Physics 1120 Information Sheet
Instructor: Dr. Mike Coombes
Surrey - D349, Tel.: 599-2196
Voice Mail #: 9103
email:mike.coombes@kwantlen.ca
Physics 1120 is the first semester of a calculus-based first year university level physics Course. Physics 1120 followed by Physics 1220 constitute a full course. Topics covered this semester are linear and rotational mechanics, statics, dynamics, harmonic oscillations and waves.
Prerequisite:
Physics 12 with a grade of C or better or permission of the instructor. Math 1120 must precede or be taken concurrently.
Transfer Status:
| SFU: | Physics 120(3) and two unassigned physics credits. |
| UBC: | Physics 101(3) |
| UVic: | Physics 100 level (1.5). For the combination of Physics 1120 & Physics 1220, Physics 112(3) |
Texts:
| (i) | Physics for Scientists and Engineers,
Giancoli |
| (ii) | Kwantlen Physics 1101/1120 Laboratory Manual. |
Several supplementary books which may be useful are:
For my whereabouts and office hours, please see my schedule.
Attendance:
Attendance in labs is compulsory. Regular attendance in lectures is not mandatory but is strongly recommended. It will not be possible for the instructor to provide individual tutoring to make up for missed lectures.
Evaluation:
A final grade for this course will be determined by student performance in:
Grades:
Letter grades will be assigned according to the following policy:
| Grade | Grade Point | % Equiv. | Min % on Final Exam |
| A+ | 4.33 | 90-100 | 80 |
| A | 4.00 | 85-89 | 70 |
| A- | 3.67 | 80-84 | 65 |
| B+ | 3.33 | 76-79 | 60 |
| B | 3.00 | 72-75 | 60 |
| B- | 2.67 | 68-71 | 55 |
| C+ | 2.33 | 64-67 | 50 |
| C | 2.00 | 60-63 | 40 |
| C- | 1.67 | 56-59 | 40 |
| D | 1.00 | 50-55 | − |
| F | 0.00 | 0-49 | − |
Note: A final grade of C (60%) or better is necessary to advance to higher physics courses.
Assignments:
Assignments will be assigned on a regular basis for each chapter covered. These assignments will not be collected or marked. A solution manual with solutions to all the problems in the text is kept in the library at the reserve desk for your use in checking problems. Solutions for problems which are not taken from the text will be placed in a binder which will also be available at the reserve desk. Please do not remove any material from these binders! Note that getting the correct answer to these assignment problems is less important than a thorough understanding of how these problems are solved. This is very important as the purpose of questions on tests will be to test your understanding of the physical principles involved. As a result, the test questions may appear quite dissimilar to any question you have done on an assignment.
Tests:
There will be two or three tests during the semester, covering specified portions of the course. There will be one final exam. Details of all tests will be given in class. All tests must be taken as scheduled; there will be no retests, and a missed test will count as zero. If you miss a test because of sickness, please notify the instructor as soon as possible. You may be asked for a doctor's note. Short, twenty-minute, quizzes will be held as necessary.
This is not a course in memorizing equations. One of the goals of the course is to develop the ability to build the specific equations needed for a particular problem, starting from first principles. Exam solutions which omit this crucial step will not be given full marks even if the answer is correct. You may prepare and use an equation sheet with a limited number of equations on it on any test or exam in this course.
Lab Reports:
All lab experiments must be completed on the day scheduled. All lab data and reports must be kept in a bound lab notebook. Lab notebooks, which must contain a supply of graph paper, are available at the bookstore. The lab reports are due at the end of the laboratory session. Late reports will not be accepted. All labs must be completed; arrange with your lab instructor to make up missing labs. All lab reports (even to receive a zero) must be submitted before the beginning of the final examination period or a grade of F will be assigned.
Withdrawal Date:
Please see the calendar for this semester's withdrawal date.
Academic Misconduct:
Kwantlen Polytechnic University Policy on Plagarism and Cheating
| Topic | Chapter | Lectures |
| Review of Math & Error Propagation | 1 | 1 |
| 1D Kinematics | 1 & 2 | 1 |
| Vectors | 3 |
1 |
| Force and Motion |
4 |
2 |
| Dynamics in 1D | 5 | 1 |
| Dynamics in 2D | 6 |
1 |
| UCM | 7 |
1 |
| Newton's Third Law | 8 |
1 |
| Impulse and Momentum | 9 |
1 |
| Energy and Work |
10 & 11 |
2 |
| Rotation of a Rigid Body |
13 | 3 |
| Oscillations | 14 | 2 |
| Waves | 20 |
2 |
| Superposition and Standing Waves | 21 | 2 |
| Gravity (Time permitting) |
12 |
2 |
Note: Times of tests will be set in class. The number of lectures per topic is approximate.
Questions?mike.coombes@kwantlen.ca