COURSE: PHYSICS 14100 Honors Mechanics

Instructor: Philippe Guyot-Sionnest, Professor of Physics and Chemistry, GCIS E 111,

pgs@uchicago.edu 773/702 7461 lab 2-3413
Office hours: Wednesday 12-1.30 pm or by appointment.

TAs office hours TBA:

Gautam Upadhya; gru@uchicago.edu; 2-3 pm Thursdays
Nelson Leung; nelsonleung@uchicago.edu; 2.30-3.30pm Fridays
Zimu Li; zimu@uchicago.edu; 12.30-13.30 Mondays
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: An Introduction to Mechanics, Kleppner, Second
edition
ISBN Number: 978-0-521-19811-0
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Syllabus: Chapters 1 13 of the textbook in that order.
1. Vectors and kinematics, circular coordinates and motion.
2. Newtons laws.
3. Forces and motion.
4. Linear Momentum.
5. Energy.
6. Small oscillations and collisions.
7. Angular momentum.
8. Rigid body rotation.
9. Non-inertial systems.
10. Central force motion.
11. Harmonic oscillator and resonances
12. Special relativity.
13. Relativistic dynamics.
Classes meet MWF 9.30-10.20, Kersten KPTC120
Coordinator: Stuart Gazes, KPTC 205C, gazes@uchicago.edu
Grading: Homework 10%, quiz 5%, Labs 35%, Midterms 20%, Final 30%.
Exam schedule:
Final Exam on Monday December 9th, 10.30-12.30
Midterms: Monday October 26th, 9.30-10.20; Monday November 23rd 9.30-10.20.
Laboratory experiments: You will do six Labs. You must not fail to return a single report.

Students should consult the bulletin boards outside KPTC 106 starting Monday morning of
week 1 to confirm their Lab Section assignments.
Any changes in course or lab section should be made through the Instructional Services
office (KPTC 205) no later than Thursday of week 1.
Any student who anticipates missing a Lab at any time during the quarter should see Ms.
Tiffany Kurns in Instructional Services as soon as possible to see if other arrangements
can be made. Unauthorized changes in Lab Section are not permitted.
Discussion sections: Discussion Sections will begin meeting in week 2 of the
quarter. Room assignments will be posted on the bulletin boards outside KPTC 106.
Homework: Assignments are on Chalk. Assignments are given on Mondays and due the
following Mondays in class. Late homework are not accepted. Collective brainstorming
for homework solution is encouraged, but the redaction of the homework should be an
individual effort. Copied homework will result in a zero credit. Graded homework will be
returned in Discussion sections. Solutions will be posted on Chalk by 4 pm, Tuesdays,
on the day that they are due.
Quiz: There will be a 10 mn quiz at the beginning of several discussion sections. The
quizzes will test your understanding of the materials presented in the previous week.
For registration issue: check with Tiffany Kurns, KPTC 205.
Web access: Students must access Chalk which will have all homework assignments and
solutions.
Prerequisites: Satisfactory performance on the College Placement Examination. A strong
background in single variable calculus is assumed. Multivariable and vector calculus will
be introduced and used extensively. Prerequisite(s): MATH 13100-13200-13300 or
15100-15200-15300 or 16100-16200-16300 or equivalent. (MATH 15100-15200-15300
or 16100-16200-16300 may be taken concurrently.)