Syllabus

Course Syllabus
PHYS 225: Fundamentals of Physics: Mechanics
Course introduction

The observations in our daily lives provide numerous opportunities for curiosity and exploration. For example, why does an ice-skater gracefully twirling and gliding on ice, while a car struggles to move on ice? Or why does it take longer to travel from Chicago to Los Angeles by air than from Los Angeles to Chicago?  Mechanics is the branch of physics that answers these questions. This course is about understanding the physics that governs many experience in our lives, and quantitatively solving practical problems using the physics. After learning this course, you will learn some universal principles underlying various phenomena, such as the physics laws that contribute to scoring a 3-pointer in a basket ball game and launching a spaceship in the thrilling world of aerospace. For the upheaval of your education, I encourage you to take advantage of the time we have together in this course to engage in lectures and interactive activities, and work together to build an inclusive learning environment and community. Please be ready to study and we believe you can succeed in this course.
Instructor

Name:             Dr. Meng (Stephanie) Shen
Office:             MH652
Email:                meshen@fullerton.edu
Office hours:  Tu 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm or right after each class
                         or by appointment. If you have questions but cannot make it to the office hour, you can
                         either ask me right after the class or send me an email to make an appointment, either in
                         person or in Zoom: MH652 or Zoom link

Links to an external site.
Supplemental instructor (SI)

Name:             Jon Prijonanda
SI sessions:    Tu Th 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
                        preliminary: MH600
Course information

Meeting information:

    Dates and time: Tu Th 5:30 pm - 6:45 pm
    Room: SGMH 1506

Co-requisite: You are required to be concurrently enrolled in the associated lab class PHYS 225L and MATH 150A "Calculus I".
Textbook and required online resources

    Online resources:
        All required resources are accessed via CSUF Canvas
        WileyPLUS: WileyPLUS assignments are embedded in CSUF Canvas. Please make sure to submit assignment 0 by the end of the first day of classes (Aug. 27, 2024) at: Before you start: Register to access WileyPLUS via Canvas and submit assignment 0 , and please follow the steps in the .pdf file uploaded to the introduction. Use Promo Code CSF42 for a discounted price to register for the course on WileyPLUS.
    Recommended Textbooks:
        Fundamentals of Physics, 11th (or 12th) Edition, Halliday and Resnick, ISBN: 978-1-119-30685-6, and Halliday with WileyPLUS
        E-textbook: Wiley Course Resources ( Canvas link to external resources, available upon completing assignment 0)
        Alternative open-access textbook: University Physics Volume 1 

        Links to an external site., Samuel J. Ling, Jeff Sanny and William Moebs

Hardware and software needed

    Please make sure to have access to a personal computer to access the course materials.
    Please use Google Chrome as the browser, and enable cookies.
    The exams are in person, and you might need access to a laptop to take the exams (to be determined).
    In case you cannot find access to required hardwares, CSUF kindly provides device checkout services: Equipment checkout 

    Links to an external site.
    Please pick up a clicker card in the classroom to vote for clicker questions

Course objectives and learning goals

The objective of this course is to help you learn basic concepts of mechanics. The learning process contains multiple parts, including understanding, applying and communicating. By the end of the course, you are expected to:

    Understand the fundamental laws of classical mechanics. For example, what is acceleration, what are the Newton's three laws, what are kinetic energy and potential energy, what is the linear momentum, etc. Lectures, clicker questions, discussions, pre-lecture surveys and in-class demos will be used to help you understand the concepts.
    Apply the basic concepts to solve qualitative and quantitative problems. For example, explain what causes a ball to fall by applying Newton's laws. Finding the connection between physical concepts and daily life examples is an important skill that requires practice to develop. But once the skill is developed, you can apply it to useful fields such as aerospace, robotics, automobile and sports. Sample problems solved in class and in homework will help you build problem-solving skills.
    Develop skills to communicate your understanding to the others. Effective communication is crucial for building an inclusive learning environment and for helping each other enhance the fundamental understandings. In-class activities, discussion with classmates, attending office hours of the instructor will help you develop your communication skills.

All above aligns with the university learning goals: https://www.fullerton.edu/data/assessment/assessment_at_csuf/learninggoals.php

Links to an external site.
Assessments and grading

The assessments helps you and your instructor know where you are in achieving the learning milestones. If it's the first time for you to formally learn physics, you are going to learn and process a lot of new information in a short period of time. Therefore, I will do my best to create a lot of "low-stake" assessments as "participation" for you to make mistakes for free.

The low-stake assessments are either NOT graded or giving you unlimited attempts to correct without penalty on mistakes. They take up 10% of total grades.

Summary of assessments that are going to be evaluated:
Grading weights

Activity
	Weight

Participation
	10%

Homework
	20%

Midterm exam 1
	15%

Midterm exam 2
	15%

Final exam
	40%
Total 	100%

 

    Participation: Participation measures your active engagement with the class materials. They include: 1) Pre-lecture surveys in which you watch short videos and answer conceptual questions. You might need to read the textbook to answer the questions. These surveys help you prepare for the lectures coming after the surveys. 2) Questionnaire surveys in which I collect opinions from you, such as a concept/problem you are struggling with, or the strategy that works best for you to overcome the challenges. These questions will help me tailor the class to help you succeed. 3) Questions/response in the discussion board. It's not mandatory to post questions or responses on the discussion boards. However, consider the big class size, you will benefit from asking and answering questions on the discussion board when you need help or need someone to discuss with about course-related questions. 4) Think-pair-share clicker questions in class. The clicker questions are NOT graded. Therefore, don't be afraid of making mistakes in clicker questions as you are not penalized. Instead, the clicker questions give you an opportunity to evaluate your own understanding of the concepts and apply the concepts, and help me adjust the pace of the course. 5) In-class group activities in which you solve problems together with your classmates. The in-class group activities are NOT graded, rather, it helps you develop problem-solving skills by discussing with each other. Please feel free to seek for help as I walk around to check in with you in class.

    Tips for success: Don't shy away from asking questions and clearing misconceptions. Active engagement in class can have a huge impact for your understandings and for improving your grades in this course! However, to respect the rest of the class, please keep your in-class questions brief, and refrain from making long comments in class. In case a question needs more time to explain, I will let you know and discuss with you right after the class.

    Homework: There will be homework for every chapter which is due one week after each homework set is released. Each homework will contain conceptual questions and quantitative problem-solving questions. The homework questions are designed as an opportunity for you to apply the physical concepts in different situations with sufficient time. Homework policies: i) Homework assignments will be posted and submitted on Canvas; ii) You have 1 week to work on each homework assignment. Please start early and submit the homework on time; iii) You have unlimited attempts to correct your answers, only the highest scores are kept.

    Tips for success: Start homework ahead of time. Pay attention to the lectures, take notes for important concepts and problem-solving procedures, engage in group activities in class. Homework questions may seem a little different from the practice questions in class, because the homework extends the practice in a longer time to help you build problem-solving skills based on the understanding of fundamental concepts instead of testing your memory of a particular fact. Seek help from me or the SI or your classmates if you are struggling with the homework.

    Exams: You will have two midterm exams and one final exam. Your understanding of physical concepts and problem-solving skills based on the understanding will be evaluated in the exams. The exams are closed-book, closed notes. However, you can bring a "cheat sheet", which is a piece of paper where you can write down important concepts and formula. Preparing for the cheat sheet is an effective way to help you review and organize the course materials and process the information.
    Note: You have one attempt for each exam. There are no make-up exams. In case you cannot make it to a midterm exam, please contact the instructor ahead of time. The final exam is mandatory.

    Tips for success: Understand the homework questions and in-class activities, practice on problems until you feel confident, reflect on any mistakes you made previously, prepare for a good "cheat sheet".

Letter Grade Distribution:
Letter grade distribution A 	90%-100% (outstanding achievement)
B 	80%-89% (high quality achievement)
C 	70%-79% (borderline achievement)
D 	60%-69% (below satisfactory achievement)
E 	0%-59% (failing)

This final grades will be on +/- grades.

In case you see automatically given "approximate" total grades on Canvas during the semester, they may not be exactly the same as your current standing in class. For example, if you don't submit homework, Canvas may not calculate the total grades correctly.

Make up policy: In the absence of a well-documented medical emergency, no make-up exams will

be given.
Classroom management guidlines:

    To build a classroom environment that is conducive to learning, you are expected to refrain from any behavior that disrupts the learning environment. Individuals with disrespectful behaviors will be asked to leave the classroom.
    Please respect other students and the professor by arriving on time and staying until the end of the class.
    Avoid making noise that interferes with other students' ability to hear and to concentrate.
    Cellular phones, pagers, and all other electronic communication devices must always be muted during class time and exams to avoid unnecessary disruption of the class.

    Class time is exclusively dedicated to course-related materials.
    As a courtesy to your fellow classmates, adhere to my policy of no surfing the web or text messaging during class or you will be asked to leave the class meeting.
    We don't take class attendance. If you want to learn and work together to build a conductive learning environment, you are encouraged to come to classes. Otherwise, we don't take points off for absence.

Classroom safety and emergency information: 

    Information on what to do if a campus emergency occurs is available at emergency info 

    Links to an external site.
    Important phone numbers in case of emergency:

        Emergency call: 911

        Non-emergency call to campus police: (657) 278-2515

        24-hour recorded emergency information: (657) 278-4444

Communication with classmates

Your classmates are one of your greatest resources for help. You are in the class together to help each other learn and succeed. Within the guidelines of academic integrity (stated below), you are encouraged to work together to understand the course materials. Please use the Q&A discussion board on Canvas to have online discussions as well.

However, please avoid chatting with your classmates in class when the instructor is speaking. If you make disruptive noise in the class, it makes the learning experience of your classmates challenging. You will be given assigned classroom activity time for group discussion. Please use the class time to discuss topics related to the class.
How to seek for help

There are multiple ways to communicate with me if you need help.

Office hours: Office hours are very helpful as you don't have to be shy to ask questions about anything related to the course you are confused about during the office hours. Office hours don't have to be individual and you can come together with your classmates if you feel more comfortable that way.

Email: If you have a question that can be answered briefly, please send me an email or meet me immediately after the class. Please note that answering questions thoroughly over emails in a timely manner might be difficult. Therefore, if you cannot make it to the dedicated office hours and still want to discuss about something with me, please send an email to schedule an appointment. In case you are not familiar with email communications, please remember to adhere to the following guidelines to ensure professionalism and clarity:

    Subject line: Briefly and clearly specify the purpose of the email. For example, "Question about assignment 2" or "Request for office hours";
    Salutation: You can address me as "Prof. Shen" or "Dr. Shen". 
    Content: Keep your email brief and to the point. Be concise in your email to facilitate effective communication.
    To follow up with an existing thread, please reply to a previous email instead of creating a new topic.
    Sample email correspondence:

    Subject: Help with WileyPLUS homework

    Hi Dr. Shen,
    I cannot open WileyPLUS homework. Can I ask for help?
    Jane Doe

    Response: Re: Help with WileyPLUS homework

    Hi Jane,

    Can you confirm what browser you are using? If you are using Safari, please try Chrome instead. Usually switching to Chrome browser solves most problems. If the problem persists, you can use the following link to trouble shoot the issue with WileyPLUS support term: https://wpsupport.wiley.com/s/ 

    Links to an external site. ,

    best regards,
    Dr. Shen

Other resources

    Q&A discussion board on Canvas: You can post and answer questions on the Q & A Discussion Board in this course.

    Tutoring:

        The University Learning Center (ULC) offers tutoring for PHYS 225. I encourage you to make an appointment to talk to them if you need additional assistance in the course.
        Website: University Learning Center 

Links to an external site..
Tel: (657) 278-2738
Email: ulc@fullerton.edu

You might also wish to visit the math tutoring center if you need assistance with the math used in this course.
Website: Math Tutoring Center

        Links to an external site..
        Tel: 657-278-3631
        Director: Dr. Scott Annin
    If you have any question regarding your grades, I'm happy to discuss your grades with you in person.

Student IT services and competencies

For technical difficulties:

    Student IT help desk 

Links to an external site.,
Email
Phone (657) 278-8888
Walk-in  student genius center
Links to an external site.,
Online chat: Log into  portal

    Links to an external site.; click “Online IT Help”; click “Live Chat.”

For issues with Canvas:

    Canvas Support Hotline (855) 302-7528
    Student support chat 

    Links to an external site.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

Students of all identities, personal, and academic backgrounds are welcome in my class, and I intend to create an equitable learning opportunity for everyone. If there is any issue affecting your learning experience in class (i.e., disrespectful comments about race, sexual orientation, or ability etc.), please feel free to discuss with me, I’ll do my best to create a safe learning environment for everyone.

I encourage everyone to keep in mind that students come from a variety of personal and academic backgrounds. Please be respectful of one another during class activities. I intend to

create many low -stake learning opportunities – no one should feel ashamed if they respond with a wrong answer to a question in front of the class. A physics classroom a learning place for you where you can make mistakes and learn from them - the safer you feel in the classroom, the better and confident you will be over time!
Academic integrity policies:

    The students must complete the exams, quizzes and homework independently. Looking at other people's exam or quizzes, communicating with each other or external help including online help during quizzes or exams are considered academic dishonesty.

    Dishonesty in any assignment or exam of the course will incur a grade F for that work, and a report to the chair of the Department of Physics, and to Judicial Affairs in the Dean of Students Office, where the incidence will be recorded on the permanent record.
    Please refer to CSUF University Policy Statement on Academic Dishonesty 

Links to an external site. and Titan integrity

    Links to an external site. for details on integrity policies.

General education requirements met by course:

    This course, together with its co-requisite PHYS 225L, meets General Education requirement B1, "Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning: Physical Science."

Accommodations:

    If you have any documented special needs, you have the right to accommodation through the Disabled Student Service (DSS) Office.
    Please inform me as soon as possible (within first week of class) if you have a special need so that arrangements can be made in advance; arrangements cannot be made retroactively. (E.g., accommodations for an exam cannot be arranged after the scheduled exam date.)
    Website: Disabled Student Service Office 

    Links to an external site.
    Tel: (657) 278-3117
    Physical location: University Hall 101.

Campus student support resources

    Writing assistance:
        Writing Center (WC) 

Links to an external site., Department of English – assistance with writing:  appointments
Links to an external site., phone = 657-278-3650, location = PLN 1st Floor
University Learning Center (ULC)

    Links to an external site. – tutoring in various subjects:  email, phone = 657-278-2738, location = PLN 1st Floor

Counseling: In case you struggle this semester, we understand it's a learning journey, which will have ups and downs. In case you need counseling, here are resources you might resort to:

    Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) 

Links to an external site.  – crisis and well-being counseling:  email, phone = 657-278-3040,  TitanWell
Links to an external site.  = 657-278-4370, location = 1111 N. State College Blvd., 3rd Floor, Fullerton, CA
Crisis Counseling

        Links to an external site.  – for immediate assistance:
            CAPS Crisis = 657-278-3040
            OC Warmline = 714-991-6412
            Suicide Hotline = 988
            Trevor (LGBTQ) = 866-488-7386
            Steve (students of color) = text “steve” to 741-741
            Crisis Textline = text “home” to 741-741
            Sexual Assault = 800-656-4673 

Netiquette

Netiquette refers to a set of behaviors that are appropriate for online activity (e.g., social media, email, discussions, presentations). All personnel at Cal State Fullerton are expected to demonstrate appropriate online behavior at all times. A good summary of netiquette can be found in the CSUF Canvas self-help guides
Links to an external site., which adapts ten rules to the online course situation from the website for the book Netiquette by Virginia Shea

Links to an external site. and other sources referenced at the bottom of the guide.
Library services:

The Pollak Library is the intellectual and physical center of the campus. Visit the library in-person or online for all your information needs and so much more.

    Library home page 

Links to an external site.
Research guides for individual subjects

    Links to an external site.
    Research assistance:   email, phone = 657-278-3284, location = PLN 1 st   Floor, Reference Desk

A friendly reminder: You have the option to wear your facial covering that covers both the nose and mouth (e.g., masks or face shields) without being discriminated.
Tentative course schedules:
Course schedules (subject to adjustment during the semester) Chapters 	Content 	Textbook reference 

Week 1

08/26-08/30
	Measurement, unit conversion 	Ch. 1.1-1.3

Week 2

09/02-09/06
	1D motion, displacement, velocity, acceleration 	Ch. 2.1-2.4

Week 3

09/09-09/13
	1D motion with a constant acceleration, graphic integration, Vectors 	Ch. 2.4-2.6, Ch. 3.1

Week 4

09/16-09/20
	

Vector sum, vector multiplication, Motion in two and three dimensions, projectile motion

 
	

Ch. 3.2-3.3

Ch. 4.1-4.4

Week 5

09/23-09/27
	

Force and motion-I, Newton's three laws and some particular forces, free body diagram
	Ch. 5.1-5.3

Week 6

09/30-10/04
	Force and motion-II, friction, drag force and uniform circular motion 	Ch. 6.1-6.3
	

Midterm exam I 
	

Week 7

10/07/10/11
	Kinetic energy, work, work done by the gravitational force and by a spring force 	Ch. 7.1-7.4

Week 8

10/14-10/18
	Work by a general variable force, power, potential energy 	Ch. 7.5-7.6, Ch. 8.1-8.3

Week 9

10/21-10/25
	Conservation of energy,  	Ch. 8.4-8.5
	Midterm exam II 	 

Week 10

10/28-11/01
	

Center of mass and linear momentum, Newton's 2nd law for a system of particles
	

Ch. 9.1-9.3

 

Week 11

11/04-11/08
	

Collision, impulse
	

Ch. 9.4-9.8

Week 12

11/11-11/15
	

Rotational kinematics, rotational inertia (moment of inertia)
	

Ch. 10.1-10.3, Ch. 10.5

Week 13

11/18-11/22
	Torque, Newton's 2nd law of rotation, rotational kinetic energy 	Ch. 10.6-10.8, Ch. 10.4

Week 14

12/02-12/06
	Angular momentum, torque revisited, Newton's 2nd law of rotation in terms of angular momentum, Conservation of angular momentum 	Ch. 11.5, Ch. 11.4, Ch. 11.6-11.8

Week 15

12/09-12/13
	Equilibrium and elasticity 	Ch. 12.1-12.2

Week 16

12/19
	Final exam (Time: 12/19, 5:00 pm to 6:50 am) 	Cumulative
Where to start

    Please visit Course orientation.

This syllabus is subject to change and all changes will be noted on Canvas