Professor Kenneth Ragan Reviews
Class Ratings
Professor Rating
Prof: Kenneth Ragan / Fall 2020
Dec 23, 2021
Introductory course on classical mechanics and wave physics.
Miscellaneous: Units + dimensional analysis, uncertainties in experiments. Kinematics: 1-D, 2-D, linear + rotational + relative, vectors. Dynamics: 1-D, 2-D, linear + rotational, forces (gravity, normal, friction, applied, tension, centripetal, spring, 3rd law pairs), Newton's Laws, torque. Work, Energy, and Power: linear + rotational, Work-Energy Theorem, conservation of energy. Momentum: linear + rotational, conservation of momentum, impulse, collisions, center of mass, moment of inertia + Parallel Axis Theorem. Equilibrium: static + dynamic. Gravitation: Kepler's Laws, Newtonian Gravitation, gravitational potential energy, orbits, gravitational fields Simple Harmonic Motion: springs, spring energy, period + frequency Wave physics: types of waves, wave equations, reflection + tra...read more
Nice professor, but gives challenging quizzes and exams.
Do practice questions and always review the basics.
Class Ratings
Prof: Kenneth Ragan / Fall 2020
Mar 15, 2021
If you took the highest level physics course offered at your high school then most of the content should be review. If did not do well in high school physics then this course will be more challenging as content is deeper and more expansive; i.e you learn mostly linear motion in high school, now we also cover rotational motion.
Read the assigned readings as soon as possible because he doesn't 'teach' it in class -- rather he skims over it and does examples and thought experiments based on what you should've covered in the readings. Try and get high grades in labs and homework to cover for formal evaluations, since his quizzes and exams are pretty difficult (the questions are usually based off of the challenge questions he puts on his slides / homework).