P110/120 - Energy / Energy and Technology  

Fall 2009

Course numbers 6181 / 6182

2.0 / 3.0 Credit hours

Course information:

• Class meets T&R, 9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m., SW 007
• P110 meets until Nov. 5 only (first ten weeks of semester)
• P120 satisfies N&M distribution requirement (P110 does not)
• P120 is a TOPICS course (P110 is not)
• No prerequisites for either P110 or P120

Instructor

Professor Scott Wissink
Department of Physics
Swain West 206, or IU Cyclotron 181
tel. 855-9748 or 855-5192
e-mail: wissink@indiana.edu

Office hours

Tuesday, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
or by appointment (I'm usually at IUCF)

Textbook

Energy:  Its Use and the Environment, 4^th Ed.
Roger A. Hinrichs and Merlin H. Kleinbach (Brooks/Cole, 2006)
For more info on the text, click here

Coursework and Grades

The course assumes knowledge of high school algebra, but does not require trigonometry or calculus. You should know how to use e-mail and access the World Wide Web. Weekly homework sets, consisting of multiple choice and short-answer problems, will emphasize concepts and understanding, rather than problem-solving skills. There will be three exams (two for P110) with questions similar to those on the homework sets. You will also have to submit two very short article summaries. To fulfill the TOPICS requirement, P120 students will need to write a brief term paper, due at the end of the semester. For more details, follow the link at the bottom of this page.

What is this course about ...

P110/120 - Energy and Technology  is an introduction to energy in all of its many facets.  Because this is a physics course, a primary goal will be to grasp the scientific principles that underlie the production and use of energy in our world; to do so, we must become familiar with concepts such as motion, forces, heat, electricity and magnetism, and atomic and nuclear physics.  This is essential if we are to make intelligent decisions regarding energy policy and implementation.  In recent years, however, it has also become clear that one can not discuss energy without taking into account critical environmental issues, such as global warming and waste management.  Making reasonable choices in these areas also requires a deep understanding of the science behind the headlines. Learning the basic physics of energy, so that you can make informed decisions as a concerned citizen, is my main objective for this class.

Check out the P110/120 info page