Physics 112-01--General Physics II:
Electricity, Magnetism, and Optics
Homework Assignment #1
Due Wednesday, January 31, 2018, 11 a.m.
This assignment has 3 basic parts: Enroll in Mastering Physics, do the
on-line ``HW #1'' assignment, and do the pencil-and-paper problem below.
First, you will need a ``Student Access Kit''. If you bought
your text at Lafayette's bookstore, you should have received the
kit with the text.
If you got a 2-semester kit last semester, you should be able
to use it again; no further purchase is necessary.
If you do not have
a kit, you can purchase one on-line
at http://www.masteringphysics.com. Be sure to click on the
right textbook--we are using Knight's
College Physics, 3rd edition.
Once you have your kit, you can register online at
http://www.masteringphysics.com. When asked to provide a
Student ID, please use your Lafayette e-mail ID, e.g. something
like smithj. Anything else will complicate grading and make
it harder to ensure you get credit for your work.
One you have registered, you can log in at the Mastering Physics web
site and enroll yourself in this course. The course ID is
LafayettePhys112Spring2018.
The first part of this assignment is intended to help introduce you
to the system, including the ways to enter mathematical expressions.
It is worthwhile to go through it. The first five problems are for
practice (i.e. they don't count) but you should try them.
You will get more out of the system and ultimately save yourself time
and avoid frustration if you invest a little time now.
You probably did these same problems last semester, but a quick review
may still be helpful. Use your own best judgment.
The last 8 problems are the graded physics problems for this week.
They count, so don't skip them.
Chapter 15: Problems 17 (30 pts.) and 68 (30 pts.)
Please write neatly and show your work clearly. I need to be able to
follow your reasoning. Staple your pages together.
The text rates problem difficulties with vertical bars; One, two, and
three-bar problems will typically be assigned 10, 20, and 30 points
respectively. Your total score for each week will be the sum of the
on-line and pencil-and-paper scores divided by the total number of
possible points. For your overall homework grade,
each week's assignment will be weighted equally. The lowest week will
be dropped.
Interpretation of any physical measurement or prediction involves
understanding the underlying uncertainties. Unfortunately, a proper
handling of propagating uncertainties in calculations would get quite
involved for this course. In the lab, you will spend a good deal of
time and effort thinking about and accounting for uncertainties in
your results. In the lecture portion of the class, however, we will
adopt a simpler approach.
Most problems will require numerical answers. You should normally
aim for at least 1% accuracy. Typically, this means keeping 4 or 5
digits in intermediate calculations (or just leaving the intermediate
result in your calculator memory) and 3 digits in your final answer.
MasteringPhysics will sometimes tell you to give your final answer to
2 digits. You may ignore that and give 3 digits. If you need to use
an answer in a later part of a problem, you should definitely use the
full-precision answer, not one rounded off to 2 digits. Again, your goal
is to get the right answer to at least 1% accuracy. Excessive round-off
can sometimes make a big difference.
If you get bogged down with any of the problems, do not hesitate to
discuss them with your instructor or with a fellow student. However,
if you discuss a problem with anyone (besides your instructor)
you should acknowledge that collaboration. Please see the Academic
Honesty policy for more information about appropriate and inappropriate
collaboration.
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Andy Dougherty
2018-01-15