Reading Assignments

The textbook is NOT a substitute for lecture, and vice-versa. The two should complement each other. I ask you to complete these reading assignments before we cover the material in class, otherwise the lecture will not make much sense. Learning physics requires an active approach- use as many resources as you need to match your learning style. There are many online resources that I consider to be excellent. However, if you try to read, or examine everything out there, you will quickly get overwhelmed. I suggest you stick to the text and lecture materials until you find a particular topic that is confusing you. Then you may find some other viewpoint helpful to get you over the hump.

You should work through the examples in the textbook on your own, before looking at the solutions. Read the problem, close the book, do as much as you can, and then compare your work to the official solution. Go back and read the text again if it looks like you were weak on some of the necessary points. Now, close the book again and see if you can repeat the solution on your own- this will help reinforce what you have just learned. Still, you can be confident that you understand the material only after you have worked completely through some problems with the book closed and no outside assistance. Since you will be allowed to have an equation sheet during the exams, you can print out the appropriate sheets linked on the exam review pages and use those when you work problems. Of course, it would show even greater mastery if you did not need the equation sheets at all.

Chap.	Readings from text	Good Examples
1	We will not be covering this chapter directly in class. Much of this stuff you should already have been exposed to at various times during your education. Make note of the suggestions on how to "estimate" things, and be sure to look at the problem solving hints. Otherwise, just skim the rest of the chapter and see if anything interesting catches your eye.
2
3	Vectors: Secs. 3.1-3.3. We will be using these concepts a lot, especially Sec 3.3. Relative Motion: Sec 3.4, 3.5.	Examples 3.3 and 3.4 are very useful. All the examples in these sections are helpful. 3.5-3.9.

Chap.

Readings from text

Good Examples

Further help, or info.

We will not be covering this chapter directly in class. Much of this stuff you should already have been exposed to at various times during your education. Make note of the suggestions on how to "estimate" things, and be sure to look at the problem solving hints. Otherwise, just skim the rest of the chapter and see if anything interesting catches your eye.

Vectors: Secs. 3.1-3.3. We will be using these concepts a lot, especially Sec 3.3.

Relative Motion: Sec 3.4, 3.5.

Examples 3.3 and 3.4 are very useful.

All the examples in these sections are helpful. 3.5-3.9.