Physics 9A Section A
FAQs For Spring 2002
Feb 1, 2002
Instructor: Thomas D. Gutierrez
Email: tgutierr@altair.ucdavis.edu
Web: nuclear.ucdavis.edu/~tgutierr
Course texts:
The standard 9A text Sear's and Zemansky's University Physics, 10th
ed. (Young and Freedman).
The standard 9A lab manual.
Other course material will be required, but will be announced later.
Physics 9A Section A appears differently in the Schedule of Classes than the other 9A Sections offered in the Spring 2002.
What does it all mean?
Physics 9A Section A:
- One CRN number enrolls you in a lab, discussion, and lecture all at once. Do not enroll in a separate lab or discussion if you enroll
in Physics 9A Section A.
- In the Schedule of Classes, one hour of lecture time appears after every discussion. This "lecture hour" will serve to
extend the discussion and will be in the same room as the discussion.
- The discussion and laboratory are actually combined into one unit called a discussion-lab (DL).
The DL will be taught by one TA. This will seamlessly combine group discussions, individual problem solving, and laboratory work into one
coherent weekly activity. This gives 2 hours of formal lecture and about 4.5 hours of DL per week.
- Students in 9A Section A DL's will stay together and not mix with the other 9A lecture, discussion, and lab sections.
For the other Physics 9A lecture, lab, and discussion sections (Sections B, C, D, E):
- One CRN enrolls you in the lecture and discussion, another CRN enrolls you in a laboratory.
- There are 3 hours of formal lecture per week, one hour of discussion, and 2.5 hours of lab.
- The lab and discussion are taught by different TA's
- The lab mixes together students from different 9A lecture sections.
Can anyone enroll in 9A Section A or is this a special section for only certain students?
Anyone who meets the prerequisites for Physics 9A as listed in the UCD Catalog can enroll.
Will the material covered be the same as the other 9A sections?
Yes. We will be covering classical mechanics. This includes forces and energy (kinematics, statics, dynamics,
rotations, etc.). Some of the topics may be presented in a different order than the other lecture sections.
Will the labs be the same as the other sections?
The labs will be slightly modified to be smoothly integrated into the
discussion material and may be presented in a different order.
Otherwise, the fundamental content of the labs will be the same as the other sections.
Will the class meet standard physics course requirements? Will it appear the same as other 9A courses on my transcript?
Yes and Yes.
Why make a different section?
Some studies have shown that students learn more by doing and discussing physics rather than sitting in a lecture
hall taking notes.
Moreover, combining the discussion and lab into one activity, taught by one TA, will bring coherence to the course that may be lacking in
the other 9A sections.
Why should I enroll?
If you are the type of student who tends to enjoy labs and discussions more than lectures, then Section A is for you.
Keep in mind that, while Section A offers something slightly different, the other 9A sections will be very good courses taught by talented instructors and TA's.
Selecting one format over another is really just a matter of taste.
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