PHYS 521 - SURVEY OF CLASSICAL PHYSICS

FALL 2009

Instructor: Prof. Wei Xie

Office: Room: 246, Physics Building
Phone: 765-494-8743
Email: wxie@purdue.edu
Office Hours: by appointment

Lecture Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 10:30-11:45am.

Lecture Room: Room 110, Physics Building

Teaching Assistant: Ms. Xiao-Ting Zhou

Office: Room 267, Physics Building
Phone: 765-494-5539
Email: zhou28@purdue.edu
Office Hours: by appointment

Textbooks:
Classical Dynamics of Particles & Systems (5th ed), by Thornton & Marion
Introduction to Electrodynamics (3rd ed), by David J. Griffiths
Reference:
o Introduction to Classical Mechanics With Problems and Solutions by
David Morin

Course Web: http://www.physics.purdue.edu/phys521/

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is intended for first-year graduate students in the Department of Physics. It
provides a survey of major topics in classical mechanics and electromagnetism. The
primary objective is to prepare beginning students for upper-level graduate courses.

HOMEWORK
There will be a problem set every week.
It will always be due on Thursdays before the lecture unless noticed otherwise.
No late homework will be accepted but it can be waived for valid reasons for that week.
You are encouraged to discuss home problems with other students but are not allowed to
copy others work.

EXAM
There will be two exams. The mid-term exam will cover Mechanics and will be held on
10/15/2009. The final exam will cover E&M and will be held during the final exam
week between 12/14/2008 and 12/19/2008.

GRADING POLICY
Subject to changes:
Homework 30%
90-100% A+
Attendance 10%
85-90% A
Mid-Term Exam 30%
80-85% A-
Final Exam 30%
75-80% B+
65-75% B
60-65%B-
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
In the event of a major campus emergency, course requirements, deadlines
and grading percentages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a
revised semester calendar or other circumstances. In such case, student will
be contacted by e-mail and an announcement will be made on the course
website.
Purdue's resource for Campus Emergency as well as pandemic influenza plan
is located at the following urls:
o http://www.itap.purdue.edu/tlt/faculty/
o http://www.purdue.edu/emergency_preparedness/pdf/Pan_Flu_Plan
_v2_-FINAL_15%20Dec%2008.pdf.
o http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm