Instructional Web Page for Andrew Tomasch
Physics 240 Winter 2006

I'm Dr. Andrew Tomasch. I've been a member of the Department of Physics since 1988. For most of that time I have conducted research into cosmic antimatter (antiprotons and positrons) with experiments flown aboard high-altitude balloons. I also very much enjoy teaching undergraduate physics, and am currently a Lecturer in the Physics Department.

Click Here for a copy of my academic CV

Throughout the semester I will post notes and other items intended to supplement your course work on this site. Please contact me with any problems or questions: atomasch@umich.edu

Andrew Tomasch
Discussion Section Instructor
369 West Hall
(734)-936-2959
atomasch@umich.edu

Physics 240 Discussion Sections 007, 008, 009, 016, 018
Physics 241 Lab Section 042

Physics 241 Lab students can click here for course announcements and information.

Here is my schedule for the Winter 2006 Semester

Our discussion sections will run on the following timeline, where we first discuss the current material and then work problems in groups. The last ten minutes of class are devoted to presentations. Each class, four chosen groups will present their problem at the blackboard, so everybody will see the solutions for all the problems.

Here is a link to the Physics Help Room, located in 1416 Randall Laboratory. Help is available from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Wednesday and from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Friday. I hold my office hours in the Help Room on Tuesday and Thursday from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. The help room is an excellent resource to help you complete your assignments and become proficient at solving physics problems.

Special Event: HEAT Lab
Open House

Friday March 31, 2006
12:00-2:00 pm
Room 1288 Randall Lab

Click Here for More Information

Stop by and see the High Energy Antimatter Telescope (HEAT) experiment. HEAT is a magnet spectrometer which flew multiple times lofted by a 40 million cubic foot balloon to 120,000 feet above the earth to study antimatter in the cosmic rays. Many of the concepts we are studying, both electrostatic and magnetic, are put to practical use aboard the HEAT experiment.

From the Physics help room walk to the end of the hall and down a half flight of stairs and turn right. 1288 is at the end of the hall.

Announcements

I have posted two practice final exams under the practice exam section. There are final exams from Fall 2003 and Fall 2005, with and without solutions.

I have posted the last of our discussion notes for the semester. The first set is for Monday April 10 and covers Electromagnetic waves. The second set covers reflection, refraction, dispersion and polarization. We will begin to discuss these topics on Wednesday April 12 and finish on Monday April 17. The problems for Wednesday April 12 are also from Chapter 32 on Electromagnetic waves, and are covered in the April 10 notes. The notes for Wednesday April 12 also include the problem assignments for Monday April 17.

Discussion Notes

These notes summarize the topics we will discuss in class before working problems. Additionally, the problem assignment for your group is also included.

Discussion Note #1: Electric Charge, Conductors and Insulators (1/9/06)

Discussion Note #2: Coulomb's Law (1/11/06)

Discussion Note #3: Charge Densities (1/16/06)

Discussion Note #4: Electric Fields and Electric Field Lines (1/18/06)

Discussion Note#5: Gauss' Law (1/23/06)

Discussion Note#6: Gauss' Law Part II (1/23/06)

Discussion Note #7: Electric Potential Energy and the Electric Potential (1/25/06)

Discussion Note #8: Electrostatic Potential II: A Simple Boundary Value Problem (1/30/06)

Discussion Note #9:Capacitance and Capacitors (2/1/06)

Discussion Note #10: Dielectrics and Polarization Induced Surface Charge (2/6/06)

Discussion Note #11: Current, Resistance and Ohm's Law (2/08/05)

Discussion Note#12: Capacitors and Resistors in Series and Parallel (2/13/06)

Discussion Note #13: Kirchoff's Rules (2/15/06)

Discussion Note #14: RC Circuits (2/20/06)

Discussion Note #15: Charging a Capacitor (2/20/06)

Discussion Note #16: Magnetic Forces on Moving Charges (2/22/06)

Discussion Note #17: Magnet Spectrometers (2/22/06)

Discussion Note #18: Magnetic Forces and Torques on Current Carrying Conductors (3/6/06)

Discussion Note #19: Magnetic Fields From Moving Charges and Currents I (3/13/06)

Discussion Note #20: Magnetic Fields From Currents II: Ampere's Law (3/15/06)

Discussion Note #21: Faraday's Law (3/20/06)

Discussion Note #22: Motion Induced EMF (3/20/06)

Discussion Note #23: The Sign Convention for EMFs (3/22/06)

Discussion Note #24: The Displacement Current and Maxwell's Equations (3/22/06)

Discussion Note #25: Mutual and Self Inductance (3/27/06)

Discussion Note #26: Kirchoff Circuit Elements/Charging and
Discharging Inductors and Capacitors (LR and LC Circuits) (3/27/06)

Discussion Note #27: LC and LRC Circuits (3/29/06)

Discussion Note #28: Deriving Equivalent Values for Series/Parallel
Resistors, Capacitors and Inductors (3/29/06)

Discussion Note #29: Reactance, Impedance and Phasors (4/3/05)

Discussion Note #30: Impedance and Power in AC Circuits (4/5/06)

Discussion Note#31: Electromagnetic Waves (4/10/06)

Discussion Note #32: Reflection, Refraction, Dispersion and Polarization (4/12/06 and 4/17/06)

Blackboard Notes

Some of you have asked if I could put the notes for my blackboard presentations online. Below are scans of my quick pre-class notes, which I write as an exercise to focus my thoughts on the day's topic for discussion. I often add considerable additional content while at the blackboard, so these are not complete and are not a substitute for taking notes in class. I will scan and post these as time permits, but the "Discussion Notes" should be your primary supplemental study aid.

Coulomb's Law and Components of Force (1/09/06)

Charge Densities (1/16/06)

Electric Fields and Field Lines (1/18/06)

Gauss' Law (1/23/06)

Electrostatic Potential (1/25/06)

Capacitance and Capacitors (2/01/06)

Dielectrics and Induced Surface Charge (2/06/06)

Current Density, Current and Ohm's Law (2/08/06)

Gauss' Law for B-Forces on Currents (3/06/06)

Hall Effect (Solution to problem #7, practice exam #2) (3/08/06)

Problem Solutions

I will ocassionally post solutions for problems which generate a lot of questions and discussion.

Problem 21.62 (1/18/06)

Problem 22.30 (1/18/06)

Problem 22.38 (1/23/06)

Problem 22.44 (1/23/06)

Problem 26.22 (2/15/06)

Problem 29.52 (3/24/06)

Practice Exams

Here are past exams, with solutions, to aid you in studying for your midterms. The files are PDF format.

Fall 2003 Exam #1 (Without Solutions)

Fall 2005 Exam #1 (Without Solutions)

Fall 2003 Exam #1 (With Solutions)

Fall 2005 Exam #1 (With Solutions)

Fall 2003 Exam #2 (Without Solutions)

Fall 2003 Exam #2 (With Solutions)

Fall 2005 Exam #2 (Without Solutions)

Fall 2005 Exam #2 (With Solutions)

Fall 2003 Exam #3 (Without Solutions)

Fall 2003 Exam #3 (With Solutions)

Fall 2005 Exam #3 (Without Solutions)

Fall 2005 Exam #3 (With Solutions)

Fall 2003 Final Exam (Without Solutions)

Fall 2003 Final Exam (With Solutions)

Fall 2005 Final Exam (Without Solutions)

Fall 2005 Final Exam (With Solutions)

Review Sessions

Our review sessions for the final exam will be:

Wednesday April 19, 2006
10:00 am—Noon
Room 296 Dennison

and

Thursday April 20, 2006
Noon—4:00 pm
Physics Help Room

I have scheduled review sessions for the Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon before each exam. Additionally I have scheduled a session for the final exam the morning of Wednesday April 19, 2006. All Wednesday evening sessions and the final exam session are in room 296 Dennison Hall. The Thursday afternoon sessions are in the Physics Help Room. Click here for a schedule.

Last Updated 4/12/06