Announcements PHYS21900 Fall 2008

Thanks to the PHYS 219 students who pointed out that the Homework assignment due Nov. 14 contains a few questions that require knowledge about the energy levels of the hydrogen atom.  This material will be covered in lecture next week and these "hydrogen atom" homework questions should not be in this week's assignment. 

These "hydrogen atom" homework questions have now been moved to next week's homework assignment. You will lose no credit if you answered them incorrectly this week.

ron r.

Fall 2008 Semester

This semester, PHYS 21900 will use an interactive CD textbook called Principles of Physics published by Kinetic Books.  This is a highly innovative approach to teaching Physics and I believe your understanding of the basic concepts will improve by using this interactive CD textbook.

For whatever reason, some of the local bookstores may choose not to order copies of this CD for PHYS 21900 students to purchase. If you have trouble finding the CD in local bookstores before the first day of class, the first few chapters are available for free on the Kinetic Book’s web site. Limited access to the contents of the CD can be found at

http://kineticbooks.com/physics/trialpse/online_installer/downloads/install.php

If you have difficulty in finding the CD textbook in local bookstores, you can purchase your own copy of Principles of Physics directly from Kinetic Books. I list below the options along with the web link to each product.

Note if you choose OPTION 1, you will receive an Individual License to install the CD textbook on ONE local computer of your choice. This license is included with the CD and will require the addition of shipping and handling to your order.

Principles of Physics can be purchased in two ways:

• OPTION 1:  If you wish to install the CD version of Principles of Physics on your own laptop or home computer, you can purchase an Individual License. If you have a laptop, I think this might be the best option because you can take the laptop with you around campus. The cost is $39.95. (Note: You can install this software on only one computer. If you change your operating system on that computer (for any reason), you may need to buy another CD version of the software).
  
  
• OPTION 2: You can purchase Principles of Physics as a 1-year subscription with password access over the internet from any computer.  If you are unable to install programs on computer from a CD, this may be the best option for you.  You can purchase this option for $34.95. (Note: you must be connected to the internet to use this 1-year subscription.  If you have slow or unreliable internet access, this may not be best option for you.)

Either of these two options can be purchased online at:

http://www.kineticbooks.com/products/prod_purchinfo.html

If you are uncomfortable with a strictly computer-based book, you may purchase a paperback copy of Principles of Physics along with your CD for approximately $15.00 plus shipping and handling. Please note that if you purchase the CD textbook (OPTION 1 above), you will be able to print any screen page from the CD textbook for your further study.

At the introductory level that PHYS 21900 course is taught, virtually the same material is covered in many different conventional textbooks. You should feel free to consult these books in the library if you might need the assurance that a conventional textbook brings.

R. Reifenberger PHYS 21900 Lecture (Fall 2008 semester)

July 31, 2008