PHYS 151.001, GENERAL PHYSICS I
FALL 2009

Instructor: Dr. Tao Pang, Professor of Physics
Office: BPB 215
Phone: (702) 895-4454
Email: pang@physics.unlv.edu
Textbook: J.D. Cutnell and K.W. Johnson, "Physics, 8/e" (Wiley, 2008)
WileyPlus:
Laboratory Manual: D.H. Loyd, "Physics Laboratory Manual, 3/e" (Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2008)
Lectures: T R 8:30 - 9:45 a.m. in BPB 102
Laboratory Sessions: See the Fall 2009 Schedule for your section
Office Hours: T R 7:30 - 8:15 a.m., F 8:00 - 10:00 a.m., or by appointment
This is the first half of the course on fundamental concepts and critical applications of general physics. Chapters 1--15 of the textbook will be covered; the emphasis is on how to reason in physics. Students are expected to develop a reasonable understanding of the materials covered in the course and be able to solve problems in the homework assignments and exams and carry out experiments in the laboratory sessions followed by written reports. Attendance checks will be conducted; bonus credits will be awarded to the students found in class. Missing classes can result an administrative drop.

Homework will be assigned weekly through WileyPlus at the link given above and each assignment will be available for a week. Three chances are given for submitting a correct answer.

Multiple-choice problems will be given in the exams. Each student must bring a pictured I.D., a green scantron (Form No. 882-E), No. 2 pencils, and a standard scientific calculator to an exam and will be assigned a number between 1 and 99 in the first exam, which will be used subsequently for posting exam results and final grades. No credit will be given if a student uses a graphing calculator (TI-84,e.g.) or refuses to show the I.D. or to move to a designated seat in an exam.

PHYS 151L is part of PHYS 151. You must obtain a C or better grade in PHYS 151L in order to pass PHYS 151. Laboratory schedules and corresponding rules will be distributed by your laboratory instructor. If re-taking the course, you are required to repeat all the parts, including all the laboratory sessions.

A letter grade will be assigned to each student based on the performance in all the components with roughly A = 80-100%, B = 70-80%, C = 60-70%, and D = 50-60%, from
Homework: 10%
Laboratory (PHYS 151L): 15%
Exam 1 (Chapters 1-4): 15%, Thursday, 9/24
Exam 2 (Chapters 5-9): 20%, Thursday, 10/29
Final (Chapters 1-15): 40%, 8:00-10:00 a.m., Thursday, 12/10

Modifications may be made to the contribution of each part or to the percentage for each letter grade based on the progress of the class. Pluses and minuses may also be used to detail the differences in performance. The student who obtains the highest score in the final exam will receive an A for the course and my recommendation for any future endeavor.

The Disability Resource Center:
The UNLV Disability Resource Center (DRC) houses resources for students with disabilities. If you have a documented disability that may require accommodations, you will need to contact the DRC for coordination of services. The DRC is located in the Student Services Complex (SSC), Room 137. Their numbers are (702) 895-0866/Voice; (702) 895-0652/TDD; and (702) 895-0651/Fax. For additional information please visit http://www.unlv.edu/studentlife/drc.
The Academic Misconduct Policy:
Academic integrity is a legitimate concern for every member of the campus community; all share in upholding the fundamental values of honesty, trust, respect, fairness, responsibility and professionalism. By choosing to join the UNLV community, students accept the expectations of the Academic Misconduct Policy and are encouraged when faced with choices to always take the ethical path. Students enrolling in UNLV assume the obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with UNLV's function as an educational institution. For a complete description of the Academic Misconduct Policy of UNLV, visit the Academic Misconduct Policy website at: http://register.unlv.edu/regulations.html.
University Copyright Policy:
The University requires all members of the University Community to familiarize themselves and to follow copyright and fair use requirements. You are individually and solely responsible for violations of copyright and fair use laws. The University will neither protect nor defend you nor assume any responsibility for employee or student violations of fair use laws. Violations of copyright laws could subject you to federal or state civil penalties and criminal liability as well as disciplinary action under University policies. To familiarize yourself with copyright and fair use policies, the University encourages you to visit its copyright website at: http://www.unlv.edu/committees/copyright.
The Writing Center:
The Writing Center is a free service to UNLV students to help them with any writing project, from papers to creative writing to resumes, and the Center can work with a student at any stage of the writing process. The Center can help a student brainstorm, make an outline, work on drafts, or just be a soundboard for ideas. The Center can assist a student in person, or a student can send a paper to the Center using the form on its Online Writing Lab (OWL) page. For more information about the Writing Center, go to its website at: http://writingcenter.unlv.edu.
The Academic Success Center:
The Academic Success Center (ASC) now offers small group and drop-in lab tutoring for courses in Physics and other subjects. Tutoring is provided throughout the school year so students can sign up anytime for assistance. All UNLV students are welcome to stop by the Academic Success Center (located across from the Student Services Complex, building #22 on the campus map) or go to its website at: http://academicsuccess.unlv.edu/tutoring to learn more about the tutoring program.