Resources - Course Materials

We are believers in the "open-source" model of educational materials -- use what you need for your students.ÌýPlease credit our work if you share yourÌýmaterialsÌýbeyond your own classes, and do not use our materials for commercial purposes.ÌýIf you modify them (or find bugs), please return the favor by sending us improved materialsÌýso we can keep updating. Contact Steven Pollock.

We have another (password protected) page with similar resources (but some exams/solutions/etc included), please contact Steven.Pollock (at) Colorado.edu for the password. That page isÌýÌý (Link to be updated before summer 2024, stay tuned)Ìý

The links below contain "open" resources (no assessments or solutions).
For password protected links, open the "CU Materials (password protected, for faculty only)" block below.Ìý

Our introductory materials were inspired from and originated with Eric Mazur'sÌý book, and expanded at CU by Michael Dubson, Steven Pollock,Ìýand many others. NOTE: Please seek appropriate permission if you want to use those in any public or commercial forum.

(35 Meg, zipped folder containing subfolders with concept tests, Tutorial information, syllabus, and more).Ìý
Update: Here is a link to Prof. Dubson's typed up courseÌý
Algebra based: Here is a link to Prof. Dubson's

(120 Meg, zipped folder containing subfolders with concept tests, Tutorial information, syllabus, and more)Ìý
Update: Here is a link to Prof. Dubson'sÌý
Algebra based: Here is a link to Prof. Dubson'sÌýÌý

(1.0 Meg, zipped folder containing sub-folders with concept tests, class activities, pre/post tests, and more). (Thanks to at UC San Diego for contributions.ÌýThis collection is from Steven Pollock.)

(36 Meg zipped folder containing sub-folders with concept tests, class activities, pre/post tests, sound files and much more). This collection is from Steven Pollock. It is very old, caveat emptor.Ìý

(1.3 GB zipped folder containing syllabus, lecture notes, preflight quizzes, project, readings, and resources.) These materials are quite old - we are working on a significant update of these materials from Prof. Wilcox, stay tuned for those.Ìý

PER-based materials (From SEI Science Education Initiative)

The collections below are missing sensitive materials (exams and homework solutions).
Please see "CUÌýMaterials (password protected for faculty)" further down this page if you are a physics faculty member and want access to these additional materials.Ìý

For more information, visit our CU Science Education Initiative page: Ìý/sei/departments/physicsÌý

Modern Physics (sophomore level)Ìý ÌýIf that leads you to broken links,Ìýhere is a Ìý (224 MB)Ìý

ClassicalÌýMechanics/Math Methods 1 (sophomore level)ÌýIf that leads you to broken links, here is a Ìý (267 MB)
Note:ÌýÌýThe above link is an older collection from the Science Education Initiative at ²ÊÃñ±¦µä, following Taylor's textbook.Ìý
For more updated materials and new Tutorials, use thisÌýÌý Ìý(1.6 GB)
Please note that our Classical Mechanics course is split into 2 semesters with an emphasis on associated mathematical methods.Ìý
All the aboveÌýlinks areÌýfor the first semester only (so, e.g. materials do NOT get to Lagrangian/Hamiltonian formalism, nor e.g. rigid-body rotations, etc.)

Quantum Mechanics 1 (junior level)ÌýIf that leads you to broken links,Ìýhere is a Ìý(68 MB)Ìý
Note:ÌýÌýThe above link is our older collection, following a wave-functions first approach (we used Griffiths' text)
For more updated QM materials following a spins-first approach (following McIntyre's text), please visit our collections at Physport:Ìý
ÌýÌý
For quantum-information (quantum computing) related topics:ÌýÌý

Electricity and Magnetism 1 (junior level, electrostatics)Ìý If that link is broken, here is a Ìý (341 MB)

Electricity and Magnetism 2 (junior level, electrodynamics)Ìý ÌýIf that link is broken, here is a Ìý (75 MB)

Ìý(200 Meg, zipped folder containing many course materials) Upper division/graduate course. Materials developed by Noah Finkelstein, with some supplements from Steven Pollock. The folder contains many references and materials from other authors.
Ìý

Some of this material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1023028 and 0737118. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Non PER-based materials

Ìý(134 MB) This is aÌýset of materials developed by Prof. Ethan Neil. (Not associated with a PER project, but a comprehensive followup to the Class Mech 1 materials found above) Secure materials (including exams and solutions)Ìýare available through our . Contact steven.pollock at colorado.edu for password.

Ìý (269 MB) Materials from M. Dubson, B. Wilcox and other faculty, with concept tests and in-class activities, homeworks, etc.Ìý

Ìý(463 MB) Materials from S. Pollock, B. Wilcox and other faculty, with concept tests, lecture notes, homeworks, a few in-class activities.Ìý

Coming soon. In the meantime, visitÌýÌý

(Please contact steven.pollock (at) colorado.edu for password)


(Coming)Ìý

PER-based materials

For more information, visit our CU Science Education Initiative page: Ìý/sei/departments/physicsÌý

Modern Physics (sophomoreÌý = 2nd year level)Ìý ÌýIf that leads you to broken links,Ìýhere is a (282 MB)Ìý

ClassicalÌýMechanics/Math Methods 1 (sophomore = 2nd year level)ÌýIf that leads you to any broken links, here is a Ìý(406 MB)
Note:ÌýÌýThe above link is an older collection from the Science Education Initiative at ²ÊÃñ±¦µä, following Taylor's textbook.Ìý
For some updated materials with newly added in-class Tutorials,Ìýhere is a Ìý(1.74 GB)
(NOTE: our Classical Mechanics course is split into 2 semesters with an emphasis on associated mathematical methods.Ìý
The aboveÌýlinks areÌýfor the first semester course only. So, e.g. these materials do NOT include Lagrangian/Hamiltonian formalism, nor e.g. rigid-body rotations, etc.)

Quantum Mechanics 1 (junior level)ÌýIf that leads you to any broken links,Ìýhere is aÌýÌý(Coming.Ìý 167 MB)
Note:ÌýÌýThe above link is our older collection, following a wave-functions first approach (we used Griffiths' text)
For more updated QM materials following a spins-first approach (following McIntyre's text), please visit our collections at Physport:Ìý
ÌýÌý Ìý(Sign in is required for faculty to get solutions. Physport is a trustworthy page, they will not spam you)Ìý
For quantum-information (quantum computing) related topics:ÌýÌý

Electricity and Magnetism 1 (junior level, electrostatics)Ìý If that leads you to any broken links, here is a Ìý (433 MB)

Electricity and Magnetism 2 (junior level, electrodynamics)Ìý ÌýIf that leads you to any broken links, here is a (305ÌýMB)

Ìý

Non PER-based materials

(1.74 GB) Building on the SEI materials (above)ÌýProf. Pollock and Neil added some in-class Tutorials that couple with homework problems.Ìý

Ìý(180 MB) This is a preliminary set of materials developed by Prof. Ethan Neil. (Not associated with a PER project, but a comprehensive followup to the Class Mech 1 materials found above)Ìý

Ìý (495ÌýMB)ÌýMaterials from M. Dubson, B. Wilcox and other faculty, with concept tests and in-class activities, homeworks, etc.Ìý

Ìý(610 MB)ÌýMaterials from S. Pollock, B. Wilcox and other faculty, with concept tests, lecture notes, homeworks, a few in-class activities.Ìý

Ìý


CU Science Education Initiative front page (from here, you can access resources for several of our middle and upper-division courses)Ìý

ÌýPart of the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiatives effortÌýto provide resources (written guides and short videos to helpÌýinstructors startÌýusing Clickers and Peer Instruction)

is an excellent AAPT site with many research based assessments.
Physport has curricular materials:ÌýÌý.Ìý
Physport has CU materials for a , and some materials to include Ìý inÌýQuantum classes.Ìý

For intro level, see also Eric Mazur'sÌý book

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