Department of Physics, University of Utah

REPRESENTATIVE TEXTBOOK

Physics, Cutnell & Johnson, 4th edition
 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This is the second semester of a two semester series designed primarily for people majoring in the health sciences (premeds, predental, pre-physical yherapy, etc) or architecture. It is algebra and trigonometry based although some illustrations include calculus for the enrichment of those who have had it. Calculus is NOT required and is NEVER needed for homework or exams, however it is often useful in aiding the understanding of the concepts. The topics covered include: sound, waves, electricity and magnetism, optics, atomic and nuclear physics, and relativity.

As in any course one takes it is important to ask the fundamental purpose of the endeavor. In this case the answer is: to learn analytic thinking skills, cause and effect, deductive logic, and to attain a sufficient grasp of fundamental physical concepts to do well on professional exams such as the MCAT. The basic point is that the contribution of the study of Physics to the health and architecture fields is not so much the mastery of a variety of physical concepts (although this is important and will be acheived in this course) as the development of analytic thinking skills. While many of the concepts learned will be quickly forgotten and seldom if ever used, the thinking skills will benefit the student for his or her entire life regardless of the field ultimately chosen. The graduates of this course do entremely well on their professional exams, not because they learned more physics than their competitors but because they acquired better thinking skills.
 

CO-REQUISITE

College Algebra and Trigonometry
 

OTHER COMMENTS

None