Course Syllabus

Independent Study in Idaho

ISI WebsiteLinks to an external site. | indepst@uidaho.edu | 208-885-6641 

PHYS 1112 General Physics II

Sponsoring Institution: University of Idaho

3 Credits 

Instructor Information

Course Instructor: Dr. Peter M. Wojcik

  • Email: peterw@uidaho.edu
  • Personal Website: peterwojcik.com
  • You can contact me via the Canvas interface or the email address above. Expect to receive a response in 24-48 hours, Monday-Friday.
  • Copy the ISI office at indepst@uidaho.edu on all communications. 

Hello and Welcome to PHYS 1112!

I am excited to work with you and assist you in achieving your educational goals. My name is Dr. Wojcik, and I will be your instructor for ISI PHYS 1112. Feel free to contact me at any time via Canvas or my email. I can meet with you via a virtual meeting (Zoom) and assist you with homework problems, understanding course material and concepts, and any other help you may need with the course. Send me an email to request a meeting.

Course Description 

PHYS 112 is the second part of a year-long algebra-based introductory physics sequence. PHYS 111 and 112, together, provide a broad survey of classical and modern physics.

Some of the topics covered in the course:

  • Electric Charge, Electric Field, Electric Potential
  • Electric Current, Resistance, and Ohm's Law
  • Circuits and DC Instruments
  • Magnetism
  • Electromagnetic Induction and AC Circuits
  • Electromagnetic Waves
  • Geometric Optics
  • Vision and Optical Instruments
  • Wave Optics
  • Special Relativity
  • Quantum Physics
  • Atomic Physics
  • Radioactivity and Nuclear Physics

Required Prerequisite: PHYS 111/1111 General Physics I

Course Learning Outcomes 

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate a basic understanding of the physical phenomena outlined in the Course Description.
  • Approach and solve a variety of physics problems.
  • Understand the scientific method.
  • Apply scientific reasoning and use critical thinking to evaluate arguments.
  • Apply foundational knowledge and models of a natural or physical science to analyze and/or predict physical phenomena.

Required Materials 

The textbook you will use for the course is College Physics 2e from OpenStax. The online and pdf versions of the textbook are free!

You have several options to access this book:

Use whichever format you want. Webview is recommended – the responsive design works seamlessly on any device, and it is updated more frequently than print versions of the textbook. Please check the OpenStax College Physics 2e webpage for updates to the textbook.

Student Solutions Manual

The Student Solutions Manual provides solutions to select Problems and Exercises from the OpenStax College Physics 2e textbook.

Go to the OpenStax College Physics 2e Student Resources webpage to download the latest version of the Student Solutions Manual. Create an account with OpenStax to download the Student Solutions Manual (student accounts are free).

OpenStax College Physics 2e Student Resources

Requisite Tools

Computer (Webcam and Microphone Recommended)

  • A webcam and microphone are recommended if you plan on meeting with or seeking help from the instructor.

Non-Programmable Scientific Calculator

  • A handheld, non-programmable, non-graphing scientific calculator with trigonometric functions is preferred.
  • Approved and Recommended Calculators:
    • Texas Instruments: TI-30Xa; TI-30XIIS; TI-36X Pro
    • Casio: Any model on this page, Casio Calculators
    • Any brand/model is acceptable as long as it is non-programmable and non-graphing.
  • You should practice using your calculator when working through post-section questions and homework problems, as you will be using this calculator while taking exams.

Method to Scan Your Written Homework to PDF

  • Homework assignments must be in PDF format to upload via the Canvas interface.
  • Your smartphone can be used as a PDF scanner. Search Google Play (Android) or the App Store (iPhone) for "pdf scanner." There are many free PDF conversion apps available.

Course Rules and Requirements 

Students will be evaluated based on various assessments, including post-section questions, homework assignments, and exams. 

Post-Section Questions

Each chapter in the College Physics 2e textbook is presented as a module in Canvas.

Individual sections in the module contain a reading assignment from the textbook, videos to assist you with your understanding of the textbook material, and links to additional resources pertaining to that section.

After completing most sections in the modules, you will be given a multiple-choice question to test your knowledge of the previous section; these are the Post-Section Questions and are worth 15% of your final grade.

Homework

You will be given a homework assignment after completing each chapter in OpenStax College Physics 2e. There are 14 Graded Homework Assignments which count towards your final grade

Homework Tips

  • Show all your work in your solutions (including multiple-choice questions, when applicable).
  • Don't skip algebra or other physics-related steps in your solution.
  • Do any necessary algebra first and insert numerical values in the last step.
  • Write neatly and leave plenty of space between problems and in your solutions.
  • Work from the top of the page - down, not from left to right.

Homework Solutions

  • You will be given the solutions to the homework after your instructor has graded your work.
  • Do not share the homework solutions with anyone. If you share the homework solutions, you will fail the course!

Exams

  • Four exams will be given throughout the course and comprise 50% of your total grade.
  • You will not receive your graded exam.

Exam Format

Each exam is worth 100 pts and is designed to be completed in 60 minutes, with up to 120 minutes allowed.

  • Questions 1 - 4 (4 pts each)
    • Multiple-Choice
  • Questions 5 - 10 (6 pts each)
    • Short-answer questions consisting of short, one- or two-stage calculations.
  • Questions 11 - 13 (16 pts each)
    • Structured questions consisting of two or more parts with subsequent questions that may be dependent on the previous question(s).

Exam Proctor

PHYS 112 exams require a proctor. To schedule a proctor, complete the following steps:

  • Review the Exam Proctors section on the Independent Study in Idaho website before selecting a proctor: Exam Proctors
  • Select a proctor. List of pre-approved ISI proctors: List of Proctors
  • Submit a completed Proctor Information Form to ISI: Proctor Information Form

Exam Materials

  • All exams are closed notes and closed book.
  • Equation sheets are provided to you with each exam.
    • Note: The equation sheets provided to you with each exam are the same as those given to you in the Equation Sheets section of the Getting Started in PHYS 112 module. For that reason, it is recommended you become familiar with them by downloading and having available a copy of the equation sheets while working on post-section questions and homework assignments.
  • Bring the following with you to each exam:
    • A non-programmable, non-graphing scientific calculator (smartphones cannot be used as calculators).
    • Pencil/Pen/Eraser (pencil with eraser suggested).
    • Photo ID and V-Number

Study Guides

Review and complete the Study Guides in preparation for each exam. The Study Guides will be available when you unlock each exam module.

You are not required to complete the study guides; they are designed to give students a foundation for exam preparation and to offer insights into what to expect on the day of the exam, such as the exam format, the topics covered in each question, and the types of questions that may appear on the exam. Note that there is no guarantee that you will see the practice problems from the study guide on the exam!

For each question on the exam, the study guide provides:

  • A list of the relevant topic(s) covered in the question. Review the appropriate Canvas pages, including but not limited to the textbook reading, videos, and additional resources.
  • Practice problems and additional information relevant to the question. Practice the listed problems and review and understand any additional listed information.
  • A notes section to write equations, notes, or other problems relevant to the section(s) covered in the exam question.

Assignment Submission Guidelines

You may submit up to four assignments in one seven-day period. For example, you can submit four homework assignments OR three homework assignments and one exam in one seven-day period.

Grade Information 

Your final grade for the course will be based on the following assessments:

  • Post-Section Questions (15%)
  • Homework (35%)
  • Exams (50%)

Homework assignments and exams will include numerical, algebraic, and multiple-choice problems.

Grading Criteria

A numerical grade for your solutions on homework assignments and exams will be based on the following criteria:

  • Clarity, neatness, and completeness of solution.
  • Evidence of understanding and development in understanding.
  • Application of physical principles.
  • Mathematical approaches.

In summary, show all of your work in your solutions. It is possible to have a correct answer and receive minimal credit, while an incorrect answer that exhibits most of the above grading criteria can receive nearly full credit.

Grade Distribution
Assessment Type Percentage of Grade
Post-Section Questions 15.0%
Homework 35.0%
Exam 1 12.5%
Exam 2 12.5%
Exam 3 12.5%
Exam 4 12.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grade Scale
Letter Grade Percentage
A  85 – 100%
B 70 – 84%
C 55 – 69%
  D 40 – 54%
 F < 40%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course Policies 

Refer to the ISI website's Current Students page for the most current policies and procedures, including information on setting up accounts, student confidentiality, exams, transcripts, course exchanges, refunds, academic integrity, library resources, disability support and other services. 

Academic Integrity

Cheating will not be tolerated, and any instance of cheating will promptly be reported to the University of Idaho and/or the student's University.

Please review the University of Idaho’s Student Code of Conduct for more information regarding academic dishonesty (Article II, Section A-1).

Accommodations

Students with disabilities needing accommodations to participate in this class fully should contact the instructor for the course and the Center for Disability Access and Resources (CDAR).  

To learn more about the accommodation process, visit CDAR’s website or call 208-885-6307.

Accessibility Information for Resources Used in the Course