Physics 261 Fall, 2025 Syllabus |
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Back to course
description |
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Date |
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Item |
# |
Topic |
Reading |
20-Aug |
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Lab |
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No Lab This Week! |
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21-Aug |
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Lecture |
1 |
Intro,
course requirements. Charge, voltage, current |
Review your PHSX 242 text on
these topics. |
22-Aug |
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Homework |
1 |
Solutions |
HW 1 |
26-Aug |
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Lecture |
2 |
Resistance,
Ohm's Law, Power |
Ch. 2 |
27-Aug |
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Lab |
1 |
The Art
of Electrical Measurements |
resistor codes + Ch.15 |
28-Aug |
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Lecture |
3 |
Circuit
diagrams, Kirchoff's laws |
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29-Aug |
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Homework |
2 |
Solutions |
HW 2 |
2-Sep |
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Lecture |
4 |
Series
& parallel |
Ch. 3 |
3-Sep |
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Lab |
2 |
Ohm's
and Kirchoff's Laws |
Ch. 3 |
4-Sep |
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Lecture |
5 |
Voltage
& Current Division, Node Voltage Analysis |
Ch. 4 |
5-Sep |
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Homework |
3 |
Solutions |
HW 3 |
9-Sep |
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Lecture |
6 |
Thevenin
& Norton Equivalents |
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10-Sep |
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Lab |
3 |
Voltage
and Current Division |
Ch. 18 |
11-Sep |
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Lecture |
7 |
Examples—NVA,
etc. |
Ch. 6 |
12-Sep |
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Homework |
4 |
Solutions |
HW 4 |
16-Sep |
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Lecture |
8 |
The
Wheatstone Bridge |
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17-Sep |
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Lab |
4 |
Thevenin
& Norton equivalents |
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18-Sep |
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Lecture |
9 |
Review |
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19-Sep |
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Homework |
5 |
Solutions |
HW 5 |
23-Sep |
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Lecture |
10 |
Exam 1
solutions |
Exam 1 |
24-Sep |
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Lab |
5-I |
Lab make-up session |
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25-Sep |
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Lecture |
11 |
Semiconductors
and Diodes |
Ch. 41 (skim ch. 40) |
26-Sep |
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Homework |
6 |
Solutions |
HW 6 |
30-Sep |
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Lecture |
12 |
Transistors
(BJT) |
Chs. 42, 44 (skim 43) |
1-Oct |
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Lab |
6 |
Introduction
to the Transistor |
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2-Oct |
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Lecture |
13 |
Transistors
(FET) |
Ch. 45 |
3-Oct |
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Homework |
7 |
Solutions |
HW 7 |
7-Oct |
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Lecture |
14 |
The
Operational Amplifier |
Ch. 28 |
8-Oct |
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Lab |
7 |
Introduction
to the Op Amp |
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9-Oct |
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Lecture |
15 |
Elementary
Op Amp Applications |
Ch. 29 |
10-Oct |
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Homework |
8 |
Solutions |
HW 8 |
14-Oct |
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Lecture |
16 |
Revisiting
transistors and op amps |
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15-Oct |
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Lab |
8 |
Circuit
Loading and the Op Amp |
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16-Oct |
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Lecture |
17 |
Comparators |
Ch. 34 |
17-Oct |
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Homework |
9 |
Solutions |
HW 9 |
21-Oct |
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Lecture |
18 |
The
Schmitt Trigger |
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22-Oct |
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Lab |
S |
Soldering |
Soldering Tutorial |
23-Oct |
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Lecture |
19 |
Exam
2 Review |
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24-Oct |
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Homework |
10 |
Solutions |
HW
10 |
28-Oct |
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Lecture |
20 |
Exam 2
solutions |
Exam 2 |
29-Oct |
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Lab |
9-I |
Headphone
Amplifier I: Build & Test |
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30-Oct |
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Lecture |
21 |
Complex Numbers |
Ch. 51 |
31-Oct |
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Homework |
11 |
Solutions |
HW
11 |
4-Nov |
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Lecture |
22 |
Alternating Current (AC) |
Ch. 7 |
5-Nov |
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Lab |
5-II |
Lab make-up session |
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6-Nov |
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Lecture |
23 |
Capacitors, Inductors, &
Impedance |
Ch. 8 |
7-Nov |
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Homework |
12 |
Solutions |
HW
12 |
11-Nov |
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Veterans Day |
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No classes |
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12-Nov |
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Lab |
9-II |
Headphone
Amplifier II: Performance |
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13-Nov |
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Lecture |
24 |
Impedance, continued |
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14-Nov |
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Homework |
13 |
Solutions |
HW
13 |
18-Nov |
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Lecture |
25 |
AC Circuit Analysis |
Ch. 9 |
19-Nov |
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Lab |
10 |
Sinusoidal
Forcing & Impedance |
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20-Nov |
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Lecture |
26 |
Resonance |
Ch. 10 |
21-Nov |
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Homework |
14 |
Solutions |
HW
14 |
Nov
24-28 MSU Fall Break |
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2-Dec |
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Lecture |
27 |
Step Functions & Transient
Analysis |
Ch. 12-13 |
3-Dec |
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Lab |
14 |
Exponential Waveforms &
Capacitance |
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4-Dec |
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Lecture |
28 |
Exam Review |
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5-Dec |
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Homework |
15 |
Solutions |
HW
15 |
13-Dec |
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10:00-12:00 Roberts 121 |
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Final Exam
(cumulative) |
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description |
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