Re: Introductory Undergraduate Physics Sequence

[Richard Tarara <rtarara@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

When I was teaching our combined Chem/Bio physics sequence, I offered some
special review sessions for those taking MCATs.  What I discovered was that
the NUMBER ONE skill necessary for students to perform well was the ability
to READ (with some emphasis on reading 'technical' material).  The bulk of
the MCAT physics questions can be answered using simple logic and a careful
reading of the passages with maybe 20% of the questions requiring a little
physics knowledge--things like v(wave) = frequency x wavelength or I = V/R.
These physics tidbits however, can come from anywhere in the 'standard'
curriculum (as defined by any of the encyclopedic algebra-based texts).  The
other problem I discovered was that only 20% of the students were reasonably
skilled at the kind of READING needed.  Some of the students who were doing
very well in the course could not answer the questions, and when I started
having them read the passage twice and then asked for summaries of what the
passage said, it was clear that these students could not read such material
with any appreciable level of comprehension.  Those few students with GOOD
reading skills did better than their performance in the physics course would
have predicted.

Rick Tarara

*******************************************************
Richard W. Tarara
Department of Chemistry & Physics
Notre Dame, IN 46556
219-284-4664
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

FREE Physics Educational Software
Available for Download

see:  www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/ for details

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----- Original Message -----
From: Samuel Held <Held@RHIP.PHYS.UTK.EDU>
To: <PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 1999 11:46 AM
Subject: Re: Introductory Undergraduate Physics Sequence


> I will chime here because I teach MCAT review of Physics and see the
> materials they are tested over.  Since most algebra based courses are
> geared twoard pre-med this seems appropriate.  Also, the comment on med
> schools now requiring calculus based physics has at least not trickled
> down to the College of Arts and Sciences at different universities or to
> the MCAT writers who just revamped their set of things to know for the
> test.
>         I will sketch the curriculum I teach but remember this is not so
> much content review and teaching the test.  As for kinematics, it is
> mostly one-D and very little 2-D. There is Force but again not too much.
> Quick reviews of centripetal, gravity, and bouyant forces.  Momentum and
> types of collisions, and energy and work round out classical review.
> The second review class includes thermal expansion, thermodynamics laws,
> pressure, fluid dynamics, and stress and strain.  There is also
> electrostatics and AC and DC circuits.  The thrid class has
> magnetostatics, springs, pendulums, modern physics (mostly just
> photoelectric), nuclear decay, simple optics with lenses (not sure about
> mirrors), and refraction (pretty sure no diffraction - maybe just the
> concept - no numbers).  That pretty much is it.  If you can cover this
> in two semesters with the mile wide/ inch deep, it will probably not
> matter to the students as long as you keep current on the topics on the
> MCAT.  Besides, they need a good grade in physics to separate them from
> the other med school applicants whose GPA took a dive due to physics.
> As the joke goes, physics saves lives by keeping the stupid ones out of
> med school.
>         Also, the MCAT even in the physical science portion (gen. chem
> and physics) it is mostly verbal reasoning.  It is the most forgiving of
> all sections in terms of grade given per number wrong.  However, as I
> said, the trouble is reading the problems and the answers.  It is
> concept heavy and the words matter especially then.  Just some info to
> help you make your decision and justify it.
>
>
> Sam Held