Frank's "personal" page

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Halliday, Resnick, Walker;
"Fundamentals of Physics", 6th ed.   Chapters 1-15, 19-21 (in volume 1)
(with metro media CD or supplementary problem set recommended, but not essential)

What's New?

• 12-Dec-03: It has been brought to my attention that there should be a correction to the sample exam.  In Problem II, part 1, it should simply ask, "Find the speed when the ball reaches the bottom."  There is not enough given information to also get the angular velocity.
• 8-Dec-03: The recitations (described below) will both be held in room 428 Pupin.  The Tuesday session will primarily be to discuss homeworks (including HW10) and past exams, as well as any other issues people have.  If there are specific interpretation questions about the sample final, these can also be discussed.  The Thursday session is primarily to go through the sample final.  So it is in your interest to look over the sample before the Tuesday session, but to really try and do it before the Thursday session.  Keep in mind that I will be available in my office on Friday and Monday mornings for any last minute questions. 
• 4-Dec-03: As announced at lecture yesterday, there will be several opportunities after classes end to seek help on questions that arise about the subject matter for the final (December 15).   Special recitations will be held on Tuesday (Dec 9) at 3PM and on Thursday at 3PM of next week (Dec 11) to review problems from the semester and to go over the sample exam.  The room number(s) will be posted here.  Also, I will hold office hours at the regular time on Monday (Dec 8) in my office (718), and special office hours next Friday (Dec 12) starting at 10AM.  I will be in my office until at least 12:30PM.  (If someone cannot make those times, but will arrive soon afterwards, they should contact me by e-mail so I know to expect them.) 
• 2-Dec-03: At the beginning of lecture tomorrow, we will schedule a review session to go over the sample exam in the latter part of next week.  Please attend on time if you would like input on the date and time.  The sample exam will be at the web site by Monday of next week.
• 12-Nov-03: The blue books for midterm 2 are being handed back in lecture today.  Later this morning at the **Exam specifics page will be available: the examination, the solutions, the statistics for midterm 2, and the statistics for the sum of the two midterms.
• 4-Nov-03: Over the past couple days, I have had several questions asked by e-mail.  I have put this into a PDF file which you can access by clicking here.  
• 4-Nov-03: For those with any last minute questions, I will be in my office tomorrow morning (5-Nov) after about 9:30AM.  I may get interrupted by telephone, but I will attempt to make any interruptions brief.
• 28-Oct-03: In addition to regular office hours tomorrow morning, I will be available in my office after lecture tomorrow afternoon until 4 PM to answer any questions that might have arisen about the sample exam or other material relevant to the midterm next week.  Please keep in mind that the sample midterm 2 will also be discussed in recitation on Thursday.
• 26-Oct-03: The practice exam and solution for the second midterm is now posted through the **Exam specifics web page.  As posted, the second midterm will be a week from Wednesday.  (Note that Monday and Tuesday of next week are academic holidays.)
• 7-Oct-03: In response to requests, I have made available the point allocation guide for the first midterm.  The maximum number of points for each part of each problem is now the last page in the midterm solution posted at the **exam website.  Download the solutions again, and the last (fourth) page gives the relevant information.
• 6-Oct-03: The midterm exam, the solutions, and the statistics are now posted at the **Exam specifics webpage under the midterm1 column.  Anyone who did not pick up their graded blue book should see me at lecture on Wednesday.
• 23-Sep-03: In the first problem on the sample (practice) exam, part (5) indicates that the man's arm travels 0.2 meters when he throws the rock.  It should read 1.2 meters.  I have fixed this and posted the new version.  Thanks to the people who pointed out the mistype.
• 22-Sep-03: Posted at the site are (1) today's lecture pdf; (2) the second homework solution; (3) the sample midterm and (4) its solution.  The last two are available at the web page  **Exam specifics under the Midterm 1 column and the Practice Exam row.  The first page of the sample (instructions) will be similar to the real exam.  Also, please be sure to read the exam guide available from the same web page before the Wednesday lecture; bring up any question you may have about taking the exam at Wednesday's lecture.  At the recitation session this Thursday (3-5PM), Mr. Bansal will discuss the homework solution due today and the solution for the sample midterm.
• 21-Sep-03: Now posted are some recent questions and answers on the second problem set, which is due tomorrow.
• 17-Sep-03: The Help Room is now available (413 Pupin).  The hours are posted at the web page **Help & Contacts.
• 17-Sep-03: Several people have requested that I post copies of the slides shown in lecture.  PDF files showing slides from lectures 1 - 4 are now posted.  Go to the **Lecture schedule page and note that the lecture numbers are now highlighted as hyperlinks to the PDF file with the lecture.  Just click on the number.  I will post such files as soon as feasible after each lecture.
• 15-Sep-03: After a discussion, the class decided (on the basis of minimum pain) to retain the date of the first midterm as Monday, September 29.  Also, the solutions for the first problem set is now posted: go to **Homework details, proceed down to the list of assignments and then click on Prob. set 1.
• 14-Sep-03: A few minor corrections have been made to the lecture schedule and homework details pages, primarily effecting future schedule and assignments.
• 12-Sep-03: Several people have objected (by e-mail) about moving the time of the first midterm.  (See note below.)  Apparently there is a mathematics midterm scheduled also for that day.  We will decide which day at the beginning of the Monday lecture; be sure to come if you have strong feelings about it.
• 11-Sep-03: The optional weekly recitation session will be held on Thursday, 3 - 5 PM, in room 428 Pupin.  The session will be led by Mr. Dhruv Bansal, who will also be the homework grader.  This information is now posted at the appropriate web pages.
• 11-Sep-03: I have begun to post any questions and answers that are relevant at the **Hmwork Feedback website page.  There you may click, for example, on the file "probset1.pdf" to see any current questions and answers on this set of problems.
• 10-Sep-03:  The recitation session organization time is tomorrow (Thursday) at noon in 301 Pupin.
• 9-Sep-03:  It has come to my attention that the first midterm is the day after a major Jewish holiday.  I am fine with changing it to Wednesday of that week, but I would like to solicit whether this will cause undue hardship on anyone.  If so, please send me e-mail.
• 5-Sep-03:  The bookstore apparently stocked the version of the text with the supplementary problem set, rather than with the CD.  This is perfectly fine for the course.  The CD version had the supplement, along with other information from the textbook, at a comparable price -- so the CD version is also fine.  We will not assign anything from the supplement, but it is a good study tool.  So you can get the version at the bookstore without compromise.  I have changed the text reference above to reflect this.
• 4-Sep-03: Welcome to Physics 1401!
  Check this section of the web pages regularly for new announcements. "The last shall be first."

Course Topics for This Semester

Mechanics:

• Particle Kinematics & Dynamics
• Motion in 1, 2 and 3 Dimensions
• Force, Momentum and Newton's Laws
• Reference Frames
• Work and Energy
• Work Defined
• Kinetic and Potential Energy
• Conservation Laws
• Power
• Systems of Particles
• Center of Mass
• Motion of Extended Objects
• Collisions
• Elastic and Inelastic
• Rotational Kinematics & Dynamics
• Angular Motion
• Torque and Angular Momentum
• Static Equilibrium
• Gravitation
• Fluid Mechanics

Thermodynamics

• Laws of Thermodynamics
• Temperature and Heat
• Thermal Expansion
• 1st, 2nd and 3rd Laws
• Ideal Gases
• Kinetic Theory
• Statistical Mechanics
• Entropy and the Direction of Time
• Heat Engines and Refrigerators