SYLLABUS FORM

WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Valhalla, NY lO595
l. Course #: PHYSC 111

2. NAME OF ORIGINATOR /REVISOR: Dr. Neil Basescu

NAME OF COURSE: College Physics 1 with Lab

3. CURRENT DATE: 4/24/13

Please indicate whether this is a NEW COURSE or a REVISION: Revision

DATE OF PRIOR REVISION : 5/8/10

4. NUMBER OF CREDITS 4

5. NUMBER OF CONTACT HOURS PER WEEK 6 (4 Lecture, 2 Laboratory)

6. APPROXIMATE FREQUENCY OF OFFERING THIS COURSE

[Every semester, fall, spring, or not offered every semester]
Fall, Spring, and Summer Session 1
7. PREREQUISITES OR ENTRY LEVEL SKILLS
A working knowledge of Algebra and Trigonometry
8. COREQUISITES
None
9. PLACE OF THIS COURSE IN CURRICULUM:
___ Required for Curriculum (name) ___________
___ College Core __X_ Elective
___ Part of Required/Recommended Sequence with (Number of Course) __________________
10. IS THIS COURSE DESIGNED FOR TRANSFER TOWARD A SPECIFIC MAJOR? _X_ Yes ___ No
MAJOR(S) _____health sciences_____
11. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (SLO) and COURSE OBJECTIVES
Under each SLO, list the related course objective(s). (Three to five SLOs suggested)
For every Student Learning Outcome, describe at least one measure, instrument, tool, observation, etc.
Course Objective 1: Understanding of the methods
scientists use to explore natural phenomena, including
observation, hypothesis development, measurement and
data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence,
and employment of mathematical analysis
SLO 1: define technical terms commonly found in the
study of mechanics
SLO 2: demonstrate proficiency in applying physical laws
pertaining to the study of mechanics (along with correct
mathematics) to the solution of problems involving simple
physical situations. These problems may include those
requiring the simultaneous solution of two or three
equations, and the solution of quadratic equations.
SLO 3: employ the standard systems of units in physics
SLO 4: analyze word problems describing realistic
situations to determine which physical principles apply.

Instrument
Multiple choice questions on 5 written examinations
during the semester

Problem solving on 5 written examinations during the

semester and a comprehensive written final exam
Problem solving on class exams, lab write-ups and
homeworks
Problem solving on class examinations and on final exam

Course Objective 2: Application of scientific data,

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concepts, and models in one of the natural sciences

SLO 5: perform laboratory investigations, collect and
analyze data, and establish the accuracy or validity of the
work in simple experiments.
SLO 6: express technical concepts and information and
explain answers to questions involving physics principles
by means of written laboratory reports which demonstrate
elementary technical report writing skills as well as
correct English.

weekly lab reports

weekly lab reports

Related Course SLO

Indicate which of the above SLOs address the SUNY
General Education (GE) Natural Science requirement
Understanding of the methods scientists use to explore
natural phenomena, including observation, hypothesis
development, measurement and data collection,
experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment
of mathematical analysis
Application of scientific data, concepts, and models in
one of the natural sciences

5) & 6)
2), 4), 5) & 6)

12. COURSE GRADE

Based on the above measures, how will the final course grade be calculated?
5 Class Examinations
50%
Classroom exams given approximately every 3 weeks will be used to assess
student achievement. Exams will be correlated with topics studied in lecture.
Lab Work
25%
Twelve two-hour laboratory investigations, each requiring a written report,
will be used to assess student learning during this component of the course.
Comprehensive Final Exam
25%
Overall assessment of the students acquired knowledge and understanding by means of a
comprehensive written final exam.
13. INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS: List the different instructional methods you might use, in the course of the
semester. List supplementary learning options, if any
Textbook reading assignments and problem solving assignments are regularly given supplemented by
classroom lectures and demonstrations of scientific principles. Problem solving will be emphasized
utilizing pre-worked illustrative examples in the text as well as in-class worked problems by the instructor.
Only non-calculus mathematics is used.
Laboratory work in small lab teams is done to support the lecture component of the course. Cooperative
learning is promoted to enhance this aspect of learning.
Use of Math-Physics Tutorial Center and the Physics Workshop to augment the class hours is encouraged.
.

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14. CROSS-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES:

Westchester Community College Key Values: These skills, abilities, knowledge and attitudes cross disciplines and
prepare our students to be life-long learners.
Student Learning Outcome/Objective(s)
If any of the following values pertain to this course,
indicate which of the above course SLOs address those
values. Please see related objectives for each SLO on last
page.

Skills & Abilities

Value 1: Communication Skills: Reading, Writing &
Speech
Value 2: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Skills
Value 3: Information and Technology Literacy Skills
Knowledge& Attitudes
Value 4: Learning to be a successful learner
Value 5: Global Awareness and a Sense of
Community and Responsibility

Related Course SLO

Reading: SLOs 1, 2, 4
Writing: SLOs 5, 6
SLOs 2-6
SLOs 1, 3, 5, 6
All SLOs
SLO 4

15. TOPIC OUTLINE

MECHANICS
1.

INTRODUCTION
a)
Scope of Physics
b)
Metric System
c)
Scalars and Vectors

2.

TRANSLATIONAL MOTION/UNIFORM MOTION

a)
Velocity
b)
Acceleration
c)
Rectilinear Motion
d)
Free Fall
e)
Projectile Motion

3.

NEWTONS LAW
a)
Force
b)
Newtons Laws of Motion
c)
Weight and Mass
d)
Normal Force
e)
Friction
f)
Newtons Law of Gravity
g)
Equilibrium and Non-Equilibrium

4.

UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION

a)
Centripetal Acceleration
b)
Centripetal Force
c)
Banked Curves
d)
Satellites in Orbit

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e)

Vertical Circular Motion

5.

WORK AND ENERGY

a)
Work
b)
Power
c)
Kinetic Energy
d)
Potential Energy
e)
Conservation of energy
f)
Work Energy Theorem

6.

CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM
a)
Impulse - Momentum Theorem
b)
Conservation of Momentum
c)
Collisions
d)
Explosions

7.

ROTATIONAL MOTION
a)
Angular displacement
b)
Angular velocity
c)
Angular acceleration
d)
Centripetal forces
e)
Laws of Physics for rotational motion
f)
Torque
g)
Rotational Equilibrium

8.

FLUIDS
a)
Pressure
b)
Density
c)
Pascals Principle
d)
Buoyancy
e)
Bernoullis Equation

9.

VIBRATORY MOTION AND ELASTICITY

a)
Hookes Law
b)
Harmonic Motion
c)
Frequency and Period
d)
Simple Pendulum

10.

WAVE MOTION
a)
Types of waves
b)
Description of waves and traveling waves
c)
Transverse waves in strings
d)
Superposition - interface and diffraction

11.

SOUND WAVES
a)
Standing waves
b)
Vibrating strings and air columns
c)
Resonance

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d)
e)
f)
g)

Loudness, pitch, quality

Doppler effect
Human ear
Beats
_______________________
APPROXIMATE TOTAL: 55 hours
CLASS TESTING:

5 hours

16. UNIQUE ASPECTS OF COURSE (such as equipment, specified software, space requirements, etc.)
APPENDIX I: REQUIRED TEXTS AND/OR MATERIALS REQUIRED BY THE STUDENT (Include
Supplementary Readings)
TEXT:

College Physics by Freedman, Ruskell, Kesten & Tauck

Publisher: W.H. Freeman

LAB MANUAL College Physics 1 Lab Manual Dr. Neil Basescu

APPENDIX II: - CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
(Approximately 65 words or less)

An introduction to the principles of mechanics. Topics included are:

kinematics, Newtons Laws of Motion, gravity, projectile motion, work, energy,
momentum, waves, vibration, sound. Comprehension of the basic principles
of physics and their application to problem solving is stressed. Algebra and
trigonometry are used extensively. Laboratory experiments are performed
on the topics covered.
Class hrs. 4; Lab hrs. 2;
Prerequisites: College Algebra with Trigonometry, or equivalent.

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College Physics 1 Lab Schedule
week

Lab

Relevant
Chapter

Introduction

Uniform acceleration

Vector addition

Projectile motion

Newton's 2nd Law

Friction

Circular motion
Energy and momentum
conservation

Momentum transfer in 1-D

10

Make-up lab

11

Torque

11

12

film on orbital motion

12

13

Simple harmonic oscillation

13

14

Standing waves on a string

14

15

Buoyancy

15

8,9

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