Tue Feb 24 13:15:47 2009
| Effective Term: |
New:
1109 - Fall 2010 Old: 1089 - Fall 2008 |
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Faculty Sponsor Name: |
New:
James Kakalios Old: Priscilla Cushman |
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Faculty Sponsor E-mail Address: |
New:
kakalios@umn.edu Old: |
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Requirement this course fulfills: |
New:
PHYS
- PHYS Physical Sciences
Old: ENVT - ENVT Environment Theme |
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Other requirement this course fulfills: |
New:
ENV
- ENV The Environment
Old: PHYS SCI/L - PHYS SCI/L Physical Science with Laboratory Core |
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Criteria for Core Courses: |
Describe how the course meets the specific bullet points for the proposed core
requirement. Give concrete and detailed examples for the course syllabus, detailed
outline, laboratory material, student projects, or other instructional materials or method.
Core courses must meet the following requirements:
New: The course will give students an understanding of basic physical phenomena and principles associated with electrical power generation. The physical concepts of the Principle of Conservation of Energy, Electricity and Magnetism, the basic principles of Thermodynamics, and the basics of Atomic and Nuclear Physics are described. The applications of these principles in solar, wind, geothermal and power plant electricity production are elucidated. Students apply the concepts described in lecture, qualitatively and quantitatively solving problems with mathematical reasoning using math at a level up to and including high school algebra. Students, working in small peer groups in weekly two-hour lab sections, perform hands-on experiments that test and amplify concepts presented in lecture. Old: The best answere to this question is the syllabus of the course which explicitly addresses the theme which weaves through the entire course in the final week: Week 1: Definition of Energy, Forms of Energy, Conservation of Energy, Transforming from one form to another. Closed and Open Systems. Week 2: Kinetic Energy, average and instantaneous velocity. Heat as kinetic energy. Random vs Ordered, Entropy. Week 3: Potential Energy: 3 forms done explicitly: Gravitational, Electrical and Mechanical Spring. Other forms done generally. Transforming from KE to PE. Worked examples. Week 4: Work and Power, Examples from all systems. Friction and air resistance introduced. Dissapative vs conservative systems. Week 5: Transporting Energy: Waves vs particles. Wave Properties. Light, Sound, Slinkies, and Water done explicitly Week 6: Electricity - Circuits and household appliances, resistance and power, etc. Batteries and Storage of energy. Week 7: Magnetism, E and B fields and EM waves. The EM spectrum and energy of photons, radio waves. Power Lines (particles) and Antennae (waves) transmit energy. Examine effect of EM radiation on people and environment. Week 8: Generators and Motors. How do we convert Mechanical energy to Electrical. sources: Water, Wind, Waves....Practical Examples. What is left over? Define "waste" and define "efficiency". Week 9: Fossil Fuels and conversion of chemical PE to Electricity. Steam engines vs Internal Combustion. Entropy examined, Carnot cycle. Alternate fuels: alcohol, methane, etc. Efficiency and waste compared, impact on environment. Week 10: Solar Energy and Heat Pumps. Passive and Active heating. Storage. Heat waste and the environment. Radiant vs convective heating. Revisit energy of EM spectrum. Radiation from the sun, energy deposited in living tissue. Week 11: Laws of Probability and Risk Analysis. Exponential decay and lifetimes. Statistics of small numbers. Week 12: Atoms and nuclei. A short history of theories of atomic structure. Atomic spectra. Alpha, beta, and gamma rays. Geiger counters and particle range. Natural sources of radiation (Uranium, radon, potassium), background rates and risks. Historical misconceptions and present day misconceptions. Week 13: Nuclear power plants. Fission vs fusion. Efficiency of process. Manmade radioactive materials. Disposal and related technological problems/solutions. Safety and the human factor. Week 14: Evaluate the energy choices discussed. Compare with respect to waste, efficiency, environmental impact, and potential risk. Examine centralized vs local power generation and its impact on these choices. |
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Criteria for Theme Courses: |
Describe how the course meets the specific bullet points for the proposed theme
requirement. Give concrete and detailed examples for the course syllabus, detailed outline,
laboratory material, student projects, or other instructional materials or methods. Theme courses have the common goal of cultivating in students a number of habits of mind:
New: This class satisfies the University of Minnesota Liberal Education requirement of the Environment Theme. Informed decisions regarding the environment cannot be made without an understanding of the scientific issues related to the transformation of energy from one form to another. By addressing the basic science associated with human energy transformation and utilization, students will be able to assess the costs and benefits of a wide range of energy alternatives and their impact on the environment. The physical principles associated with energy transformation in human society, including the release of chemical energy in the combustion of fossil fuels, in hydro-electric dams, in geothermal or nuclear power plants will be elucidated. The technology underlying alternative energy production by solar cells and wind power will be examined and their benefits and limitations will be discussed. Scientific issues related to electric power transmission via power lines, climate change and the hazards of radioactivity will be examined. This class will provide students with an introduction to fundamental principles that will enable them to critically evaluate public debates concerning energy and the environment, giving them the foundation on which informed decisions concerning the environment can be made. Old: <no text provided> |
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Provisional Syllabus: |
Please
provide a provisional syllabus for new courses and courses in which
changes in content and/or description and/or credits are proposed that
include the following information: course goals and description;
format/structure of the course (proposed number of instructor contact
hours per week, student workload effort per week, etc.); topics to be
covered; scope and nature of assigned readings (texts, authors,
frequency, amount per week); required course assignments; nature of any
student projects; and how students will be evaluated. The University policy on credits is found under Section 4A of "Standards for Semester Conversion" at http://www.fpd.finop.umn.edu/groups/senate/documents/policy/semestercon.html . Provisional course syllabus information will be retained in this system until new syllabus information is entered with the next major course modification, This provisional course syllabus information may not correspond to the course as offered in a particular semester. New: Physics 1001W: Energy and the Environment Instructor: J. Woods Halley Office: 350C Tate Laboratory, 116 Church St. SE Office Phone:624-0395 Office hours: 4:30-5:30pm M, 2:30-3:30 WF e-mail: woods@woods1.spa.umn.edu Class Web Page: http://www.physics.umn.edu/classes/2009/spring Books: Energy, Its Use and the Environment, R. A. Hinrichs and M. Kleinbach, Brooks/Cole Energy and the Environment, Physics 1001W, Lab Manual Goals of this class: 1. Remember and understand what is meant by energy in physics and engineering as applied to technologies of energy delivery and use in today's world. The goal is to permit you think about, discuss and explain energy in terms which which are scientifically correct, though not necessarily as technically as detailed as an engineer or scientist might use. 2. Learn, at a similar level, the basic facts concerning energy production and use and their environmental consequences in society from a scientific and technical point of view. To lead to these goals you will 1. Read and understand verbally, the concepts set out in the lectures and text. 2. Master the concepts quantitatively so that you can set up and carry out simple calculations at the mathematics level of arithmetic and very simple algebra which provide practise in achieving the goals listed above. 3. Carry out and critically evaluate laboratory experiments illustrating the principles and concepts you are learning in the course. 4. Write short essays demonstrating your understanding of the concepts and your ability to think logically about them. The essays should use language understandable to all college educated adults and should be scientifically correct as judged by a professional scientist. Work Load: About 20-40 pages of reading each week (mostly from the textbook).Explicit weekly reading assignments appear in the course schedule below. A total of about 40 (lab reports plus final paper) pages of writing for the course. Three in-class exams and a comprehensive Final Exam. Dates are listed in the course schedule. Fourteen laboratory reports (details from lab TAs). Weekly, as listed in the course schedule. Seven homework assignments. Due dates are listed in the schedule. Two short papers and one final paper. Due dates are listed in the course schedule. Extra credit for correct answers to in-class 'clicker' questions: During each lecture, you will have an opportunity to answer questions posed by the lecturer using a radio frequency 'clicker'. Answers are recorded and you will get 2 extra credit points for each correct answer. The number of possible extra credit points is not precisely determined (because some of the questions will be chosen by the lecturer during the course) but will be between 100 and 200. Note: Please put your name, student number, and lab section number of each paper that you turn in. Thank you. Homework, inclass exams and papers are to be turned in at the beginning of lecture on Fridays, sorted by lab section. When these papers are graded, they will be returned in lab sections. Lab reports are to be turned into lab section TA's. No papers or homework will be accepted by email. No Early, Late, or Make-Up Exams Will Be Given. Exam Schedule In-Class Exams: 2/13, 3/13 and 4/24 Final Exam: Saturday, May 16, 2009, 1:30 to 4:30 PM Grade Determination: Strictly on a point system. Keep track of your points, and you will know your grade Fourteen labs 8 points for report; 2 points for preparation 140 Three in-class exams 50 points each 150 Final Exam 100 points 100 Seven homeworks 10 points each 70 Two Short papers 20 points each 40 Final paper 100 Maximum total 600 (plus extra credit 'clicker' points) Final Grade Assignment: Total Score > 500 points = A-/A Total Score = 400-500 = B-/B/B+ Total Score = 300-400 = C-/C/C+ Total Score = 200-300 = D/D+ Total Score < 200 = F Labs: Labs are a very important part of this class. Everyone is expected to own a lab notebook (of some sort, nothing very formal is required, but it should include everything you do for the labs in a single bound book) and read through the laboratory descriptions in the lab book for each weeks lab. You are expected to write down a little bit of preparatory material in your lab notebook before you enter the lab. This might be addressing some of the following questions: What is the purpose of this lab? What are we testing? What do we expect for a result? Nothing long is necessary, just a quick check that you have prepared for the lab. Liberal Education Core Requirement This class satisfies the University of Minnesota Liberal Education requirement of a physical science course with a laboratory component, as part of the Liberal Education Core. Discoveries and inventions that have profoundly altered the course of human history arose from the physical sciences. As citizens and voters (whether in the United States or in another country), today’s students will be called upon to make decisions on such topics as global climate change, alternative energy sources and resource management. A familiarity with the methods and findings of the physical sciences has never been more important and forms a crucial component of a common education. This class will expose the student to physical principles and concepts, demonstrate how these principles can be applied to quantitatively describe natural phenomena, and provide the student with an opportunity to perform hands-on experiments and measurements that replicate how physical knowledge is obtained. All knowledge in the physical sciences is empirically acquired, and a proper exposure to the ways of knowing and thinking in the physical sciences requires a laboratory component to any formal coursework. The lab component of the class will give you experience in making predictions based upon hypotheses, which are then empirically tested by experiment or observation, through which scientific knowledge is developed. The language of the physical world is mathematical and students will be expected to employ mathematical reasoning in order to solve problems both qualitatively and quantitatively. Physics is a social endeavor, and the student will gain experience in cooperative problem solving, working in small groups with other students, in the laboratory sections of the course. Liberal Education Theme Requirement – The Environment This class satisfies the University of Minnesota Liberal Education requirement of the Environment Theme. Informed decisions regarding the environment cannot be made without an understanding of the scientific issues related to the transformation of energy from one form to another. By addressing the basic science associated with human energy transformation and utilization, students will be able to assess the costs and benefits of a wide range of energy alternatives and their impact on the environment. Student Conduct: The Institute of Technology assumes that all students enroll in its programs with a serious learning purpose and expects them to be responsible individuals who demand of themselves high standards of honesty and personal conduct. The Institute of Technology expects the highest standards of honesty and integrity in the academic performance of its students. Any attempt by a stAny attempt by a student to present work that he or she has not prepared, or to pass an examination by improper means, is regarded by the faculty as a serious offense, which may result in the immediate expulsion of the student. Aiding and abetting a student in an act of dishonesty is also considered a serious offense. All work you hand in must be your own work. Anyone copying from another student from material obtained from a website or book, and trying to pass this off as their own work, without providing citation and credit, will be penalized, ranging from a zero on the particular assignment to an a grade of F for the class. Cooperative discussion with laboratory partners concerning the performance of experiments and their interpretation is encouraged. However, your laboratory reports should be your own work in the sense described above. Similarly, discussion of homework problems is encouraged but the homework problem solutions you turn in should be your own work and should not be copied from anyone else. Use of Class Notes for Commercial Purposes:Students may not distribute, via the Internet or other means,lecture notes or instructor-provided materials for compensation or for commercial purposes. This policy is enforced as University rules under the University of Minnesota statement of standards of student conduct and violations may result in sanctions ranging from a warning to expulsion. Course Schedule Week 1(1/20-23): Introduction: Overview of energy flows on the earth Reading: Chapter 1 of KH, No Laboratory Week 2(1/26-30): Basic Language of Physics: space, time, velocity, acceleration force, mass. Reading: Chapter 2 of KH Laboratories 1 and 2 1/30- Homework 1 due Week 3(2/2-6): Kinetic Energy and Gravitational Potential Energy, Power Reading: Chapter 2 of KH Laboratory 3 2/6- Homework 2 due Week 4 (2/9-13) : Thermal Energy and the First Law of Thermodynamics Reading: Chapters 3 and 4, KH Laboratory 4 2/13: First In Class Exam Week 5: (2/16-20) Thermal Energy Transfer, Insulating Houses Reading: Chapters 4 and 5 Laboratory 5 2/20- Homework 3 due Week 6: (2/23-27) Solar Energy Reading: Chapter 6 Laboratory 6 2/27 - Homework 4 due Week 7: (3/2-6) Engines driven by Thermal Energy, Second Law of Thermodynamics Reading Chapters 4,7 Laboratory 7 3/6- First paper due Week 8: (3/9-13) Global Warming and thermal pollution Reading: Chapter 9 Laboratory 8 3/13: Second in-class exam Week 9: (3/23-27) Electricity, Circuits and Superconductors Reading: Chapter 10 Laboratory 9 3/27- Homework 5 due Week 10: (3/29-4/3) Electromagnetism and the Generation of Electricity Reading: Chapter 11 Laboratory Laboratory 10 4/3- Homework 6 due Week 11: (4/6-10)Electricity from Solar, Wind and Hydro Reading: Chapter 11 Laboratory 10 4/10- Second short paper due Week 12: (4/13-17) Basics of Atomic and Nuclear Physics Reading: Chapter 13 Laboratory 12 4/17- Homework 7 due Week 13: (4/20-4/24) Energy from Nuclear Fission, and, possibly Fusion Reading: Chapters 14, 15, 16 Laboratory 13 4/24- Third In-Class Exam Week 14: (4/27-5/1)-Other Possible Energy Technologies of the Future: Biomass, Geothermal energy, Ocean Waves Reading: Chapters 17,18 Laboratory makeup 5/1 Homework 8 due Week 15: (5/4-5/8) Review 5/8 Final Paper due Final Examination is Saturday, May 16, 2009, 1:30 to 4:30 PM Old: <no text provided> |