S1


 * 1/18/2011**

Solutions Sets that still haven't been posted [these have NOT been checked, but I wanted to post them anyway]:

PS4 (thanks to Collum, Ivette, Ben and William):

PS6 (Riyan and Kai) PS7 (Keshoth and Erika)

Feel free to mine other course websites for S1 for practice problems.
 * 1/15/2011**

Here's a reminder about calculations using significant figures (all of this is in the Error & Sigfig packet): For multiplication and division, the result should have the same number of significant figures as the **smallest of the number of significant figures** for any value used in the calculation [although whole numbers like, say, 2 eggs count as 2.0000000... eggs].

 Addition and subtraction: The result will have a **last significant digit in the same place as the left-most of the last significant digits** of all the numbers used in the calculation. This rule assumes your numbers are not in scientific notation. If they are, it's hard to add numbers together without going back first to normal notation anyway: for example, you want 353,000 mg + 210 mg = 353,000 mg, since the LEFT-MOST OF THE LAST SIG FIGS is the thousands digit in 353000 (the last sig fig in 210 is the tens digit, but thousands digit is left of the tens digit...). In scientific notation, 3.53 x10^4 + 2.1 x 10^2 makes that hard to see. WARNING: YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT add numbers in scientific notation by adding the coefficients and the orders of magnitude separately (e.g. getting something like 5.63 X 10^??? in the example above)


 * 1/10/2011**

2nd period class. We didn't get to start this because of the guest speaker. Look ahead and do as much as you can for Wednesday. 5th period: you will finish that sheet for lab on Thursday.


 * 1/6/2011**

Quiz tomorrow on photosynthesis packet part 1

I'm going back to the original plan, which is to finish out the term with photosynthesis, light energy, and the electromagnetic spectrum. Read the first 6 pages and answer the questions on p 7 on a separate sheet for Monday 1/10 The remainder of the packet is more advanced material you will cover in Biology. Peek ahead if you like.
 * 1/4/2011**

Next week we will discuss the electromagnetic spectrum. Your homework for Monday 1/17 will be to make a review packet for all of the topics we have covered.

**1/3/2011** Final exams will be two weeks from this week's lab day, i.e. Wed 1/19 and Thursday 1/20 It's a good idea to start planning review strategies NOW!

**12/31/2010**

ProblemSet 5 solutions thanks to Melanie and Jillian and Gabby and Tousif

**12/24/2010** Megawatt lasers and all that... Problem Set #7 due Tuesday 1/4

**12/17/2010**

**Due Monday 12/20: **

**1) Redo Test 3 **

**I will return your original tests on Monday and we'll go over any questions you have. **

2) Write a paragraph explaining how dynamic equilibrium and red to far-red ratio is related to how plants regulate growth.

Due Tuesday 12/21: rewrite the almond calorimetry lab. This can be a final draft. Maybe.

**12/13/2010** Some topics that may carry us through the remainder of the semester are: photosynthesis, light energy, and the electromagnetic spectrum. Our first reading is this one: Read as far as you can, as we will continue to work with this reading in class. Some questions to consider while reading: Write two Response Journal entries to anything you find striking and/or confusing in the reading.
 * 1) What information can plants get from light?
 * 2) How do plants keep time?
 * 3) What is meant by red-to-far-red ratio and why is it important?

**12/7/2010**


 * The test on Friday covers everything since the introduction of Energy with the Feynman reading, including the almond lab and the endo/exo reactions lab. **
 * //You should know how to do all of the problems on PS 6 before Friday// **

The reason for making it due on Monday is so that you do not have to make your answers all neat and nice while you're studying for the test.


 * 12/6/2010**

Problem Set 6 is due Monday 12/13. Do Problem #1 completely for tomorrow.

check it: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/energy-skate-park For homework: I want you to play around with this simulation and write a paragraph describing what you did and what you were able to figure out, or any questions you still have. If you can't get it to work for some reason (upgrade java?) try this one: http://surendranath.tripod.com/Applets/Dynamics/Coaster/CoasterApplet.html
 * 12/4/2010**

media type="youtube" key="QUS89-_fbtk?fs=1" height="385" width="640" HW: Finish the calorie counting case study questions for Friday (not post-case questions).
 * 11/30/2010**

If you want to get ahead, start working on a lab report for the almond calorimetry lab. A first draft is due Friday 12/3.
 * 11/24/2010**

Calorie counting http://www.sciencecases.org/calorie_chemistry/calorie_chemistry.pdf (you do not have to answer the questions yet) Endo- and exothermic reactions [] Light energy and spectroscopy [] Photosynthesis []
 * Holiday weekend reading**

Assignment: read all of these, doing the best you can to understand the material. FOR ONE OF THEM (your choice), identify a topic or idea you find interesting and something that you don't quite understand that well (this could be the same thing). Then, do some internet research on these particular topics or ideas and see if you can understand it/them better and learn more. Write one page describing this whole process. Be prepared to share in class.


 * 11/16/2010**

Problem Set 5 due 11/22 Start page one of the Discovery Ride handout (if you didn't get it: ) before Lab this week. The rest of it will be due on Monday 11/22 as part of PS5.

media type="youtube" key="i5JHx9bIxBs?fs=1" height="385" width="480"

I need volunteers to write solutions for PS4 which was due last week. Email me and/or I will assign this. PS5 will be out soon.
 * 11/15/2010**

Homework for tomorrow (or Wednesday for those observing the Muslim holiday): Consider the following passage from the Feynman reading from class today: "energy has a large number of different forms, and there is a formula for each one. These are: gravitational energy, kinetic energy, heat energy, elastic energy, electrical energy, chemical energy, radiant energy, nuclear energy, mass energy. If we total up the formulas for each of these contributions, it will not change except for energy going in and out."

For each one of these forms, describe at least one example of each. You earn 1 point for each correct answer and 2 points for each ORIGINAL answer (i.e. that no one else in class came up with). You can't use one from my demonstration today, but you can use something similar. You are allowed to use the internet for research.

Those of you who were disappointed by your midterm grades: treat this as a kick in the pants to get you moving, not as a value judgment of you as a person. Many students are rudely awakened to the higher expectations here at Bard Queens, but they eventually get the hang of it. The sooner you do, the happier and more productive you will be.
 * 11/5/2010**

In addition to another Excel workshop (on histograms and graphing), I plan to review estimations and error analysis next week before the test on Friday. Start studying this weekend, and come prepared with questions.

Problem Set #4 due Tuesday 11/9 Enter worm data here: https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmwWNu05jpTZdDRZcllhTXNCd3IwUEJyWGlFSWJNYVE&hl=en&authkey=CMHbm5kG
 * 11/3/2010**


 * Quiz Friday ** on Error and Sigfig packet
 * Test next Friday ** 11/12 on everything up until then (includes unit conversions, scientific notation, estimation, error analysis and lab content)

Homework for Monday
 * 10/29/2010**
 * 1) Enter student height data here**: https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmwWNu05jpTZdFEwZWNWOUR0WGk4X0R5c2hHbEZOZnc&hl=en&authkey=CPmFx6cB

UPDATE: Results are here:

Your answers should be good to within 0.5 centimeters, so use that level of precision (Mac users: if the file appears blank, use Adobe Reader to open instead of Preview app)
 * 2) Carefully read** [[file:Error and Sigfig.pdf]]
 * Do not worry about the details about confidence limit (bottom of page A.2 to bottom of A.3). Skim it, unless you find it really engrossing
 * Do underline anything you find confusing. Try rereading it, and then ask yourself: Can you understand the general idea even if that part is unclear, or can you not get past it? What's the general idea?
 * Write a process piece (one paragraph) on your reading experience that you will be willing to share in class.

Don't forget lab reports for Mass and Volume lab (combined over two weeks for section S1.3) due in lab this week. Do some more practice standard deviation calculations using N-1 instead of N from now on. For Friday, finish the online tutorial homework and prepare for a quiz on uncertainty and precision using standard deviation.
 * 10/26/2010**

Check it out! media type="custom" key="7411757"
 * 10/25/2010**


 * 10/22/2010**

Since we didn't get all the way through standard deviation, //hold off// on handing in the answers to the online tutorial exercises. (If you already did them, great. I will eventually collect this). INSTEAD, begin writing up the mass/volume lab. I will ask you to hand in a lab report (not in your lab notebook, but on separate sheets, stapled together) for next week's lab period (Wed or Thurs depending on your section). That means you should start thinking about what you would want to include in your report and ask me questions on Monday and Tuesday.

If you didn't do as well as you would have liked on the quiz, consider redoing the attoparsec/microfortnight problem for homework. If you write it up really really nicely, I will grade it and average it with your quiz score. That is IF you do a really nice job. If it looks lousy, I will not even grade it.

For next week 1) Start lab write-up; enter group data in google spreadsheet; graph mass vs. volume data and find slope of trend line 2) Make sure to read the [|online tutorial on error] (same one linked below) 3) Have answers to the Uncertainty Handout WITH EXPLANATIONS. NEVER expect to hand in answers without explanations unless you are explicitly told you do not need to provide explanations.

Finally, midterm grades and narratives are coming up. If you're struggling, try to show me that you're on your way up. Come see me for extra help if necessary. I have changed my learning center day to Tuesday 3rd period. I'm usually in my office (825A) at that time most days.


 * 10/21/2010**

NB: when posting your data for Lab#4/#5 in the google spreadsheet below: 1) Enter ONE measurement per line of spreadsheet 2) DO NOT enter any averages. These are not measurements and do not constitute data. Averages are calculations BASED ON data. Averages are a good and useful thing, however they have no place is a table of data. 3) Enter the actual measurements you made: e.g. If you didn't do it right the first time, go back and fix it before Tuesday!
 * ~ object(s) ||~ Volume (mL) ||~ Mass (g) ||
 * 4x 5.5 cm screws || 134 || 3000002.3 ||
 * 1x orange monkey || 23 || 2.2 ||

Yes, there is a quiz tomorrow on the material assigned for Friday (unit conversions using prefixes, uncertainty & precision, etc.) and this week's lab.


 * 10/20/2010**

Lab homework due Tuesday 10/26 1) Enter your Lab #4/#5 data here: https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmwWNu05jpTZdDJwV0hqMDBBcWVFS3NfRV8yUUtlUmc&hl=en&authkey=CJHK12E 2) In your lab notebook, graph your own group data with mass on the vertical axis and volume on the horizontal axis. Plot a point for each line in your table (you don't need to label the points). Do NOT connect the dots. DO look for a trend line and determine its slope.


 * 10/18/2010**

Reread the Uncertainty Handout and also go [|to this Tutorial] and read through Sections 1 and 2 Do the exercises in the Uncertainty handout for Friday and the exercises in 2.5 of the Tutorial for Monday (write out the answers and explain them) Also for Friday, express 1 attoParsec/microFortnight in inches/minute. Show all work!

OMG!! TeX totally PWNS!!
Problem Set 3 solutions


 * 10/15/2010**


 * Low scores and test corrections for Test 1**


 * 1) Those students who scored 60% or below on the exam should have their exam signed by a parent or guardian. Bring in to show me on Monday.
 * 2) Test Corrections: you can earn up to 5% back on your score if you hand in corrections to all the problems you got wrong or partially wrong on the test. Hand in Monday on a separate sheet.


 * 10/13/2010**

We have to start sharing our lab/field data in an efficient way. **For homework for Friday**, please fill in data in the following Google spreadsheets. The first is for the field trip, and the second is for Lab #3 (triple beam balance). Fill in your group member names and your data in the spreadsheets. (No need to write "grams" for the Lab #3 masses).


 * Field Trip**: https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmwWNu05jpTZdHlYVFBjeGJiTXpUY2c0TDczb0RGTHc&hl=en&authkey=COyTz_EC
 * S1 Lab #3**: https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmwWNu05jpTZdFNQUGNkWm85ZWwtX2JSVnU3eENSOUE&hl=en&authkey=CMTNw94I

Don't forget to SAVE the file after you edit

 * There is also a quiz on Friday on Metric Prefixes**

For Monday 10/18: Read You do not have to do the exercises yet. These will be due later next week


 * PS2 solutions**

Thanks Iasmina and David and Izabela

Anything in red means I think there's something wrong with it.

media type="custom" key="7167803"
 * 10/12/2010**

**Powers of 10 day**
Reward for finishing Test #1 and upcoming 10/10/10 day

media type="youtube" key="0fKBhvDjuy0?fs=1" height="385" width="480"


 * 10/7/2010**

Problem Set 1 solutions Ella and April Anna and Khine

Make sure you are clear on anything you got wrong on PS1 before the test on Friday! Come ask me if you are unsure.

Do #3 and #4b on PS3 for next class (lab).

===** Bring your lab notebooks to the test; I will be checking them then. 5 points off the test if you don't bring your lab notebook. ** ===


 * 10/5/2010**

//If King Kong really existed, for example, he would not be able to terrorize New York City. On the contrary, his legs would break as soon as he took a single step. This is because if you take an ape and increase his size by 10 times, then his weight would go up by the increased volume, or by 10x10x10=1000 times. So he would be 1000 times heavier. But his strength increases relative to the thickness of his bones and muscles. The cross-sectional area of his bones and muscles goes up by only a square of the distance, that is, by 10x10=100 times. In other words, if King Kong were 10 times bigger he would only be 100 times stronger, but he would weigh 1000 times more.....He would be, relatively speaking, 10 times weaker than a normal ape. And that is why his legs would break.//
 * from Michio Kaku - Physics of The Impossible (see also http://mkaku.org/)**


 * 10/4/2010**

New Problem Set due Tuesday 10/12 (Monday is Columbus Day)

Do 1, 2, 4a for tomorrow.

Test this Friday :
all content from all labs measurements unit conversions scientific notation basics of significant figures and precision powers of ten names estimation/Fermi problems (only simple ones for this test)

Bring your lab notebooks to the test; I will be checking them then. 5 points off the test if you don't bring your lab notebook.
Some notes for those of you redoing PS1: 1) The picture of the ruler is to be understood as //part of the ruler// (duh). Don't tell me that you can't measure things because it doesn't start at zero. 2) Consider googling what is meant by "the precision of an instrument" if you don't know what this means (here's one result: http://www.worsleyschool.net/science/files/precision/andaccuracy.html) 3) Show steps means "show all steps"
 * 10/1/2010**

Don't forget, Quiz Friday (and every Friday)
 * 9/29/2010**

Homework in your lab notebook (this will only make sense after you've had lab) a) write an operational definition of a balance b) write a "Discussion" - 1 or 2 paragraphs summarizing the main points of the lab.

Question #8 on P.S. 2 will NOT be due this Monday. It will however be on the following week's problem set.

New problem set (two pages long, don't miss page two!) For tomorrow, do #1,3,5.
 * 9/27/2010**

You're already supposed to know this stuff, so Practice scientific notation here <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">@http://janus.astro.umd.edu/astro/scinote/ Don't just do conversions, practice addition/subtraction and multiplication/division. Also, <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">practice significant figures []

Our colleague Ms. Sharaf has posted a factually problematic video on her [|website] TMBGs retraction is included below media type="youtube" key="sLkGSV9WDMA?fs=1" height="385" width="480"
 * That thesis has been rendered invalid**

For next class, be prepared to explain why the liter is a systematic unit (in Maxwell's terminology) whereas the gallon is not. Don't forget to bring a lab notebook to lab.
 * 9/21/2010**

Problem set by Ms. Sharaf, due 9/27/2010 but do problems 1 and 2 for tomorrow (9/21).
 * 9/20/2010 Homework**

1) Read the entire syllabus and return filled out and signed blue slip on Monday 2) BEFORE Monday: send me an email containing the following
 * 9/17/2010 Homework**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Who you are
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Which section you are in (2nd period is S1.6, 5th period is S1.3)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A paragraph or two about your best experience in science & what made it the best.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A paragraph or two about your worst experience in science & what made it the worst.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Don't write: "8th grade science was the best because I got an A." or "My science teacher last year hated me." <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Instead, tell me what interested you or frustrated you or changed the way you look at things.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Handouts: