Syllabus
Info
| Title | Special Relativity |
| Term | Spring 2015 |
| Credits | 2 |
| Time | Mon 1:30-2:50 p.m. |
| Place | Brown Science/Sci 117A |
| Level | Introductory |
| Faculty | Sara Salimbeni |
| Tutor | to be announced |
Textbook
It's about time by N. David Marmin
Other Useful Books
- Understanding Physics by Karen Cummings, Priscilla W. Laws, Edward F. Redish, Patrick J. Cooney (on the reserve shelf)
- Physics for Scientist and Engineers by Randall D. Knight - volume 1 and 5 (Reserve)
Course Policies & Grading
Attendance
Attendance is mandatory and is part of your grade (15% of your final grade). Please, let me know ahead of time if, and why, you will miss a class.
Readings
You are expected to come to class prepared to discuss the material and ask questions. Reading the material is critical for having a productive class time, failing to prepare will affect the learning of you and your classmates. To help you with the reading I will assign reading questions and problems. (25% of your final grade).
Homework
Homework will be three take-home assignments (35% of your final grade). Homework is an essential tool to learn and to receive feedback. For this reason it is important that you hand in your assignments on time. Students are encouraged to work together on the homework assignments. However, your final write-up of the assigment must represent your own understanding; copying another person's work is plagiarism and will result in no credit for that assignment.
Final
In addition to the three assignments, there will be a final (25% of your final grade). You are not allowed to collaborate while you are working on the final (unless I assign group work).
Late Police for assignments
This is how late work will affect your grades:
days of delay percentage of the actual grade
--------------- -----------------------------------------
1 to 3 90%
3 to 7 80%
8 to 15 60%
15 to 30 40%
over 30 it will not be accepted
Special arrangements for late work can be obtained under very special circumstances. Late work will not be accepted without prior discussion with me.
No late work will be accepted for the Final assignment.
Plagiarism
Academic Honesty is expected of all scientists, and also of all students. Cheating on homework or the final exam will result in no credit.
If you are not sure on how to use a source, please check this
link on the library webpage.
Grading
|
|
| 40% | Assignments |
| 15% | Class attendance & participation |
| 45% | Exams |
Grade Letters
| Highest | Lowest | Letter |
| 100.00 | 93.00 | A |
| 92.99 | 90.00 | A- |
| 89.99 | 87.00 | B+ |
| 86.99 | 83.00 | B |
| 82.99 | 80.00 | B- |
| 79.99 | 77.00 | C+ |
| 76.99 | 73.00 | C |
| 72.99 | 70.00 | C- |
| 69.99 | 67.00 | D+ |
| 66.99 | 60.00 | D |
| 59.99 | 0.00 | F |
Tentative Schedule
Day Topics
------ -----
Jan 26 The Principle of Relativity
Feb 2 Combining Small Velocity & The Speed of Light
Feb 9 Combining any Velocity
Feb 16 Simultaneous Events; Synchronized Clocks
Feb 23 Moving Clock Run Slowly; Moving Sticks Shrink
Mar 2 Looking at Moving Clock
Mar 9 The Interval between Events
Mar 30 Trains of Rockets
Apr 6 Space-time Geometry
Apr 13 Space-time Geometry + E=mc2
Apr 20 E=mc2
Apr 27 A Bit About General Relativity
May 4 Review
