Waves and Vibrations (PHYS3100)

Tu/Th 12:00pm -> 1:15pm Higgins - 23

Instructor: Prof. Ken Burch ([email protected]
Of ce Hour Tu: 10:00 → 11:00 am (Higgins 330n) & by appointment (zoom)

Grader Kewen Huang <[email protected]

Website: CANVA

I. Rationale and Goals:

The course uses the important and recurrent topics of oscillatory and wave phenomena to
introduce the more in-depth analysis and problem-solving techniques expected of physics
majors. The course also provides a basic introduction to the important mathematical topics of
complex numbers and analysis, differential equations, linear algebra, and Fourier analysis.

II. Required Backgroun

Students must have completed two semesters of college-level intro physics with calculus, and
have a working knowledge of algebra, trigonometry, differential and integral calculus

III. Course Readings:

Required text: Vibrations and Waves, G. C. King (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., 2009)

Suggested text: Vibrations and Waves, A. P. French (classic text on the subject)
Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences, Mary L. Boas
(excellent math reference, very useful for all your physics classes).

IV. Canvas (course website)

All information for the course will be posted at the Canvas course website.
Announcements, discussions, up to date syllabus, assignments and grades will be there.

V. Class Operations and Rules

1. Lectures will be recorded via Zoom and posted to CANVAS
2. Students Are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO WEAR MASKS TO CLASS
3. Students not feeling well or experiencing symptoms of CoVid-19 are required to stay home.
4. HW and EXAMS will be collected and returned via CANVAS assignments.

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VI. Evaluation (Scored out of 100%)

There is no strict curve; I anticipate the average will be in the B range
Homework 20% Problems are done individually, turned in via CANVAS (See below).
Laboratory 25% The lab is taught by Prof. Herczynski <[email protected]> and
Dr. Chandra <[email protected]>. They will provide details.
Tests (2) 30% Midterms will be Oct 13th and Dec 1st. DATES ARE SUBJECT TO
CHANGE. At least one week notice will be given if moved. Exams
will be closed book. The exams will have a conceptual component, but
will focus on problems similar to the homework. Calculators (non-
graphing) & 1 page of Handwritten notes allowed.
Final 25% December 16th, 12:30p
Calculators (non-graphing), 2 pages of Handwritten notes allowed

Extra 10% You can receive extra credit by posting a question or answer to the
Credit discussion board. For each question you will receive a 1% bonus,
while for each answer you will receive 2%, up to a total of 10%.
Missed Test No make-ups will be offered. Students who miss a test will have the
percentage moved equally to all the other tests in the course. (e.g.
missing a test makes the Final worth 36.67%).
Missed Students who miss the nal will automatically receive 0% unless it is
Final caused by extreme circumstances. A makeup exam will only be offered
if you have a signed letter from the dean explaining the
circumstances. Note that you still must inform me of the reason for
missing the exam at least 1 week AHEAD OF TIME.

VII. Communication Policy:

A. QUESTIONS THAT APPLY ONLY TO YOU: I am quite happy to respond to course-
related email inquiries THAT ONLY APPLY TO YOU. These should be sent directly to
my email address ([email protected]) and identify the course at the beginning of your
subject: “PHYS3100: question about an error in the score of my exam”

B. GENERAL QUESTIONS: Should be posted to the DISCUSSION BOARDS on

Canvas for all to see. They will ONLY be answered there. These can be in regards to
material covered in class, homework, tests, scheduling, etc… Feel free to answer each
others questions (Extra Credit - 1% per answer up to 5%).

C. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Class announcements (change in schedule, assignments, etc) will

be made via Canvas and email, please ensure your email is accurate there

VIII. Required Softwar

Zoom: Download Zoom and read about it here:

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http://cteresources.bc.edu/documentation/zoom/zoom-for-students-3/.
Lectures will be in-person (attendance not required), recorded and added to CANVAS
via Zoom. Students can ask questions privately to the professor with the chat or
participate remotely at: https://bccte.zoom.us/j/96567151370

CANVAS: You will need to install the CANVAS app on your phone for uploading
OR use a method to sync from your phone to your computer for uploading. Speci cally
you will use the “Assignments” to upload all your homework and tests. For more
information see: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Student-Guide/How-do-I-submit-
an-online-assignment/ta-p/503

PDF Scanning Software for your Phone: Homeworks and Tests will be
collected by uploading them to CANVAS. This will be done via the assignment. You will
need to either type the HW and output a PDF that you upload, or scan it via your
smartphone. You will need to upload your exams, when completed, using your phone.
(*NOTE YOU CAN UPLOAD PICTURES DIRECTLY VIA CANVAS APP*

Mathematica: We will make occasional use of the software Mathematica to

analyze more tedious or analytically insoluble problems. Students are expected to
download and install Mathematica (https://www.bc.edu/software/applications/research/
mathematica.html, or to use Mathematica on the BC server (http://www.bc.edu/of ces/
help/teaching/app_server.html). No formal instruction will be given, but problems and
exercises will mirror example calculations carried out by the instructor. Students familiar
with similar software packages, e.g., MatLab, are of course free to use those instead

IX. Accommodations
If you are a student seeking reasonable accommodations in this course, please contact
Kathy Duggan, (617) 552-8093, [email protected], at the Connors Family Learning Center
regarding learning disabilities and ADHD, or Paulette Durrett, (617) 552-3470,
[email protected], in the Disability Services Of ce regarding all other types of disabilities,
including temporary ones. Advance notice and documentation are required for accommodations

If you are feeling stressed, having challenges managing your time, sleep, or making
choices around alcohol and food, the Of ce of Health Promotion offers Wellness Coaching
appointments. Please reach out by going to the OHP website to schedule a virtual meeting with a
staff member and Wellness Coach and for health and wellness information

X. Academic Integrit
You are encouraged to discuss concepts, and solve problems together. This will help
you to discern what you do not understand and practice a fundamental tool for physicists:
collaboration. Nonetheless, to respect the achievements of all students, you are expected to
submit work performed only by you, and will disciplined for violations of the BC guidelines on
academic integrity (www.bc.edu/integrity). Cheating on any tests will result in a Zero.

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XI. Course Outline

Week/Lecture Chapter
1 (8/30) 1 Introduction to simple harmonic motion

2 (9/6) 1,2 Simple harmonic motion (con’t), damped harmonic motion

Sept.6th Labor Day Holiday
Sept 8th - Last date for Drop, Add, declare pass/fail
No Class Sept 9th - Official BC religious function
3 (9/13) 2 Damped Harmonic Motion, Complex Numbers

4 (9/20) 3 Forced oscillations, ordinary differential equations

5 (9/27) 3 Forced oscillations, ordinary differential equations (con’t)

Oct 1st - Last Date to Drop in Associate Dean’s Office
6 (10/4) 4 Coupled oscillators, Linear algebra

7 (10/11) 4 Linear algebra (con’t)

Oct.11th Indigenous People’s Holiday
Oct.12th No Class - Monday Schedule
8 (10/18) 5 Traveling waves and superposition
Oct 21st Midterm
9 (10/25) 5 Travelling waves and superposition (con’t)

10 (11/1) 6 Standing waves and Fourier analysis

11 (11/8) 6 Standing waves and Fourier analysis (con’t)

12 (11/15) 7 Interference and diffraction of waves

13 (11/22) 7 Dispersion of waves

Nov.24th-26th Thanksgiving Holiday
14 (11/29) 8 Dispersion of waves (con’t)
Nov 29th - Last day to withdraw from the course.
Nov30th - Midterm II
15 (12/6) 8 A Warm Up for Quantum