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Doane College Course Description

Doane College offers an algebra-based introductory physics course sequence as service courses for non-physics majors, primarily biology and pre-health majors. We teach the courses in a "workshop" format (WP Web Site) where students develop physics concepts primarily through structured activities and collaborative problem-solving, rather than by listening to lectures. Students attend two-hour class sessions three times each week. We use a traditional algebra-based textbook, College Physics by Young & Geller, with a web-based homework system (MasteringPhysics) supplemented by assignments that explicitly support the HPP activities done in class.

The syllabi and topic outlines for the two course sequence are available here:

PHY 107 Introductory Physics 1: syllabus , outline

PHY 108 Introductory Physics 2: syllabus , outline

The class activities done by students are selected from the HPP Library. The specific ones we do and their sequencing is shown below.

Physics 107

Title
 Physics Topics Human Applications Student Guide Details
Modeling Human Walking: Distance and Time
position versus time
Introduction to human gait analysis

Modeling Human Walking: Velocity and Time
velocity versus time
Introduction to human gait analysis
Modeling Human Walking:
Position and Velocity Graphs
 relationship between position-time and velocity-time graphs
human gait analysis
Modeling Human Walking: Velocity and Acceleration Graphs
introduce acceleration
human gait analysis
Modeling Human Walking: Measuring Acceleration
define average acceleration
gait analysis
Estimating Instantaneous Velocity and Acceleration from
Data
define and estimate instantaneous velocity and acceleration
  
You're really hip
2-dimensional kinematics
walking gait
The Jumping Human: Projectile Motion
projectile motion
human jumping

North by Northwest: An Introduction to Vectors
vectors and scalars
  
This is a pain in the neck: Newton's 1st Law
Newton's 1st Law
Neck injuries in car accidents
May the force be with you: Newton's 2nd Law
Newton's 2nd law
Estimating forces involved in pushing people
Push-me, Pull-you: Newton’s Third Law
Newton's 3rd law
interactions involved in pushing and pulling people
Slipping and Sliding with Shoes (workshop format)
Friction forces
Forces involved in walking; stride length
Relating Linear and Angular Kinematics
angular kinematics
joint rotations
Torque
lever arm and torque
calculate torques on limbs
Center of Mass
define center of mass
center of mass shifts in human body
Static Equilibrium
conditions for equilibrium
estimate bicep and tricep muscle forces

This is a lot of work

definition of work for constant force

scale of work done by human
What's your potential?
gravitational potential energy
renewable energy

Let's get moving

kinetic energy, work-energy theorem

force and work involved in a shot put

Some Things Never Change

conservation of mechanical energy

energetics of pole vault
Horsing Around: Defining Power
power
human power production
MS Word
html
Putting the Shot
work with position-dependent forces
energetics of throwing objects
MS Word
html
What a drag!
work-energy with non-conservative forces
scale of work done by humans
MS Word
html

Can you take the pressure?
Define pressure
Observe effect of body position on blood ressure
Pressure in a Fluid

definine a fluid,
Pascal's law,
pressure vs depth,
measuring pressure
blood pressure variation in the body
Can you float?
buoyant force,
Archimedes' principle,
sinking and floating
sinking and floating
What is blood doing in our bodies?
equation of continuity
human circulatory system
Is blood pressure the same everywhere in your body?
Bernouli's theorem
human circulatory system
Modeling Your Circulatory System
Poisueille's equation, viscosity
human circulatory system

Physics 108

Title
 Physics Topics Human Applications Student Guide Details
Where are sounds produced?
distinguish between pitch, loudness, and timbre
introduce the human vocal system
Describing what the larynx does
SHM, Hooke's law
model human vocal fold motion
What does the larynx actually produce that we can hear?
mechanical waves, sound waves
Human vocal system
Periodic Waves
periodic wave vocabulary, speed/freq/wavel relationship
Human vocal system
How does the larynx produce a pressure wave?
Bernoulli's equation, equation of continuity, sound waves
Human vocal system
What frequencies does the larynx produce?
FFT's, standing waves
Human vocal system
What is the speed of sound?
determinants of sound speed
Human vocal system
Can you hear me?
sound intensity, decibel scale
hearing
If it sounds like a duck...
Practice using standing wave concept
Gain understanding of characterizing speech with formants
You’ll get a charge out of this
2 charge model, Inductive charging
Coulomb's Law
develop Coulomb's law
Electric Fields
Define electric field,
Draw field lines
cell membranes
Electric Energy and Electric Potential
define electric potential, equipotential surface
electrical behavior of the heart
The Electrical Potentials of the Heart
application of electrical potential
EKG, cardiology
Capacitors
define capacitance,
parallel plate capacitors
cell membrane potentials
Electric Circuits
conductors and insulators,
closed circuit concept
nervous system
Direct Current Circuits
series and parallel resistance,
define electric current,
relate current and resistance in a circuit,
power use in a circuit element,
short circuit
Bioelectromagnetism: Ohm’s Law
develop Ohm's law
nervous system
The Nerve as a Capacitor
RC circuits
develop capacitor model of neuron
neuron
Magnetic Fields and Forces
describe magnetic fields in permanent mag. materials
describe fields produced by current loops
define magnetic force on a charge
MRI
Magnetic Torque
torque on current loop
electric motor
Faraday's Law
Faraday's Law, Lenz's Law

This table is incomplete.

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