Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

College Physics II (Face-to-Face)

PHYS 2020-03

Course: PHYS 2020-03
Credits: 4
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: PSCI
CRN: 12135

Course Description

A continuation of PHYS 2010. Topics to be covered will include vibrations and waves, simple harmonic motion, sound, selected topics in electricity, magnetism, light, optics, and atomic and nuclear physics. A minimum grade of “C” (2.0 or above) must be earned in this course before it can be counted in a physical science major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other course.

Required Texts

Title: College Physics 2e, Authors: Urone, Hinrichs, Dirks, Sharma, Podolak, & Smith, Publisher: OpenStax, ISBN-13: 978-1-951693-60-2 (free online)

https://openstax.org/details/books/college-physics-2e Links to an external site.

Learning Outcomes

  • Conceptual Understanding: Students should demonstrate a deep understanding of fundamental physics concepts and principles.
  • Critical Thinking: Students should develop the ability to critically analyze scientific information.
  • Problem-Solving Skills: Students should be able to apply physics principles to solve complex problems, both theoretical and practical, using appropriate mathematical techniques and reasoning.
  • Communication Skills: Students should be able to effectively communicate scientific ideas using appropriate terminology and explanations. For example, students should be able to clearly present their reasoning and approach in homework assignments and tests.

Course Requirements

Students can drop one homework assignment, one quiz, and the lowest in-class test. The final examination is mandatory and cannot be dropped.

ItemPercentage
Midterm Exams50%
Homework20%
In-Class Exercises10%
Final Exam20%
Grade Scheme
GradeRangeDescription
A93% - 100%Excellent
A-<93% - 89%Excellent
B+<89% - 86%Above average
B<86% - 83%Above average
B-<83% - 79%Above average
C+<79% - 76%Average
C<76% - 71%Average
C-<71% - 67%Below Average
D+<67% - 65%Below average
D<65% - 63%Below Average
D-<63% - 60%Failure/poor
F<60%Failure/poor
Midterm Exams

There will be a total of FOUR midterm exams scheduled throughout the semester. The four midterms and the final exam will consist of multiple-choice, short-answer, and true/false questions, and will be administered in class. During the exams, students can bring a calculator (NO smart devices are allowed) and a handwritten one-page reference sheet with whatever equations, etc., they deem necessary. I will provide constants, but it is your job to come prepared with the relevant equations. Preparing a focused and well-organized reference sheet can reinforce your understanding of the subject matter (See the following for the reference sheet rules).

Reference Sheet Guidelines

Students are allowed to prepare a concise, one-page handwritten reference sheet (letter size). This reference sheet may include compiled lecture notes, scientific constants, and key formulas. NO example problems of any kind should appear on the sheet. Students must attach the reference sheet to the end of the midterm exam handouts and submit it with the completed exams.

Homework

Homework will be administered approximately weekly through Canvas, and will be posted under 'Assignments.' The homework questions will come in a variety of formats. I encourage you to work together, although each student will need to submit their own work. The questions will be very similar to those in the back of the book, and some may even come verbatim from the book. No late homework will be accepted, and the lowest homework score will be dropped. Homework will be due at 11:59 pm.

In-Class Exercises

There will be in-class exercises consisting of multiple-choice, short-answer questions, and short writing prompts on most days. I encourage you to discuss the exercises with your peers and ask me questions as needed. These are intended to enhance your understanding of the concepts, as well as indicate who has been attending class. I will drop the lowest three in-class exercises. This policy is designed to accommodate absences due to illness, medical appointments, job interviews, university activities, and other similar events.

Final Exam

The final is comprehensive and will be administered in our regular classroom on April 21st (day 2) from 7:00 - 8:50 a.m. Students are allowed to bring a one-page reference sheet, following the same rules as for in-class tests.

Course Outline

Important Dates
ExamDate/Details
First Exam (CH 11, 12, 16, and 17) CH 11.1 - 11.7; CH 12.1 - 12.3; CH 16.1 - 16.6 and CH 16.9 - 16.11; CH 17.1 - 17.5February 9
Second Exam (CH 18 - 19) CH 18.1 - 18.7; CH 19.1 - 19.7March 5
Third Exam (CH 20 - 21) CH 20.1 - 20.5; CH 21.1 - 21.6March 23
Fourth Exam (CH 22-25) CH 22.1 - 22.10; CH 23.1 - 23.12; CH 24.1 - 24.4; CH 25.1 - 25.7April 14
Final ExamApril 21 (day 2) 7:00 - 8:50 a.m.
Preliminary Schedule
WeekDateTopic
1Jan 7-11CH11 - Fluid Statics
11.1 What Is a Fluid?
11.2 Density
11.3 Pressure
11.4 Variation of Pressure with Depth in a Fluid
11.5 Pascal’s Principle
11.6 Gauge Pressure, Absolute Pressure, and Pressure Measurement
11.7 Archimedes’ Principle
2Jan 12-18CH12 - Fluid Dynamics
12.1 Flow Rate and Its Relation to Velocity
12.2 Bernoulli’s Equation
12.3 The Most General Applications of Bernoulli’s Equation
3Jan 19 -25 (No Class Monday 19 (MLK day))CH16 - Oscillatory Motion and Waves
16.1 Hooke’s Law: Stress and Strain Revisited
16.2 Period and Frequency in Oscillations
16.3 Simple Harmonic Motion: A Special Periodic Motion
16.4 The Simple Pendulum
16.5 Energy and the Simple Harmonic Oscillator
16.6 Uniform Circular Motion and Simple Harmonic Motion
16.9 Waves
16.10 Superposition and Interference
16.11 Energy in Waves: Intensity
4Jan 26-Feb 1CH16 - Oscillatory Motion and Waves
16.1 Hooke’s Law: Stress and Strain Revisited
16.2 Period and Frequency in Oscillations
16.3 Simple Harmonic Motion: A Special Periodic Motion
16.4 The Simple Pendulum
16.5 Energy and the Simple Harmonic Oscillator
16.6 Uniform Circular Motion and Simple Harmonic Motion
16.9 Waves
16.10 Superposition and Interference
16.11 Energy in Waves: Intensity
5Feb 2 - 8CH17 - Physics of Hearing
17.1 Sound
17.2 Speed of Sound, Frequency, and Wavelength
17.3 Sound Intensity and Sound Level
17.4 Doppler Effect and Sonic Booms
17.5 Sound Interference and Resonance: Standing Waves in Air Columns
6Feb 9-15 (Midterm Exam #1, Feb 9 (CH 11, 12, 16, and 17))CH18 - Electric Charge and Electric Field
18.1 Static Electricity and Charge: Conservation of Charge
18.2 Conductors and Insulators
18.3 Coulomb’s Law
18.4 Electric Field: Concept of a Field Revisited
18.5 Electric Field Lines: Multiple Charges
18.7 Conductors and Electric Fields in Static Equilibrium
7Feb 16-22CH19 - Electric Potential and Electric Field
19.1 Electric Potential Energy: Potential Difference
19.2 Electric Potential in a Uniform Electric Field
19.3 Electrical Potential Due to a Point Charge
19.4 Equipotential Lines
19.5 Capacitors and Dielectrics
19.6 Capacitors in Series and Parallel
19.7 Energy Stored in Capacitors
8Feb 23 - Mar 1CH20 - Electric Current, Resistance, and Ohm's Law
20.1 Current
20.2 Ohm’s Law: Resistance and Simple Circuits
20.3 Resistance and Resistivity
20.4 Electric Power and Energy
20.5 Alternating Current versus Direct Current
9Mar 2-8 (Midterm Exam #2, March 5 (CH 18 - CH 19))CH21 - Circuits and DC Instruments
21.1 Resistors in Series and Parallel
21.2 Electromotive Force: Terminal Voltage
21.3 Kirchhoff’s Rules
21.4 DC Voltmeters and Ammeters
21.5 Null Measurements
21.6 DC Circuits Containing Resistors and Capacitors
10Mar 9-15Spring Break - NO CLASSES
11Mar 16-22CH22 - Magnetism
22.1 Magnets
22.2 Ferromagnets and Electromagnets
22.3 Magnetic Fields and Magnetic Field Lines
22.4 Magnetic Field Strength: Force on a Moving Charge in a Magnetic Field
22.5 Force on a Moving Charge in a Magnetic Field: Examples and Applications
22.6 The Hall Effect
22.7 Magnetic Force on a Current-Carrying Conductor
22.8 Torque on a Current Loop: Motors and Meters
22.9 Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents: Ampere’s Law
22.10 Magnetic Force between Two Parallel Conductors
12Mar 23-29 (Midterm Exam #3, March 23 (CH 20 - 21))CH23 - Electromagnetic Induction, AC Circuits, and Electrical Technologies
23.1 Induced Emf and Magnetic Flux
23.2 Faraday’s Law of Induction: Lenz’s Law
23.3 Motional Emf
23.4 Eddy Currents and Magnetic Damping (optional)
23.5 Electric Generators
23.6 Back Emf
23.7 Transformers
23.9 Inductance
23.10 RL Circuits
23.11 Reactance, Inductive and Capacitive
23.12 RLC Series AC Circuits
13Mar 30-Apr 5CH24 - Electromagnetic Waves
24.1 Maxwell’s Equations: Electromagnetic Waves Predicted and Observed
24.2 Production of Electromagnetic Waves
24.3 The Electromagnetic Spectrum
24.4 Energy in Electromagnetic Waves
14Apr 6-12CH25 - Geometric Optics
25.1 The Ray Aspect of Light
25.2 The Law of Reflection
25.3 The Law of Refraction
25.4 Total Internal Reflection
25.5 Dispersion: The Rainbow and Prisms
25.6 Image Formation by Lenses
25.7 Image Formation by Mirrors
15Apr 14-18 (Midterm Exam #4, April 14 (CH 22-25))Review
16Apr 20-23Final Exam Tuesday, April 21 (Day 2) From 7:00 - 8:50 AM

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late Policy: No late work will be accepted.

Attendance Policy

  • Attendance: Regular attendance is expected at all class meetings.
  • This is a face-to-face class, and the expectation is that you attend in that format.

Course Fees

NA

Additional Course Policies

  • You must be co-registered for PHYS2025, which is the lab component of the course.
  • File Uploads: It is your responsibility to ensure that any files you upload are in the correct format. Any files that are blank or corrupted will be given a score of zero. Your work must be uploaded to the appropriate assignment in Canvas.
  • All matters not explicitly covered in this Syllabus or by University-wide policy are left to the discretion of the instructor.
  • The instructor reserves the right to modify the course material if a need is perceived due to the postponement of class caused by inclement weather, instructor illness, or other unforeseen circumstances, or due to the pace of the course.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.