Welcome to Physics 313, Mechanics!

location: SENG 306 instructor: Dr. Anna Wang-Holtzen
email: awangholtzen@umassd.edu
office: 208-B SENG
office hours:

  • Monday 3:30-4:30pm SENG 306
  • Wednesday 11am-12pm SENG 208b
  • Friday 12-1:30pm SENG 208b

Description

This course is focused on extending your foundation in the core principles of classical mechanics, beyond the material covered in the PHY 113 introductory course. Advanced mechanics introduces new ways of modeling and describing physical systems, laying the groundwork with critical tools that you will use in further advanced topics such as quantum mechanics and general relativity. We are introducing new topics with greater complexity, but we are also developing a particular way of thinking about physics.

To succeed in this course, you will need to be comfortable with a range of basic mathematics and physics, including algebra, trigonometry, basic differential and integral calculus, and classical physics at the level of PHY 113. We will be adding to your mathematical toolkit as the course progresses with a range of additional mathematical methods, including differential vector calculus, non-Cartesian coordinate systems, an introduction to tensor analysis, and elements of the calculus of variations. If you find that you are having difficulties in answering some problems, please come to office hours right away.

  • textbook: Classical Mechanics, John Taylor
  • other references:
    • Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems, Thornton and Marion
    • Classical Mechanics, Goldstein

I will mostly be working out of Taylor to craft lectures and guide the course. I will not assign any reading or problems out of Taylor, because it is not available for free. However, there will be recommended reading. I encourage you to acquire a pdf or check it out from the library because this is a very standard text in the field.

Course objectives

By the end of this course, you will have developed a deeper understanding of classical mechanics, and an improved set of vector analysis, calculus, and variational method mathematical skills. Some specific #physicsgoals you will achieve by the end of this course include: breaking down and analyzing complex systems (such as a system of coupled oscillators), being able to intuitively describe the motion of a top, and applying Lagrangian and Hamiltonian methods to physics problems. You will also understand several different approaches to understanding classical mechanics and make informed choices about where to apply them.

Topics you will have mastered include:

  • Lagrangian mechanics and optimizing over constraints
  • Central force problems with two bodies, and their orbits
  • Noninertial reference frames
  • Rotation and motion of rigid bodies
  • Oscillators
  • Hamiltonian mechanics

Course components

Lectures and classroom policy

Your attendance and active participation is required in lecture. Lectures will be interspersed with frequent class exercises, giving you tons of practice on the concepts andtechniques discussed in class, which you will then get into more deeply on the homework. Note that as a 3-credit course, we will be meeting for three class periods per week, and have a minimum of six hours of homework per week.

  • AI glasses or other recordings are not permitted in class.
  • Laptops are not permitted in class.
  • Please come prepared to take notes, preferably on paper but tablets are allowed. Make sure you bring a pen or pencil for any on-paper quizzes or activities.
  • My goal is for class to begin promptly at 10am. Please come on time. This course is small and uses group active learning activities, so being late will directly impact your peers.
  • Do not come to class sick! See participation policy below. If you’re starting to feel under the weather or getting over something, wear a mask!

Participation

A percentage of your grade is based on attendance and participation. I will not require you to attend every single lecture. I understand that there are all kinds of reasons for occasional absences, such as illness, family obligations, sports, and extracurricular activities. (If you expect to have regular absences, please get in touch with me as soon as possible. ) Instead, I will have some kind of graded activity during class time on random days. These might take the form of short quizzes, homework or exam reflections, or tutorial activities. My goal is for these activities to encourage and evaluate your active participation in class, which is essential for benefitting from the active learning format of the course. Your participation score will be your score on these activities. The three lowest scores on these activities, including missed assignments, will be dropped to account for normal rates of absence and illness.

Homework

Homework is probably the most essential tool for learning in this course. I strongly encourage you to engage deeply with the homework and revisit problems throughout the semester. I also encourage you to form study groups and work together with your peers. Learning is a social activity. If for any reason you find it challenging to keep up with the homework, immediately seek out assistance from me! Don’t fall behind.

I strongly discourage you from using AI tools or extensive internet search to solve your homework problem. I am not particularly worried about cheating. The reason I discourage AI use on homework is because letting AI do your homework is like watching someone else lift weights at the gym. You won’t get any of your own gains.

Homework will be due weekly on Friday at the beginning of class. All homework will be submitted in person, on paper. If you miss class on a Friday, please make arrangements with me ahead of time to turn in your homework. Late homework will be accepted the following Monday at the beginning of class for a 50% penalty. No homework will be accepted after that, unless there are extenuating circumstances that, again, you must arrange with me in advance.

Assessments

There will be two midterms and a final exam.

Grading

Both homework and exam problems will be graded on the following rubric:

  1. no meaningful attempt made on the question
  2. demonstrated minimal understanding (drew diagram, or wrote down a relevant equation)
  3. understanding at level of rote memorization (plug-and-chug, no use of principles)
  4. decent but incomplete understanding (connects principles to problem solving, critical errors)
  5. solid understanding (connects principles to problem solving, minor errors)
  6. excellent understanding (errors are trivial or non-existent)

The grade breakdown will be as follows:

  • 15% participation
  • 30% homework
  • 30% between the two midterms (15% each)
  • 25% final exam
Letter Grade Score
A+ 100
A 93-100
A- 87-93
B+ 83-87
B 80-83
B- 77-80
C+ 73-77
C 70-73
C- 67-70
D+ 63-67
D 60-63
D- 57-60
F 0-57

NOTE: I reserve the right to adjust this grading scale should the need arise.

Accessibility

UMass Dartmouth is committed to providing equal access to all of our students and be compliant with the legal mandates expressed in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

If you have a documented disability or chronic health condition and require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, please call the Office of Student Accessibility Services at 508-999-8711 to make an appointment.

Academic Integrity

The following is copied from the [UMass Dartmout student handbook] (http://www.umassd.edu/studentaffairs/studenthandbookintroduction/studentconductpolicies/academicintegritypolicy/ ):

All UMass Dartmouth students are expected to maintain high standards of academic integrity and scholarly practice. The University does not tolerate academic dishonesty of any variety, whether as a result of a failure to understand required academic and scholarly procedure or as an act of intentional dishonesty.

A student found responsible of academic dishonesty is subject to severe disciplinary action which may include dismissal from the University. The procedure for responding to incidents of academic dishonesty may be found in Section III of this document. You may also refer to the Student Handbook for information about the judicial process.

A high standard of academic integrity promotes the pursuit of truth and learning and respect for the intellectual accomplishments of others. These are values that are fundamental to the mission of this University. Such values are undermined by academic dishonesty.

Academic freedom is a fundamental right in any institution of higher learning. Honesty and integrity are necessary preconditions of this freedom. Academic integrity requires that all academic work be wholly the product of an identified individual or individuals. Joint efforts are legitimate only when the assistance of others is explicitly acknowledged and deemed appropriate by the instructor of the course. Ethical conduct is the obligation of every member of the University community, and breaches of academic integrity constitute serious offenses.

Maintenance of the standards of academic integrity and the successful administration of this policy depend on the mutual cooperation of faculty and students.

Faculty cooperation is essential for successful application of the procedures defined by this Academic Integrity Policy. Faculty members promote academic integrity by making clear on their syllabi their expectations concerning homework assignments, collaborative student efforts, research papers, examinations, computer-based infractions, and the like. Efforts should be made to detect and to prevent cheating and plagiarism in all academic assignments. If faculty members have evidence of academic dishonesty, they are expected to report such evidence promptly.

Students must assume responsibility for maintaining honesty in all work submitted for credit and in any other work designated by the instructor of the course. Students are also expected to report incidents of academic dishonesty to the instructor or dean of the instructional unit.

The intent of this policy is to make clear the standards of academic integrity at UMass Dartmouth.