PHYS 326 :: Physics Illinois :: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Course Description

General overview

The format of the course is very like that of last semester's Phys 325. See below for specifics on HW and exams and discussion. Phys 326 will include material on multi-degree of freedom coupled linear oscillations, rotations of 3-d rigid bodies, a bit of chaos and nonlinear dynamics, and some continuum mechanics including waves in solids and fluids. See the schedule for details.

Texts

Lectures/Quizzes

You will need an iClicker for this class. Most lectures will have quizzes in the form of clicker questions. The quizzes are graded only for attendance, and constitute 1% of the course grade. Official lecture notes will be posted at the course website after each class.  I will try to post the lecture notes before class. Reading before class will give you an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the material of the lecture before the lecture is presented. Lectures tend to be much more clear when you have skimmed the material before hand.

Please review the section information for lecture times this semester.

Discussion problem sessions

When registering for this course, you registered for a problem session, which will take place weekly. Because space is limited, please be sure to go to the section for which you are registered. Attendance at these problem sessions is mandatory. You must show up on time to receive full credit. We'll take 15% off the credit for each 5 minutes of being late. If you are late by more than 30 minutes you will not receive credit. After class you will be able to access the problem session materials through the course schedule page.

Please review the section information for problem sessions scheduled this semester.

Homework

Homework is an essential part of this course. The homework to be done will generally be assigned (and made available online) at the end of the each Tuesday lecture and will cover the lecture material of that week. Like last semester, HW will likely be broken into parts A and B --- this is currently TBD depending on how many graders we have. I will collect your solutions at the beginning of lecture one week later. You may also place your completed homework in the yellow PHYS 326 box located at the beginning of the second floor "Interpass" in Loomis, but it must be in the box by 11:00 am on the Tuesday that it is due to receive full credit. Late work will be marked down by 15% each day that it is late and will not be graded if it is more than one week late. If you do hand in your HW late, email the graders to tell them when you did so, otherwise it will be assumed to have been deposited just before the grader checked the box. I don't object to people working on the homework problems together as long as the work that you hand in for grading is your own. I strongly recommend that you thoroughly struggle with the problems yourself first. You'll learn more this way and you'll do better on the exams when you're on your own. Trust me on this one.

You will be able to access the homework assignment through the course schedule page in case you do not get it in the lecture.

Exams

There will be two (probably in-class) midterm exams and one final exam. Dates will be announced. Please check the course schedule for full details.

Academic integrity

The giving of assistance to or receiving of unauthorized assistance from another person, or the use of unauthorized materials during University Examinations can be grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion from the University.

Please be aware that prior to or during an examination the instructional staff may wish to rearrange the student seating. Such action does not mean that anyone is suspected of inappropriate behavior.

No use of electronic search tools to find material relating to solutions to problems you are working, you are on your honor to hold to this. No calculators, no computers, no slide rules will be allowed during exams.

Please do not post any material related to this course anywhere on the internet. The course material is copyright