New Jersey Institute of Technology
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Physics Syllabi NJIT Syllabi
Fall 2020
PHYS 111-015: Physics I
Wenda Cao
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https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/phys-syllabi/228
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COURSE OUTLINE PHYSICS 111 Section 015 Fall 2020
Instructor: Prof. Wenda Cao Office: 104 Tiernan Hall Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Mondays: 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM via webex: https://njit.webex.com/meet/vataj
Fridays: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM via webex: https://njit.webex.com/meet/cao
CLASS SCHEDULE:
• Phys 111 Lecture: KUPF 210A Fridays 12:30 PM – 1:50 PM
Webex Lecture: Meeting number: 120 917 5316 Password: njit
Webex link: https://njit.webex.com/njit/j.php?MTID=mbd95c031a35f5996bf981e6ba6f267d1
Prof. Wenda Cao Email: [email protected]
• Phys 111 Recitation: Section 015: KUPF 210 Mondays 12:30 PM – 1:50 PM
Section 017: KUPF 117 Mondays 07:30 AM – 8:50 AM
Webex course link: https://njit.webex.com/meet/vataj
Dr. Esmeralda Vataj Email: [email protected]
PREREQUISITE: Math 131 (if not originally placed in Math 111)
COREQUISITE: Math 111 or Math 132, Phys 111A.
FAILURE TO MEET EITHER CO-Requisites or PRE-Requisites will result in student being dropped from class.
COURSE MATERIAL:
• Textbook: Sears & Zemansky’s University Physics with Modern Physics, 15th Edition Technology Update, by Young
and Freedman. The publisher is PEARSON. Access to electronic version of the textbook and online homework can be
obtained through purchasing of: Mastering Physics with Pearson eText - Standalone Access Card - for University
Physics with Modern Physics (by Young & Freedman), 15th edition, ISBN-13: 978-0-13-515955-2. Note: only the
card for the 15th edition will allow you the access eText and homework; similarly, you must login through
Pearonmastering.com (other addresses, even from the same publisher, can bring you to the wrong course). However, if
you would also like a hardcopy version of the textbook, you can use any recent edition of the Young & Freedman’s text.
We use Chapters 1 to 13 which sometimes you can get separately from the rest.
• Pearson Mastering Homework System: Homework assignments will be posted on-line. Students login, download and
solve the assigned problems, and submit answers to the automated grading system. Specific Information for the Pearson
Mastering (PM) homework system are as follows: you first create an account on the PM platform and then need a
valid Pearson Mastering access code to sign up for the course. The pearsonmastering.com homework course ID is:
cao40493 . For your own reference, record the unique course identifier announced by your instructor, and your login ID
and password. Instructors cannot access forgotten logins or passwords.
NOTE: The Laboratory course, PHYS 111A used to be taken concurrently with the PHYS 111. Because of the COVID19 issues,
the Department allows students to take the PHYS 111 without the PHYS 111A, thus allowing one to take the PHYS 111A in a
later semester.
ATTENDANCE: It is expected that students will attend all lectures and recitations. Attendance will be taken at all classes and
exams. More than 3 unexcused absences (in total) are excessive. If you have excusable absences contact the Dean of First Year
Students. If you must withdraw from the course, do it officially through the Registrar. Do not simply stop attending and taking
exams: that forces the instructor to assign a course grade of "F".
HELP: Visit or email your instructors if you are having trouble with the course; do not simply hope for a miracle and fall further
behind. The Physics Dept. office on the 4th floor of Tiernan has specific information on tutoring. Physics tutoring is available
through the CAPE organization, and possibly elsewhere.
GRADING: Your final letter grade in Phys 111 will be based on a composite score for term’s work that includes the common
midterm exam score, the final exam, lecture/recitation quizzes, and the homework score.
1) Common Midterm Exam: One midterm exam will be given on Monday, Nov 09, 2020 from 4:15 – 5:45 PM.
2) Lecture Quizzes: A short quiz will be given during each lecture period.
3) Homework: Homework assignments will be posted on-line using the Pearson Mastering Homework System.
4) Final Exam: Comprehensive Final Exam will be given during Final Exam Period (December 15-21, 2020).
In-class quizzes covering the preceding or current work may be given during lectures and/or recitations. Those scores count
toward your final course grade. There are no make-ups for in class activities. Students missing a quiz will receive a grade of
zero for that item. The general policy is that students who miss a common exam will receive a score of zero for that Exam. That
score will be included in the calculation of your final grade. Students who anticipate an absence from a common exam should
discuss their situation with their instructor PRIOR TO their absence. In order to be qualified to receive a "make-up" common
exam score (a very rare occurrence), the student should present documentation for not being able to take the test as scheduled. As
is the standard policy of NJIT, this documentation should be presented to the Dean of Students - (973) 596-3466, Room 255
Campus Center. BOTH the Physics 111 instructor and Dean of Students must concur in permitting a "make-up" common exam.
Students who miss common exams that do not present documentation within 7 days of the common exam will receive a score of
zero for the common exam.
In the event that the above qualification is met, a separate make-up test for the missed common quiz will not be offered. Instead,
the portion of the final exam relevant to the contents of the missed test will be considered for giving a grade for the missed test.
The instructor will evaluate the final exam questions from those chapters and normalize this portion of the student’s grade for the
missed common quiz.
Final Letter Grades: Here are the approximate weights to be used for calculating the composite score:
§ 20% for the common midterm exam
§ 30% for the final exam
§ 25% for the total of homework work
§ 25% for the all in-class quizzes
The cutoff percentages for various letter grades will be:
Percentage Letter Grade
> 85% A
85 - 80 B+
80 – 70 B
70 - 65 C+
65 - 55 C
55 - 50 D
< 50 F
Final grades are not negotiable: A score of 84.99% is a B+, not an A.
HONOR CODE STATEMENT: NJIT has a zero-tolerance policy for cheating of any kind and for student behavior that disrupts
learning by others. Violations will be reported to the Dean of Students. The penalties range from a minimum of failure in the
course plus disciplinary probation up to expulsion from NJIT. Avoid situations where your own behavior could be misinterpreted
as dishonorable. Students are required to agree to the NJIT Honor Code on each exam, assignment, quiz, etc. for the course.
Turn off all cellular phones, wireless devices, computers, and messaging devices of all kinds during classes and exams. Please
do not eat, drink, or create noise in class that interferes with the work of other students or instructors. Creating noise or otherwise
interfering with the work of the class will not be tolerated.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: For this course, which is the first of the introductory Physics series, you can expect to be assessed
on the following learning outcomes:
1. Manipulate vectors in components form and as magnitude/direction. Perform vector operations such as addition,
subtraction, scalar, and cross products.
2. Recall the definitions and relationships involving position, velocity, speed, acceleration.
3. Apply the equations governing 1-D constant acceleration to mechanical systems for various initial conditions.
4. Apply the equations governing 2-D constant acceleration to mechanical systems for various initial conditions.
5. Comprehend the meaning of the equations governing net force and acceleration (Newton’s Laws) for linear motion and
be able to manipulate them in conjunction with a free-body diagram to obtain any desired quantitative relationship.
6. Understand the extension of free-body diagrams and Newton's laws to rotational motion.
7. Understand the extension of free-body diagrams and Newton's laws to frictional forces.
8. Comprehend the definitions and application of work, energy, and conservation of energy principles to solving mechanical
and non-conservative systems.
9. Comprehend the meaning of equations governing momentum, impulse, and collisions. Apply the equations governing
momentum, impulse, and collisions mechanical systems for various initial conditions. Understand under what conditions
momentum is conserved and how to use this relation to calculate unknown quantities based on physical relationships,
initial conditions, and known quantities.
10. Define and calculate the center of mass of a system as well as the moment of inertia.
11. Extend the concepts and equations of 1-D constant acceleration to rotational motion for various initial conditions.
12. Understand the extension of linear motion equations to rotational motion. Comprehend the meaning of the equations
governing rotational motion and acceleration and be able to manipulate them in conjunction with a free-body diagram to
obtain any desired quantitative relationship.
13. Understand the extension of work, energy, and conservation of energy principles to rotational motion.
14. Recall the definitions of angular momentum. Apply this concept to conservation of angular momentum.
15. Apply concepts of Newton's Laws to equilibrium of linear and rotational motion.
16. Understand the extension of conservation of energy and mass equations to fluid dynamics.
17. Understand the extension of Newton's Laws and energy concepts to gravitation.
PHYSICS 111 Section 015 COURSE SYLLABUS
TOPIC TEXT STUDIES NOTES
Week 1 – Sept. 4
Chapter 1
Units, Physical Quantities, and Vectors
Week 2 – Sept. 11
Chapter 2
Motion in One Dimension
Week 3 – Sept. 18
Chapter 3 Optional: Sect. 3.5
Motion in Two Dimensions
Week 4 – Sept. 25
Chapter 4
Newton’s Laws of Motion
Week 5 – Oct. 2
Chapter 5 Optional: Sect. 5.5
Applying Newton’s Laws
Week 6 – Oct. 9
Chapter 6 Refresh: scalar (dot) product
Work, Kinetic Energy
Units, Vectors, Kinematics in
Common Midterm Exam – Nov. 9 Chapter 1 – 6 1D and 2D, Newton’s laws,
work, energy
Week 7 – Oct. 16
Chapter 7 Optional: Sect. 7.5
Potential Energy, Conservation of Energy
Week 8 – Oct. 23
Chapter 8 Optional: Sect. 8.6
Linear Momentum and Collision
Week 9 – Oct. 30
Chapter 9
Rotation, Moment of Inertia
Week 10 – Nov. 6
Chapter 10 – Sections 1-6 Refresh: vector (cross) product
Dynamics of Rotational Motion
Week 11 – Nov. 13
Chapter 11 – Sections 1-3
Static Equilibrium
Week 12 – Nov. 20
Chapter 12 – Sections 1-5
Fluid Mechanics
Week 13 – Nov. 25
Chapter 13 Optional: Sect. 13.6, 13.7
Universal Gravitation
Week 14 – Dec. 4 REVIEW
Comprehensive Exam
Final Exam Chapter 1 – 13 Chapters 1 to 13 with emphasis
on Chapters 7 to 13
Fall 2020 Academic Calendar
September 1 Tuesday First Day of Classes
September 5 Saturday Saturday Classes Begin
September 7 Monday Labor Day
September 8 Tuesday Monday classes meet
September 8 Tuesday Last Day to Add/Drop a Class
September 8 Tuesday Last Day for 100% Refund, Full or Partial Withdrawal
September 9 Wednesday W Grades Posted for Course Withdrawal
Last Day for 90% Refund, Full or Partial Withdrawal - No
September 14 Monday
Refund for Partial Withdrawal after this date
September 28 Monday Last Day for 50% Refund, Full Withdrawal
October 19 Monday Last Day for 25% Refund, Full Withdrawal
November 9 Monday Last Day to Withdraw
November 25 Wednesday Friday Classes Meet
November 26 Thursday Thanksgiving Recess Begins
November 29 Sunday Thanksgiving Recess Ends
December 10 Thursday Last Day of Classes
December 11 Friday Reading Day 1
December 14 Monday Reading Day 2
December 15 Tuesday Final Exams Begin
December 21 Monday Final Exams End
December 23 Wednesday Final Grades Due
