8.011 :: Physics I

General Information

Lectures
Lectures will be given by Profs. Stanley Kowalski, Min Chen, and Boleslaw Wyslouch, on Mondays, Tuesday, and Wednesdays.

All students are required to attend one of these lecture classes three times a week and take the weekly exams on Friday. These classes will give you an opportunity to ask questions about the material, and to practice the art of problem solving. Attendance will be noted and it will form part of your final grade. Similarly, your participation by asking questions and by entering the discussion will be noted and will form part of your final grade, as judged by the instructor.

This course, 8.011, in the Spring term does not have formal lectures. However, there are sines of OCW on-line lectures by Prof. Walter Lewin which are available for viewing. I would strongly urge you watch some of these lectures to help you with the physics. They are both very informative and entertaining as well.

If you'd like to change your lecture section, click here. Then use the link for changing a recitation section (the database lists the 8.011 lectures as recitation sections).

Tutoring and Instructors’ Office Hours
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, graduate teaching assistants are available to help students with the homework and help them prepare for exams throughout the term. You are strongly encouraged to seek their help. Tutoring sessions last 25 minutes. Initially they will be on a drop-in basis, but we may switch to a sign-up system if there is a problem with overcrowded sessions.

As described below in the 8.011 Grading Policy, you will be able to earn credit toward your grade by attending the tutoring sessions. In addition, you are also welcome to attend the office hours of any instructor in the course. The instructors' office hours are available on the Staff page.

8.011 Textbook
University Physics, 12th Edition 2007
by Young and Freedman

The textbook is available at the Coop, and is required. It provides detailed derivations and explanations and has many worked examples and problems. Most of the homework problem will be assigned from the textbook.

8.011 Study Guide
Essentials of Introductory Classical Mechanics, 6th Edition
by Wit Busza, Susan Cartwright, and Alan H. Guth

The Study Guide is available from the Coop. It is not a required purchase but it is a recommended resource. It provides a concise discussion of the relevant principles of physics, and includes a large collection of physics problems, some with full solutions.

Problem Sets
Problem sets will be assigned about once a week. Most of the problems will come from the textbook by Young and Freedman. The problem sets will be available on the course website by Friday or Saturday of each week. They will be due at the Physics Drop Boxes (on the 3rd floor of Bldg 8 at the intersection of Bldg 16) by 3pm Thursday of each week. Bins are labeled by first letter of your surname. Any changes in this schedule of hand-out dates and due dates are included on the Course Calendar. The problem sets will be graded.

We believe that working out the problems on the homework is absolutely essential to learning the material of this course. We strongly encourage students to get together in groups to discuss the homework, but of course the mere copying of solutions written by your friends will not help you learn physics. Solutions to each problem set will be made available on the web immediately after they are due.

On the first page of each homework set and on each examination, it is important that you print your name and the number of your recitation/lecture.

Mastering Physics

Mastering Physics has assignments that are generally due by Tuesday evenings at 11:30 PM. On weeks with vacation days this schedule is changed, as noted on the MP assignment page.

Logging in: If you are not already a registered user of Mastering Physics, you will need the student access kit that comes with Young and Freedman’s 12th edition, or a credit card. If you buy a used text book, you will need to purchase access to MP on the web.

Go to www.masteringphysics.com and click on the “Mastering Physics for Young and Freedman” icon. If you are not a registered user (i.e. don’t have a Mastering Physics login name and password from before), Register with the access code in the front of the access kit, or use a credit card to Buy Now.
WRITE DOWN YOUR NAME AND PASSWORD
This makes you a registered user. You must now register for 8.011.

Registering for 8.011 Spring 2009:

Log into masteringphysics.com with your name and password.
The MIT zip code is 02138
The class ID is SK8011S2009

After entering this information, you are ready to start assignment #1.

A common login problem: Sometimes when you attempt to sign up for 8.011 (after you are recognized by the system), the computer will say: "You have been deactivated. Please contact the instructor to be reactivated or enter an alternate Course ID."

In this case, the easiest thing to do is to submit a bogus class code such as MPJUNK0017 It will say it doesn't recognize this class code. Then type the one for 8.011 listed above and it may work. If it doesn't, contact AW help at 800-677-6337. MP assignments will normally be due every week on Tuesdays by 11:30pm.

Examinations
Exams are given every Friday, each for 50 minutes, at 10 am in Room 32-123. The scope of each exam may cover all the material since the beginning of the course, and may include one problem that is a slight modification of a previously assigned homework problem. Exam problems may also include T/F questions and multiple choice questions. Each student is allowed to bring a one-page (8”x11”) formula sheet to be used for this exam. No other written material or electronic devices are allowed. We urge you to be sufficiently prepared so that such a formula sheet is not necessary. No cell phones are allowed during the examinations. Anyone answering a cell phone will be dismissed and the exam confiscated. Students will not be allowed to begin the exam after 10:25am. No one will be allowed to leave the exam room before 10:30am.

Final Examination: There will be no final exam. There will only be the weekly exams given each Friday.

Academic Behavior and Honesty
During exams, exchange of information with others is unacceptable. So is the use of notes or other materials, besides the above said one-page (8”x11”) formula sheet. You will not be allowed to use calculators (they will not be needed). Anyone suspected of violating these guidelines will be charged with academic dishonesty and subject to MIT’s disciplinary procedures. However, you are strongly encouraged to get together after classes, in groups to discuss the problem sets and the material presented in the course.

While we encourage you to work with others on homeworks, we insist that you write your own independent solutions. Copying of others' homework will be considered as academic dishonesty.

Attendance
Attendance will be recorded and it will form part of the grade associated with the lecture/recitation and tutoring sections. See the grading section below for details.

Grading Policy

One homework, one MP assignment, and one exam will be excluded from your final mark. This exclusion will first include in order any excused work, missing grades or your lowest grade.

Makeup of Exams, Homework and Mastering Physics
There will be no makeup for missed exams, homework or Mastering Physics sessions. All final grades for exams, homework and Mastering Physics will be based on the average of all the weekly assigned components. Components not performed will be included in the average as zero.

If you are ill you will need a letter from the medical department to excuse you from any component. Personal or family problems can also be a reason for an excused component and will require a letter from Student Support Services or your academic advisor. Excused components will be eliminated from the averaging process.

8.011 Website
The course web site at http://web.mit.edu/8.011/www/ will be used to post all announcements, problem sets, problem set solutions, and exam solutions as the term progresses. You are invited to use the anonymous feedback page to relay comments, complaints, or suggestions about the course, or about the website. Messages that you write on the feedback page concerning the course are forwarded anonymously to the lecturer selected.

[top]