WINTHROP UNIVERSITY

Department of Chemistry, Physics, & Geology


Semester: Fall 2020                   Course: PHYS 211L - Physics with Calculus I Laboratory, Hybrid, Sims 205 and 207
Credit hours: 0                        Co-requisite: PHYS 211                  Lab Schedule       Meeting time for in-person: M 2-4:50PM 

Professor: Dr. Ponn Maheswaranathan (Mahes), Sims 213-B.
Virtual Office Hours: WebLink T,W,R 10 - 11:30 AM, or by appointment.      
E-mail: mahesp@winthrop.edu   Cell: 803-504-9399

Textbook: Giancoli- Physics For Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics, 4th Edition, Pearson.

Lab Score: The lab score (25% of PHYS 211) will come from lab reports, activities, and end of semester lab exam which carries 25% of the lab score. Students need to register for one of the lab sections, PHYS 211L.

Guidelines for the in person laboratory: 

1.   You must read the lab-handout and the relevant materials from the textbook before the lab period and be prepared for the laboratory.

2.   You need to wear mask and follow social distancing in the lab.

3.   The laboratory equipment will be placed in the lab-tables, leave them as you found them when you leave.

4.   You need to handle the equipment carefully, giving special attention when warranted.

General Education Requirements: Listed below are the fundamental student learning objectives (1 and 2,3,4,6) for natural science courses as well as examples of how they will be fulfilled in PHYS 211 and PHYS 211L. Upon completing this course, students will be 

1. Conversant with the following classical physics concepts: mechanics (eg., kinematics, Newton’s laws of motion and gravitation, work, energy, power, rotational motion), fluids (eg., Archimedes’ principle, Pascal’s principle, and Bernoulli’s principle), wave motion, and sound. This competency will be assessed using homework, tests and final exam. 

2. Able to apply the scientific methodologies of inquiry. (e.g., In the co-requisite laboratory, PHYS211L, students will use scientific methods of inquiry to design and perform experiments and investigations). The students’ ability to fulfill this requirement is assessed using their lab reports. 

3. Able to discuss the strengths and limitations of science. (e.g., In the co-requisite laboratory, PHYS211L, students will use experimental error & accuracy during experimental design and data collection & analysis). The students’ ability to fulfill this requirement is assessed using their lab reports. 

4. Able to demonstrate an understanding of the history of scientific discovery. (e.g., topics and devices are introduced with historical perspectives. They will see how the scientific advances made in a laboratory transform into useful technological devices: development of the transistor from vacuum tube to silicon chip). This competency will be assessed using tests and final exam. 

6. Able to communicate about scientific subjects including (lab courses only) the defense of conclusions based on one’s own observations. (e.g., In the co-requisite laboratory, PHYS211L, students will write well-reasoned conclusions based on data and analysis of their experiments and investigations). The students’ ability to fulfill this requirement is assessed using their lab reports. 

Writing Component: The General Education Writing Component will be incorporated into this course by requiring the following writing assignment of at least 10 pages: In the co-requisite laboratory, PHYS211L, students will perform 13 labs and write lab reports. In these lab reports, they will write conclusions, a page long for each lab, for at least 10 labs, for a total of at least 10 pages of writing. The students’ ability to fulfill this requirement is assessed using their lab reports. 25% of the course grade for PHYS 211 comes from PHYS 211L.