Tests

On this page you'll find information that ought to be helpful for the tests, such as links to sample questions and to solutions to the past tests, hints and typos for the test you're currently taking, etc.

Sample questions for test one are available.

The solutions for test 1 are here. Solutions for 1&2, 3, more of 3 and 4, 5&6, and 7. Please note that the solutions for 6 and 7 aren't entirely official, because Susan is grading those problems.

Comments on test 1: at least, on the first five problems: On all problems, many of you failed to note the units attached to your numbers, and, even worse, failed to explain what you were doing. Always explain! On problem 1, some of you got confused about which waves were characterized by which speeds, and some of you didn't pay attention to the stipulation that we wanted to excite the fundamental of the pipe, so you wrongly did calculations for exciting the higher harmonics of the pipe. On problem 2, most of you went down in flames; please read over the solution, and on Monday you can tell me if you're still confused. On problem 3, many, many of you seemed to think you didn't have to do any calculations at all, and some of you didn't consider that for you to see something, the light would have to emerge from the south face, not just reach it and perhaps reflect; and, many of you forgot about the possibility of total internal reflection. On problem 4, most of you did pretty well, and everybody got problem 5 perfectly right.

Sample questions for test two are available.

The solutions for test 2 are here. Solution for problem 1, most of problem 2, rest of 2 & 3, problem 4, problem 5 and 6. These solutions are a bit messy, but contain most of what you ought to have done. On the first three problems, which I graded, I noticed: Many of you need to clean up your understanding of vectors. Maybe I can sketch out a review page or two. On the battery problem, people did in general pretty well; we'll be doing more with circuits in week 3, so you'll just get better and better at it.

Sample questions for test three are beginning to appear.

Some sort of solutions for ttest 3 have been scanned in. Look here for solutions to problem 1, problems 2 & 3, problem 4, and problem 5 and 6(sort of).

Sample questions for the final are emerging. Susan's sample questions are here.