PH202
General Physics
Syllabus: Introduction
Welcome
Welcome to PH202 at Chemeketa Community College for winter term 2024. This website will orient you to your class and function as a contract between you and me. I look forward to being your instructor.
Physics is the study of the fundamental behavior of nature, from the very large to the very small. Physics is fun!
Course Information
Title: General Physics Credits: 4
Description: Offers the second term of a three-term sequence of introductory algebra-based college physics. Includes fluids, oscillations, waves, thermodynamics, and electricity.
Prerequisite: PH201 or equivalent with a grade of C or better
Text: College Physics; Knight, Jones, and Field; Pearson Addison Wesley, any edition (ISBN 978-0805306347, 978-0805390629, or 978-0321595492)
CRN: 58352
Instructor Information
Name: Erik Jensen (please call me Erik or he/they)
Office: building 8, room 221E, 4000 Lancaster Dr. NE, Salem, OR, 97305
Email: erik.jensen@chemeketa.edu (see communication expectations)
Phone: 503.589.7838
CV: sites.google.com/chemeketa.edu/erikjensen/cv
Office: Building 8, room 221E
Office Hours: MW 9-11:30 am (in building 8, room 222), W 4-5 pm (in my office), TR 9-10 am and 3-4 pm (in my office)
During the above hours I am available in my office and on Slack. I am also available by appointment on Zoom.
Goal and Methods
My primary goals for my students are the following:
Developing an understanding of a wide variety of physical phenomena
Improving scientific literacy (scientific methods, evaluating evidence, interpreting graphs, etc.)
To achieve these goals, I lead my classes based on evidence of what helps students learn:
Active learning: You will learn physics by doing physics; watching someone else is of limited value.
Teamwork with individual accountability: You will be expected to work with other students, though you will not normally be graded on the work of others.
Time on task, but have fun: You will spend a significant amount of time on this class and generally be on task during scheduled sessions. But some off-topic discussions are usually necessary for morale.
Continuous work and varied assessment: I evaluate your learning on a wide variety of low-stakes assignments throughout the term.
Websites
Canvas (eLearn): This is the primary website for the class. You should normally access thematerials through the “front door” by clicking on the class and going to the weekly page. Do not simply react to the calendar, to-do list, or notifications.
MyOpenMath: You will use this website for online homework. You will access it through links in Canvas.
Slack: This is our primary platform for communication. You will access it through links in Canvas. You can use the website or install the app on your phone or computer. See the links from Canvas.