News between semesters: angular momentum rules in the NFL.

Think of the angular momentum vector for Jerome Simpson making this TD.



Excellent.

Points UP

Your final exam score is up.

All pointage (regular and bonus) is now tallied up in the Semester total points row on your My Grades page.

Bonus points work

For those of you who want to earn some bonus pointage, you can work through the Chemical Bondling Learning Module H. It is meant as a synthesis study set, putting together a lot of other concepts from the semester, but I will also offer a 10 point bonus section on the final exam, based on this mini-chapter. So you could make 110/100 on the final exam this Saturday.

Periodic table learning module

Your next learning module is now up, covering the interesting sections of chapter 8.

A mini-quiz for it is under construction ready to go.

Exam 3 scores are up, and some bonus points.

Your exam 3 scores from yesterday are now viewable in Webcourses.

Also, a few of you earned bonus points by creating an acceptable question for the exam. Those bonus points are up, too.

Concept guide G, on the periodic table, is forthcoming.

Bonus question opportunity

The Discussions area for creating an Exam 3 question is now open for business. If I use your question on Exam 3, you will earn a bonus point.

Give it a shot.

Learning module for electric field is UP.

Your last learning module before Exam 3 is now UP, Learning Module F You will dip into Ch. 6 on the electromagnetic interaction, learning about electrons and atoms, as a prelude to chapters 8 and 9, which we hit after Exam 4.

Mini-quiz for E2 is up.

Your mini-quiz for learning module E2 is up. Give it a go!

Believe it or not, the electronic binding configuration of molecules like DNA is controlled by wave properties from E2.

New learning module is up.

Your completion module for chapter 5 is now up, starting with "Concept Guide E, part 2."

I am also working on a chapter 6 and chapter 8 concept guide, to be released soon.

Bonus points

I just posted bonus points for several of you who contributed questions to Exam 2 through the "Bonus question, exam 2" discussion area.

Speed Racer and Inspector Detector both say, "Good work!"

Exam 2 today

Your second midterm today will be available at approx. 12:05 PM. You will have one hour to complete it, and you can use any 60-minute block of time that ends before the closing time, 11:59 PM tonight.

P.S. Don't forget that, while I am putting last minute changes to things, the exam might temporarily disappear and reappear a few times between now and lunchtime. Do not panic!

Heat-melt-heat podcast

There is a new iTunes U visual podcast about the heating/melting process featured in chapter 4, specifically in Example 4.7.

I hope it will also help you grapple the mini-quiz calculation.

Have a look at it before exam 2 on Thursday.

Bonus points opportunity

I just activated the bonus points question area in Discussions, for Exam 2.

Your task: Create a new multiple choice question based on reading or podcast for exam 2.

1. Multiple choice format
2. Indicate the correct option with an * asterisk
3. At the bottom of the question, skip a few lines down and then type in where in the textbook, e.g., page number, another student can read up on the concept or calculation.
4. Subject: heading should be a short phrase describing the concept
5. Be creative!

Take a look at the example question I have set up.

The TAs and I will comment on your question, maybe make a suggestion or so. If we use your question on Exam 2, then

1. you will earn one bonus point,
2. you will already know the answer to one of the questions on the exam, and
3. so will anyone else who studies this discussion thread!

So get organized and post up a good question, try to earn a bonus point. They come in REALLY handy at the end of the semester!

Concept guide E

There is a new concept guide for diving into the waves and oscillation concepts of chapter 5. It is a mini-concept guide in that it introduces you to wave concepts but leaves out several parts of chapter 5. Those other parts will be covered after exam 2!

There is also a new Discussions area and a short mini-quiz with a few regular questions and a few brain burners.

iTunes U mini-podcast

I just set up a new mini-podcast, in our iTunes U area. You need iTunes to view all the diagrams and equations.

Look in the iTunes U folder on our Webcourses home page, and navigate to the podcast site. There is also a help file if you are still using Internet Exploder; Firefox, Safari and Chrome work nicely.

This first podcast is a combo podcast covering two big concepts from chapters 2 and 3. Future podcasts will cover other concepts -- right now, I am in fact working on a heat related podcast, similar to Ex, 4.7. Soon it will be ready and available in iTunes U, too.

Mini-quiz D

Your mini-quiz for Ch. 4 heat concepts is now available. Look in the weekly learning modules folder.

Concept guide D, covering heat concepts.

I just activated a new concept guide concerning chapter 4 about heat.

Probably tonight or tomorrow I will activate a chapter 4 mini-quiz, too.

Check the weekly learning modules folder.

Concept guide C!

Oooops... I did not realize you all could not view the concept guide. It was set for release on Friday but was still on "'hide" mode until just now. Sorry for the goof up!

Mini-quiz C is ready.

You can get working on Chapter 3 now, using mini-quiz C for a combo study guide/quiz.

I will be posting the accompanying Concept Guide C hopefully by lunchtime, maybe later this afternoon.

Exam 1 scores are now released.

You can now view the overall score for Exam 1 on your My Grades page in Webcourses.

Also, the Assessments page will let you view your "attempt" on Exam 1. We never publish the verbatim questions, obviously, but you do have a short blurb for each test question that describes the gist of the question. Each blurb will help you re-study any mistakes when you prepare for the final exam.

Next learning module

The next learning module will be released today, in the afternoon, covering chapter 3. So after you complete Exam 1, you can start working on this new learning module.

Exam 1 today

Exam 1 today

Available between 12:05 PM and 11:59 PM.

You will have 60 minutes to complete the exam.

50 points, approx. 50 questions.

Week off

I have decided to make this week a week off for you guys in the online section, because you are slightly out of synch with the lecture sections.

So... if you have been looking forward to a new learning module this week, I am officially delaying it til next week.

But there is plenty of work in concept guides A and B, so make sure you get them squared away. Pepper up the discussions areas with questions about motion!

Mini-quiz B is ready!

There is an extra study component in mini-quiz B... a deluxe example about eggs and how to avoid breaking them. Look in Learning module for week 3.

The learning module is UP for this week.

You can now lock into this week's learning module. It takes you through the remainder of Chapter 2: force, momentum and universal gravitation.

Mini-quiz A is ready.

You can now go into this week's learning module and work on Mini-quiz A. It will help you get some more practice with concepts and calculations in concept guide A.

If you get stumped or need clarification, post a question in Discussions, and the TAs and I can help you sort things out.

Seniors who expect to graduate this semester

I notice that six seniors in the section have participated in the Oceans 1 mini-quiz, and 16 seniors have not done so, as of this morning.

We have a voluntary education system: No one is required to do any work in this course, and no one is guaranteed a passing grade.

But if you are a senior and expecting to graduate this semester, you had better get on the job now.

Week 2 learning module is now available.

You can now light into the Week 2 learning module: motion and its causes, first part of chapter 2.

Look for the Bumblebee icon on the Webcourses home page.

Typo #1.1

Our mini-quiz, "Oceans 1," had a typo in question 1, as a few students have mentioned. I have now corrected it in Webcourses, and the Webcourses server has re-graded that question properly. I apologize for the error -- we are using new software for test bank integration, and that error slipped by me.

Observatory visits, open to all

Robinson Observatory will continue its (approximately) weekly Open Houses. All are welcome to bring family and friends and look through our telescopes.

The schedule for the fall semester is here: http://planets.ucf.edu/observatory/openhouse.

Do note that we do close for weather but we don't generally announce that until relatively late on the day. Check the website for last minute announcements to avoid an unnecessary drive. Directions to the observatory can be found on the website.

First week tasks

First week of classes is always dicey, people adding, people dropping and everybody nervous. So I always keep the task list fairly simple for the first week.

1. Get textbook.
2. Skim chapter 24, which is our target for the end of the semester. We will take a first glance at it this week, then come back to it by semester's end.
3. Check your understanding of Ch. 24 by taking the "Oceans 1" mini-quiz.
4. Try out the online journal access to read the Nature journal's news article about the Floridan aquifer system. It requires your 22103... library card number from your ID card, and your PID.
5. Double check the syllabus, with its exam schedule.

Time to GO! GO! GO!

Semester total points UP

Your semester total points, bonus and regular, are now viewable in Webcourses, on your My Grades page, in the row labeled "SEMESTER TOTAL."

Based on this total, you can look up your semester grade in the "Basic structure of PSC1121-AW59" page, linked to our home page.

Exam 3 scores are up.

Your Exam 3 score is now released.

I will be working on grades etc. for the next day or so. Being as how that is the case, do not be surprised or worried if rows appear and disappear in your My Grades page. It is a sign of me working and organizing in the gradebook.

Office hour recorded

Our office hour tonight covered some good exercises. I made sure to record it, so if you missed it, you can view the recording. Look in the Adobe Connect folder in Webcourses for the link to the recording.

Office hours tonight

Adobe Connect Meeting.

Meeting Name: Last chance office hours, June 23
Summary: Last minute office hours, bring your own agenda.
Invited By: Thomas Brueckner
When: Thursday 23 June, 09:00 PM - 09:45 PM
Time Zone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)

To join the meeting:http://ucf.adobeconnect.com/r925fgn0641/

Room Passcode: in Webcourses

---

If you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting before:

1. Test your connection: http://ucf.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm
2. Get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/go/connectpro_overview

Ten

Since I have not had time to write up an iTunes U "pop" test, I am giving everyone a 10/10 on that test. Next test is our last test, tomorrow, Exam 3, 50 points.

Also: I have updated the "Regular points subtotal for semester" row. Your subtotal is now out of a possible 150 points: 2 regular exams, reading exam, iTunes U exam, 14 mq participation for a total of 150 points possible.

So divide your regular points subtotal by 150 and look up the percentage on the grades table in &Quot;Basic structure" in the home page.

Any bonus points go on top of the regular points but I normally do not add them til the last exam is finished, but you can sure add them in, yourself.

Bonus point opportunity

The Exam 3 bonus question discussion area is open now. Suggest a question for Exam 3, covering chapters 13,15, 20-22.

Your version of the reading exam

Majority of class took version A of the reading exam, before 1 AM today, but a good number of you took version B, after 1 AM today. For this reason, your My Grades page has two extra rows:

1. Reading exam version A
2. Reading exam version B

The Kepler-10b reading exam score is simply your score for version A or version B, whichever you took. It is the one row I had wanted to present to everyone, to keep the gradebook looking simple, but that was not possible.

You should all be able to view your attempts now.

By the way, this was a 12 point exam, with a possibility of earning all 13 points. One person actually did bag a 13/12. However, Webcourses knows nothing about my bonus points, so it says "(out of 13.00)" by version A and version B scores. Do not let this trip you up.

Readings test score up; view attempt

You can now check your readings exam score in Webcourses, on the row named "Kepler-10b reading exam."

Also, you can view each question and correct answer by clicking the "View submission" option in your Assessments page. Normally, I do not publish exam questions verbatim, but no part of this exam will not be used again, so here you have it.

Readings exam scores

I will release the readings exam scores at about 1 PM today, when everyone has had their chance to tackle it.

Readings pop test

The readings "pop" test becomes available at 1 PM today, and you'll have it available until 1 PM tomorrow (Wednesday).

You'll have 20 minutes, one calculation, one matching question, bunch of multiple choice items, total 12 regular points. Plus I set up one brain burner bonus question, one bonus point, so you can actually score 13/12 on the exam!

GO! GO! GO!

Semester subtotal

I just updated the semester subtotal row in your My Grades page. It is up to date as of about 8 PM today.

Office hour tonight, 9 PM

Office hours tonight, 9 PM, open agenda. This means you bring something to talk about:

• exercise
• mini-quiz item
• concept guide item
• vocab
• etc.

 

Adobe Connect Meeting.

Meeting Name: June 20 office hour
Summary: Drop in with your own agenda of questions, concepts, topics.
Invited By: Thomas Brueckner
When: Monday 20 June, 09:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Time Zone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)

To join the meeting:
http://ucf.adobeconnect.com/r5d82t4bubt/

Room Passcode: (in Webcourses)

---

If you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting before:

1. Test your connection: http://ucf.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm
2. Get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/go/connectpro_overview

GO for learning module, chapter 22!

The learning module for chapter 22 is now up. It is the last learning module for Exam 3. GO for launch!

Chapters 20 and 21

The learning modules for chapters 20 and 21 are now up, starting our modules on electromagnetism.

How the "pop" tests will work.

We have two "pop" tests coming up.

1. pop iTunes U test, over concepts covered in one or more of the mini-podcasts (10 points), and
2. pop readings test (12 points), over concepts in the reading assignment.

You do not know the day.

But you shall know the day as soon as I announce the pop test here in Announcements.

1. I will create the test and activate it in Webcourses;
2. immediately I will announce it here in Announcements;
3. it will be available for 24 hours, so
4. be alert and make sure you are studied up.

And I will not announce it in the middle of the night, but sometime during the day. Be ready.

Reading assignment is activated!

The online journal article reading assignment is now activated. It is about a planet, Kepler-10b, discovered by the Kepler space telescope. The readings include:

1. Main article from the journal Nature, by Adam Mann. Your "'pop" reading exam will be about scientific concepts in this article.
2. Several sources of supporting information, mainly from NASA, for optional background reading
3. A few brain burning study problems. which will also have their own Discussion area.

There is a lot of F = ma going on in that article by Adam Mann. Put on your thinking caps!

Reading assignment

I have the reading assignment fixed up and ready to go. I will be activating it tonight in Webcourses. So if you are a night owl, you can start reading tonight.

Stay tuned.

Webcourses weirdness

For some reason your My Grades page was messing up the semester regular points subtotal. It is fixed now, but it will not update automatically. I have to do it manually, once per day. :\

Ch. 15 mini-chapter

There is a mini-chapter learning module for wave concepts, based on chapter 15. I just activated it the concept guide and mini-quiz.

We will need these wave concepts before hitting the electromagnetic waves in chapters 20-22. Also, it might be helpful to glance through chapter 19 for a few minutes as you study chapter 15.

New mini-podcasts

There are a handful of additional mini-podcasts in iTunes U, mostly about thermal concepts and exercises from chapter 13 and from the problem solving manual.

Ch. 13 learning module

The chapter 13 learning module is now available.

Tomorrow we will have another learning module activated, for chapter 15.

Exam 2 average etc.

Exam 2 was challenging, yet not difficult to pull a decent grade:

1. Avg. = 36.2/50, would be a C+ if I awarded letter grades for exams.
2. Almost 90% of the class took down at least 30/50.
3. Of the 12 students who did not earn at least 30 points, they also tended to have low participation, fewer "mq participation" points to date.
4. In the ten days of May 30 - June 9, students who scored less than 25/50 averaged 72 minutes in Webcourses. This indicates last minute studying on June 10, if any studying was done at all.
5. Many students improved their exam score, ΔEXAM = (Exam 2 - Exam 1), especially those who had taken relatively low scores on Exam 1.

I observe a lot of your activity in Webcourses, so I know many of you are working your you-know-what off to prepare. Even if it does not seem that way, I do notice.

Bottom line: Keep working hard and strive upwards. Make it your business to crush Exam 3 and the upcoming pop exams on iTunes U podcasts and on readings.

Partial grades status

Being as how the semester total of points is incomplete, still more points to earn, I think it will be highly copacetic if I make up a partial grades spec sheet.

Here are the grades "on the books" so far:

1. Exam 1, 50 points
2. Exam 2, 50 points
3. mini-quiz participation, 2 points each for chapters 2-8, 11 and 12, for 18 points.
4. Not counting bonus points, that makes 118 points possible right now.

Here is how the grade scale would look if I were to award semester grades today:

A	106.2 points	90%
B	88.5	75%
C	70.8	60%
D	59	50%
F	Fewer than 59	Below 50%

We still have these grading events ahead:

1. Exam 3
2. iTunes U "pop" exam, 10 points
3. Readings "pop" exam, 12 points
4. mini-quiz participation, 2 points for each chapter ahead, chapters 13, 15, 20-22, for 10 points.
5. Not counting bonus points, that is another 82 regular semester points ahead, in the next two weeks.

I have not included any bonus points in this blurb; this is my normal practice. I usually do not fuss with bonus pointage until all the exams are in. But you can mentally add them in to your total points, if you have earned any bonus. You can think of the bonus pointage as being added onto an exam score.

Side note: the iTunes U pop exam and the readings pop exam will be my next plan. So in the next week or so, stay on your toes, keep an eye here on Announcements, and EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!

Semester subtotals; Exam 2 score released

I have just released your score on Exam 2.

In addition, I activated two new rows in the My Grades page:

1. "Regular semester points subtotal" and
2. "Bonus points subtotal"

These two rows will help you see approximately where you are, grade-wise, going into the end of the semester. For the precise point totals for each semester letter grade, refer to the Basic structure of PSC1121-AW59 page linked in our home page.

Remember: we still have another 50 points coming in Exam 3, plus a slough of mq participation points in the next two weeks.

Exam 2 is running

Exam 2 is available since 12:05 PM today. It has 45 questions, a few of which are two pointers or more, but still a total of 50 points.

Block out 60 minutes free in your schedule, anytime after lunch but you'll have to click the "Finish" button on the exam by 11:59 PM tonight.

Friday morning dead zone

Remember: Friday early, I will be putting together the last parts of Exam 2. This means I will not be available for much posting of discussions or course mails in the 6 hours leading up to the 12:05 PM start of availability. If I post or mail anything, it will be very brief, if anything.

ALSO: I will be shutting down most everything at 11:30 AM Friday, as before. So get the bulk of your studying in today!

Bonus point opportunity

You can create another question for a midterm exam now. Look in Discussions for "Create another exam question, for Exam 2 (bonus opportunity)."

On Exam 1, five students earned this bonus point. Excellent! If I use your question for Exam 2, you will earn 1 bonus point, too, which is 1/2 percent on your semester grade scale. Handy.

Several new mini-podcasts

There are several new mini-podcasts activated for you in our iTunes U area, over chapter 11 and 12 concepts. Some of you will find some extra discussions about atoms and pressure etc. that you've been tackling already in Discussions.

GO GO GO!

June 7 office hour

We reviewed several items from homework and mini-quizzes. You can view the recording by looking in the Adobe Connect folder on our Webcourses home page.

Good night.

Office hours tonight

Tonight we have office hours, open agenda. This means you bring something to talk about:

• exercise
• mini-quiz item
• concept guide item
• vocab
• etc.

 

Adobe Connect Meeting.

Meeting Name: Office hours, June 7
Summary: Office hours midweek, June 7th.
Invited By: Thomas Brueckner
When: Tuesday 7 June, 08:00 PM - 08:45 PM
Time Zone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada

To join the meeting: http://ucf.adobeconnect.com/r42865012/

Room Passcode: in Webcourses

---

If you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting before:

1. Test your connection: http://ucf.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm
2. Get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/go/connectpro_overview

Ch. 12 learning module is UP.

Your chapter 12 learning module is now available. This is the last module for Exam 2 this Friday.

Learning module is ready for today!

Your Ch. 11 learning module is now ready to go. Make sure to tackle Ch. 11 before Exam 2 on Friday.

There will be one more learning module, out tomorrow (Tuesday) for Exam 2.

It's recorded!

Thanks, Sean H. You reminded me. Our office hours tonight are recorded. Look for the link in the Adobe Connect folder in the Webcourses home page. ENJOY!

Office hours tonight, 8 PM

Adobe Connect Meeting.

Meeting Name: June 2 conference

Summary: Office hours for June 2nd.

Invited By: Thomas Brueckner

When: Thursday 2 June, 08:00 PM - 08:45 PM

Time Zone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)

To join the meeting: http://ucf.adobeconnect.com/r87834602/

Room Passcode: in Webcourses

---

If you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting before:

1. Test your connection: http://ucf.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm
2. Get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/go/connectpro_overview

Adobe Connect tomorrow evening

I will hold another Adobe Connect session tomorrow evening, after supper. I will announce the exact time etc. later tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Modules OPEN

All the learning modules are open for this week: Chapters 6, 7 and 8. Work efficiently.

Density of Earth

Earth's density is about 5.5 gram per cubic centimeter, which, compared to water (1.00 g/cm³) is pretty high -- Earth has a thick rocky crust and mantle above a metal core of iron and nickel, very dense.

Good session -- but....

We had a useful Adobe Connect session, but unfortunately, I forgot to record it.

We will have another conference on Thursday, maybe reviewing momentum concepts etc. and looking forward into energy and angular momentum.

Adobe Connect session this afternoon

Let's try another session in Adobe Connect:

Adobe Connect Meeting.

Meeting Name: Exam 1 review and momentum preview

Summary: Go over some of the brain burners on Exam 1 and maybe take a peek into momentum concepts.

Invited By: Thomas Brueckner

When: Monday 30 May, 02:00 PM - 02:30 PM

Time Zone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)

To join the meeting: http://ucf.adobeconnect.com/r53796689/

Room Passcode: (in Webcourses)

---

If you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting before:

1. Test your connection: http://ucf.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm
2. Get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/go/connectpro_overview

Two more learning modules going in

The learning modules for chapters 7 and 8 this week will become available Tuesday (Ch. 7) and Wednesday (Ch. 8). Keep your eyeballs open.

Learning module for chapter 6 is up.

The learning module for chapter 6 on momentum is now up.

The concept of momentum is where physics really starts getting interesting, because all kinds of symmetries of nature are "visible" in terms of momentum.

DUDE! Dr. B flailing

Man, that Adobe Connect session was mostly me flailing with controls plus a lot of static from one of the student's microphone. :/

But we did discuss one brain burner. So you can spend a few minutes viewing and listening to the recording, by clicking the link in the Adobe Connect folder on our home page in WebCourses.

Getting ready

I am getting ready for Adobe Connect session.

Exam 1 scores are UP.

Your exam 1 scores are UP.

Also: I posted a blurb in your My Grades page about mysterious rows labeled "UPS" and "XA" etc. You can ignore those rows because I usually insert rows with abbreviations like that so I can sort and search subgroups of students in the roster. So if you have a 1, a zero or nothing in those rows, do not pay it any mind. Focus on mini-quiz related rows.

Exam 1 office hours

I have new conferencing software, as of 3:30 PM today, so I would like to try out a short office hours session tomorrow morning. Here are the specs:

Adobe Connect Meeting

Meeting Name: Exam 1 review

Summary: Review concepts in Exam 1.

Invited By: Thomas Brueckner

When: Saturday 28 May, 11:30 AM - 11:45 AM

Time Zone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)

To join the meeting, http://ucf.adobeconnect.com/r66058527/

Password: in Webcourses.

It is my first time using Adobe Connect since 2009, so it is going to be fidgety, but let's give it a try.

Exam 1 is GO.

I see that several students are taking or finishing Exam 1. Good. It's all working normally. So I will be away from the computer for a few hours. Back at about supper time.

Mini-quizzes go off the air at 11:30 AM.

Don't forget to view and try the mini-quizzes, because they always go off the air at 11:30 AM on exam days. Do not be caught napping by last minute study! After 11:30 AM, you will be on your own.

Exam 1 today

Exam 1 will be available at 12:05 PM today, about lunch time in Orlando. Right now it appears to have disappeared → because I am making last minute changes, diagrams etc. But at 12:05 PM, it'll be ready, and plenty of nice juicy brain burners!

Block out 60 minutes free in your schedule, anytime after lunch but you'll have to click the "Finish" button on the exam by 11:59 PM tonight.