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HomeAcademicsSchool of SciencesPhysicsComputer Assisted Homework
Contact Information
Dr. John Varriano
Chair and co-author
Physics Department
(901)321-3439
Dr. Johnny B. Holmes
Professor & co-author
Physics Department
(901)321-3448

Computer-Assisted Homework for Physics (CAHP)
Contents of this page:
Directions for Running the Programs
Wide-Screen Monitor Users - info
Vista Users - info
Description
List of Programs
Download Free Copies (for general public)
Download Free Copies (for CBU students)
Directions for running the programs

Once you have the *.exe files, you can open a volume in Windows using the Run command or you can create icons for the volumes and open a particular volume by double clicking its icon.

The computer will grade and record the score each time a program is run. The scores are stored in a file called stres.dat. This file will collect all of the scores until it is read and cleared by your instructor.

Wide-screen Monitor Users!

If you are using a wide-screen monitor, please make sure you set the screen area so that the ratio is 1.33 before you run a program. You can do this by choosing either a 1024x768 or 800x600 screen area. If you don't know how to do this, follow the directions below.
  1. Right click on the desk top.
  2. Click on "Properties".
  3. Click on "Settings".
  4. Adjust the screen area slider to one of the above settings.
When you are done running the programs, you can set the area back to its normal setting.

Vista Users!

If you are running the Windows Vista operating system, some of the programs may not run properly becasue of Vista's incompatibility with DOS. To correct the problem, you can download a free DOS emulator and run the programs in the emulator. Click here to get a Word document with instructions.
If you have any questions or comments regarding the computer programs, please contact:
John Varriano Johnny Holmes
E-mail: jvarrian@cbu.edu jholmes@cbu.edu
Phone: 901-321-3439 901-321-3448
Mail: Christian Brothers University (CBU)
650 East Parkway South
Memphis, TN 38104		 Christian Brothers University (CBU)
650 East Parkway South
Memphis, TN 38104

Description

The computer assisted homework consists of over 40 individual assignments for the introductory sequence of college physics courses. Each of these individual assignments contains several problems that relate to one or more fundamental principles. Where appropriate, the programs use diagrams, animation, sound, and simulations based on numerical methods.

When wrong answers are entered, most programs show how to do the problem correctly. Scores are recorded by the computer so that the assignments can be used for grading purposes if desired. Programs may be run more than once (until a perfect score is attained) since a random number generator changes the values in a problem or the problem type the next time through the program.

At CBU, the student may do these assignments on the campus network or on a personal PC with the results e-mailed in an encrypted data file.

The programs were written by Dr. Johnny Holmes and Dr. John Varriano using TrueBasic. They are fully executable DOS programs (*.exe). No additional software is necessary.

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List of Programs

The programs are grouped into the following seven volumes. The list of programs on each volume can be viewed by clicking on the volume number. Static screen images from programs can be viewed for those programs that are highlighted in the volume lists.

Vol. 0: Review of Mathematics
Vol. 1: Motion and Newton's Laws Vol. 2: Energy and Rotations
Vol. 3: Electricity and Magnetism I Vol. 4: Electricity and Magnetism II
Vol. 5: Light Vol. 6: Relativity and Radioactivity

You may obtain these programs for free, provided you fill out a short form.

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Volume 0 : Review of Mathematics
  1. Relations (relating quantities graphically)
  2. Linear Equations (plotting and solving)
  3. Simultaneous Equations (solving systems of linear equations)
  4. Quadratic Equations (plotting and solving)
  5. Exponentials (plotting and solving)
  6. Logarithms (plotting and solving)

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Volume 1 : Motion and Newton's Laws
  1. Conversions (converting from one system of units to another)
  2. Vector Addition
  3. Motion Graphs (using graphs to describe motion)
  4. Acceleration Due to Gravity (using graphs to describe objects falling
    with and without air resistance)
  5. Gravitational Deflection (using projectile motion to hit a target)
  6. Newton's Second Law (predicting motion by analyzing forces)
  7. Circular Motion and Satellites
  8. Projectiles (How constant is gravity?)
  9. Gravity (orbits due to gravity - simulations)
  10. Planetary Orbits (shows sidereal and synodic periods, shows retrograde
    motion explained using helio-centric theory)

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Volume 2 : Energy and Rotations
  1. Energy and Power (conservation of energy with kinetic, gravity and friction; power related to energy and force)
  2. Trolley/Sled (accelerate and decelerate a trolley [constant power] vs.
    accelerating and decelerating a sled [constant thrust])
  3. Moonlanding (initially in orbit, control amount and direction of rocket
    thrust to land on the moon)
  4. Introduction to Torque
  5. Statics and Torque
  6. Rotational Kinetics (questions on rotational motion)
  7. Rotational Dynamics (relate forces to rotational motion)
  8. Pressure and Fluids (pressure, force, density, fluid flow, viscosity)
  9. Heat (practical problems involving heat capacity and thermal radiation)
  10. Waves and the Doppler Effect

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Volume 3 : Electricity & Magnetism I
  1. Electric Fields (find electric field due to several charges)
  2. Gauss' Law (find electric field due to spheres, cylinders, and plates)
  3. Equipotentials (relate voltage to charges, electric field, and energy)
  4. Electric Deflection (similar to gravitational deflection but this time
    using electric instead of gravitational fields)
  5. Capacitors (relations between charge, capacitance, voltage, and energy;
    series and parallel combinations)
  6. Resistors (relations between current, resistance, voltage, and power;
    series and parallel combinations)

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Volume 4 : Electricity & Magnetism II
  1. Magnetic Deflection (similar to gravitational and electric deflection
    but this time using magnetic fields)
  2. Magnetic Fields (calculate magnetic fields due to several currents)
  3. Induction & Lenz's Law (find directions of induced currents)
  4. Inductors (dc & ac behavior of inductors)
  5. Waves and the Doppler Effect

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Volume 5 : Light
  1. Snell's Law (transmission of light & sound through boundaries between different materials)
  2. Thin Lenses (simple cameras, projectors, magnifying glasses, eyeglasses)
  3. Young's Double Slit
  4. Resolution (Rayleigh criterion and human vision limits)
  5. Photons (thermal radiation & photoelectric effect)
  6. Hydrogen Atom (energy levels, wave-particle duality for electron)
  7. Laser (simulation of spontaneous & stimulated emission)

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Volume 6 : Special Relativity & Radiation
  1. Relativity 1 (events, time dilation, length contraction)
  2. Relativity 2 (mass and energy)
  3. Radioactive Statistics(determining probability from data: average, standard deviation, and standard deviation of the mean)
  4. Half-Life(rate of decay, decay constant, half life)
  5. Nuclear Decay(binding energy, alpha and beta decay, radioactive series)

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You may obtain these programs for free, provided you fill out a short form.

Download Free Copies (for general public)
Download Free Copies (for CBU students)


CATHOLIC · LASALLIAN · DISTINCTIVE
650 East Parkway South · Memphis, Tennessee 38104 · (901) 321-3000 · (877) 321-4CBU