Physics 81: Physics of the Environment Spring, 2005
Instructor: Prof. Mark Battle
Searles 304.
Ph. 725-3410
e-mail: mbattle@bowdoin.edu
office hours: Mon. 12:00-1:30 & Weds. 11:30-1:00, other times by appointment (or luck).
Class Meetings: MWF @ 1:30pm in Searles 315
Text: Is the Temperature Rising? S. George Philander, Princeton University Press, 1998, ISBN 0-691-05775-3 Other readings will be on reserve in Hatch, and on e-reserve, linked to the course website.
Grading: Quizzes: 10%
Problem Sets: 20%
Class Participation: 5%
Two midterm exams (one hour): 17.5% for each exam
Final exam: 30%
Quizzes will be VERY short and administered at the beginning of class and collected 5 minutes later.
Problem sets will be given out on Wednesdays and will be due 1 week later at the beginning of class. Late sets will not be accepted without penalty. If the set is delivered by 5pm on Wednesday, I will deduct 15% credit. If is delivered by the start of class on Friday, I will deduct 50%. Any later and the set will not be accepted and you will receive no credit. Solutions will be available on reserve at Hatch.
As you can see, each problem set is a relatively small fraction of your final grade. However, the only way to learn physics is to solve problems. Simply reading the text or listening to lectures will NOT teach you the material. If you find you are having difficulty with the material, please come to see me (sooner, rather than later).
Exam Dates: Exams will be administered on February 25 (Midterm I), April 11 (Midterm II) and Wednesday, May 18 at 2:00pm (Final). Mark your calendars and plan ahead. Except in very unusual circumstances, or in case of religious observances, there will be no makeup exams. If you anticipate a conflict with one of these dates, see me immediately.
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