8.02  Physics II

Hello all.  I was asked to send this to everyone in 8.02.  I know many sections are also running their own review sessions, and numerous office hours have been extended and added in these closing days. 

Sunday Tutoring: Sunday 5/16, 1-5 PM, 32-082
Last chance to have your questions answered by a professional!

Monday Final Exam: Monday 5/17, 9 AM - 12 Noon, Johnson Indoor Track inside the Z-Center
Best of luck to everyone!

My personal exam-taking advice:

1) Get a good night's sleep.  More important that you realize.
2) Don't drink too much coffee that morning. It will make you more jittery and nervous than you already are. I guarantee that you will be plenty awake once the exam begins.
3) Make yourself comfortable in the exam. Wear comfy clothes and bring along some water & a snack.
4) Go to the bathroom before hand.
5) If, during the exam, you find you need to go, just motion to the nearest proctor (a quick wave will do), and go to the bathroom.
6) If you find yourself really stressing out during the exam, get up and "go to the bathroom".  Take a minute.  Take a few deep breaths.  Get a drink of water.  Splash some water on your face.  Whatever you need to do to calm down a little bit.  Three hours is a long time, five minutes can make all the difference, and there will be plenty of time to finish.
7) Your first answer is probably your best answer.
8) Double check for algebra errors and other "obvious" problems, but try to resist the urge to re-do the entire question.  (See #7)
9) Answer everything - partial credit can go a long way!
10) Get a good night's sleep.  Really. 

Best of luck to everyone!

Eric Fitzgerald

It's our last full week of classes! Almost made it... 

This Thursday everning, May 6th, from 7-8:30 PM, I'll be leading the last math review of the term. The goal is to cover, briefly, all of the mathematical material we've seen in class. 

1) Coordinate systems: Cartesian, Cylindrical, Spherical
2) Derivatives and integration in these different coordinate systems
3) Surface & Line integrals
4) Vectors - the cross product
5) Differential Equations: Exponential, Harmonic Oscillator, the combination
6) Forced oscillations & phasors

Bring along any questions you have, and hope to see you there! 

Eric Fitzgerald

This week we are taking on RLC circuits, both free and driven.  The analysis behind the solutions is quite complicated, and during the math review this week we'll take a closer look at it. 

1) The simple harmonic oscillator.
2) Brief review of the exponential. 
3) Combine the two - the damped oscillator. 
4) Driving terms. 
5) Open Q&A. 

THURSDAY NIGHT ONLY, 4/15.  Due to low wednesday attendance (and a softball game), it will only be on thursday evening this week. 
7-8:30 PM
Stata Center TEAL room, 32-082. 

Eric

Before fleeing for Spring Break - let's think about the math behind the physics.  This week's math review will be a bit of a hodge-podge.  Here's an outline:

1) The cross-product.  Where did it come from?  What does it measure?  Why is it useful? 
2) Line Integrals.  Again?!?  Really?  They're back, and I'll show you how to fight them. 
3) Differential Equations.  A brief overview of the exponential from last week. 
4) Open Q&A.

These are all things that could be on the exam the week following the Break, so if you're feeling uneasy about them, this is a good opportunity to refresh your memory and ask questions. 

Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel.
Wed. & Thur. night from 7-8:30 in the Stata TEAL room. 

Eric Fitzgerald