Physics 153 & 153L Syllabus
Fall 2015
Professor in charge: Dr. E. R. Jones
PSC 301- tel. 803-777-6714
e-mail: rjones@physics.sc.edu
Welcome to PHYS 153 & 153L. I hope that you will find this course to be both
interesting and challenging. This is a course in optics and includes both light and
radiations that we cannot see. There will be frequent demonstrations and some hands-on work during class. Please note that
regular attendance is expected. Absenses from class may result in a reduction of grade.
The text for the course is Light Science: Physics and the Visual Arts, by Tom
Rossing and Chris Chiaverina (Springer, New York, 1999). The textbook is available at the local textbook stores or on-line from
Amazon or other retailers. Used copies should be in stock. A schedule for fall 2015 is available.
Also, remember to check the PHYS 153 Home Page regularly.
It contains links to the lessons and lab exercises and the schedule as well as other useful links including updates and selected
notes. A listing of learning objectives or outcomes may be found here.
Please take an active part in class. Speak up, ask questions, and otherwise contribute to the class. It is your
responsibility to raise questions to clarify points that you do not understand. You are expected to prepare for class
by reading the chapter ahead of time and by working the problems assigned. Your participation and responses to
questions in class will help to determine your grade. You will be required to submit a short paper on an appropriate topic.
You will also be expected to complete a small project outside of class and to give an oral presentation about it to the
class. Don't forget, being absent is not participating. You will be responsible for all material covered and/or
assigned in class. If you should miss class, it is your responsibility to determine assignments, etc. and get
them completed.
The homework, and tests will be handled through our LONCAPA software. You will need to enter your
USC network username (in lowercase) as found on VIP. Your password is your student number.
Access to the LONCAPA may be found on the home page of the USC Department
of Physics & Astronomy or directly from the LONCAPA
log-in page. Instruction on using the LONCAPA will be given in the first class meeting. You may
communicate with the Professor in charge using the communication feature of LONCAPA or directly via e-mail to
rjones@physics.sc.edu.
It is important to keep up with the pace of the class, both in reading the text, in the lectures and
demonstrations, and in submitting the homework questions/problems.
Be sure that you are enrolled in the accompanying laboratory class PHYS 153L. It carries one additional
credit. The combined 153/153L will be treated much like a single four credit course. Consequently, the performance in the laboratory
portion (PHYS 153L)will affect the grade in PHYS 153. Usually, the same grade is assigned for both courses. However, if one part of
the course is significantly different from the other, they may receive different letter grades. Grading will be strictly on merit!
The grades will be derived from the factors below with the weighting shown:
| Mid-Term exam | 20% |
| Homework | 15% |
| Oral reports, project & paper | 25% |
| Final exam | 30% |
| Class participation | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
The grade scale will be: A > 90 > B > 80 > C > 70 > D > 60 > F. Plus grades will be awarded as appropriate
Note: A passing grade on the final exam is expected for passing the
course.
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Maintained by: rjones@physics.sc.edu
Last Modified 06/15/15