Special topics lecture next tuesday

On Tuesday 28 April, we have a "special topics" lecture scheduled. If you can suggest anything - related to the ph102 material, at least tangentially - that you might be interested in hearing about, let me know before the end of the weekend.

If there are several topics I think I can work up on short notice, I'll pick the one I think has the most broad appeal. If no one suggests anything, I will talk about what it is I do.

Other possibilities:

• how does MRI/PET/CAT work?
• how does your iPod work? (related to what I do)
  
• more bad movie physics
• how do semiconductor devices (transistors/flash/whatever) work?
• length scales, from nuclei to galaxies
• something you think I did a poor job explaining the first time around :-)

Leave a comment here (or email me) to vote on one of these, or suggest another topic.

And no, it won't be on the final. This one is supposed to be purely curiosity-driven, "for fun."

Lab for Thursday 24 April

Today, we will put the Bohr model of the atom into practice, and measure the atomic emission spectra from Mercury and Hydrogen.

April is stress management month

From the CW:

"April is stress management month," said Jennifer Turner, coordinator of clinical services for the Counseling Center.

Why am I just finding out about this now? Probably my technique of "more coffee and less sleep" would be frowned upon ...

Homework 11 solutions

Find them here ... enjoy.

I will try to get solutions to exam II out soon as well.

Final Exam

You may have noticed that our final is

FRIDAY 9 May, 8am-10:30am
329 Gallalee

It is very early, and on Friday. I dislike this too, but we are stuck with it. I will bring donuts or something.

This is it, the last homework set.

Here you go. Mostly, it is review, with a couple of problems thrown in from the atomic and nuclear physics we will cover this week ... just so that isn't a surprise on the final. In fact, this will serve as a good review for the final. I will go over these during Saturday's review session, as well as during class this week.

The homework is officially due this Friday, in observance of dead week, but I will not assign any late penalties for this homework so long as it is turned in before 5pm on the last day of classes. Read that any way you like.

There will be no new assignments or graded work during dead week. We will only cover "special topics" not on the final, and review for the final.

So, basically, besides one more lab and one more quiz, this is it.