Instructor: Dr. Hank Yochum
MWF 11:30 am - 12:20 pm
How to contact me:
| office 06 Guion | course web page hyochum.physics.sbc.edu |
| office phone 381.6357 | email hyochum@sbc.edu |
Please consult the web page for class announcements, exam hints, homework assignments, and other useful information.
Feel free to call whenever you need to. I tend to check my voicemail and email frequently, so if I am not around, I will get in touch with you as soon as possible. One of the benefits of going to a small college like Sweet Briar is the opportunity to get personalized attention from your professors, take advantage of this in all your courses.
Text:
Introduction to Mathematical Methods in Physics, by Glenn Fletcher
Office Hours:
Monday 2 pm - 3 pm
Tuesday 2 pm - 4 pm
also by appointment...
I am generally around the department, so if you are looking for me, look in the physics
department whether or not I am having office hours.
Preparation:
You are expected to have working knowledge of Calculus and have had a two semester
sequence of general physics.
Course Objectives:
The student will obtain a working knowledge of: distribution functions, series,
differential equations, fourier analysis, vectors, vector calculus, and matrices as, they
apply to physics.
Attendance:
Coming to class is expected. Missing class will make learning the material difficult, as
some of what you get out of this course will come from discussion in class with your
peers.
Homework Sets:
Homework will be assigned every Friday and will be due the following Friday. HW will
generally consist of problems from the text and problems I come up with. Just as one would
practice a sport to get good at it, one must practice physics, the HW is your chance to do
this. HW is due at the BEGINNING of class. Late HW will be penalized. HW solutions will be
posted on the class web page.
I encourage you to work with your peers on the HW. Conversations with your classmates are
an excellent way to learn. However, this does not mean you should copy homework.
In addition to getting homework problems correct, it is your job as a physicist to
communicate effectively how you solved the problem. This may mean using words to describe
what you are doing instead of simply writing down equations. This also means being
organized. It is best to do a problem and then transcribe your solution in a neat form to
another piece of paper. I reserve the right to take points off your HW even when correct
for messy solutions.
Tests:
There will be three hour exams plus a final.
Project/Paper:
This paper will be on some topic that you will choose relating to mathematics and physics.
This paper can be several things, depending on your interests. I expect there to be
equations and some use of the mathematics we are learning in this course in your paper.
However, use your imagination and talk with me about your ideas. There will be a short (~1
page) proposal due concerning your paper. In this proposal include approximate length of
your paper. Depending on topic the length may vary. If you do not have any ideas for this
paper, I can suggest ideas.
Grades:
Homework sets.....................20 %
Project/Paper........................5 %
three exams...........................50 %
Cumulative final exam............25 %
Tentative Course Schedule:
| Fri | Aug 27 | Chapt 1 |
| Mon | Aug 30 | Chapt 1 |
| Wed | Sept 1 | Chapt 1 |
| Fri | Sept 3 | Chapt 1 |
| Mon | Sept 6 | Chapt 1 |
| Wed | Sept 8 | Chapt 2 |
| Fri | Sept 10 | Chapt 2 |
| Mon | Sept 13 | Chapt 2 |
| Wed | Sept 15 | Chapt 2 |
| Fri | Sept 17 | Chapt 3 |
| Mon | Sept 20 | Chapt 3/Review for test |
| Wed | Sept 22 | TEST 1 |
| Fri | Sept 24 | Chapt 3 |
| Mon | Sept 27 | Chapt 4 |
| Wed | Sept 29 | Chapt 4 |
| Fri | Oct 1 | Chapt 4 |
| Mon | Oct 4 | Chapt 4 |
| Wed | Oct 6 | Chapt 4 |
| Fri | Oct 8 | Chapt 4 |
| Mon | Oct 11 | Chapt 5 |
| Wed | Oct 13 | Chapt 5 |
| Fri | Oct 15 | Reading day, no class |
| Mon | Oct 18 | Chapt 5/Review for test |
| Wed | Oct 20 | TEST 2 |
| Fri | Oct 22 | Chapt 5/ Submit proposal for research paper |
| Mon | Oct 25 | Chapt 5 |
| Wed | Oct 27 | Chapt 6 |
| Fri | Oct 29 | Chapt 6 |
| Mon | Nov 1 | Chapt 6 |
| Wed | Nov 3 | Chapt 6 |
| Fri | Nov 5 | Chapt 6 |
| Mon | Nov 8 | Chapt 6 |
| Wed | Nov 10 | Chapt 6 |
| Fri | Nov 12 | Chapt 6 |
| Mon | Nov 15 | Chapt 7 |
| Wed | Nov 17 | TEST 3 |
| Fri | Nov 19 | Chapt 7 |
| Mon | Nov 22 | NO CLASS Thanksgiving |
| Wed | Nov 24 | NO CLASS, Thanksgiving |
| Fri | Nov 26 | NO CLASS Thanksgiving |
| Mon | Nov 29 | Chapt 8 |
| Wed | Dec 1 | Chapt 8 |
| Fri | Dec 3 | Chapt 8 |
| Mon | Dec 6 | Chapt 8 |
| Wed | Dec 8 | research paper due |
| Fri | Dec 10 | Last day of classes REVIEW FOR FINAL |