the course website, you will find an assignment.  All these problems are to be done online.   They do not all have the same format; some are numerical, while others are multiple choice.   I recommend printing them out and thinking/working them out offline.  Only when you have finished working them out on paper should you enter the answers. 

Homework comments:

1) Most of the homework problems ask for a specific number of significant figures.  I have found that you get the answer closest to the book's answer if you do NOT round off intermediate steps to the correct number of sig. figs.

2) You can enter numbers in scientific notation if you need to do so to get the sig. figs. in correctly. An acceptable format is #.##e# (e.g. 1.23e4)

3) The book is not sticking to just one set of units here. They are using cal and Cal (what's the difference?) and putting specific heat in terms of J, kJ, g, and kg.  Be careful.

4) I don't think the answers are completely consistent on where to use Cº instead of ºC.  So, don't wait until the last try to enter your units!
  Thermal Expansion lab.  If you have long hair, bring a hat! Calorimetry lab due here!
Mon. 2/11 We now have a physics tutor available!  Monday and Wednesday 12:15 - 2:30 P.M.  The tutor will be in the computer room, 333A.  This will be on a trial basis while we see how it works.
Thu. 2/14 Determination of absolute zero.  You will need your lab notebook to take data.   Bring a hat or hair tie if you have long hair!

Here is the lab I forgot to bring to class!

 You can turn in the report for the thermal expansion lab if you want to, but it is not required yet.
Sun. 2/17 The second homework assignment is assigned and due here.  The problems on thermal conduction are at the end.  You can start with those if you are unsure of the other problems.  We will go over more of that on Monday.
Mon. 2/18 Holiday, no class.

Thu. 2/21

Because of the short week, we'll just have a lecture in lab.  We should discuss at what time we want to start.
Sun. 2/24 The third homework is assigned and is due here.  When you are doing this homework, please note that on the test I usually assign a problem based on a cyclic problem of three steps, including, isobaric, constant volume, and adiabatic or isothermal stages.  This could involve calculations of T, V, and P at different points and the change in internal energy, work, and heat for each stage. 
Mon. 2/25 We will be starting electricity and magnetism today after we finish entropy.
Thu 2/28 Boyle's law lab.  Bring your lab notebook!
Thermal Expansion lab due.
Sun.
3/2		 The fourth homework assignment is due here.
Mon. 3/3 Review for exam. The problems are posted here.  I may add more information later.
Thu. 3/6 Test on chapters 18, 19, and 20. The test will begin at 8:15 A.M. and last for two+ hours. Bring a non-programmable scientific calculator.  You can turn in the absolute zero lab if you want to, but it is not necessary to turn it in until next week.
Here is draft formula sheet.  Your are running out of time to suggest changes.

Wed.. 3/12

The fifth homework is assigned and due here.  This was announced in class some time ago, but I forgot to put it on the Web, so I have postponed it to Wednesday.
Thu. 3/13 We will have a short lab exploring simple circuits and learning how to use the multimeter.  This lab will be turned in on the spot, with no extended writeup. "Determination of absolute zero" lab due.

WebCT is ready.  We will use it only for checking grades.  Everything which has been graded has been combined to make a cumulative grade, using the point distribution given in the syllabus.  The Wiley homework score does not account for deductions for late homework.

 

Read the instructions for WebCT before logging in.  You must NOT create an account.  It exists already. 

The instructions are here.
                WebCT is here.
Sun. 3/30 The sixth homework is assigned and due here. (This was announced at the last lab before break).
Thu.
3/27		 Van de Graaff generator lab. Boyle's law lab due
Sun. 4/6 The 7th (rather long) homework assignment is assigned and due here.  One or two of these problems may be assigned to be turned in on paper as well.
Thu. 4/10 Turn in problems 32 and 50 from the last homework (chapter 23).  Work them out neatly on paper.  In both cases, solve them symbolically first.  Do the integrals symbolically, and use Gauss's law to determine the electric field in all cases.  Only after you have solved them symbolically should you  in the required numbers.  In both cases, graph the field as a function of radius from r = 0 to r several times the outer radius of the cylinder or sphere, respectively.
Capacitor lab.  We will measure the capacitance of the pages in your textbook, so some of you should bring it to class. You SHOULD turn in the Van de Graaff Lab here.  But, because I managed to put the announcements on the wrong date last week, if you don't turn it in until Monday (4/14) you will be OK. 
Sun 4/13 The 8th homework assignment is assigned and is due here. Postponed until Monday night (the next day).
Mon. 4/14 Review for the test. Here are the review problems.    Here is the Formula  sheet from last semester; it probably will not change much, if at all (except the order of subscripts might change to agree with the new textbook).
Thu. 4/17 Test.  Chapters 21, 22, 23, and 24.  This covers fields and potential of point and distributed charges. Gauss's law.
Fields and Potentials lab due at the test.  Remember, you don't have to do a full writeup.  Just draw the equipotential lines based on your measurements and sketch in the field lines.  Then use your equipotential lines to calculate field strengths on one of the drawings (as described in the writeup) and answer the questions.  This is good practice for part of the test!
Thu 4/24 Wheatstone Bridge Lab. The Van de Graaff lab and the capacitor lab are both due.  However, they won't be marked late unless turned in after Thursday, 5/1 (next week)..
Mon. 4/28 The ninth homework assignment is posted and is due here.  Because I was late getting it out, it will not be due until Monday.
A cumulative grade was posted after the test, including all work graded to that point, as well as the homework totals. The homework totals do not include any penalty for late homework, which should be applied at the end of the semester.

In the past, I have had a partial makeup of this test, where you get to make up your worst 10 points.  I will try to do this again.  DO NOT DISPOSE OF YOUR TEST.  WITHOUT THE OLD TEST, YOU CANNOT DO A MAKEUP.
In order to work with magnetic fields, you need to know how to calculate the vector cross product using components in 3 dimensions.  If you don't remember how to do this, you can find the math in chapter 3 of Halliday, Resnick, and Walker.   You can also find it in chapter 10 of Tipler and Mosca.  There is a copy on reserve in the library.
Thu.
5/1		 Torques on a current loop lab. This is the last time to turn in the Van de Graaff lab or the capacitor lab without penalty.  You can turn in the Wheatstone Bridge lab if you want to.
Mon. 5/5 The tenth homework assignment is posted and is due here.
Thu. 5/8 Charge/mass ratio of an electron lab.  Wheatstone Bridge lab due.  You can turn in the torques on the current loop lab when you are ready.  There will be a due date posted for it later.
Makeup test. You may choose to redo 10 points worth of problems (not including anything on the first pages of "short answer" and diagram problems which cannot be made up) and have the difference in your score for those problems added to your grade.   If you choose to take advantage of this option, you must hand your old test back when you begin taking the makeup.  If you don't save your old test, you cannot do the makeup. You must clearly mark the problem (s) to be redone on the front of the makeup.  The answers must be perfect or near-perfect to receive credit.  Makeup problems with significant errors will receive no credit. You can have about 30 minutes for the makeup problems after everyone is done with the lab.
Mon. 5/12 The 11th homework assignment is posted and is due here.
Thu. 5/15 Test: chapters 25, 26, 27, and 28 plus 24-11.  Here are some review problems.  Answers will be posted on Monday.  Answers to some problems may be added to the review sheet as I complete them.  There will be no in-class review session.

Here is the formula sheet.  Look it over for mistakes or (what you think are) omissions.  You should look it over before the test as some formulae are given in condensed form, and you should make sure you know what all the symbols mean.  I will also add the first page of the Physics 140 formula sheet that is shown here.

The test will include a number of problems.  Problems worth 5 or more points will be as follows:

1) a charged particle moving in a magnetic field: force and path
2) force on a current carrying wire made of one or more straight line segments in a magnetic field.
3) capacitors in series and/or parallel
4) a network of multiple resistors in series and parallel with one battery
5) a network of multiple resistors with two or more batteries (Kirchoff's node and loop rules required).
6) torque on a current loop

Lesser numbers of points may be assigned to the following topics:

1) the potential energy of more than two charged particles
2) resistivity and resistance

3) charging or discharging an RC circuit.
Thu.  5/22 Last day of class.

"Torques on a current loop" lab report due. 

"e/m for an electron" lab report due

 Oscilloscope lab.  LC and RC circuit time constants.  There will be no writeup to turn in.
Mon. 5/26 The 12th homework assignment is assigned and is due on this date.  This is on chapter 29.

The13th homework is assigned and due on this date.  This is on part of chapter 30, covering flux and Faraday's law.

The 14th, optional, assignment on inductors and LR circuits (also chapter 30) is assigned and due on this date.  The points for this assignment will be treated the same as for all other assignments, except they will only go in the numerator, not the denominator, when the homework percentage is computed.
Wed. 5/28 I currently plan to have office hours from 9:30 - 11:30.
I have posted a cumulative grade with everything that has been graded to date.  This is probably the last summary that will be posted prior to the final class grade.  It includes three tests (but not the extra credit), all the homework assignments due prior to 5/26 (see below for the deadline for late homework), and all labs but the van de Graaff, torque on a current loop, and q/e for an electron.  As the ungraded material is graded, it will be put in WebCT, but not be added to the total until time for the final grade.  If I do add anything to the cumulative grade, I will note that here.
Thu. 5/29 The final will be Thursday, May 29, from 8 - 10:50 A.M.  No one has let me know about any conflicts.
The final will cover chapters 29 and  30. Remember, although the final concentrates on material from those chapters, you may be expected to use knowledge from prior chapters (or semesters!) during the test.     Physics is cumulative.  The formula sheet will be posted later.  I will probably post more information about what will be on the final after I think more about the material we have covered.
Labs can be turned in at the final.  The last two labs can be turned in with the same deductions we have been using for late labs throughout the semester (-1 if I haven't graded them; one point per day up to half off if I have graded them.)  Any other lab which has not been graded by the final will receive the same treatment.  Labs which have been graded (other than the last two), regardless of whether they have been returned, will receive three points for having taken the data, regardless of how much or how little of the writeup you have done.  Note: I plan to have all labs graded by the final, so the heavier penalties will probably apply to all labs not turned in to one of my mailboxes by Friday, May 23, at 3 P.M.

Here are some review problems.  It took some time to put these in a format I could post.  Written solutions to most of these (plus some few others) are posted outside room 333.  Remember that these are primarily reminders of the topics we have covered.  Do not expect a one-to-one correspondence between review problems and test problems.
Here is the formula sheet.  Look it over to make sure you understand what each equation refers to.  You may also email me suggestions on additions or corrections, although I don't want to change it unless there is something really important. 
Sat. 5/31

Sun. 6/1

 The homework scores will be extracted from WileyPlus at 5 P.M. on Saturday Sunday.  No late homework after that will be counted.  Because I plan to subtract half credit for the late homework problems, your total on WebCT will not be exactly the same as your total in WileyPlus (or, I may fix them inside of WileyPlus, whichever is easier for me).  This is done for late problems and does not affect other problems in the same assignments.