Syllabus

Instructional Team

  • Course Instructors:
    Prof. Andreas Becker
    Office: JILA X350 (JILA X-wing, 3rd floor)
    Phone: 303-492-7825
    Email: andreas.becker(at)colorado.edu
    Office Hours:
    Mon, 1-2PM in JILA X350 and Th, 3:30-5PM in Help Room
    or by appointment

    Prof. Noah Finkelstein
    Office: F1021 (Gamow Tower, 10th floor)
    Phone: 303-735-6082
    Email: noah.finkelstein(at)colorado.edu
    Office Hours:
    TBD

  • TA / Grader:
    Jessica Hoy (Lead TA/Grader)
    Ananda Das (Grader)

  • Learning Assistants:
    Aidan Bohenick
    Omkar Ramachandran
    Marcus Schmidt

Website:
http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phys2130

The goal of this course is for you to understand the microscopic origin of the behavior of materials that you may encounter in the world around you or in technological applications. Engineers and scientists use simplified models to describe material properties, and most of the time these approximations work fine, but not always. This course will help you to understand why these models work and where they become unreliable and why. The latter issues become particularly important as one is working in the area of nanotechnology. A secondary goal is to increase your general knowledge through understanding the 'new' (in past hundred years) way physicists have come to understand how the universe behaves, i.e. according to the laws of quantum physics.

Prerequisites and required resources:
You must have completed PHYS 1120 and 1140 or ECEN 2250 and 3400. A co-requisite is MATH 2400.

R.D.Knight, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (excerpts from Volumes 3 and 5)
Any edition is fine, noting that the assignments will be given for the most recent edition.

Reading is an essential part of PHYS 2130! Reading the text before class is very important. Lecture is to clarify your understanding, to help you make sense of the material. Reading assignments will appear on the course web page.

We will use concept tests (clicker questions) during lectures (for extra credit), to help you learn the material. You need to purchase an "iClicker" from the bookstore. Note: All users must re-register their clicker once the year, even if you have used clickers in the past. To register your iClicker, go to the usual MyCU portal, click on the Student tab and there should be a prominent link to register your clicker.

Homeworks:
There will be a homework assignment due on every Thursday at 5PM (except exam weeks). No late homeworks will be accepted. After grading the homework will be handed back during the classes. If you feel that your homework was unfairly or incorrectly graded, please write a short note about it, fix it to your homework and contact Prof. Becker or Prof. Finkelstein to request a regrading within two weeks after return of the homework.

Homework is exceedingly important for developing an understanding of the course material, not to mention building skills in complex physical and mathematical problem solving. There will be a substantial number of homework problems each week. They will require considerable time and personal effort this term. Typically you will need to spend between four and six hours outside of class to master the material. (Your homework will typically require 4+ hours and you should spend a couple hours each week reading and preparing for class.)
You will have considerable difficulty completing them if you follow non-expert problem solving approaches and/or you work alone. However, if you work with other students and develop an 'expert' approach to problem solving, the homework problems should take you less time and effort, and you will learn a lot from doing them. Although you are encouraged together with other students on the homework, you are required to write up the answers in your own words. So each student's wording should be unique to the individual. We will fail any student who submits work that is not his/her own or permits another student to do so.

There will be several problem-solving sessions Tuesday to Thursday in the Physics Help Room, where you will be able to conveniently get together with other students to work on homework. The instructorial team, Andreas Becker, Noah Finkelstein, Jessica Hoy, and the LAs will be present at these sessions to provide 'coaching' on problem solving methods. Sessions will be focused on the homework material, but we will not be explicitely telling anyone how to do the problems (how would that help you learn?). You are encouraged to start all problems on your own and then come to these sessions to work with other students and get coaching in problem solving as necessary. If you come to homework sessions 'cold', the value of homework to you will be greatly reduced. The times and room numbers will be listed on the course website. The Physics Help Room is also open 40 hours per week, and there are always students and TAs there, although they are not necessarily from 2130.
Students begin this class with a range of backgrounds in physics and math. As a result, it is impossible for each class to be perfectly matched to everyone's background. The primary purpose of office hours is to provide individual help to students that need it. We are anxious to provide whatever help is necessary for every student, regardless of background, to do well in the course and achieve all of the learning goals. However, it is your responsibility to recognize that you need that help, and to take advantage of its availability by asking to meet with us.

Lecture Notes and Solutions:
Lecture notes and solutions of the in-class concept tests, written homeworks and exams will generally be posted on Desire2Learn and/or the course web site.

Grading:
The grade weighting will be as follows
2 Midterms (each): 17.5%
Final exam: 25%
Written homework: 40%

Clicker responses and occasional in class and online activities will count for bonus (extra credit) points. The extra credit score will REDUCE the weight of your (midterm and final) exam total.
Clickers start counting the 2nd week of class. Please register your iClicker at www.colorado.edu/oit/tutorial/cuclickers-iclicker-remote-registration

With this grading system, the most important requirement for getting a good grade is to do all the homework assignments. Missing several weeks of homework will likely put you in danger of failing, no matter how well you do on the exams! There are no homework makeups. Your lowest weekly homework score and your lowest three daily clicker scores will be dropped. This is to accommodate illnesses, car troubles, dead batteries, sore throats, broken alarm clocks etc.

Exams:
There will be two midterms (in the evening) and a final. Dates and locations will be announced in class and on the course website.

There are no exam makeups. You may not miss any exam except for reasons beyond your control, approved by Prof. Becker or Prof. Finkelstein (usually a confirmed medical problem with written documentation.) In the unusual case of an (at most, single) excused absence from midterms, we'll use an average of your other two exams. If you miss the final, you cannot pass the course. Calculators with scientific notation are allowed and often needed. However, no devices with wireless access may be used. More details will be announced at the time of the exams in class and on the course website.

Students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities, please let Prof. Becker or Prof. Finkelstein know early in the semester (first two weeks) so that your academic needs may be appropriately met. Students with religious obligations that conflict with the exam dates should contact me early in the semester so that accommodations can be made.

Comments and Expectations:
The rules above may seem rather harsh and arbitrary, but they are essential to maintaining the integrity of the course. There is a painful story behind every one of them. Although most of you will never come up against any of the rules, there are a handful of students each semester that just cannot seem to avoid them. These rules are primarily to prevent these students from obtaining an unfair advantage over the others in the class. If these rules are going to cramp your style, then this class is probably not for you.

You control the pace of the course by asking questions in class. This means that if you don't understand something, it is your responsibility to ask questions. Attending class and the homework session gives you an opportunity to ask questions. We are here to help you as much as possible and to succeed in the course, but we need your questions to know what you don't understand.

Physics 2130 covers some of the most fundamental and beautiful physics and the applications of the key ideas of quantum mechanics to real world applications. Your reward for the hard work and effort will be learning important and elegant material that you may likely encounter in your future career as scientist or engineer.

Please turn off all phones when entering the class. It is perfectly OK to interrupt the lecture by yelling 'Question!', questions are always good! We encourage collaboration in this course, an essential skill in all professions. Social interactions are critical to scientists' success - most good ideas grow out of discussions with colleagues. As you study together, help your partners get over confusions, ask each other questions, constructively critique ideas. You learn the most from teaching others! Remember that this is about learning, not about passing a class - for all assignments, the work you turn in must be your own: in your own words, reflecting your own understanding.

Disabilities:
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to your professor a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner (for exam accommodations provide your letter at least one week prior to the exam) so that your needs can be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact Disability Services at 303-492-8671 or by e-mail at dsinfo@colorado.edu. If you have a temporary medical condition or injury, see Temporary Injuries guidelines under the Quick Links at the Disability Services website and discuss your needs with your professor.

Religious Holidays:
Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to deal reasonably and fairly with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. In this class, I will make a strong effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with exams, assignments or required attendance. Please send an e-mail to Prof. Becker in the first week of classes if you anticipate a conflict. See also www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html

Classroom Bahavior:
Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, color, culture, religion, creed, politics, veterans status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and gender expression, age, disability, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. For more information, see the policies on classroom behavior and the student code.

Discrimination and Sexual Harassment:
The University of Colorado Boulder (CU-Boulder) is committed to maintaining a positive learning, working, and living environment. CU-Boulder will not tolerate acts of discrimination or harassment based upon Protected Classes or related retaliation against or by any employee or student. For purposes of this CU-Boulder policy, "Protected Classes" refers to race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation or political philosophy. Individuals who believe they have been discriminated against should contact the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution (OSC) at 303-492-5550. Information about the OIEC, the above referenced policies, and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be found at the OIEC website. The full policy on discrimination and harassment contains additional information.

Honor Code:
All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (honor@colorado.edu; 303-735-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Additional information regarding the Honor Code policy can be found online and at the Honor Code Office.

Any information in this syllabus is as accurate as possible at the time of writing. Announcements about changes of any kind will be made in class, and posted on the web, and will take precedence over this syllabus. You are responsible for what is said in class, whether or not you are in attendance.