ARCHIVE - Week/theme

Chemistry/Physics: the study of matter and motion (hence the title). This quarter will conclude a full year of integrated study of chemistry and physics. Spring Quarter will cover the vital topics of Newtonian mechanics and chemical kinetics, together with further discussion of chemical bonds, and will conclude with a study of light, including topics in geometric and physical optics, spectroscopy, and physical/chemical origins of color, with an optional component on light and color in the outdoor environment.

Optional Components: For last half of the quarter, students can propose up to half-time studies in physics, chemistry, or mathematics. Options already proposed include: light and color outdoors, multivariable calculus, and special relativity.

Chemistry/Physics Format: We will meet three times a week for a total of five hours of lectures and/or workshops. You will have weekly problem sets for which we expect detailed explanations of your methodology and reasoning. We will meet with each triad once a week for you to present a solution of one of the current problems. We will stress, as in the lab and seminar, the visual and contextual component of science. A student aide will be available for tutorial and homework help, at times to be determined for student convenience as much as possible. The frequency and format of any testing will be determined by class discussion.

Calculus: the powerful and beautiful mathematics of change. Again, Spring Quarter concludes a full year’s worth of first-year study. Topics will include differential equations, infinite series, and the approximation of functions. An option to study multivariable calculus in a semi-independent way is available.

Calculus Format: There will be weekly homework, in which we will ask for very full explanation and discussion on selected problems while others are to be done in more summary fashion. A graphing calculator (TI-83 or equivalent) is essential. A student aide will be available for tutorial and homework help, as well as the college Quantitative Reasoning Center (QRC). There will be mid-term and final tests whose aim is to bring out people’s best work: Choosing the best formats for this will be a matter of class discussion.

Lab: where you’ll get your hands dirty with the actual physical doing of science. For the first four weeks, we will meet once a week on Wednesday mornings for four hours to perform designated experiments that will serve to reinforce concepts introduced in other parts of the program. We will decide with you what is the best use of the remaining lab time

Lab Format: Two sections of 25 students will be working in separate but adjoining labs, each with faculty supervision. You will work in small groups to perform and design experiments, keeping a notebook that will include a detailed record of your work in the lab, which, along with lab reports, will be considered in evaluations. The physical consequences of doing science will also be addressed, and you will learn to be personally responsible for the minimization and disposal of waste created during each experiment.

Seminar: For at least 8 weeks each quarter, a two-hour discussion each week which connects science and scientists to the larger cultures and societies they are part of. For Spring Quarter, we will discuss how people think about science, its values, and its limits.

Seminar Format: We expect the program to be small in Spring Quarter, so we will convene in a single seminar group of 25-30 students each Friday; within this group, you will belong to a 3-person “triad” responsible for meeting a day or so before each seminar for a preliminary talk about the material which generates three questions and three statements you think are worth discussing in the large group. Write these out to be handed in at seminar. We will often divide into smaller groups for part of the session. Each faculty member will be primarily responsible for half the program’s students (for evaluation, advising, dealing with individual needs, and so on).

Governance: Students in this program take charge of certain portions of what we do. Getting experience in defining, making and carrying out decisions is a vital ingredient of living in a democracy. Everyone is required to take part in governance. People will differ in how much they lead, talk, have ideas, listen carefully, find compromises, take notes, contribute to work parties, and so on. Each person’s assignment is to find some productive role to play, and to reflect on what works well or badly and why.

Governance Format: a required weekly meeting, and additional small or whole group sessions as the group decides. Faculty will only attend if invited.

Required texts:

Silberberg, Chemistry: The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change, 3^rd ed.

Moore, Six Ideas that Shaped Physics, Unit N and readings on optics to be distributed

Hughes-Hallett, Calculus Single Variable, 3^rd ed.

Brand, The Clock of the Long Now (ISBN 0465007805)

Brown, Quest for the Quantum Computer (ISBN 0684870045)

Stoppard, Arcadia (ISBN 0571169341)

McCormmach, Night Thoughts of a Classical Physicist (ISBN 0674624610)

“The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Math” (online + one handout):

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~matc/MathDrama/reading/Wigner.html
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~matc/MathDrama/reading/Hamming.html
http://website.lineone.net/~kwelos/unreasonableeffectiveness.htm

Philosophy of science readings (handout)

Nanotechnology readings (on line):

http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/impossible.html

http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/8148/8148counterpoint.html

http://www.foresight.org/EOC/EOC_Chapter_11.html

http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/feynman.html

http://nano.caltech.edu/papers/SciAm-Sep01.pdf

Week-by-week schedules of topics and readings (S = Silberberg; N = Moore Unit N; HH == Hughes-Hallett)

	Chemistry/Physics	Calculus	Seminar	Miscellaneous: Students will keep a portfolio including their lab notebooks and reports, chem/phys/calc problem sets, and seminar thoughts and questions, which will, along with any tests, be considered in the evaluation process. Outside of class times, you will have access to a homeroom-type meeting area which can be used for study sessions, triad meetings, etc, and where various resources will be available, including faculty, to help with your studies. Very Important : The end of quarter evaluation conference is an essential obligation in this program. Don’t make (or let others make) any travel arrangements until you have a definite time for your evaluation conference Contact Information Rob Knapp Sem II D-3112 // 867-6149 knappr@evergreen.edu Laura Michelsen Sem II D-3110 // 867-6410 michel@evergreen.edu Program Web Page academic.evergreen.edu/ curricular/matterandmotion
1	T: Intro/ Review of bonding S9	Differential equations (start) HH 11.1, 2, 3
	W: Euler’s method and Excel exercise
	Th: Bonding/VSEPR S9, S10	more slope fields, Euler’s method HH 11.2, 3, 4
	F: VSEPR and molecular shapes S10	More differential equations	Clock of the Long Now
2	T: Molecular orbital theory S11.3	(Chem) Reaction rates S16.1-2
	W: Lab: Rate of reaction of bleach and dyes
	Th: Rate laws S16.3-5	Problem solving workshop
	F: Reaction mechanisms and catalysts S16.6-8		Nanotechnology readings
3	T: Newton’s laws/ Vector derivatives / Forces from motion N1, N2, N3	separation of variables, growth and decay HH 11. 5
	W: Lab: TBA
	Th: Motion from forces / Statics N4, N5	models HH 11.6
	F: Linear motion / Coupled objects N6, N7		Philosophy of science readings (positivism)
4	T: Circular motion / angular momentum N8, C13, C14 Note material from Unit C	more models HH 11.7
	W: Lab: Stomp rocket
	Th: Noninertial frames N9	systems of differential equations HH 11.8
	F: Projectile motion N10		Philosophy of science readings (science wars)
5	T: Oscillatory motion N11	oscillations HH 11.10, 11.11
	W: Lab: Rotational dynamics
	Th: Mid-quarter conferences	mid-term
	F: Mid-quarter conferences		Quest for Quantum Computer (Ch. 1 & 2)
6 Light and spectroscopy	T: Interferometry ( 2 hr) T pm: leave for LIGO
	W: Trip to LIGO
	Th: The wave equation and polarization	partial derivatives
	F: Spectroscopy (general considerations)		Quest for Quantum Computer (Ch. 3 & 9)
7 Light and color	T: Electronic transitions and color (1hr)	geometric series and convergence HH 9.1, 9.2
	W: Outdoor light/color or project
	Th: Liquid crystals and OLEDs	power series HH 9.4
	F: Fluorescence and phosphorescence		Unreasonable Effectiveness of Math
8 Manipulating light	T: Instrumentation (1hr)	Taylor series 10.1, 2
	W: Outdoor light/color or project
	Th: Mirrors and reflection; image formation	more Taylor series HH 10.2, 10.3
	F: Refraction and scattering; speed of light in matter		Night Thoughts of a Classical Physicist
9 IR and Lasers	T: Using other forms of light (1hr)	Fourier series HH 10.5
	W: Outdoor light/color or project
	Th: Physics of lasers	more Fourier series
	F: Lasing materials		Arcadia
10	Finishing up….

Matter and Motion Spring Quarter 2005 Rob Knapp

D1107

Lab II 1234, 1241

D1107

D3107, D3109

D1107

D1107

D1105

D3105

Week-by-week schedules of topics and readings (S = Silberberg; N = Moore Unit N; HH == Hughes-Hallett)