Conventions for Introductory Physics, or

Seabs Pet Peeves, or

Important and Trivial Things That Will Lose You Points, or

Stuff You Do Because They Are Good Things

Here are twelve things to which you should pay attention while doing physics. Some of these are
trivial, but some are very important, and all of them except the very last one have a purpose. You
should practice doing these in all of the physics work you do scratch homework problems, class
notes, quizzes, and especially on exams. Getting in the habit of doing these things will not only
improve your grade, but help you to better understand physics.

1. Units. This is VERY IMPORTANT. Every answer in this class MUST have units given. The only
exception is for those very few quantities that are inherently dimensionless (e.g., coefficient
of friction). On exams, it is one point off for each and every answer that lacks units. This can
easily drop you a letter grade. You should use SI units unless there is a particular reason not
to (e.g., m not cm, N and not kgm/s2).
2. Significant figures. If you dont know about significant figures, LEARN. Try
https://www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic/decimals/significant_figures_tutorial/v/significant-figures.
I demand the somewhat artificial convention of using three (3, as in 1-2-3) significant figures
for all work. This acknowledges the frequent use of 1 or 2 significant figures in the text
where greater accuracy is implied, e.g., giving an acceleration of 2.0 m/s2 when 2.00 m/s2 is
really meant. It also generally satisfies the SaplingLearning requirement of 2% accuracy in
answers. Every violation costs you one point, or two points for outrageous violations (8 or
more). There are a few areas where this rule is relaxed (e.g., electric circuits).
3. PAY ATTENTION TO UNITS. This is CRITICAL. You can never add meters to m/s, or equate
force in Newtons to m/s2. NEVER! NEVER! If your equation does that, you have made a
critical error which is likely to leave you with little or no partial credit, so find it and fix it.
Besides, equations in physics make more sense if you just pay attention to units.
4. Vector notation. Vectors on diagrams or other work MUST be identified as such with the
conventional arrow on top: rather than A. Textbooks and other printed materials use
boldface to indicate vectors: A rather than A. You cant write boldface, so you must use the
arrow instead. Furthermore, unit vectors MUST have hats not arrows: and not or .
One point off for each violation.
5. Labels on diagrams. Virtually every physics problem requires a sketch or diagram, and every
diagram must be well-labeled, and labels must be symbols, or symbols and values, and
NOT just values. In other words, label an initial velocity or
= 25 / (one of the few
 permissible inaccuracies, since technically 25 m/s is the magnitude of the vector, but lets
not go to extremes) and NOT just 25 m/s with no symbol. One point penalty.
6. Equations with variables not values. When you write an equation in the course of working
on a problem, write it with variables and not numbers. There is a reason for this. It will help
you focus on what a quantity is, and not just on the number, e.g., v0 is the initial velocity,
and not just 25. Penalty is reduced partial credit.
7. Subscripts. Since you will be working with variables rather than numbers, it is imperative
that every variable be unique. For example, if there are two blocks in the problem with
masses of 12 kg and 15 kg, label them on your diagram as m1 = 12 kg and m2 = 15 kg,
and not m=12 kg and m=15 kg which implies that 12 = 15. One point penalty.
8. Variables defined on diagrams. When you write an equation with unique subscripted
variables, you still have one more requirement. Every variable you use needs to be defined
on your diagram. If, for example, you are looking for the time-of-flight to the top of the
trajectory, you will represent this in your equations as ttop or something similar and mark
it on your diagram. You may also need to mark the coordinates xtop and ytop at the same
spot. Being careful about defining quantities can save you all kinds of grief in the never-
ending quest to avoid being confused.
9. Solve problems algebraically first, then plug in numbers. Once you put in numbers, you
lose all sense of what they are about. If you use symbols instead and solve the problem
algebraically, you have a chance of understanding the solution and not just doing
numerology. After all, physics is all about understanding, not numbers or equations.
10. Use scientific notation. If the answer is 299792458 m/s, you must report it as 3.00 108
m/s showing three significant figures and scientific notation and units. See
https://www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic/exponents-radicals/scientific-notation/v/scientific-notation-i
If you need to review, most textbooks go over this somewhere. On the other hand, Im not
an idiot, so if the number is 10.5 N, you should NOT express it as 1.05 101 N.
11. Box your answers. Please put a box around your final answer in place, NOT out to the side. I
want to see your methods, not just the numerical answer. If I cant see the work leading to
an answer, you get zero credit for it. So dont put a box out to the side summarizing your
answers I wont look at it. This is a convenience for me and will not count a point off but
dont you want to be kind to your grader?
12. I am not a computer. This is the only thing on this list that is arbitrary. Not being a
calculator or computer, I do not accept the E convention for scientific notation, and will take
off a point if you say 3.00E8 m/s rather than 3.00 108 m/s.

If you are not in the habit of doing these things, change. Not doing them will probably cost you
TWO letter grades one from direct loss of points, and one from the lesser understanding resulting
from not thinking in these lines.