phy211outline

Phy211 Materials Science
COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course serves as an introduction to the physical properties of materials. While the main focus of this course is on solid materials, properties of liquids and gases will also be presented at various points in the course - in particular in studying the thermal properties of materials and the phase changes from the solid to liquid state (melting/freezing) and from the liquid to gas state (evaportation/condensation). Students will study the properties of metals, ceramics, semiconductors, polymers, and composite materials. Topics include the mechanical, electrical, thermal, accoustic, optical, and magnetic properties of materials. The course includes an overview of the atomic theory of matter, the periodic table, the crystal structures of solids, and the metallurgy of steels and non-ferrous metals.

There is a strong lab component which inlcudes experiments to measure the tensile strength and modulus of elasticity of steel, the modulus of rigidity of a steel shaft, the flexure of a centrally loaded beam, the specific heat capacity and thermal coefficient of linear expansion of copper and aluminum, the electrical resistivity of metals and semiconductors, the photoelectric effect, the cooling curves of low melting point alloys, the index of refraction of optically transparent materials, and the heat treatment of steels. These topics are introduced and explored through a series of standard as well as microcomputer based labs (MBL) using PASCO's DataStudio software and the 750 Interface.

Prerequisites:
MTH 112 - Algebra and Trigonometry II or permission of instructor
PHY112 - Physics I or permission of instructor

Class Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 2 Credit Hours: 4

Instructor: Doyle V. Davis
OFFICE : Room 136
Phone: 603 752-1113 x1360

TEXTBOOK:
Engineering Materials Technology
4th edition by James Jacobs and Thomas Kilduff
Prentice-Hall, ISBN 0-13-014280-8

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

As a result of this course the student will be able to:

Understand the foundations of quantum theory and atomic structure plus use the periodic table to predict the general properties of the elements common to a particular row or column in the table.

Solve problems related to the mechanical, electrical, magnetic, thermal, and optical properties of materials including the calculation of stress, strain, shear, flexure, thermal expansion and conductivity, heat loss/gain, specific heat capacity, electrical conductivity, resistivity, and index of refraction of different materials.

Apply knowledge of the physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of different materials such as metals, plastics, ceramics, and composites to determine where each type can or can not be used in manufacturing processes.

Use various metallurgical instruments including hardness testers, tensile testing machines and optical microscopes to examine the microstructures of materials (metals in particular)

LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

Learning activities will include problem solving, use of spreadsheets to prepare charts and graphs of lab results, using PASCO Scientific's 750 interface and DataStudio software to explore properties of materials.

Students will learn to use MaterialTool^TM - A Selection Guide of Materials and Processes for Designers. This software catalogs over 1000 materials and manufacturing processes - all fully supported with clear text descriptions, images, animations, property tables, hyperlinks, and references.

ASSESSMENT PROCESS AND GRADING POLICY:

Homework/Short Quizzes
Short quizzes (usually less than 20 minutes) and homework assignments are given each week over the material covered the previous week. The purpose of each quiz and homework assignment is to determine if students understand the concepts, problem solving technique, and/or definitions which have been covered during the previous week.

At the end of the course, the lowest of the short quizzes/homework assignments is dropped before determining the average of the short quiz/homework assignment scores. The short quizzes are usually of the closed book type and include definitions of terms, multiple choice and/or problems to solve. The average of the homework assignments and short quizzes will count 15% of the total grade.

Chapter Tests
Tests are given over each chapter. These tests cover material in the textbook and lab activities plus any information given to the student in the form of handouts. They serve as a formative assessment of the student's current understanding of the material. Each test consists of a "closed book" part and an "open-book" part. The closed book part consists generally of definitions, multiple choice, and fill-in-the blank questions designed to test the conceptual understanding of the material presented in the lectures. The "open book" part of each test is designed to test the student's ability to solve problems. On the open book section of the exam, students may use their books and notes. Dates for the tests are given in the course timetable although these dates may be changed depending on outside factors such as inclement weather; illness; professional meetings, or other unanticipated factors.

The average of the chapter tests will count 25% of the total grade.

Lab Activities
Students will receive a grade for each lab completed. The grade on each lab is determined by several factors including answers to questions on the Lab Activity sheets, the quality of the spreadsheet presentation tables and graphs, and the accuracy of the results obtained in the experiment. Students have one week to complete a lab and return the answers to questions related to the lab activity.

No late lab reports will be accepted. The "lab average" will be calculated by computing the numerical average of the scores on all labs. This will count for 35% of the final grade.

Comprehensive Final Exam
A comprehensive examination will be given during the last full week of the course. (See course timetable.) The exam will cover all topics which have appeared on previous quizzes and chapter tests plus any material upon which students have not been tested since the last set of chapter tests. This final exam counts as 25% of the final grade. Students may use their books and notes on parts but not all of the final exam. The examination also includes questions related to the lab activities covered in the course.

Calculating the final numerical grade average:

Example: Suppose the average of the short quizzes a student has taken is 80 (after the lowest quiz is dropped). Since the short quiz average counts 10% of the grade, take 80 and multiply by 0.1. If the average of the chapter tests is 70, take 70 and multiply by 0.30 since the test average counts 30% of the grade, Now let's say the student has a 90 lab average. Since the lab counts for 35% of grade, take 90 and multiply by 0.35. Finally, let's suppose the student makes an 80 on the final exam. Since this counts for 25% of the grade, we multiply the 80 x 0.25.

The total points which have earned is therefore:

80(.10) + 70(0.30) + 90(0.35) + 80(0.25) =80.5 or 81

The total numerical average is 81 which is a letter grade of B-. A summary of the final numerical average and corresponding letter grade appears in the table below.

Final Average		Grade
>93		A
90-92		A-
87-89		B+
83-86		B
80-82		B-
77-79		C+
73-76		C
70-72		C-
67-69		D+
63-66		D
60-62		D-
0 - 59		F

The last day to drop this course is April 2, 2003.

SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS:

NO FOOD OR BEVERAGES ARE PERMITTED IN THE CLASS ROOM AND LABORATORIES !
Rooms 134 and 136 contain computers and electronics equipment which can be seriously damaged if exposed to liquids and food particles. There is also the potential risk of fire and/or electrocution if such equipment is accidentally short-circuited by spilled beverages and foods.

A scientific calculator is required. It is strongly recommended that you get a graphing calculator such as the TI-82, TI-83, TI-85 or TI-86 or equivalent.

Remember, it is important to seek help from the instructor immediately if you feel you are falling behind. Your instructor is available at normal office hours (posted on door) and at other times by special appointment.
Class Schedule for Prof. Davis

If you have a documented disability which may affect your performance in this course, please advise the instructor immediately so appropriate accommodations may be put in place. Accommodations may be arranged through the Disabilities Service Coordinator in room #106. Accommodations and assistive technology are available to students at no additional cost, and should be accessed at the beginning of each semester.

CLASS ATTENDANCE POLICY:

There is no makeup for late homework assignments or short quizzes, chapter tests or labs which you miss unless there are extreme circumstances which prevented your attendance. You will receive a zero on any assessment activity which you missed during your absence.
It is very important to attend all classes and the labs. The course meets only once each week and consists of two seventy-five minute back to back classes which combine lecture, demonstrations, and computer activities followed by two 50 minute blocks of lab.
If you miss three class meetings or two labs, you will be administratively withdrawn from the course and receive an AW grade on your transcript.

Missing more than 20 minutes of a class or lab without an excuse is considered an absence of that class.

Send E-Mail to Your Teacher

You can reach your instructor at ddavis@nhctc.edu. If you are viewing this course outline via a WWW browser and it has been configured to let you send email from within the browser, simply click on the email address above. Your message will be answered as quickly as possible.