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Course length: 15 weeks Last revised: 6 October 2003 |
Prerequisite(s)
None.
Course Materials
Textbook(s)
Conceptual Physical Science, 3rd edition. P. G. Hewitt, J. Suchocki, L. A. Hewitt, Addison Wesley Publishers
Description
(For students not majoring or minoring in a science.) Prerequisite: MATH 012. An introduction to the basic principles of physics, chemistry, astronomy, geology, oceanography, and meteorology. Discussion covers the development of scientific thinking, the scientific method, the relationships among the various physical sciences, and the role of the physical sciences in interpreting the natural world. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: GNSC 100 or NSCI 100.
Objectives
After completing this course, you should be able to:
- discriminate science from non-science
- demonstrate that the scientific method helps us understand the natural world and guides the testing of hypotheses about natural phenomenon
- recognize the differences and the interrelationship among physics, chemistry, the earth sciences, and astronomy
- discuss the importance of physics and chemistry to life on this planet
- understand the rock cycle, the water cycle, and various ways chemical elements are cycled
- discuss the relationship between the atmosphere and hydrosphere and how one affects the other
- solve basic mathematical equations and use quantitative reasoning to solve problems in the physical sciences
Course Introduction
This course will provide a broad overview of the major natural sciences and the rules of the physical world. These rules are universal (such as gravity) and affect everyone, and everything, whether on earth or out in space. Gravity is the reason why we move across the ground and don’t float in the air, why rain falls, why it takes a lot of energy to blast a rocket ship into space, and why the earth has been circling the sun for billions of years. Other rules involve such things as motion, electricity, and the combination of chemicals to make everything we experience in this world.
In this course, you’ll investigate the scientific method of collecting, organizing, summarizing, and drawing conclusions about the natural world. You’ll see how scientists apply this method as you learn the basic principles of physics, chemistry, geology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy. You will also study the relationships among the physical sciences and the role each of these plays in interpreting the natural world.
The course is divided into five modules as follows:
- Module 1 - The Physical Sciences and the Scientific Method
- Module 2 - Physics
- Module 3 - Chemistry
- Module 4 - Earth Science
- Module 5 - Astronomy
Grading Information
Your final course grade will be determined as follows:
70% Projects (6 Projects total)
30% Proctored Final Exam
Grading Scale
The grading scale in this course is as follows:
A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = 0-59%
Late Policy
Permission must be obtained in advance if assignments are to be submitted late, and an extension will be granted only for legitimate reasons, e.g., sudden deployment, illness. The instructor must agree to the revised due dates. For significant delays, see the rules for an Incomplete listed below.
Extra Credit
Extra credit is not provided in this class.
Projects
Project 1: The Scientific Method
Scientists ask questions about the world around them, but they also want to find answers to those questions. An organized approach to answering those questions is called the Scientific Method. Project 1 gives you the opportunity to be the scientist by asking a question and using the scientific method to answer the question:
- Choose a problem or phenomenon to investigate. Ideas include: mix hot and cold water and determine the final temperature; add salt to boiling water and determine its effect on the temperature at which water boils; mix an acid and a base and observe the results.
- Formulate the question clearly and decide how you will investigate the problem. Determine the kind and number of trials that are appropriate for answering the question.
- Perform the experiment, including the proper number of trials. Record your observations and results. Repeat as many times as necessary.
- Organize your results in a formal report, including any tables or graphs that help illustrate your findings. In your report, state the question or phenomenon you investigated, the methods you used, the results of your experiments, and your conclusions. Be sure to state whether your hypothesis was true and give support for your conclusions. Include any changes you would make to the project if you were to repeat the experiment.
Project 2: Measurement and Motion
- Obtain a metric ruler and measure to the nearest millimeter (mm) the length L, the width W, and the height H of the place (the desk or tabletop) where you are working. Record your data.
- Taking the measured length of your workspace, how far would a trillion desks placed end-to-end reach out into space? Look up the distances of some nearby celestial objects such as the Moon, Venus, and Mars and determine which, if any, of these objects would be reached by such a "desk bridge".
- Using the same ruler devise a method to measure the thickness of a penny to the nearest tenth of a millimeter (Trying to measure the thickness of one penny with a ruler is not going to work!) Describe your method and measure the thickness. Record your findings.
- Assuming free fall, what is the acceleration of your textbook dropped from the height of your desk at the instant before it hits the floor?
- a) Drop your textbook and a sheet of paper both from the same height. Which has the greater acceleration. Explain why this is so. b) Now place the paper beneath the book and drop both. Do both fall at g? Explain why this is so? c) Place the paper on top of the book and drop both. Explain your observation! d) Crumple another piece of paper and drop it and an uncrumpled sheet of paper from the some height. Record and explain your observation.
- If your desk were high enough, what would the instantaneous speed of your book be after falling from rest 2.9 s? What is the distance your book would fall in 2.9 s?
- Place three or four coins of different masses flat on the edge of a table. Place a notebook or book flat on the table behind the coins so it is parallel to the edge of the table. Keeping the book parallel to the table, push the coins over the edge at the same time. Do this at least five times. Describe how they hit the floor. Does the way they hit the floor support Aristotle's view? Explain your answer.
- Give your book a push across your desk, and let go of the book as you do so. In light of which of Newton's Law does it stop?
- How much does your book weigh on the moon if its mass = 1622 g on earth?
Project 3:
Motion, Energy and Work- Make a vertical stack of several identical coins on a smooth table. Lay another such coin on the table several centimeters away. Hit this extra coin with your finger so that it slides across and hits the bottom of the stack. If your aim is good, what should happen? Explain in terms of conservation of momentum. What does happen? If there is a difference between what you predict should happen and what actually happens, then explain why this difference exists.
- Calculate the potential energy of an apple as it rests on your desk (mass of an apple is approximately 100 grams). Remember to incorporate and report the height of your desk. Use the metric system.
- How much work is done in lifting your apple the vertical distance from the floor to your desk (report the height of your desk)? How much work is done carrying your apple from your desk to the nearest door?
- Do an energy study of your falling apple: Which forms of energy does your apple possess a) at rest on your desk, b) in free fall, and c) on the floor?
- Imagine a tug-of-war between 5 males with their shoes removed and only socks on their feet on one side of the rope and on the other side of the rope 5 women with rubber-soled shoes. Predict which side would win and give the reasons why.
- Stretch a rubber band between your thumb and your forefinger. Which is pulling with greater force - the thumb or the finger? Increase the stretch. Is the thumb or the finger being pulled with more force? Explain the reasons that account for your observations.
- Hold a spoon in a stream of running. What do you observe? Describe the effect of the differences in pressure.
- Objects that have been in a room with the same temperature for some time should all have the same temperature. Touch metal, plastic, and wooden material in a room to sense their temperature. Explain your findings.
- At your desk, position your textbook about 10 cm apart from another book of approximately the same height. Lay a sheet of paper over the books to cover the space between them. Blow through the space under the paper. Describe and then explain your observation.
- Squeeze two ice cubes together in a towel and press them (in the towel) for several minutes. Then release pressure and carefully take a look at the ice cubes. What has happened? Explain the factors that account for the changes that you observe.
- Drop a tennis ball (or any other relatively new ball - report the type of ball that you use) on at least four different surfaces and measure the height of rebound relative to the initial height of the ball when it is dropped. Report your findings in an organized format, such as a table. What fraction of energy is lost to heat for each surface?
Project 4: Elements, Compounds and the Periodic Table
Imagine that you live in an area that is dependent on well water. Your well water has been contaminated with the following substances: Mercury, sodium chloride, benzene, methanol, soap, and acetic acid.- Identify each of these substances as an element or compound. For the compounds, classify each as “organic” or “inorganic”.
- Write the chemical formula of each compound and list the kind of bond between the atoms.
- Determine the total number of electrons, protons and neutrons in benzene.
- Write the chemical equation for the reaction between acetic acid and NaOH. Identify the products of the reaction by name.
- Describe how you could separate the sodium chloride from the water.
- List the substances that you consider toxic and describe the reasons why they are toxic.
- What effect will sodium chloride have on the boiling point of water?
- What effect will sodium chloride have on the freezing point of water?
- What happens to sodium chloride when it is dissolved in water?
Project 5: Choice of Radioactive Waste Storage Site
You are a member of a scientific advisory team that is tasked with finding a site in the world for the storage of all high-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants. Prepare a 3-4 page report in which you recommend a storage site. In your report:
- include the pros and cons of your choice of storage site from geologic, geographic, and climatic perspectives
- include information on volcanoes, earthquakes, future weather predictions, location, and mineral resources of the site to support your choice
- cite any references or resources that you used in the preparation of the report
Project 6: Chemistry and the Environment
In this project, you will explore the influence of chemistry on our environment by preparing a report for a high school class that is studying environmental chemistry. Compile a 2-3 page double-paced report in which you include the following topics:
- Describe what ozone is, where it is generated, and its role in the troposphere.
- Define the term acid rain and describe how it is generated.
- Define the greenhouse effect, the nature of the molecules involved, and how it affects weather patterns.
4. List some of the properties of water that make it essential for life. Describe how heavy metals, such as aluminum, cadmium and lead, can enter our water supply and why it is undesirable to have these metals in our water supply.
Course Schedule
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Week |
Required Coursework |
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Week 1 |
Read:
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Week 2 |
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Week 3 |
Read:
Due: Project 1 |
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Week 4 |
Read:
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Week 5 |
Read:
Submit: Project 2 |
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Week 6 |
Read:
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Week 7 |
Read:
Submit: Project 3 |
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Week 8 |
Read:
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Week 9 |
Read:
Submit: Project 4 |
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Week 10 |
Read:
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Week 11 |
Read:
Submit: Project 5 |
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Week 12 |
Read:
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Week 13 |
Read:
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Week 14 |
Read:
Submit: Project 6 |
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Week 15 |
Proctored Final Exam |
Additional Information
Cross Curricular Initiatives
UMUC has cross-curricular initiatives that must be met in every course. They are:
- effective writing
- competence in information technology
- historical perspectives
- international perspectives
- civic responsibility
- information literacy
Here is additional information about those initiatives from the UMUC Undergraduate catalog:
"Cross-curricular initiatives, promoted both by specific courses and by integration throughout all program, build the student's ability to analyze, synthesize, and integrate knowledge, perspectives, and techniques. The cross-curricular requirements in effective writing, competence in information technology, historical and international perspectives, civic responsibility, and information literacy ensure that students are able to:
- define problems, develop and articulate informed judgments, and think critically and systematically
- function in professional roles requiring an appreciation and understanding of the interdependency among all disciplines in the global workplace
- put learning in the context of historical events and achievements through time
- function responsibly as adult citizens of the world, engaging and negotiating different perspectives and exercising ethical judgment in their personal and professional lives"
Course Modules
Course modules are located on the CD.
Academic Policies
- Attendance: Individualized learning courses do not have class attendance. However, you have regular study and other assignments with deadlines.
- Contact Information: You are responsible for keeping your contact information current. This is necessary for receiving both your returned assignments and other information.
- Proctored Exams: A proctored final exam is required for successful completion of this course. UMUC will mail your exams directly to the education center you designated on your application. If you will not be in close proximity to that education center, the Exams Clerk will coordinate directly with your proctor.
It is your responsibility to schedule your final exam within the designated period according to the procedures at your education center.
Further questions on the exam process should be directed to the Distance Education Office or your education center.
- Course Load: One traditional face-2-face course, or 3 semester hours (s.h.), is considered a normal course load for a student who is fully employed. This course load will require at least six hours of class time per week and approximately 12 hours per week of additional out-of-class study time. Although there is no "face-2-face" class time with individualized learning courses, a student should expect approximately 9 to 12 hours per week of study time and additional time in preparing assignments for a 3 semester hour individualized learning course.
Students should carefully and realistically assess other commitments before registering for more than 6 s.h. a term. In no case may a student register for more than 9 s.h. a term without permission from the UMUC-Europe registrar in Heidelberg. Permission to register for more than 9 s.h. is based on demonstrated academic excellence at UMUC. A minimum grade point average of 3.5 and an enrollment history indicating success in carrying a heavier-than-average course load at UMUC are required.
- Academic Research: Learn more about academic research through UMUC at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/de/defacguide/academic-research.htm.
Grading Policies
The Mark of "I"
The mark of I (Incomplete) is exceptional. It is given only upon the request of a student whose work in a course has been satisfactory, and who is unable to complete the course because of illness or other circumstances beyond his or her control. In no case will the I be recorded for a student who has not completed the major portion (60%) of the work in the course. The student must consult with the instructor and present documentation substantiating the reasons for requesting the Incomplete.
The instructor makes the final decision concerning the granting of the Incomplete. When recording the Incomplete on the Final Grade Report, the instructor will state the quality of the student’s work to date, the requirements remaining, and the deadline – not to exceed six months – for completion of the work. If the student does not complete the requirements of the course within six months from the course end date, the student cannot thereafter make up the Incomplete. The mark of I will become terminal and subsequently may not be changed. An Incomplete not removed after six months is converted to the grade of F.
It is the responsibility of the student, not of the Education Center nor of UMUC, to arrange with the instructor for the assignment of and subsequent removal of an Incomplete. Students should realize that it is virtually impossible to remove an I after transfer out of the European Division. A student no longer in contact with the instructor who assigned the I should write to the instructor, c/o UMUC, Unit 29216, APO AE 09102, and the mail will be forwarded. An I cannot be removed by an X or W. A student who elects to repeat the course must register, pay the full fees, and repeat the entire course. In such cases, the mark of I for the first attempt is not changed if the course is repeated. For purposes of academic retention, the mark of I is counted as hours attempted. It is not used in determining grade point averages.
For Bowie State University graduate courses, an Incomplete not removed after one year is converted to the grade of F. For University of Maryland, College Park graduate courses, an Incomplete not removed after six months becomes terminal and subsequently may not be changed.
Mark of "W"
If for whatever reason a student is no longer able to participate in the class, the student should formally withdraw. When a student officially withdraws, a W is assigned. The W can be posted only when it is documented by an Application for Withdrawal (UMGR-003). For purposes of academic retention, the mark of W is counted as attempted hours. It is not used in determining grade point averages. Students that neglect to withdraw formally, may receive the grade of Fn (Failure for non-attendance).
Students in online distance education classes which span over two terms cannot withdraw after the Friday before the final week of the class. Additional information for students receiving VA educational benefits and financial aid can be found in the VA and Financial Aid sections of the Catalog.
Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty is failure to maintain academic integrity. It includes, but is not limited to, obtaining or giving aid on an examination, having unauthorized prior knowledge of an examination, doing work for another student, and plagiarism. Academic dishonesty can result in severe academic penalty, including failure in the course and/or dismissal from the institution.
Plagiarism is the presentation of another person’s idea or product as one’s own. Examples of plagiarism are: copying verbatim and without attribution all or part of another’s written work; using phrases, charts, figures, illustrations, computer programs, or mathematical or scientific solutions without citing the source; paraphrasing ideas, conclusions or research without citing the source; and using all or part of a literary plot, poem, film, musical score, computer program, or other artistic product without attributing the work to its creator.
Students can avoid unintentional plagiarism by carefully following accepted scholarly practices. Notes taken for papers and research projects should accurately record sources of material to be cited, quoted, paraphrased or summarized, and research or critical papers should acknowledge these sources in footnotes or by use of direct quotations.
UMUC provides an interactive Web-based tutorial on plagiarism through its online writing center called “How to Avoid Plagiarism” at http://www.umuc.edu/prog/ugp/ewp_writingcenter/modules/plagiarism/start.html