Natural Science 100: Physical Science
Fall Semester
2006
Dr. Phoebe
Roeder, Natural Science Program (Dept of Physics)
Office: Administration 101 Division of Undergraduate Studies Office
Office Hours: Mondays and Fridays 10:00-10:30 AM right after class
If this time doesn’t work, ask about 11:00 or 12:00 Mondays or Fridays.
Phone: (619) 594-5097 Liberal Studies Office; (619) 594-4812 emergencies
(Liberal Studies Office—receptionist is available 9 to 2:45 Tues, Wed, Thurs)
E-mail: proeder@mail.sdsu.edu if you include “N SCI 100” in the subject line
Physical
Science? What’s this course about? What
are the course goals?
1. To develop a basic
understanding of the underlying processes (models, explanations) that explain
physical and chemical phenomena. Liberal
Studies majors should see the Commission on Teacher Credentialing standards at
the end of this syllabus.
2. To develop a
feeling for the wide variety of ways humans use physics and chemistry in
everyday life and in various forms of technology, especially use of energy in
the modern world.
This course is designed to be a broad, conceptual introduction to physics and chemistry.
Materials
Hewitt, Paul G., John Suchocki, and Leslie A.
Hewitt. Conceptual Physical Science. (THIRD EDITION),
Available at the SDSU Aztec Shops bookstore and elsewhere.
Exams: For the multiple choice portion of the exams, you will need a total of four Parscore form F-289s. Please bring one form to each of the midterms and one form to the final.
#2 pencil for exams!
For your own understanding, it is important that you be present for each lecture/activity. “Problem” days will require interaction between you and me and between you and your classmates. Science is not a solitary process and neither is science learning.
You will be organized in to work-groups and sign-in on your group folder. While there will be no grade on attendance, group members will evaluate the contributions of the other members of the group on Day 9 (approximately 10 pts) and later during the Web Quest and Energy Challenge.
Homework (Nine 10 pt assignments = 90 pts)
There will be 9 homework assignments each worth 10 points. These assignments will be due on the dates shown in bold on the Overview of Schedule. Assignments will be posted on Blackboard by the end of the preceding class day or earlier. No late homework will be accepted. If you are absent, you may make up the 10 points missed by doing the extra credit project. See below.
If you have a serious medical condition, contact me by e-mail within one week of the absence.
Web Quest (100 pts total) (See the attached handout for details.)
Students will determine the prospects for replacing energy from fossil fuels with nuclear energy, various forms of renewable energy, and/or conservation. “Experts” for each type of energy will share information and write a conclusions statement on Day 17. (40 pts).
Groups formed of one expert from each area of investigation will prepare a brochure to convince their “households” or “transportation partners” to reduce energy usage. Groups will present their brochures on Day 23. (60 pts).
Energy Challenge (70 pts total) (See the attached handout for details.)
A Web Quest is meaningful only if there is a real outcome. The real outcome for this Web Quest is to reduce either “household electrical energy use” or “transportation energy use” by 10%. The rules for the energy challenge and the rubric for judging the final reports will be created by the class. Groups will support their individual members’ attempts to reduce energy.
Exams (Three 100 pt
midterms and one 100 pt final)
We will have three 100 point lecture exams during the semester, the exact timing of which is shown in the Overview of Schedule, and one 100 pt final.
Each exam will take the entire 50-minute class period. Exams will be multiple choice, short answer, and diagrams. Each test will emphasize lecture and reading material primarily from the current section of the course; however, some ideas from the earlier sections of the course are essential to understanding and explaining ideas in later sections of the course. The two-hour final will be comprehensive.
there
will be no make up exams. In the case of
a documented major medical or personal crises, the instructor will substitute
an average score based on the other tWO unit exams and the final.
TENTATIVE GRADING
SCALE:
Your final grade will ultimately be based on the following percentage scale, adjusted to a number near the top scoring student's score. There are 670 total points.
|
Usual cut |
|
93 % A |
90% A- |
|
off for |
87 % B+ |
83 % B |
80 % B- |
|
a given |
77 % C+ |
73 % C |
70 % C- |
|
grade: |
67% D+ |
60 % D |
|
I consider A level work to be extraordinary, not just completing the assignments. I must be really impressed by hard work and demonstrated ability to give this grade. B level work means above average; it will require more work than just going through the motions. C level work mean slightly below average. D and F are self explanatory.
Ethics
Cheating and plagiarism in this class are absolutely not tolerated. They tend to be really easy to spot in written assignments and tests, so don’t try it. If you are caught you will be given a grade of F for that assignment and other measures may be taken at my discretion. When group work is allowed will be explicitly stated on the assignment directions; other times it is not allowed.
Extra Credit
For 10 points extra credit, each student may write a 2-3 page, word processed paper describing and explaining the science behind three different phenomena or technologies that we studied in class. Diagrams may be drawn by hand, but they must be inserted into the text of the paper. These extra credit papers are due on Friday Dec. 8. Please obtain approval of your topics via e-mail.
Commission on Teacher Credentialing
Standards
for Future Elementary Teachers
1.1 Structure and Properties of Matter.
Understand the physical properties of solids, liquids, and gases, such as color, mass, density, hardness, and electrical and thermal conductivity.
Know that matter can undergo physical changes (e.g., changes in state such as the evaporation and freezing of water) and chemical changes (i.e., atoms in reactants rearrange to form products with new physical and chemical properties).
Know that matter consists of atoms and molecules in various arrangements.
Can give the location and motions of the parts of an atom (protons, neutrons, and electrons).
Can describe the constituents of molecules and compounds, naming common elements (e.g., hydrogen, oxygen, and iron).
Can explain how elements are organized on the Periodic Table on the basis of their atomic and chemical properties.
Can describe characteristics of solutions (such as acidic, basic, and neutral solutions) and know examples with different pH levels such as soft drinks, liquid detergents, and water.
Know that mixtures may often be separated based on physical or chemical properties.
1.2 Principles of Motion and Energy.
Describe an object's motion based on position, displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration.
Know that forces (pushes and pulls), such as gravity, magnetism, and friction act on objects and may change their motion if these forces are not in balance.
Know that "like" electrical charges or magnetic poles produce repulsive forces and "unlike" charges or poles produce attractive forces.
Describe simple machines in which small forces are exerted over long distances to accomplish difficult tasks (e.g., using levers or pulleys to move or lift heavy objects).
Identify forms of energy including solar, chemical, electrical, magnetic, nuclear, sound, light, and electromagnetic.
Know that total energy in a system is conserved but may be changed from one form to another, as in an electrical motor or generator.
Understand the difference between heat, (thermal energy) and temperature, and understand temperature measurement systems.
Know how heat may be transferred by conduction, convection, and radiation (e.g., involving a stove, the Earth's mantle, or the sun).
Describe sources of light including the sun, light bulbs, or excited atoms (e.g., neon in neon lights) and interactions of light with matter (e.g., vision and photosynthesis).
Know and can apply the optical properties of waves, especially light and sound, including reflection (e.g., by a mirror) or refraction (e.g., bending light through a prism).
Explain conservation of energy resources in terms of renewable and non-renewable natural resources and their use in society.
Tentative Schedule
|
Day and Dates |
Topic |
|
|
Day 1 M Aug 28 |
Guest lecture: Stephen Roeder Ways of Knowing; Nature of Science; Scientific Revolutions |
Prologue; 6.1 |
|
Day 2 W Aug
30 |
Introduction to the course Energy: work, power, potential energy, kinetic energy Conservation of energy, sources |
3.5-3.8 3.9, 3.11 |
|
Day 3 F Sept 1 |
Thermal energy versus heat Temperature Conduction, convection, radiation |
7.1, 7.4 7.2, beginning of 7.3 re plasma 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 to middle of p. 187 |
|
Sept 4 |
Labor Day |
|
|
Day 4 W Sept 6 |
Problems days 1, 2,
3 Assign groups |
|
|
Day 5 F Sept 8 |
Static Electricity, Magnetism |
9.1, 9.2; 10.1-10.3 |
|
Day 6 M Sept 11 |
Electric current, resistance, power Motors and generators |
9.6-9.8, 9.10 p. 240-241, 10.7-10.8 |
|
Day 7 W Sept 13 |
Problems days 5, 6 Start energy us
survey |
|
|
Days 8 F Sept
15 |
Vibrations; types of waves Electromagnetic spectrum Light reflection & refraction |
11.1, 11.3 12.1 13.1, 13.2, 13.3 p. 315 only |
|
Day 9 M Sept 18 |
Light reflection & refraction Contribution to
Group--Evaluation |
handout |
|
Day 10 W Sept 20 |
Problems days 8, 9 Fair way to measure
energy saving Review |
|
|
Day 11 F Sept 22 |
Sources of Energy Global Warming |
3.11 p. 185, 548,
757-758 |
|
Day 12 M Sept 25 |
Midterm I (Days 1-10) |
|
|
Day 13 W Sept 27 |
Introduction to Web
Quest |
|
|
Day 14 F Sept 29 |
The periodic table |
14.1-14.6 |
|
Day 15 M Oct 2 |
Shell model More on the periodic table Radioactive decay |
15.1-15.4 Read carefully 15.5-15.6 16.1, 16.2, 16.4, 16.6 |
|
Day 16 W Oct 4 |
Fission and fusion |
16.8, 16.9, 16.10 |
|
Day 17 F Oct 6 |
Share Web Quest Info
(PA 119) |
Meet at your
assigned time |
|
Day 18 M Oct 9 |
Elements, compounds, and mixtures |
17.1-17.5, 18.1-18.3
stop p. 439. |
|
Day 19 W Oct 11 |
Problems days 14,
15, 16 |
Water distillation |
|
Day 20 F Oct 13 |
Groups work on
brochure (PA 119) |
Meet at your
assigned time |
|
Day 21 M Oct 16 |
Physical and chemical changes |
Same as day 19. |
|
Day 22 W Oct 18 |
Lewis dot structures Ionic, covalent, metallic bonding |
19.1-19.3 19.3- 19.7 |
|
Day 23 F Oct 20 |
Present Brochures
(PA 119) |
Meet at your
assigned time |
|
Day and Dates |
Topic |
|
|
Day 24 M Oct 23 |
Problems days 18
& 21 |
Dissolving; Crystallization |
|
Day 25 W Oct 25 |
Polar covalent bonds; H-bonding Naming compounds |
19.6; 7.7-7.8 17.5-17.6 |
|
Day 26 F Oct 27 |
Problems days 22,
25 |
Chromatography |
|
Day 27 M Oct 30 |
Review |
|
|
Day 28 W Nov 1 |
Midterm II Days
11, 13-27) |
|
|
Day 29 F Nov 3 |
Check Blackboard:
Class?? Work on Energy
Challenge Project |
|
|
Day 30 M Nov 6 |
Introduction to reactions and balancing equations Types of Reactions |
17.7 Yeast and peroxide Baking soda and vinegar |
|
Day 31 W Nov 8 |
Oxidation Reduction Acid Base |
23.1, 23.3, 23.5 22.1 |
|
Nov 10 |
Veterans Day |
|
|
Day 32 M Nov 13 |
Problems days 30,
31 |
Copper plating |
|
Day 33 W Nov 15 |
Solid wastes Minerals versus organic materials Hydrocarbons and polymers Temporary dipoles Isomers and conformers Alcohols, organic acids, & others |
25.3 24.1, 24.2, 24.7 Bottom p. 488-490 24.1 24.4, 24.6 alcohols & acids only |
|
Day 34 F Nov 17 |
Solubility in water vs gasoline Soaps and detergents Ozone Layer—refrigeration Recycle aluminum |
20.3 21.1 |
|
Day 35 M Nov 20 |
Acid, base, and salt solutions pH of substances Indicators. |
22.1, 22.2, pp. 542-543 Cabbage juice indicator |
|
Day 36 W Nov 22 |
Problems days 33,
34, 35 |
|
|
Day 37 M Nov 24 |
Revisit Energy issues: Acid rain Greenhouse effect-global warming Nuclear waste |
22.4 pp. 184-185; 757-758 pp. 399-400 esp. footnotes |
|
Day 38 W Nov 27 |
Review |
|
|
Day 39 F Dec 1 |
Midterm III (Mostly
Days 29-38) |
|
|
Day 40 M Dec 4 |
Energy challenge
projects due Simple machines |
3.10 and Handouts |
|
Day 41 W Dec 6 |
Simple machine analysis problems |
|
|
Day 42 F Dec 8 |
Discuss Energy saving results Problems days 37,
40, 41 Review |
|
|
Final Fri. Dec. 15 8:00 to 10:00 AM |
Final exam (Comprehensive) |
|