PLACEMENT EXAMS

The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers placement exams for PHYS 118 and PHYS 119. A passing score will result in the Registrar awarding “credit by exam” (BE). Placement exams for 118 and 119 occur one or two days before the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. 

• The Spring 2024 date and location is Monday, January 8^th from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM in Phillips 215.  
• The exam must be taken in person – there is no remote version.

Please carefully read the descriptions below. If you wish to take the placement exam, please contact the Physics and Astronomy Placement Exam Coordinator to be placed on the list. Include your PID and major.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAM AND STUDY RESOURCES

• The 3-hour 118 exam consists of four parts, all of which are closed-book and closed-note:
  • Part 1: Qualitative Questions
  • Part 2: Classical Mechanics Problems
    • Parts 1-2 contain conceptual questions and quantitative problems similar to those found on a 118 final exam. Chapters 1-13 and 15-17 in Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach by Randall Knight, 4^th or 5^th ed., is an appropriate study resource.
  • Part 3: Measurement and Uncertainty
    • Part 3 focuses on analyzing measurement and uncertainty questions or simulated laboratory experiments similar to those in 118. We provide the 118 Measurement and Uncertainty Guide as a study resource. In addition to examples throughout the Guide, the Guide’s Appendix contains a number of sample questions and answers. See the FAQ below for a link to this Guide.
  • Part 4: Special Relativity
    • Part 4 focuses on qualitative and quantitative Special Relativity questions similar to those found on a 118 final exam. Chapter 36 in Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach by Randall Knight, 4^th or 5^th ed., is an appropriate study resource; in addition, we provide the 118 Relativity Guide as an additional study resource for spacetime diagrams. See the FAQ below for a link to this Guide.

• The 3-hour 119 exam consists of four parts, all of which are closed-book and closed-note:
  • Part 1: Qualitative Questions
  • Part 2: Electromagnetism/Optics Problems
    • Parts 1-2 contain conceptual questions and quantitative problems similar to those found on a 119 final exam. Chapters 22-35 in Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach by Randall Knight, 4^th or 5^th ed., is an appropriate study resource.
  • Part 3: Measurement and Uncertainty
    • Part 3 focuses on analyzing measurement and uncertainty questions or simulated laboratory experiments similar to those in 119. The 118 Measurement and Uncertainty Guide mentioned above contains material that will be relevant. In addition to examples throughout the Guide, the Guide’s Appendix contains a number of sample questions and answers. See the FAQ below for a link to this Guide.
  • Part 4: Modern Physics
    • Part 4 focuses on questions about Quantum Mechanics and Atomic and Nuclear Physics similar to those found on a final exam in 119. Chapters 37-42 in Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach by Randall Knight, 4^th or 5^th ed., is an appropriate study resource.

RULES FOR ALL VERSIONS OF EXAMS:

• Students who show up without prior arrangement will be turned away.
• Students must present their valid UNC identification card at exam time. If you cannot provide a university ID, your score will be provisional until the placement exam coordinator can verify your identity; this will likely cause a delay in your outcome, so you are advised to follow this guideline carefully. Any irregularity may be considered an honor code violation. If you anticipate any issues, please let the coordinator know beforehand of your situation.
• Students must supply a valid UNC e-mail address. Official communications about the exam, including any last-minute information before the exam and results after the exam, will only be sent to a valid UNC e-mail address. 
• A non-internet compatible calculator is allowed, but no smart devices of any other kind are allowed. Graphing or solving calculators are allowed.
• Notes, notecards, books, resources, or other materials are not allowed during the exam. Useful formulas and physical constants will be provided at exam time – see the FAQ below for links to the 118 and 119 formula pages. We strongly advise that you do not use the formula page as an indication of exam content.
• A non-passing score will not become a part of your academic record.
• All papers must be returned to the proctor at the end of the exam period.
• The exams will typically be graded within 2 days.
• To take the placement exam for 119, you must already have credit for 118.
• You may take the placement exam for 118 or 119 only one time.
• You may not take the 118 and the 119 exam in immediate succession. If you pass the 118 exam, you must wait for the next semester’s 119 exam (if you are eligible to take it).
• The passing score for the either the 118 or the 119 exam is approximately 75%. 
• To be eligible to take the 119 placement exam, you must score at least 85% on the 118 placement exam.
• Scoring decisions are final, and you may not review the exam or the solutions after the exam. Neither the scoring rubric nor the solutions are shared.
• If you have any further questions regarding placement exams for 118 or 119, please contact the Physics and Astronomy Placement Exam Coordinator.
• Please read the FAQ below before contacting the Coordinator with questions.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR THE 118 AND 119 PLACEMENT EXAMS

Can you tell me information about PHYS 104/105/116/117/128? Ans: please read our information about these courses that are no longer offered.

Will I get credit for 118 (or 119) if I pass the placement exam(s)? Ans: the Physics department merely administers the placement exam, determines if the score is passing, and sends this information on to the Registrar. Individual departments determine whether to accept credit by exam, but we are unaware of any departments that do not – please contact your department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies for more information. Please note that your Tarheel Tracker will not show credit for taking the course if you take the placement exam – if you pass, the credit will be shown as BE (“by exam”) and should allow you to continue on toward graduation as if you took the class. 

I don’t arrive on campus until after the date of the exam. Can I still take the exam? Ans: the exams are scheduled for only one date and time, before classes start, so we discourage this eventuality – please contact the Placement Exam Coordinator for a determination.

If I don’t pass the exam, will I be able to register immediately for 118 (or 119)? Ans: we cannot guarantee registration; however, we will make all efforts to give priority to placement exam takers when manually adding students to the class at the last moment. Please let the Placement Exam Coordinator know your intentions so your name can be put in the queue.

I’m a transfer student – how does all this work for me? Ans: first, check with Undergraduate Admissions to see if any of your previous course work can be transferred to UNC for course credit. If you intend to declare as a physics major or minor or double major, please contact the Physics Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Do you award partial credit when scoring? Ans: YES. Although we do not share the solutions or the rubric, we will score you on your thinking process and your analytical skill, not just your answers. Clearly state all the information you know about a problem, and if you don’t know how to solve a problem, describe how you might go about solving it. Do not leave any questions blank unless explicitly told that no explanation is needed – unless otherwise stated, any answers that include no explanation or a description (solution) of how you arrived at the answer will be given ZERO credit, even if the answer happens to be correct. Please clearly indicate which is your final answer, and don’t forget units!

How much are the different parts of each exam worth? Ans: For both the 118 and 119 exams, the scoring breakdown is as follows:

• Parts 1-2: ~62% of the total score
• Part 3: ~22% of the total score
• Part 4: ~16% of the total score

Can we ask questions and/or take a break during the exam? Ans: Yes. If you have a question, approach the proctor and ask. The proctor will decide if any clarification is needed and will share the question with the rest of the exam takers. If you need to take a break (e.g., water or bathroom), turn your test upside down and leave it on your desk and let the proctor know what you are doing and for how long – do not leave the exam room for an extended period.

Do you provide an equation sheet for the exam? Ans: We provide the 118 formula page and 119 formula page as a courtesy; this equation sheet will also be attached to the exam when you take it. The formulas and constants needed for the exam are contained either in the formula page or in the exam itself. No memorization of formulas or constants is required – just bring your knowledge of physics and your thinking hats. You are expected to understand the basic interpretation of the formula page. For example, {r,x,y,z} generally refer to position, F to force, p to momentum, E and B to electric and magnetic field, etc. You should also know how to derive certain concepts based on derivatives or integrals (e.g., velocity is the derivative of position, etc.) without any further guidance. We strongly advise that you do not use the formula pages as an indication of exam content.

How should I study for this exam – what sample problems do you provide? Ans: we do not provide sample exams.

• For Parts 1 and 2 of the exam, your best resource is the end-of-chapter problems in the listed chapters (above) in Randall Knight’s 4^th or 5^th ed of Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach, which is the current text for both 118 and 119. Any other study resources you choose (e.g., Schaum’s, on-line reviews and courses, Kaplan, Princeton, etc.) may also be appropriate if their content matches our listed chapter content.
• Part 3 of the exam is material that can only be found in the 118 or 119 course itself; as a study aid, we provide the
  118 Measurement and Uncertainty Guide as a study resource. We consider measurement and uncertainty questions to be “universal.” That is, although questions may have a 118 or 119 context, the approach to uncertainty is the same; for this reason, the 118 Guide and its Appendix of sample problems are sufficient to explain the concepts needed in 119 as well as 118.
• Part 4 of the 118 exam (Special Relativity) is material that can only be found in the 118 course. Chapter 36 end-of-chapter problems are sufficient as a study resource; however, our 118 Guide to Special Relativity covers important information about concepts and spacetime diagrams that will also be required for the exam.
• Part 4 of the 119 exam (Quantum Mechanics and Atomic and Nuclear Physics) is material that can only be found in the 119 course. Chapters 37-42 end-of-chapter problems are sufficient as a study resource; no further resources are available.