Problems are the cutting
edge that distinguishes between success and failure. Problems call
forth our courage and our wisdom; indeed, they create our courage and
our wisdom. It is only because of our problems that we grow mentally
and spiritually. When we desire to encourage the growth of the human
spirit, we challenge and encourage the human capacity to solve
problems, just as in school we deliberately set problems for our
children to solve. It is through the pain of confronting problems that
we learn.
- Morgan Scott Peck
This is the third semester of a three-semester, calculus-based physics sequence. The required prerequisites are PS 150 and PS 160 - Physics I and II for Engineers, as well as MA 241 and MA 242. We will cover electric fields and magnetic fields, Gauss's law, electric potential, capacitors, Ohm's law, Kirchoff's laws, Ampere's law, Faraday's law, Lenz's law, Maxwell's equations, and selected topics from modern physics.
Text: Principles of Physics, 4th
edition,
by Serway & Jewett.
Chapters 19-24, 27, 28-31
Recommended Text: University
Physics,
11th edition, by Young and Freedman.
Recommended Hypertext: Hyperphysics
Recommended Print Texts: Physics by
Tipler (ERAU library QC 21.2 .T548), Light and Matter
by Crowell (online), Classical
Electromagnetism by Fitzpatrick (online)
See the syllabus
for more detailed information.
Recommendations
for study, test-taking strategies, and problem solving
techniques. Also, How
to Read Textbooks
Here are some challenge problems.
WELCOME!
The skill to do math on
a page
Has declined to the point of outrage
Equations quadratica
Are solved on Math'matica,
And on birthdays we don't know our age
Harbor
hydrodynamics (i.e., breakwater diffraction)
Engineering
manuals from the US Army Corps of Engineers
Helium
in the Sun
Iron
in the Sun
Current
loop
geometry
Impedance matching: here
and here
Arthur C. Clarke's Three
Laws
Fundamental
particles
Field
of Line Charge
Path
independence
Magnetic
fields on the surface of the Sun
Ion
propulsion (more)
Falling ring: http://web.mit.edu/jbelcher/www/EOS/
Historical sites: http://www.victorianweb.org/science/ether.htm
Physical dipole vs. "pure" dipole
The
electron "song" ( More
physics songs )
Tutorials
Listening to lectures is not enough. All processes of learning are somehow connected to active participation, and the learning of physics is no exception. Therefore, it is imperative that you work diligently at your own desk. However, this does not mean that you should only work alone. I encourage you to form study groups and collaborate with your classmates.
Available at the Jack R. Hunt Library are the following items:
Understanding
Physics, by Isaac Asimov - a great science fiction writer
explains
physics.
Cartoon Guide
to Physics, by Gonick and Huffman - physical principles in a
visual format.
3000 Physics
Problems - lots and lots of practice quantitative problems.
Practice at problem solving is an important part of learning physics, especially for engineers. I suggest that you work as many problems as possible.
