The Physics of Sound and Music

Transcription

1 The Physics of Sound and Music PHYS 102 has no prerequisites and is in Clusters CL13 and CL14 (CL4). With PHYS 122 it is a lab science but cannot serve as both cluster and lab. In either case, PHYS 102 serves as a quantitative intensive (QI course). Instructor: Michael J. Ruiz, Ph.D.; Text: Online. You need access to a PC and the Internet. Code of Conduct. The learning experience is great in our course because students in past semesters have agreed to not multitask in our class in any way. They have agreed to put away all electronic devices (cell phones, ipods, computers) before class starts; not multitask, e.g., looking at things related to other classes, reading the paper; not communicate (talk, write notes) with neighbors during class; not eat or drink in class; come to class early (a minute or two before we start) and to not pack early at the end. The Attendance Points. About 5% of your grade comes from focused undivided attendance in class. This is a great deal as you get 5% for just showing up and paying attention. If you violate the conduct code, e.g., whip out a cell phone during a video or do other stuff, the deal is off. At the sole discretion of the instructor, you may then lose attendance points. But if the deal is on, you can get even more points to push you over the borderline. See page October.

2 Class Responsibilities and Resources The Code of Conduct on the previous page plus the following 12 items cover all your responsibilities and resources for this course. You can also download old exams and goodies. 1. Website: - Configure your computer ( Test Browser ) on 1 st class day. 2. Text: It is online. Start reading and keep up. Assignments must be done online and on time. 3. Notes: You receive Power Notes in class, a summary sheet you can hold in your hand. 4. Homework: Your lowest weekly grade is dropped. Note the Friday Rule on page November. 5. Projects: There are two projects you work on over a period of weeks. Know these due dates. 6. Office Hours: RH 123/124, M 12:30-1:20 pm; T, R 11-11:50, until our last lecture day. 7. The Forum: Help your peers out with assignments on our 24/7 online discussion forum. 8. Attendance: You can miss 2 classes with no loss. Two incomplete classes (not arriving early or leaving before the end of class) = 1 missed class. Attending less than 40 minutes is a miss. 9. Official UNCA Travel: See me 1 week prior. You may make up a total of three classes. 10. Exam Misses: Call Ms. Walters ( ) to take a mixed-format exam within one week. 11. Exam Curves: Exams may be curved to bring them into agreement with science norms. 12. Extra Credit: Do questions in the text up until December 5. See Bonus on page October.

3 Grading (This course typically has a class grade point average in the 2.6 to 2.8 range). 100 Exam Exam Exam Final 100 Best Exam Percentage 100 Web Homework (Due Weekly) 50 Two Web Projects (25 points each) 50 Minus 5 per miss after 2 free misses 800 Total (No ± Grades, See Below) A ( ) - apply knowledge in new areas B ( ) - apply knowledge in familiar areas C ( ) - apply knowledge in easy areas D ( ) - misconceptions in principles F (0-499) - serious gaps in understanding Bonus and Borderline: If you attend all classes without ever being late or leaving early, you get a 10-point bonus. If your grade is borderline, I will consider helping you if you come to class, never violate the conduct code, and put in effort with homework and extra credit. For very close cases I will also look for a strong Final. Remember to always ask me questions in class and not consult with your neighbor. You are important enough to have your questions answered in class.

4 How to Succeed in Sound 1. Time. Reserve at least 2 hours (reading, study, applets, multimedia, assignments, etc.) for every hour of class. This amounts to at least 6 hours per week in addition to class time. If you are a full-time student and have a job, you should NOT work more than hours per week. 2. Instructor. Drop by weekly during office hours. We have 10 computers in RH Peers. Ask your classmates for help at the peer Forum on our website and offer help to others. You master the material when you are challenged to explain it to someone else. 4. You. As an adult, you are not reminded to study, take exams, conduct yourself properly in class, etc. However, your grade is an evaluation of your performance in all areas. 5. Science. Come to every class and take notes. Do not fall behind! Science classes build on the previous classes. If you miss a class, download our Power Notes and get class notes from a friend to immediately make up the material. Otherwise, you will quickly get lost. Study Guides. See Downloads for goodies. Many old exams and solutions are posted. The Friday Rule: If you wait until the due date (Friday), you are completely on your own, no matter what problems arise, including computer difficulties.

5 Section 1 (RH 125): T-R 1:45-3:00 pm (Late Start: 2:30-3:30). UNCA Snow Line: Section 2 (RH 125): T-R 3:10-4:25 pm (Late Start: 3:40-4:40). UNCA Snow Line: Music in PHYS 102 and Clusters The Physics of Sound and Music incorporates much jazz and many black musicians, important for Cluster 13 Black Creative Experiences. The main theme of CL13 is exploring the creative expression of black artists in genres such as visual art, literature, music, and performance arts, their historical origins, structure, and impact. We will focus on music. Our course also includes the study of hearing loss and the psychology of perception, topics important for Cluster 14 The Sensory Environment and Perceptual Systems. The main theme of CL14 is the study of perceptual systems, where the focus in our course will be on the human auditory system. At times, your instructor, also a musician, will demonstrate musical concepts by performance, illustrating a diversity of musical styles. Our course was a top science/technology news story on CNN: E-Book Learning, which aired on a show depicting the future, NEXT@CNN, August 31, You can watch this short 5-minute video at our website. It is best to bookmark our exact website address: