vcc.ca
PHYS 1200: Physics 2
Effective date
September 2020
Department
UT Sciences
School
Arts and Sciences
Description
This course is the second half of a standard 1st year calculus-based physics course (PHYS 1100 is the first half). Topics include electricity and magnetism, geometric optics, physical optics and quantum physics (including radioactivity). Students will perform laboratory experiments connected to these topics and toto familiarize themselves with operating lab instruments such as linear power supplies, digital multi-meters, function generators and oscilloscopes. Students will also learn proper breadboarding and printed wiring board assembly techniques.
Credits
4.0
Year of study
1st Year Post-secondary
Prerequisites
PHYS 1100; MATH 1200 taken prior or concurrently.
Corequisites
None
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Discuss electric, magnetic and wave phenomena through the use of various models and the principle of superposition.
- Apply a structured knowledge of concepts, such as Coulomb's law, electric field, dipoles, electric potential energy and potential, Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's rules, magnetic field and force, Ampere's law, Faraday's law, Lenz's law, reflection and refraction, interference and diffraction and non-classical physics, when solving related problems.
- Use a step-by-step problem solving strategy to tackle sophisticated problems.
- Apply concepts such as symmetry, flux and integral calculus in electricity and magnetism.
- Perform appropriate data collection and analysis to investigate a physical relationship.
- Apply skills such as measurement taking, uncertainty propagation, graphical analysis, statistics and formal report writing, when working in the lab.
- Set a current limit and measure voltages and currents using a digital multi-meter.
- Simulate a simple circuit using a computer program (LT Spice).
- Set-up and operate an oscilloscope (including channel and trigger control, measuring signal parameters, reducing noise in signals and saving screen images to a computer).
- Display an AC waveform on an oscilloscope using a function generator.
- Design a PCB for circuit with two OPAMPs using the Eagle software package.
- Construct a simple RC circuit on a breadboard.
- Observe the frequency response of an RC circuit using an oscilloscope.
Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
None
Hours
Lecture, Online, Seminar, Tutorial: 60
Clinical, Lab, Rehearsal, Shop, Kitchen, Simulation, Studio: 60
Total Hours: 120
Clinical, Lab, Rehearsal, Shop, Kitchen, Simulation, Studio: 60
Total Hours: 120
Instructional Strategies
Lecture periods will emphasize an activity-based learning environment. This environment will be created through student investigation activities, problem-solving worksheets, discussion of concepts in class and interactive demonstrations. Four lab exercises will be based around topics such as wave optics, electricity and magnetism, and quantum physics. Six introductory engineering lab experiments will cover operating lab instruments such as linear power supplies, digital multi-meters, function generators and oscilloscopes.
Grading System
Letter Grade (A-F)
Passing grade
D
Evaluation Plan
|
Type |
Percentage |
Assessment activity |
|
Final Exam |
30 |
|
|
Lab Work |
30 |
Formal lab reports, informal labs and a project |
|
Assignments |
10 |
|
|
Midterm Exam |
30 |
At least two midterms |
Course topics
- Wave optics: superposition, interference, reflection
- Properties of EM waves, light and polarization
- Spectra and Quantization
- Electric forces and fields
- Gauss's law
- Current and Conductivity
- Electric Potential and Field
- DC Circuits
- Power Supplies and DMM
- Function Generators and Oscilloscopes
- Soldering and PCB design
- RC Frequency Response and Phase Difference
- RC Time Constant
- Magnetic Fields
- Electromagnetic Induction and AC circuits
- Quantum Physics
Notes:
- Course contents and descriptions, offerings and schedules are subject to change without notice.
- Students are required to follow all College policies including ones that govern their educational experience at VCC. Policies are available on the VCC website at:
https://www.vcc.ca/about/governance--policies/policies/. - To find out if there are existing transfer agreements for this course, visit the BC Transfer Guide at https://www.bctransferguide.ca.