EGM 3401 - Dynamics
Spring 2018

COURSE INSTRUCTOR

Instructor: Dr. Anil V. Rao, MAE-A 314, E-mail: anilvrao@ufl.edu. Tel: 352-392-5523 (Office); (352) 672-1529 (Mobile, for Calls and Texts). All contact methods are acceptable!

COURSE OBJECTIVE

The objective of this course is to provide a thorough and systematic introduction to the subject of dynamics of particles and rigid bodies using a Newton-Euler approach. The course provides a rigorous introduction to kinematics of particles and rigid bodies, kinetics of a particle, kinetics of a system of particles, and kinetics of a rigid body. All development is done in a coordinate-free manner and will be applied to examples in a way that provides insight into the structure of the underlying physical process.

IMPORTANT NOTE

I consider it an honor and a privilege to be able to teach all of you, and I intend to provide the best instruction possible in order to enable you to learn the material well. If you cannot make office hours, please contact me and we will set up a time for you to get help. Regardless of how busy I am with other things, I will do what I am able to make myself available.

COURSE TOPICS

Kinematics or particles and rigid bodies, kinetics or particles, kinetics of a system of particles, kinetics of a rigid body, and principles of work, energy, and momentum.

APPROXIMATE SCHEDULE FOR COVERAGE OF TOPICS

Topic

Kinematics

Kinetics of Particles

Kinetics of a System of Particles

Kinetics of Rigid Bodies

Schedule for Coverage

Weeks 1 Through 3

Weeks 4 Through 7

Weeks 8 Through 9

Weeks 10 Through 14

Note: if for some reason you are unable to make my office hours, you can always schedule an appointment at a time that is mutually agreeable to both you and I.

COURSE LOCATIONS AND CLASS PERIODS

MWF Period 3 (9:35 AM to 10:25 AM). Room: Weimer Hall Room 1064.

OFFICE HOURS

Name

Office Hours

Contact Information


Anil Rao
(Instructor)

Monday - Friday:
10:50 AM - 12:00 PM
(or by appointment*)
Reitz Union Food Court

E-mail: anilvrao@ufl.edu
Mobile: (352) 672-1529
Office: (352) 392-5523
(Please Call or Text Mobile)

Yoo Lim Cho
(Teaching Assistant)

Kayla Stanley
(Teaching Assistant)

Alexis Adrian
(Teaching Assistant)

Wed: 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
NEB 109

Thurs: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
NEB 109

Tues: 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
NEB 109

Contact Through
Canvas

Contact Through
Canvas

*Please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail, mobile phone, or text message if you need help!

TEXTBOOK

Rao, A. V., Dynamics of Particles and Rigid Bodies: A Systematic Approach, Cambridge University Press, 2006.

LECTURE VIDEOS

Below is a set of lecture videos on engineering dynamics. The lecture videos provide the equivalent content of the actual lecture and can be used as supplemental material.
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HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

The homework assignments are shown below and consist of three (3) theory assignments and seven (7) problem sets. The three theory homework assignments will each be worth four (4) percent of your grade (for a total of 12% of your total grade). The seven problem sets will be each be worth 1.142 percent for a total of 1.142 x 7 = 8 percent of your grade. For each of the problem solving assignments your grade will be based on the grading of one problem that will be chosen at random. Although the entirety of each problem-solving assignment will not be graded, you are expected to do all of the problems on these assignments them because your performance on the exams will depend upon your ability to solve problems. All assignments are due at 5:00 PM on the due date and must be submitted electronically through the Canvas (E-Learning) system.

Assignment
Number

Assignment
Contents

Due
Date

Problem Set #1

Chapter 2: 1 through 5, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 19 through 21, and 23

7 February 2018

Theory Assignment #1

7 February 2018

Problem Set #2

Chapter 3: 1 through 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 through 13, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, and 25

21 March 2018

Theory Assignment #2

21 March 2018

Problem Set #3

Chapter 4: 1, 10, 12, 15, and 17

4 April 2018

Problem Set #4

Chapter 5: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, and 17

18 April 2018

Theory Assignment #3

18 April 2018

EXAM SCHEDULE, FORMAT, AND EXPECTATIONS

EXAM FORMAT


All exams will be held in the evenings during periods E2 and E3 with a duration of 1 hour 50 minutes for each exam. It is important to note that in this course you will be examined on a balance of both theory and problem solving. Specifically, each exam will consist of 40 percent theory and 60 percent problem-solving. Because of the manner in which the exams are structured, it is extremely important that you understand the theory in addition to just being able to solve problems. Furthermore, because the homework questions take a great deal of time and thought, I urge each of you to do the assignments on the schedule I provide and not wait until the last minute to complete the assignments. If you procrastinate on completing the homework assignments, it will be reflected in your exam and quiz scores.

MATERIALS PERMITTED FOR USE DURING EXAMS

The following list comprises a complete list of the only materials that are permitted for use during the exam:

  • A paperback or hard cover copy of the course textbook (electronic versions of the book are not permitted)
  • Your own personal handwritten course notes (if you takes notes on a tablet, then you must print these notes)

Other than those materials listed above, no other materials may be used (other than writing implements such as pens, pencils, and erasers). You may not use any electronic aids of any kind including but not limited to laptops, tablet computers (iPad, Microsoft Surface, etc.), cell phones, iPods, or calculators.

EXAM

EXAM 1: 14 February 2017
8:20 PM to 10:10 PM

Exam 2: 21 March 2017
8:20 PM to 10:10 PM

EXAM 3: 23 April 2017
8:20 PM to 10:10 PM

ROOM

Room for Exam:
Florida Gym 220

Room for Exam:
Florida Gym 220

Room for Exam:
Florida Gym 230

ATTENDANCE RULES

Regular attendance is expected of all students. All attendance rules will be follow the official University of Florida Attendance Policies as found by clicking here. Attendance will be monitored via in-class quizzes that will not be announced in advance of the lecture (see grading below).

MAKE-UP EXAM POLICIES

The following list comprises the only legitimate reasons to request an exam make-up or reschedule: (1) a student illness with a note from a physician that the student was ill on the date of the exam; (2) a family emergency that requires immediate attention; (3) a legitimate absence based on the University of Florida approved absences for University related participation in extra-curricular activities; (4) University of Florida exam policies based on a conflict with an exam in another course. In this last case, the exam conflict is resolved in accordance with the rule that the student may ask for the exam in this course to be rescheduled if the other course has a higher course number (that is, a course with number "3402" or higher), but must ask that the exam in the other course be rescheduled if the course number of the other course is less than "3401".

COURSE GRADING

Item

Problem Sets

Theory Assignments

Exam 1

Exam 2

Exam 3


Random Unannounced In Class Quizzes
(For Attendance Purposes Only)

Total

Percent Value

4 @ 2 Percent = 8 Percent

3 @ 6 Percent = 18 Percent

34 Percent (If Max Score). 20 Percent (If Not Max Score)

34 Percent (If Max Score). 20 Percent (If Not Max Score)

34 Percent (If Max Score). 20 Percent (If Not Max Score)

First Missed Quiz: No Grade Deduction
Each Subsequent Missed Quiz: Grade Reduction by a Grade Step
(For Example, Final Grade Reduced from "A-" to "B+")

100 Percent

IMPORTANT NOTE: The unannounced in-class quizzes are purely for attendance purposes. As such, these in-class quizzes will not be graded (they are purely self-diagnostic so that each of you can get a sense as to whether or not you understand a particular concept), but missing a quiz on account of an unexcused absence will result in a lowering of a student's final grade in the manner described above (that is, a deduction of one step for each missed quiz on account of an unexcused absence).

GRADING SCALE

Grades in this course are determined using the following scale:

Letter Grade

A

A-

B+

B

B-

C+

C

C-

D+

D

D-

E

Score Range

1 Standard Deviation Above Course Median and Higher

2/3 to 1 Standard Deviation Above Course Median

1/3 to 2/3 Standard Deviation Above Course Median

0 to 1/3 Standard Deviation Above Course Median

0 to 1/3 Standard Deviation Below Course Median

1/3 to 2/3 Standard Deviation Below Course Median

2/3 to 1 Standard Deviation Below Course Median

1 to 1 1/3 Standard Deviation Below Course Median

1 1/3 to 1 2/3 Standard Deviation Below Course Median

1 2/3 to 2 Standard Deviation Below Course Median

2 to 2 1/3 Standard Deviation Below Course Median

2 1/3 Standard Deviation Below Course Median and Lower

NOTES ON ASSIGNMENT OF FINAL LETTER GRADES

  • I reserve the right to uniformly raise the letter grade associated with the median score in the course to higher than the scoring system shown above. For example, if I decide to increase the letter grade associated with the median score in the course from the B-/B boundary (shown above) to the B/B+ boundary, then the letter grades associated with all ranges will be increased by the same amount as the increase in the letter grade associated with the median score in the course. In no case will the final letter grade in the course be lower than those given by the cutoffs shown above.
  • Scores that lie exactly at a boundary between two adjacent ranges will be awarded the higher grade. For example, a final score of exactly 1/3 standard deviation above the median will be awarded a grade of "B" while a final score of exactly 1/3 standard deviation below the median will be awarded a grade of "B-".
  • The grading scale shown above does not include any deductions for missed in-class quizzes ("Course Grading" above).
  • Finally, it is noted that while your individual scores for assignments, exams, and quizzes will be posted on E-learning (Canvas), the Canvas portal may not accurately reflect a student's relative standing in the class. Regardless of the information that is seen in Canvas, computation of final grades will be based on the criteria set forth above and a student's grade will only be final when grades have been computed at the end of the semester.
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