Just some comments on the homework and tests for the class.  I thought
I would write this since some of you have expressed concern that the
homeworks are not representative of what you have seen on the
midterms.

First, the tests are not designed to too closely mimic the
homeworks. The reason for this is that the tests are meant for you to
extend the concepts you learn in lecture, recitation, and homework in
a slightly new and novel situation. It is a test of your understanding
of the concepts and your skill in applying them in problems you have
not seen before. In short, the same concepts are involved, but not
necessarily the same problems.

Second, the homeworks can be considered a second mode of learning in
the course separate from the tests. One reason the homeworks are worth
so much in the course (worth more than even the final exam) is that
they are meant not just as preparation material for the tests, but are
also valuable in and of themselves for learning physics. If and when
you take the MCAT, for instance, I doubt you will see problems like
the ones that appear on the tests, but you may encounter problems
similar to the homework problems.