Grades
Don't panic too much, I will make sure the average comes out well one way or another.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Last exam
I will scale it if necessary.
I am a bit perturbed by how difficult the exam seemed to be, since over half the questions were either from previous exams or covered in class. I think some of you know now that 'open book' does not mean 'won't study, I can just look stuff up.'
Q1 - similar problems on many previous exams, spent a lot of time in lecture on this.
Q2 - you a lab on this, examples in book
Q3 - almost identical to previous exams you had access to
Q4 - you need to multiply by volume=Ad and use E=V/d, no tricks
Q5 - directly from previous exam
Q6 - on previous exams, done in class, basically an example from the book ...
Q7 - I did this in class, exactly the same problem.
Q8 - just need mirror definitions, no tricks
Q9 - directly from previous exams
Q10 - need only the photoelectric equation for both pairs of data
Anyway, the thing is done now. I'll have it graded over the weekend at some point, and will put the grades on MasteringPhysics. I will scale it if need be, we'll just have to see how it goes.
I am a bit perturbed by how difficult the exam seemed to be, since over half the questions were either from previous exams or covered in class. I think some of you know now that 'open book' does not mean 'won't study, I can just look stuff up.'
Q1 - similar problems on many previous exams, spent a lot of time in lecture on this.
Q2 - you a lab on this, examples in book
Q3 - almost identical to previous exams you had access to
Q4 - you need to multiply by volume=Ad and use E=V/d, no tricks
Q5 - directly from previous exam
Q6 - on previous exams, done in class, basically an example from the book ...
Q7 - I did this in class, exactly the same problem.
Q8 - just need mirror definitions, no tricks
Q9 - directly from previous exams
Q10 - need only the photoelectric equation for both pairs of data
Anyway, the thing is done now. I'll have it graded over the weekend at some point, and will put the grades on MasteringPhysics. I will scale it if need be, we'll just have to see how it goes.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Grade updates / last class
If you gave me lab grades that needed to be corrected, I think those should all be done now. Please check through your lab grades and see that everything makes sense. The paper grades (lab 1) are in now as well - so if you wrote a paper, make sure you got a grade ...
The only outstanding grades other than exam 3 are now the Planck's constant lab and the last HW due Wed night. We'll go over those problems in class tomorrow (Wed) so you can get them done quickly after the exam [I'm just going to go ahead and assume many of you are putting the last one off, it seems reasonable].
Tomorrow's lecture is being decided right now ... probably we will go over energy levels in atoms and solids, but one never knows what I might do at the last moment. In any case, tomorrow's lecture material will not be on the exam.
The only outstanding grades other than exam 3 are now the Planck's constant lab and the last HW due Wed night. We'll go over those problems in class tomorrow (Wed) so you can get them done quickly after the exam [I'm just going to go ahead and assume many of you are putting the last one off, it seems reasonable].
Tomorrow's lecture is being decided right now ... probably we will go over energy levels in atoms and solids, but one never knows what I might do at the last moment. In any case, tomorrow's lecture material will not be on the exam.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Last summer's final
UPDATE: here are answers and sketched solutions to (only) the questions relevant for tomorrow's exam.
For your studying pleasure, here is last summer's final. I can't find my key, so I'll have to do all the problems quickly before I can post the answers ... but I will post them later this evening.
Other things this evening: grade updates (including fixing lab grades you've brought to my attention), and some hints for the exam.
For your studying pleasure, here is last summer's final. I can't find my key, so I'll have to do all the problems quickly before I can post the answers ... but I will post them later this evening.
Other things this evening: grade updates (including fixing lab grades you've brought to my attention), and some hints for the exam.
Tentative exam 3 coverage
This is all pending a discussion with Dr. Mazumdar so we can coordinate ... but here are the minimal sections you should worry about:
22.2,4 reactance & power in ac circuits, there is certain to be a question about filters
23.1-3, 5-9 EM waves
24 all (geometric optics, but you won't have to draw ray diagrams)
28.1-3, 6-7 quantum and atomic physics, note in particular the Bohr model
Tentatively, there will not be any questions from Ch. 29 since that is almost purely qualitative stuff.
The test will be open book & notes, the only restriction is that no internets are allowed (i.e., no phones, PDAs, laptops, etc.).
And, very important, both sections will have the exam at 4pm on Wednesday in the usual lecture room. You will have at least 2 hours for the exam, and will probably not need all of it. If, for some good reason, you cannot make it from 4-6pm (e.g., job constraints, another class, etc.) we will work out an alternate time, but please contact me as soon as possible.
There will be 10 problems out of which you must solve 8, and they will be shorter problems than the previous exams. That is, don't freak out about there being more questions than before, the questions will be much less involved than usual HW or exam problems. They will be at the level of example problems in the book, for the most part find the right formula and go. Nothing really subtle.
More details tomorrow (Tues) after Dr. Mazumdar and I discuss a bit more ...
22.2,4 reactance & power in ac circuits, there is certain to be a question about filters
23.1-3, 5-9 EM waves
24 all (geometric optics, but you won't have to draw ray diagrams)
28.1-3, 6-7 quantum and atomic physics, note in particular the Bohr model
Tentatively, there will not be any questions from Ch. 29 since that is almost purely qualitative stuff.
The test will be open book & notes, the only restriction is that no internets are allowed (i.e., no phones, PDAs, laptops, etc.).
And, very important, both sections will have the exam at 4pm on Wednesday in the usual lecture room. You will have at least 2 hours for the exam, and will probably not need all of it. If, for some good reason, you cannot make it from 4-6pm (e.g., job constraints, another class, etc.) we will work out an alternate time, but please contact me as soon as possible.
There will be 10 problems out of which you must solve 8, and they will be shorter problems than the previous exams. That is, don't freak out about there being more questions than before, the questions will be much less involved than usual HW or exam problems. They will be at the level of example problems in the book, for the most part find the right formula and go. Nothing really subtle.
More details tomorrow (Tues) after Dr. Mazumdar and I discuss a bit more ...
Monday, August 1, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
MasteringPhysics
Yes, MasteringPhysics has been down all day. I can't really do anything about it. The HW is not due until tomorrow night in any event, and I expect the site to be up tomorrow morning.
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