Preliminary Remarks
-
Assumptions I will make about your Mathematics and Physics
background
- Knowledge of basic Algebra and Trigonometry - pre-calculus
at high school.
Take a look at Appendix E for a brief review.
- At least concurrent registration in calculus 1 (MATH 205 or
ENGR101)
Calculus appears in the text from the start. I will avoid
requiring it until approximately two thirds the way through
the semester, then, initially you will only need
differentiation, but by the end of the semester I will expect
you to also be able to integrate some simple functions.
- A High School Physics course of some sort.
You can manage without this, but if you already have some idea
of what I am talking about it will be helpful.
- The only Mathematics I will "teach" is basic Vector
manipulation.
- This semester we will cover 19 chapters in about 26 lectures -
about three quarters of a chapter per lecture. In other
words I will be moving along very quickly.
Some of you will find things difficult immediately, most of you
will sooner or later...
-
ADVICE
- Don't get left behind. Sort out any problems you have
immediately. Physics builds on itself.
- For the non-Physics majors, particularly the engineers,
don't treat Physics as a required course simply to be got out
of the way. Physics forms the basic foundation of most
of the engineering disciplines. The more comfortable you
are with Physics the easier you will find many of your future
engineering courses.
- If you need it, make use of all the opportunities for
assistance,
- Recitations
- Informal study groups
- Peer Assisted Learning (PAL)
- REACH study Groups
- Physics Learning Center (PLC)
- Office hours
- Ask questions
Finally
GOOD LUCK !