Spring 2027

General Physics

General Physics is a calculus-based intro for engineering students covering mechanics, including kinematics, statics, dynamics, energy, and momentum.

offering recorded5 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Josh Weber4.4/5Carrie Francis2.9/5

Summary

1 / 6

Past student reviews · Josh Weber

The course content is challenging, but exam questions closely resemble the practice problems and examples covered in lecture and discussion. Weber goes in depth to ensure concepts are clear before assessment.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Describe an object's motion using kinematic quantities (position, velocity, acceleration). Predict how motion will change using kinematic equations.

  • Sum forces on an object (mathematically and graphically) to solve for equilibrium and/or predict the object's acceleration and motion using Newton's laws.

  • Predict changes in motion of multi-object systems using conserved quantities (e.g., momentum or energy).

  • Calculate equilibrium pressure, velocity, and flow rate fluids using Newton's laws and conservation principles.

  • Perform measurements and analyze results in laboratory experiments using concepts from this course.

Source: UW Guide

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

MATH 217 or 221. Not open to students with credit forPHYSICS 207 or 247.

PHYSICS 201 used by

“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree

Professors

Spring 2027

Josh Weber

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.68/5 from 44 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 4.8/5 raw quality · 3.6/5 difficulty · 21 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · Josh Weber

Josh Weber taught clear lectures with practice problems and demonstrations that students found helpful for exams. Reviewers noted he explained difficult material in an engaging and approachable manner, though one student mentioned he occasionally went slow during classes.

Students reported that Physics 201 labs and discussions were not helpful and that the course design was poor, though they felt Weber made the content doable. One reviewer described Weber as occasionally unorganized but overall solid in explaining elementary concepts.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2024: 2.77 GPA, 27.6% A/AB (n=145 letter grades); Fall 2025: 2.82 GPA, 27.6% A/AB (n=163 letter grades); Spring 2026: 2.98 GPA, 38.2% A/AB (n=466 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Carrie Francis

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 1.58/5 from 12 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

No course-specific feedback yet.

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

Past student reviews · Yibin Pan

Historical instructor Yibin Pan received mixed feedback regarding his teaching style. One student found his lectures and demos enjoyable, while another found his slides crowded and his explanations too fast to follow, recommending students rely on homework and practice problems instead to learn the material.

CARY FOREST is recorded teaching in Spring 2007. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JEFFREY SCHMIDT is recorded teaching in Spring 2023. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JOSHUA WEBER is recorded teaching in Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Fall 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

RALF WEHLITZ is recorded teaching in Spring 2018. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

SRIDHARA DASU is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Spring 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

SUSAN COPPERSMITH is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Fall 2009. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

YIBIN PAN is recorded teaching in Fall 2011, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 2600
DIS 302Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 305Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 307Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 602Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 605Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 607Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 312Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 603Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 612Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 310Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 610Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 308Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 608Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 311Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 611Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 313Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 613Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 309Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 609Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 604Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LEC 002Classroom Instruction0 / 2600
LAB 615Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 616Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 617Classroom Instruction0 / 00
DIS 315Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 316Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 317Classroom Instruction0 / 00
DIS 318Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 618Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 606Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 306Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 614Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 314Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 319Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 619Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 320Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 620Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 321Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 621Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 322Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 622Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 601Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 623Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 323Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 301Classroom Instruction0 / 240

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Past student reviews · Josh Weber

Josh Weber makes inherently difficult physics material feel manageable through clear, engaging lectures and fair grading. Students describe him as caring, accessible, and passionate about helping everyone succeed.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 2.89 GPA, 36.8% A/AB (n=419 letter grades); Fall 2025: 2.82 GPA, 27.6% A/AB (n=163 letter grades); Spring 2026: 2.98 GPA, 38.2% A/AB (n=466 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Past student reviews · Josh Weber

The course content is challenging, but exam questions closely resemble the practice problems and examples covered in lecture and discussion. Weber goes in depth to ensure concepts are clear before assessment.

Past student reviews · Josh Weber

While Weber’s lectures were clear, one student felt the class was run poorly, noting that labs and discussions were not helpful. Weber was occasionally unorganized but remained approachable and solid overall.

Topics

  • Mechanics: kinematics, statics, dynamics, energy, and momentum.
  • Fluids: equilibrium pressure, velocity, and flow rate.
  • Laboratory experiments and measurement analysis.

Skills

  • Use kinematic quantities and equations to describe and predict motion.
  • Apply Newton's laws to sum forces and solve for equilibrium or acceleration.
  • Predict system motion using conservation of momentum or energy.
  • Calculate fluid pressure, velocity, and flow rate using conservation principles.
  • Perform and analyze laboratory experiments using course concepts.

Grades

Historical instructor

Spring 2027 · Projected

Before grades are released

– average GPA

Approximate 80% prediction interval

About this estimate

The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade. The center uses 5 same-season terms, weighted toward recent results.

The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.

8 earlier forecasts · 0.14 GPA average error.

Grades over time

Through Spring 2027

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1280 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

Download part 1
Selected offering source records
PHYSICS 201 · Spring 2027

General Physics

Recorded 2026-10-29
Raw records 
[
  {
    "run_id": "20261029T213040-0fa85c20",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-29 21:30:40.248904+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:754:015599",
    "course_id": "PHYSICS 201",
    "course_uid": "course_3d31f8f280d8571385be79ba",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "015599",
    "source_subject_id": "754",
    "title": "General Physics",
    "credits_min": 5,
    "credits_max": 5,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring, Summer"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-29

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1Download part 2Download part 3Download part 4
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "89657b8c4f8629895818eb2b58729c19aed2a923bc8f73dd16b8e10617236a29",
  "requirements_status": "needs_review",
  "dataset_revision": "c9cd06eaa45f9ddf7e69faa38b89ff3d3dd995dd",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-29 21:30:40.248904+00:00"
}