Monday, April 26, 2010

Things covered on the final

Sections from the text on the final exam:
1.3 Special Relativity

2.1 Quantum Hypothesis
2.2 Photoelectric
2.3 Photons
2.4 Mechanics of Minute Particles
2.5 Additional problems

3.1 Structure of the Atom
3.2 Bohr Model
3.3 QM Model of the Atom
3.4 Spin
3.5 Additional problems

6.1 The Laser
6.4.1-5,7 Conduction in Solids, Semiconductors

Topics NOT on the final exam
  • Anything not covered in the text
  • Molecules & Bonding
  • Periodic Solids (Kronig-Penney model, effective mass, etc)
  • Semiconducting devices
Things definitely on the final
  • Anything I bothered to put on an exam
  • Anything I bothered to put on a homework set
Format, etc.
  • When in doubt, the level of depth of the textbook is what you should assume; I tend to include extra material.
  • You can bring in 2 sheets, front & back sides, and a calculator.
  • I'll provide a compilation formula sheet, largely just the formula sheets from the first two exams pasted together.
  • I will probably not finish the formula sheet in time to give you a copy; use those from the first two exams as a guide.
  • Do not forget your calculator. Seriously.
  • The final is at 8am on Tuesday in our usual room. Do not oversleep. Use the buddy system to wake each other up. Make sure someone else has your cell number just in case.
  • The format will be like the other exams, but more so: 10 or 12 problems, you'll have to do 5-6 of them.
  • There will be some sample problems, hopefully today. In the mean time: study the homework & exams, and the problems at the end of each section in the book.
  • Exam II solutions will be out later this week, the exact date & time is yet unpredictable.
  • The final exam grading will take me about 2 days.

7 comments:

  1. how many sample problems are you giving out and are you gonna give us the solutions for them?

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  2. Depends on how little I can get by sleeping over the next few day, honestly.

    Probably about 10-12 sample problems, all with answers, and at least sketched solutions for most of them.

    In addition, I'll list some problems from the text that are worth looking at, they already have answers at least.

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  3. Actually, it will probably be more like 30 sample problems of a shorter variety, now that I'm further along making them.

    Will post the first batch soon.

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  4. 2 formula sheets or 3? i thought you said one per test and one more for the final at the beginning of the semester.

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  5. Want us to buy you coffee or sugared food?

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  6. Hah, I'll make it, I consume too much coffee as it is ...

    When I said "one on each test and one more for the final" I meant that on the normal exams you get one sheet, and on the final you get one more than on a normal exam, for a total of two sheets. That's two sheets front and back, though, which is a considerable amount of space.

    Also, it is of course a trap. You'll already have all the formulas you really need on the test ... focus on practice problems & understanding the HW/exam problems, rather than trying to cram everything onto your cheat sheets. That is, learn the methods, not the details.

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