TPP 7160 Preparatory Physics

STAFFING:

RATIONALE:

An understanding of the concepts and skills which incorporate the study of physics are often a prerequisite for the study of science or engineering at the tertiary level. This course will provide students who do not feel confident about their knowledge of physics with the basic concepts and skills necessary for further pursuit of science or engineering at the tertiary level.

SYNOPSIS:

The course focuses on the underlying concepts of physics covering such areas as measurement, motion, matter, electricity and magnetism. The self-paced structure of the course allows students to work through the material at a pace suitable to their needs. The course is designed to incorporate theoretical and experimental components of physics with simple experiments at home and multimedia materials enhancing the course. The course attempts to increase student problem solving in the subject area.

OBJECTIVES:

In the process of successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. effectively communicate their understanding of physics concepts required for tertiary study of science or engineering (all assessment items);
2. demonstrate an attitude of critical inquiry and as well as apply analytical and problem-solving skills to a range of theoretical and experimental problems (all assessment items);
3. demonstrate an understanding of the physics concepts in this course through a variety of applications in the real world (all assessment items);
4. The specific objectives for each module of the course are as follows. Students are required to demonstrate an understanding of: Module 1 (a) nature of physics (b) measurement in physics Module 2 (a) nature of motion and its measurement (b) forces and motion (c) different types of motion (d) energy and motion Module 3 (a) structure of the atom and states of matter (b) forces operating on matter, in particular pressure (c) energies operating internally and externally on matter Module 4 (a) nature of charge and its relationship to electricity (b) forces and electric fields (c) nature of magnetism (d) relationship between electricity and magnetism (all assessment items).

TOPICS:

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed:

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

All study materials are supplied as part of the course. Students will need to acquire a non-programmable scientific calculator.

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

A list of recommended reference materials available from the USQ Library and Physics websites are included in the Introductory Book. A Library Loan Request form can be found in the Introductory Book. External students are allowed loans for up to 3 weeks. Please check Library Services at the USQ website.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

NOTES:

1.

Examination date will be available during the semester. Please refer to the examination timetable when published.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   There are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students' responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   To complete each of the assignments satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available for each assignment. To complete the examination satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available for the examination.
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   Students are strongly encouraged to discuss any problems with the lecturer regarding their ability to submit assignments on time. If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval then a penalty of 5% of the total marks available for the assignment will apply for each working day late.
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must attempt all of the summative assessment items, achieve at least 50 % in the examination and achieve an aggregated mark of at least 50 % in the total marks allocated for the assignments. Students who do not qualify for a Passing grade may, at the discretion of the Examiner, be awarded a Supplementry Examination and/or assigned additional work to demonstrate to the Examiner that they have achieved the required standard. It is expected that such students have gained at least 40 % of the total marks available for all summative assessment items.
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
6. Examination information:
   Examinations in this course are restricted examinations. In a Restricted Examination, candidates are allowed access to specific materials during the examination. The only materials that candidates may use in the restricted examination for this course are: writing materials (non-electronic and free from material which could give the student an unfair advantage in the examination); calculators which cannot hold textual information (students must indicate on their examination paper the make and model of any calculator(s) they use during the examination): 1 A4 page of hand written or typed notes (written on both sides); English translantion dictionaries (but not technical dictionaries).
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period.
8. University Regulations:
   Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1. Students should have a knowledge of Mathematics Tertiary Preparation Level B or equivalent.
2. The time it will take to complete this course will vary and depends on your previous study experience.