How the Syllabus Works

The assignments in the Main Progression are basically three types 1) warm-up 2) seminar 3) mastery. As you discover what works for you, adjust the assignments to suit how you learn best. What is important is to achieve the learning goals.

Warm Up
Before the videos for a topic, look over the Learning System vocabulary and figures and do the fundamental terms crossword. Take 30 or 40 minutes, and it will make the videos much more comprehensible.

Seminar
Watch the videos. Take good notes. Work the problems along with us. Try to imagine you are at the table with us.

Mastery
After the videos, spend about an hour or two with conceptual materials and problems. If you are having trouble, the External Resources in the Learning Center give you another view. Review your work and make sure you have achieved the Learning Goals.

You should be able to complete the Main Progression work in about 10 hours each week and have study time left to devote 2 or 3 hours to Review, Preview, and Knowledge Mapping and 2 or 3 hours of Verbal Reasoning and Essay. This pattern changes a bit in the second half of the course when practice testing becomes a major focus.

Module 1

Main Progression - Kinematics, Newton's Laws, Work Energy & Power, and Momentum & Impulse. These are the foundation subjects of mechanics.

Review & Preview - Take a tour of Physics as a whole. Review the structure of Physics and the main ideas throughout the discipline.

Knowledge Mapping - Get the fundamental concepts of mechanics talking together. Preview gravitational and electrostatic systems from the point of view of mechanics.

Essay & Verbal Reasoning - Take a Verbal Reasoning practice section. Analyze your strengths and weaknesses in for the different types of verbal reasoning questions. Write your first essay.

Main Progression

Videos

Assignments

Browse the figures and the Kinematics Terminology in your ManDala Premedical Learning System Book before beginning your main assignments. As we go through the course, you need to take this time at the beginning of each topic to establish the field of reference before watching the videos or completing the other work. After about fifteen minutes of study, ensure familiarity with the basic Kinematics vocabulary by completing the fundamental terms Crossword Puzzle without pausing. Here is the Solution The Learning System vocabulary is also available for online drill at the Question Server. Study the Concept and Question Kinematics cards of the Learning System for Physics. The Physics Videos rely on this content fairly heavily, so it may be helpful to make it through at least one cycle before watching the video for Kinematics. Although all of the cards are online, the printed version seems to help many maintain better focus. Carefully study the WikiPremed Kinematics Chapter. Click to download. Reinforce with the conceptual discussions on Kinematics in Examkrackers Physics, pp 1-16. (Note - we are saving the chapter exams in Examkrackers for a later study cycle in the course). Perform the Kinematics Practice Items, and for supplemental practice, perform questions 1-24 in Examkrackers Physics, pp 1-16. Here is the Answer Key for the problem set. Review the Web Resources for Kinematics at the topic level in the learning center. Click "Next Topic" to scroll through the topic level. The HyperPhysics links in this chapter are highly recommended, as are the PY105 notes.

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Goals

	Be able to define displacement, velocity, and acceleration in clear, conversational language.
	Reproduce the four equations of kinematics from memory and achieve facility in solving straightforward quantitative problems.
	Be able to explain the difference between vector and scalar quantities and perform basic vector operations.
	Describe how an object may accelerate yet still have a constant speed.
	Be capable of fluently applying the concepts of uniform circular motion and projectile motion for problem solving.

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Videos

Assignments

Browse the images and formulas and study the Newton's Laws vocabulary (at least through Level 3) in your Learning System Book. Test yourself on the basic terms with the Crossword Puzzle for Newton's Laws. See if you can complete it without pausing. Here is the Solution. You can also work on the Newton's Laws vocabulary online at the Question Server. Establish mastery of the fundamentals with the Concept and Question cards for Newton's Laws from either the online or printed version of the Learning System for Physics. Study the Newton's Laws Chapter. Reinforce with the conceptual discussions in Examkrackers Physics, pp 17-38 (All of Lecture 2 and the 1st section of Lecture 3). Perform the Newton's Laws Practice Items, and for supplemental practice, questions 25-56 in Examkrackers Physics, pp 17-38. Here is the Answer Key for the problem set. Finish your Main Progression work on Newton's Laws with a review tour of the Newton's Laws external resources in the Learning Center. This time the link will send you to the Chapter Level in the Learning Center, so click through the topics to scroll through the topic specific web resources. The Web Resources are at the Topic Level, not the Chapter Level in the Learning Center. HyperPhysics is highly recommended, as are the PY105 notes. The Monterey multimedia presentations are excellent, especially if physics has not been a strength in the past.

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Goals

	Gain the ability to clearly recall and express Newton's Laws of Motion in plain English.
	Pay special attention to Newton's Second Law, understanding the basic relationship between force interactions and changes in an object's state of motion.
	Move beyond the traditional 'contact forces' of mechanics to include an understanding of the classical fundamental forces and their relationship to Newton's Laws. Compare and contrast the gravitational force and the electrostatic force.
	Be able to distinguish mass and weight.
	Become comfortable solving problems involving kinetic and static friction.
	Understand how to construct free body diagrams, especially for classic model problems such as the inclined plane, the elevator, and objects suspended from multiple cables.

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Videos

Assignments

Browse the images and formulas and study the Work, Energy & Power vocabulary (at least through Level 3) in your Learning System Book. Perform a final drill with the question mask. Then test yourself on the basic terms with the Crossword Puzzle. Here is the Solution. You can also work on the vocabulary online at the Question Server. Try to get a clear sense of the conceptual space of the topic. Make one or two thorough cycles through the Concept and Question cards for Work & Energy from the Learning System for Physics using either the printed or the online version. Study the Work & Energy PDF Chapter. Reinforce with the conceptual discussions in Examkrackers Physics, pp 45-51 and pp 60-62. Perform the Work & Energy Practice Items Here is the Answer Key. For supplemental practice problems 65-72 (pp 45-51) and 81-88 (pp 60-62) in Examkrackers Physics. Finish your Main Progression work on Work, Energy & Power with a review tour of the Work, Energy, and Power resources in the Learning Center. Go topic by topic.

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Goals

	Understand the definition of mechanical work and comprehend the relationship between the direction of the force and displacement vectors in determining the work performed.
	Master basic quantitative problem solving involving potential and kinetic energy. Be able to verbalize the relationships.
	Be able to imaginitively visualize changes in potential energy in such systems as an object near the earth's surface, a mass-spring, and basic electrostatic systems.
	Understand what is meant by 'binding energy'.
	Explain the difference between conservative and non-conservative forces.
	Understand the principles underlying force multiplication with simple machines such as levers and pulleys.
	Master basic problem solving using the concept of power within different contexts.

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Videos

Assignments

Browse the images and formulas and study the Momentum & Impulse vocabulary (at least through Level 3) in your Learning System Book. Use the question mask for a final drill and then test yourself on the basic terms with the Crossword Puzzle. Here is the Solution. You can also work on the vocabulary online at the Question Server. Study the Momentum & Impulse PDF Chapter. Reinforce with the conceptual discussions in Examkrackers Physics, pp 53-57. Perform the problems in the Momentum & Impulse Practice Items. Here is the Answer Key. Supplement with problems 73-80 on pp. 58-59 in Examkrackers Physics. Take a review tour of the Momentum & Impulse resources in the Learning Center. Ensure mastery with the Concept and Question cards for Momentum & Impulse from the Learning System for Physics. See if you can comfortably work through the question cards.

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Goals

	Be able to define momentum in a conceptual, intuitive way, i.e. not only as 'product of mass and velocity' but as an impetus.
	Apply the Impulse-Momentum Theorem both as a tool for quantitative problem-solving and as a conceptual framework. Be able to explain what it means to say 'force is the rate of change of momentum'.
	Be capable of applying Conservation of Momentum to understand change within a variety of mechanical systems.
	Be comfortable distinguishing elastic, inelastic, and perfectly inelastic collisions and solve basic quantitative problems involving these types of collisions.

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Review & Preview

 

Knowledge Mapping

 

Verbal Reasoning

Assignments

Read the WikiPremed treatment of Verbal Reasoning on the MCAT. Read Lecture 1 in Examkrackers Verbal Reasoning and take the 1st In-Class Exam. Go through the test you completed. Label every question by type in the margin: Main Idea, Author's Tone, Thematic Extension, Specific Inference, or Facts & Information. Which types seem to be giving the most problems? In the ones you missed, how do your chosen answers differ from the correct answers?

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Goals

	Begin learning how to recognize verbal reasoning questions by type: Main Idea, Author's Tone, Thematic Extension, Specific Inference and Facts & Information
Verbal Reasoning Tip of the Week Difficult Verbal Reasoning questions often settle down to two answers. The best answer seems hard to choose from t he two. To get unstuck, don't look for the BEST answer. Try choosing the LEAST WORST.

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Essay

MECHANICS AND WAVES		Course Modules
* * *	Kinematics Newton's Laws Work, Energy, and Power Momentum and Impulse
	Rotation Harmonic Motion Elastic Properties of Solids Fluid Mechanics Waves
FUNDAMENTAL FORCES
	Gravitation Electricity
THE STRUCTURE OF MATTER
	Atomic Theory Periodic Properties The Chemical Bond Intermolecular Forces
	Functional Groups in Organic Chemistry Stereochemistry
THERMODYNAMICS AND KINETICS
	Temperature and Heat Flow The Ideal Gas and Kinetic Theory The First Law of Thermodynamics Stoichiometry Thermochemistry
	The Second Law of Thermodynamics and Heat Engines Chemical Thermodynamics and the Equilibrium State The States of Matter The Physical Properties of Organic Compounds Chemical Kinetics
SOLUTIONS AND AQUEOUS SYSTEMS
	Water Solutions Acids and Bases Organic Acids and Bases
ORGANIC REACTION CHEMISTRY
	Nucleophiles and Electrophiles Intramolecular Cationic Rearrangements Reactions with Radical Intermediates Conjugated π Systems and Aromaticity Reactions of Alkanes Reactions of Alkenes Reactions of Alkynes Reactions of Alkyl Halides Reactions of Allylic and Benzylic Conjugation Reactions of Aromatic Compounds Reactions of Alcohols and Ethers Reactions of Aldehydes and Ketones Reactions of Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives Reactions of Amines Reactions of Organic Phosphorus Compounds Reactions of Organic Sulfur Compounds
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BIOMOLECULES
	Proteins Carbohydrates Nucleic Acids Lipids
THE CELL
	Biological Membranes The Prokaryotic Cell The Eukaryotic Cell
BIOENERGETICS AND BIOSYNTHESIS
	Coordination Chemistry Oxidation/Reduction Oxidation/Reduction in Organic Chemistry Electrochemistry Bioenergetics and Cellular Respiration Photosynthesis  optional for MCAT Integration of Metabolism
GENETICS & REPRODUCTION
	Gene Expression Cellular Reproduction Mendelian Genetics Recombination and Mutation The Molecular Biology Laboratory Human Genetics
DIVERSITY OF LIFE
	Viruses Monera Protista  taxonomy optional for MCAT Fungi Plants  optional for MCAT Animals  taxonomy optional for MCAT Animal Development and Embryology
	Mammalian Tissues and Histology
HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
	The Nervous System Sensory Systems The Endocrine System The Musculoskeletal System The Cardiovascular System Blood The Respiratory System The Lymphatic System and Immunity The Urinary System The Digestive System and Nutrition The Reproductive System
POPULATION BIOLOGY
	Evolution Ecology
ELECTROMAGNETISM, LIGHT, AND MODERN PHYSICS
	Electricity DC Current Magnetism Electomagnetic Induction AC Current
	The Properties of Light Geometric Optics Wave Optics
	Modern Physics  relativity optional for MCAT Molecular Spectroscopy
	Molecular Spectroscopy Nuclear Physics
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