3-Semester Course Replaces Physics II

Physics II, long considered one of the College's most difficult courses, will no longer be given.

In its place next year, the Physical Department will offer a three semester course that will cover approximately the same material but will proceed at a slower, surer rate Kenneth T. Bainbridge Department Chairman, announced yesterday.

Faculty members now teaching Physics II feel that students are being rushed through this fundamental course at a speed that allows only the more brilliant to thoroughly assimilate the tremendous bulk of subject matter.

The new course to be called Physics II will begin only in the fall, instead of both semesters, as Physics II did. This will force the average Physics and Applied Science concentrates to wait until sophomore year before beginning in his field.

Because of this late start and the additional semester required by the new course, concentrators will in many cases have to wait until the second semester of their junior year before going beyond the elementary level in their field.

Under the new plan, if will also be more difficult for a person taking the relatively easy Physics 1 to concentrate in the physical sciences, for Physics 10, the half course that applies calculus to the ideas learned in Physics 1, has also been abolished.

Students who take Physics 1 and then decide to concentrate in Physics or Applied Science, will now have to take two of the three half courses in Physics 12, without the labs, and receive credit for a single half course.

More Optics, Acoustics

The only additions to the basic physics offered in 11 will come in 12c. Optics and acoustics will be dealt with much more extensively than they are now in 11b.

Course 12a will spend more time on mechanics than 11a now does, and will include half the heat now in 11a. Course 12b will conclude the study of heat and concern itself primarily with electricity.

11b will be offered next fall for these taking 11a this spring, but no one will start Physics 11.