SYLLABUS: PHY 2048 - PHYSICS for Scientists and Engineers I 
FALL 2008 (4 sem. hrs.)  - Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm. Class - MAP 359

Instructor: Enrique del Barco       Office: MAP 414       Lab: MAP 240
Office hours: Tu/Th. 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (other times by appointment).
e-mail: delbarco@physics.ucf.edu
If by any chance I am not in my office, look for me in the lab.

Graduate Teaching Assistant: TBA     E-mail: TBA           Office: MAP fifth floor TA room
Office hours: TBA

SARC: Check on the website of the Student Academic Resource Center (www.sarc.sdes.ucf.edu) for the days and times of tutoring hours for this course. They are very helpful.

Textbook: Physics for Scientists and Engineers, Seventh Edition, vol.  I,  Raymond A.   Serway and John W. Jewett

Course description: PHY2048 is the first of a two-semester sequence in introductory physics offered primarily for students majoring in Physics and Engineering. Special emphasis is placed on understanding major principles governing general phenomena in Nature, and mathematics is used as a tool to clarify concepts. Students should have a good working knowledge of algebra, trigonometry and basic calculus (derivatives and integrals).

Examinations: 60% of your grade will be determined on the basis of two 50 minutes in-class exams (2 problems and 12 multiple choice questions, 30%) and a comprehensive 150 minutes final exam (60 multiple choice questions, 30%). You MUST bring a number two (2) pencil and a computer scored answer sheet to the final exam. You also MUST know you student ID number and record it accurately in the proper location on the Test Form and on each written exam so that the computer can keep turn in your exam answer sheet. THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS AND NO EXAMS WILL BE GIVEN EARLY OR LATE. For exceptional situations (such as Religious holiday, medical emergency, etc.) you may take an exam in a different day if you have a written request (not an e-mail) and submitted it personally to the instructor ahead of time with the appropriate documentation to justify the absence. A non-graphic, non-programmable calculator may be used during exams.

Homework: Weekly (preferably on Thursdays) web-assigned homework will be submitted on the WEB. The platform we will use this semester is WEBASSIGN. For instructions on how to register into www.webassign.com, go to http://physics.ucf.edu/~delbarco/html/course_notes_48.html. Homework will count as 20% of your final grade.

ILDs: A total of six Interactive Lecture Demonstrations will be performed during the course. The ILDs are designed to facilitate learning of the conceptual aspects of the topics covered in class, by making the student to actively participate during the demonstrations. A whole class-day will be devoted to each ILD. An student completing at least 5 out of the 6 ILDs will obtain 20% towards the total course grade. ILDs will be unannounced

Grades: Your grade for this course will be calculated as follows:

   Grade = 20% (homework) + 20% (ILDs) + 30% (two in-class exams) + 30% (final exam)

   Grading scale:  A 85-100%;  B 75-84%; C 60-74%; D 50-59%; F 0-49%

NO GRADE INFORMATION WILL BE GIVEN OVER THE PHONE OR BY E-MAIL. If you miss an in-class exam without exceptional justification (see UCF policy) it will count as a zero and will average down your exams grade.

Course information: Course information (i.e. updated tentative coverage, syllabus, class-notes, etc…) will be available at www.physics.ucf.edu/~delbarco/html/teaching.html. This webpage will be frequently updated as the course advances.

CLASS ATTENDANCE IS VERY IMPORTANT SINCE MANY OF THE EXAM QUESTIONS WILL BE DRAWN FROM THE CLASS LECTURES, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND DISCUSSIONS. TAKING GOOD CLASS NOTES IS ESSENTIAL.

I would also suggest reading the course textbook and/or related ones as a complement to the class lectures. Remember: The instructor could be wrong!