8.03  Physics III: Vibrations and Waves

Dear 8.03 Students,

In question 1.5 in Fall 2008 final
The solution had the blue and red spots reversed. That is, the red spot should be the one higher.
[The analysis is similar to what is done in problem 5 in practice problems for final exam.]

Good luck studying! And remember to get some sleep before the exam.

Chester

Dear 8.03 students,

1. There were a few mistakes in the solution to the practice problems for the final exam. The updated version is now on the web.

2. In Fall 2008 final exam, question 1.8 is concerned with lens (focal point), which is not covered this semester. Hence, you are not responsible for that question.

3. Some new notes on Babinet's principle is now on the web. While Babinet's principle is not on the exam, some of the problems that used the principle are still good practice problems for reviewing interference and diffraction.

4. The formula sheet for the final exam is also on the web.

5. If you haven't return the experiment kit, please contact Eli Sidman (esidman@mit.edu).

6. Please check your grades on the gradebook. If there is any discrepencies between the recorded score and the actual score, please visit/contact me (and bring the physical copies of your corresponding assignment/exam) so that I can change the grades for you.
By the way, don't worry about the fact that there is no grades for experiment kit; it's not meant to be.

7. I will be having extra office hours
- 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm tonight (Tue) at 8.320.
- 12:01 pm - 6 pm tomorrow (Wed) at 4-337D
- 8:30 pm - 10:30 pm tomorrow (Wed) evening at 4-237 (or 8-320)
- 10:30 am - 1:00pm Thursday at 4-337D for any last minute questions.

8. Good luck with your exams! And happy holidays!

Chester

Dear Students,

1. Practice Exams
I have posted the final exams from the two previous semesters. You can find them under the homework section in the course website.
Please understand that while these exams (together with the ones on OCW) are helpful resources, you should never have your exam preparation entirely based on them as emphasis can differ greatly from semesters to semesters.

2. Review Sessions
I. Professor Busza's review session: 7-9pm on December 10 (Thursday) at 4-370.
II. Chester's review session: 2-5pm on December 13 (Sunday) at 26-152.

While I cannot say so for Prof. Busza's review session (which I know would be fabulous), I have to make my usual disclaimer regarding my review session:
Please note that my review session is not a mandatory session. It is completely fine to skip my review session and study on your own. As a matter of fact, you should not rely on my review session alone for studying. The lectures, homeworks and other relevant course materials should be your primary guides to what to focus on in preparing for the actual exam.
(Don't worry about missing anything from my review session. I will email you all a copy of the review problems & solutions later in the week, after I go through them at my review session.)

3. My office hours tomorrow
Since Prof. Busza review session overlaps with my usual Thursday's office hours, I will be there at his review session answering questions, and we will continue on afterwards at my usual location.

Chester

Dear 8.03 students,

1, Our final exam will be taking place at Johnson Athletic Center at 1:30pm-4:30pm on December 17.

2. To help you prepare for the comprehensive final:

A. Professor Busza will be having an excellent review session on Thursday (December 10), at 7-9pm at 4-370.

B. A few sample exams from previous years will be posted in the afternoon today.

C. I will be running an additional review session, presumably over the weekend. I will let you know about the specifics once I get the room assignment. For those of you who were not in my 8.01/8.02 class in the previous years, my review session usually involves going over some problems that hopefully cover most concepts in the course (but by no means exhausive). If you have any particular topics that you want me to go over/emphasize at the review session, please send me a email to let me know.

D. Over the course of the next 8 days, I will be having some extra office hours. Once I get the room assignment, I will let you know about the time and location of the extra office hours in future emails. (Also, if you would like me to have an extra office hour at a specific time block, please send me a request as soon as possible so that I can make an arragnement for it).

Chester

Dear 8.03 students,

1. The lecture slide from last week lecture on Fresnel's equation is now on the web.

2. The solution to problem 2 in PSet 7 has a slight error in the unit vector for E and B. The correct version is now on the web.

Chester