Old PHYS 120 description: ``Wave Motion, Mechanics and Electromagnetism'' Wave motion with applications to light and sound; an introduction to the special theory of relativity; particle motion under the action of various kinds of forces; conservation of energy and momentum; direct current, magnetic forces and fields, magnetic induction; laboratory investigations emphasizing the use of electrical instruments. Prerequisites: An A in one of Physics 12 or Mathematics 12 and B or better in the other course. Corequisites: Math 100 and 101 (or 120 and 121).
Current PHYS 121 description: PHYSICS I. An enriched course dealing with conservation laws, angular momentum of rigid bodies, simple harmonic motion and wave phenomena. Students intending to proceed in the physical sciences are encouraged to take this course. Prerequisites: an "A" in Physics 12 and Mathematics 12 or an "A" in PHYS 100. Corequisites: one of MATH 100, MATH 102, MATH 104, MATH 120, MATH 180 or MATH 184.
Current PHYS 122 description: PHYSICS II. Electricity and Magnetism up to Maxwell's equations and electromagnetic waves, including interference and diffraction of light. Concepts of probability and kinetic theory. Intended for students planning to proceed in the physical sciences. Prerequisites: one of PHYS 121 or PHYS 101 with an "A" standing. Corequisites: one of MATH 101, MATH 103, MATH 105 or MATH 121.
Proposed PHYS 121-122 combined description: An enriched introductory sequence of first year Physics courses. The main emphasis of Physics 121 is classical mechanics whereas the main emphasis of Physics 122 is electricity and magnetism. The aim of these courses is to develop a conceptual understanding of the basic forces in nature and how their interactions explain the behaviour of physical systems.
Time and Place: Hennings 201 - Monday, Wednesday & Friday 8:00-8:50 AM
Instructors: Erich W. Vogt (mainly 1st term); Jess H. Brewer (mainly 2nd term)
Offices: (EWV) TRIUMF: 222-1047 ext 6455; (JHB) Hennings 320A: 822-6455
Labs: TRIUMF: 222-1047, ext 6455 (EWV); ext 6471 (JHB)
Office Hours:
EWV: (1st term) in Henn 201
the hour before each lecture.
JHB: the same (tentative).
In addition, the two graduate students who mark
the weekly assignments will each be available for an hour a week
(Monday, 4:00-5:00PM in Henn 304 and Tuesday, 12:00-1:00PM in Hebb 12)
to provide general assistance and help with assignments.
Marking:
| ITEM | MARKS |
| Labs | 30 |
| Assignments | 10 |
| Midterm Exam | 20 |
| Final Exam | 40 |
| TOTAL | 100 |
Note: Students must pass both lecture and lab
parts of the course and the Final Exam
in order to receive passing credit for Physics 121 or 122.
(Faculty members responsible for the courses
reserve the right to override this scheme and/or to
adjudicate any or all marks.)
The Midterm will likely take place on Monday 22 Oct 2001
during the scheduled lecture hour.
Textbook: Resnick, Halliday & Krane, "Physics", 5th Ed., Extended (Wiley 2001).
References:
READING: We will not follow the texbook slavishly, though it is a very good one. Reading assignments will ``jump around'' in the text and may occasionally include supplementary handouts or journal references. You may often wish to explore interesting topics further; we will be glad to suggest sources.
PURPOSE OF PHYSICS 121-122: Physics 121 remains successful at UBC and popular with students because for only little extra work it provides a greatly enriched physics program enabling bright and dedicated students to develop analytical skills of great benefit for scientific and professional careers. Students emerging from this course have not found the work load to exceed significantly that of their other courses. A certain amount of shock occurs because the presentation of material and also the assignments are deliberately chosen to stretch thinking more than in other first year courses. The shock is further enhanced because many of the students, who were always top of their high school class, suddenly find themselves in a whole class as bright as they are. The shock can be salutory and students have the guarantee that if they put in the little bit of extra work required the mark they can achieve will be at least comparable to that which they would have obtained in easier courses. The marks are adjusted for this purpose and, each year, about 60% of the Physics 121 students achieve first class standing. By choosing to take Physics 121 you should not be jeopardizing your chance for scholarships or entrance into professional programs. On the contrary, the analytical skills developed should enhance your future performance in all courses requiring some thinking! You may, initially, find Physics 121 daunting - it is meant to daunt - but this is not the time in your studies to sell yourself short.
Physics 121 & 122 achieve their purpose for three reasons. First, the entering students are at the height of their learning ability and also retain that great human gift, a sense of wonder. (Unfortunately universities often succeed in dissipating this gift.) Second, the students are, for the first time, using calculus which allows them almost at once to soar to the farthest reaches of science. Thirdly, the science vehicles which are chosen - Newtonian Mechanics and Maxwell's Electromagnetism - are almost ideal for conveying how unreasonably effective our human brains can be in describing our world. It is a time and an opportunity not to be missed!
THE FIRST YEAR SYNDROME: Any first year Physics course must necessarily be devoted largely to building up a ``Physics vocabulary'' of terms and concepts that are generally labelled as ``classical'' Physics, so that later courses can utilise that vocabulary to describe the unsettling conceptual revisions of the Twentieth Century - some of which render obsolete the very terminology in which we attempt to describe them. This tends to make the first year relatively dull; most physicists, looking back, feel that their first year course was the low point of their Physics education. We will do everything in our power to counteract this functional dilemma, but if it occasionally gets a little tedious, please remember this: there can be no magic without some apprenticeship.
NATURAL PHILOSOPHY:
You are here to learn Physics, the discipline, not ``about Physics.''
On the other hand, until quite recently Physics was known officially
as Natural Philosophy; moreover, modern Physics has drastically altered
the ways we perceive the world we live in.
It would be tragic to learn
how to predict the behaviour of (some parts of) that world without
stopping to reflect on the philosophical implications of our new knowledge.
A knowledge of Physics is valuable for its predictive power -
the tools of Physics allow us to build wonderful devices,
to manipulate matter profitably and to move wisely through
our physical environment.
An understanding of Physics requires
integration of new paradigms and metaphors
into one's intellectual repertoire -
your mind will be permanently altered by this experience.
We will not try to compete with courses on the philosophy or history
of Physics in the Departments of Philosophy or History, but we will
occasionally dwell upon these aspects.