Sketching podcast

Today's lecture on campus was highly appropriate to you Albert Einstein learning module. It is all about sketching in exercises 1, 2 and 3 of Ch. 17. I set up its visual podcast this afternoon. It has all the sketches from my lecture embedded in the visual track. You will find it on the lectures side of the Uvision website.

Also, I have set up links to the four large scan files, 700 x 540 pixels. Click on each image below to open out the large size file.

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Enjoy!

Concept guide for LIGHT is now available.

The first of three concept guides, "Light," is now available in the Albert Einstein learning module.

GO FOR IT!!

What's ahead

Main grade-related events from here on out are:

1. Midterm 3, over the concepts in the Albert Einstein learning module
2. Final exam, Dec. 8th (noon-11:55 PM).

The main concept guide for the Albert Einstein learning module is due for activation on Saturday.

Ocean currents, Visbeck essay = graded now

OK, I just finished grading up the last few dozen postings in the "Ocean currents, Visbeck essay" discussion, a one point bonus assignment from the first week to-do list. A number of you have been buzzing me in course mail about it, so now it is finished up. YAY!

Next objective: grade up the Universal Leonardo-North Korea mini-case study!!

Biographical blurb file

The Albert Einstein learning module includes some biographical reading, because relativity theory and quantum theory developed around Albert Einstein as one of the central figures. In our Webcourses learning module, I just inserted a biographical blurb file with links to readings about three strategic scientists who had interesting lives:

1. Albert Einstein
2. Louis de Broglie
3. Thomas Young

The most interesting part of the theory of relativity is light, and all three of these scientists contributed enormously to our understanding of light.

Case 1; Einstein Module

There is an important announcement about our writing assignments, inside Webcourses.

Also, I will release the 3rd learning module, the Albert Einstein Learning Module, on Saturday at noon. It covers only three chapters:

17. Light
10. Einstein's Relativity
24. Modern Atom

so there is not an enormous rush.

You can start reading in chapter 17. I specifically like the "Physics On Your Own" blurb on p. 341, with two pencils and a small mirror. You can try this out. And if you have another small mirror or two, you can make your own retro-reflector like the Apollo astronauts placed on the moon, which is diagrammed on p. 344.

Exam 2 scores are UP; day off.

Today is our day off after midterm exam 2. Your midterm exam 2 scores are now released and ready to view in your My Grades page in Webcourses.

See you over the weekend. I will release new learning module, plus there will be an announcement about the long-suffering writing assignments.

GO FOR LAUNCH

Exam 2 is now GO FOR LAUNCH!!!

Be ready for 30 minute delay on exam, maybe.

Our start time for the second midterm is 12:05 PM today, but due to some outside factors, it might not open until 12:30 PM or so, maybe 30 minutes late. So be ready to wait a bit.

I hope to go at the normal time, though, 12:05 PM.

Meningitis alert from UCF Health Services

Recent alert from UCF Health Services concerning meningitis alert

Submitted for: UCF Health Services Subject: Meningitis Alert The Orange County Public Health Department (OCPHD) has informed UCF Health Services officials that a senior in the UCF Nursing program -- who lives in a house off campus with family members -- has a confirmed diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis, a type of bacterial meningitis. On behalf of the entire UCF community, our strongest hopes for a complete recovery go out to the student. OCPHD already has identified and contacted the closest contacts considered at risk, all of whom have received the antibiotic CIPRO. UCF Health Services staff has been working closely with OCPHD health officials to assist them in identifying those individuals who may have had exposure to the illness. The student is a senior in the UCF Nursing program, and Nursing students in the student’s classes (Adult Health on Mondays and Mental Health on Wednesdays) were informed of the situation Friday evening and advised to receive the antibiotic at UCF Health Services if they felt they were in close enough contact to be high risk. Exposure that imparts risk for transmission involves close contact with an infected individual. Close contact is defined as persons who shared a household with the student or had direct contact with oral secretions (kissing, sharing a drink, sharing food from the same plate, sharing a cigarette or being coughed on from very close proximity). Those persons who have had close exposure within the past seven days benefit from the use of preventative antibiotics. Classic symptoms of meningitis include high fever, confusion and neck stiffness. Those symptoms can develop over several hours, or they may take one to two days. Other symptoms may include headache, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to lights and seizures. Persons with such symptoms should seek prompt medical attention. Previous vaccination for meningitis does not necessarily protect persons from acquiring this illness (because the vaccine is not 100 percent effective in protecting against the various strains of bacterial meningitis). Vaccination would not be the appropriate intervention for those persons who have had close contact. Anyone who has not had close contact and desires vaccination, or anyone who has other questions or concerns regarding meningococcal meningitis, can call the UCF Health Center during normal hours of operation at 407-823-2701. UCF Health Services Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information on UCF Health Services, go to www.hs.ucf.edu.

More mini-quizzes, chapters 21 and 22.

  There are two new mini-quizzes for the Michael Faraday Learning Module, one for chapter 21 concepts and one for chapter 22 concepts.

I will also be publishing some new podcasts for exercises in the module chapters. When I do so, I will announce it here first.

Remember, the Michael Faraday Learning Module covers concepts about electromagnetism and its effects from Chapters 11-13 and 20-22, and these will be the topics on midterm exam 2.

Troubles with Internet Exploder

If you use Internet Explorer to access Webcourses, take a look at this alert.

Notice this afternoon from UCF Course Development and Web Services, regarding Webcourses login

Dear Faculty, Yesterday morning, CDWS began to receive reports that Internet Explorer users attempting to log in to Webcourses@UCF via myUCF were receiving an error. The problem was escalated to our server admins and reported to Blackboard, but we do not have a solution yet. Until we have a fix, please use a browser other than Internet Explorer to access Webcourses@UCF via myUCF, or log into Webcourses@UCF directly using your NID at http://webcourses.ucf.edu Thank you for your patience while we resolve this issue,

Enigma machines/hurricane damage

I will be starting to activate a variety of Enigma machines for you all to use as study tools. They are like sideways Jeopardy games that help you work through calculations in a step by step manner.

Right now, I have activated an Enigma machine called "Rooftop troubles" that will help you understand the Bernoulli Principle and why hurricanes can suck roofs off into the sky like child's play. It reinforces concepts in chapters 11 and 12. Look for the Enigma icon in Webcourses, on the home page.

Two mini-quizzes

I just activated two mini-quizzes, for those of you working on chapters 12 and 13. I will activate another pair tonight or early Monday, completing the set of mini-quizzes for the Michael Faraday module.