Prerequisites
We expect you to have successfully completed intro classes in bio, chem, and math.
- One year of college biology (BSCI 105 and 106 or the equivalent)
- One semester of college chemistry (CHEM 131 or the equivalent)
- One year of college math (MATH 130 and 131 or the equivalent -- calculus and an introduction to probability)
We expect you to know the basics, not all the details -- what a cell is and its structure, how evolution works, what a chemical bond is, etc. You will be expected to bring your knowledge from these classes into our class and, on occassion, to share it.
What do I need to buy?
All our materials are online on the open web. You will only need to buy an online access program that we will use for our in-class activities and an program where you will do your homework.
- TopHat -- This is the online app that will give you
access to our in-class activities.
Using this repquires a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. If you don't
have any of those, see you instructor for an accomodation. TopHat will
be contacting you with instructions through the email you used to register
for classes. You can expect this to cost between $25-35 for each semester
but there is a 7-day free starting period. The join codes are
- Eichenlaub: PHYS131 Section 010x:
Join code: 348061 - Redish: PHYS131 Section 020x:
Join code: 823604
- Eichenlaub: PHYS131 Section 010x:
- WebAssign -- This is the online lap that you will use to do most
of our homework problems. (There is one problem per week to be done
on paper.) You can expect it to cost about $35 for each semester.
For instructions on how to purchase this, go to the page https://www.cengagebrain.com/shop/isbn/9781337793070.
- When you register for WebAssign, please use your last name followed by your first and middle (if you have one) initials. So "Lady Gaga" would use GagaL. Please spell your name the same way it appears in ELMS, except if you have punctuation in your name (e.g. O'Malley), please spell it without the punctuation (e.g. OMalley). This will help make sure that your points get properly transferred from WebAssign to ELMS.
- The Institution Code is "umd" and the Class Keys
are eight-digit codes.Be sure to sign up for the right sections!
- Eichenlaub: PHYS131 Section 010x:
Class key: 204 6332 - Redish: PHYS131 Section 020x:
Class key: 561 0753
- Eichenlaub: PHYS131 Section 010x:
- What about a text? -- Although we are trying to keep costs down for you by using an online text, some people prefer paper. Our text is offered in an optional printed version through XanEdu. (Though you won't get the links and videos connected to the text if you use paper.)
- What about a lab manual? -- The recitation and lab worksheetsare online at our lab page. You will need to print them out before coming to recitation and lab each week.
What else do I need?
- A Spreadsheet -- Some of our homework and lab activities
require a spreadsheet
to do repetitive calculations. You can use Excel, OpenOffice,
or the spreadsheet available at Google Docs (http://docs.google.com/).
To use Google Docs, you need to have a free Google account
(a free Gmail account will work.)
- If you are unfamiliar
with spreadsheets, there are good tutorials on the web.
Here are some that look particularly appropriate. Many others are
easily found by putting "Excel
tutorial" into
your favorite search engine. We
will do our own training on Excel in the first lab.
- If you are unfamiliar
with spreadsheets, there are good tutorials on the web.
Here are some that look particularly appropriate. Many others are
easily found by putting "Excel
tutorial" into
your favorite search engine. We
will do our own training on Excel in the first lab.
- A Video Analysis Program -- In the lab, you will learn how to use ImageJ to quantitatively analyze images and videos. . We will help you install this in the laboratory period during the second week of the term.
