PHYS 100 :: Physics Illinois :: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Final grades

Final grades are now posted in gradebook. There is an exam 2 score and an exam 2 scaled score, along with your final course letter grade. The scaled score is computed using the scale shown in the graph below, and this is what goes into the final grade calculation. Bonus points were added to your point total out of 1000 points.

The exam 2 (raw) score is used when calculating the final improvement bonus points. You will get 2 points for each 1% improvement over your Quest + Midterm weighted average (explained in the lecture slides). Improving over time is good, and you get the bonus points to reflect that.

Congratulations on finishing Phys100! Have a great winter break, and I hope to see you around in the spring semester.

End of week 3 updates

Quest 1 is coming up in one week (9/10 - 9/14).  It's a 50 minute quiz/test that you will schedule a time to take at the computer-based testing facility (CBTF).  Immediate to-do items:

There is also the usual homework and a prelecture/checkpoint due.  You can find all the assignments and due dates on smartPhysics (smart.physics.illinois.edu).

- Late homework deadline: All homework can be submitted late for 80% credit. If you ever miss a homework, go back and complete it. You have to practice to learn, and you can get a lot of points back too. This also means that you can go back to correct your delayed feedback from previous homeworks for 80% credit (for learning from your mistakes that you made)!

- Eric

End of week 2 updates

Quest 1 is coming up in one week (9/10 - 9/14).  It's a 50 minute quiz/test that you will schedule a time to take at the computer-based testing facility (CBTF).  Immediate to-do items:

As will soon become familiar, you have the following assignments due before the next lecture.  You can find all the assignments and due dates on smartPhysics (smart.physics.illinois.edu):

Today is the last day to switch into the course, so some repeated information for people catching up:

See you all in week 3!
- Eric

End of week 1 updates

Congrats on finishing your first week of Phys100! Some updates for people catching up:

Good first week, everyone. See you all in week 2!
- Eric

Start of Semester Q&A

Q: What are the required materials I need to buy?

A: Look to the Required Materials link on the sidebar.

Q: What should I do before my first class?

A: Read the Phys100 - week 1 to-do list for what to do before your first discussion section/lecture.

Q: Do we have any assignments due before the first lecture?

A: Yes! (They're listed in the Phys100 - week 1 to-do list.)

Q: I need departmental permission to register for the class. How do I get this?

A: You can get departmental registration permission through this link: https://queue.illinois.edu/q/queue/864

Q: There are no registration spots open for the lectures? Can I still get in the class?

A: Yes! There is an online lecture option (Phys100 - AOL - 11 AM to noon) that can be used when all the in-person lecture spots are taken. You will need to contact me to arrange the online lecture logistics (ekuo@illinois.edu).

If you need departmental permission to register, you can get it through this link: https://queue.illinois.edu/q/queue/864

Q: Calculus I is a co-requisite for this course. How much Calculus will I need to know?

A: There's no expectation that you'll know calculus coming into the course. There are lots of connections between calculus and physics, and we'll talk about the important ones in class. However, the homework and other problems don't require you to know calculus.

As we go through the semester, we'll sprinkle in more Calc I ideas as you learn them in math class. The two main ideas we will cover is that the derivative of a function is the slope of the graph and that the integral of a function is the area under the graph.

Q: Should I take Phys100? Is Phys100 required?

A: Phys100 is designed to help prepare you for success in Phys211 (calculus-based mechanics). For many majors, Phys211 is a required course.

Phys100 covers kinematics (position, velocity, acceleration) and dynamics (forces and Newton's laws), which covers the first of three midterm exams in Phys211. Phys211 also covers energy, momentum, rotation, oscillations, and fluids.

Phys100 is not a required course (though it may have been recommended by an advisor or your U of I physics placement test score). If you have taken physics in high school or if you feel confident in your ability to do well in Phys211, Phys100 might feel too slow, and you can speak with your academic advisor about going directly into Phys211 this semester or in the spring. But if you want to have more time learning the fundamentals of physics, Phys100 is a great way to get more practice at a slower pace.

If you are unsure whether Phys100 will be right for you, you can check out the course schedules for Phys100 and Phys211 on the course websites
Phys100 schedule
Phys211 schedule

Q: What should I do if I get sick or have to miss class?

A: If you are sick, please stay home! Your first 3 lecture absences and 3 discussion absences are automatically excused (see course grading page). You do not have to do anything; these will automatically be excused at the end of the semester.

If you miss more classes than this for an excusable reason, you can click on the attendance policy link to see the process for submitting an excused absence request.

Related to public health: although masks are not required, I support any one who prefers to wear a mask in class.