AP Physics B: 2011-12
Andy Bushelman
Class Website: http://bushelman-physics.wikispaces.com/
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord Colossians 3:23
Course Description
According to the CollegeBoard, AP Physics is a course designed so that students will learn to:
· Read, understand, and interpret physical information—verbal, mathematical, and graphical
· Describe and explain the sequence of steps in the analysis of a particular physical phenomenon or problem,
o describe the idealized model to be used in the analysis, including simplifying assumptions where necessary
o state the concepts or definitions that are applicable
o specify relevant limitations on applications of these principles
o carry out and describe the steps of the analysis, verbally or mathematically
o interpret the results or conclusions, including discussion of particular cases of special interest
· Use basic mathematical reasoning—arithmetic, algebraic, geometric, trigonometric, or calculus, where appropriate—in a physical situation or problem
· Perform experiments and interpret the results of observations, including making an assessment of experimental uncertainties
This class will, therefore, use interactive problem solving, laboratory investigations, and quantitative demonstrations to help students learn how to succeed in Physics. The class will meet five days a week for 90 minutes. Students are encouraged to come for additional tutorial time after or before school.
Course Supplies
· Textbook: Physics, 4th edition, by James S. Walker
· Supplement: AP* Test Prep Series: Physics B
· A scientific calculator (which can a graphing calculator, but is not required to be)
· Composition book (to be used as a lab notebook)
· Some form of notebook to keep track of your homework, notes, quizzes, and tests
Semester Grade Breakdown
Class Grade (all in-class tests, homework, labs, and activities): 85% of each Semester Grade
Midterm/ Final Exam Grade: Midterm Exam is given in December of Fall Semester. The Final Exam is given in May of the Spring Semester. Each exam is 15% of each Semester Grade
Semester Grade Assessments:
Assessment / Percentage of Class GradeHomework / 20%
Quizzes / 20%
Labs/Activities / 20%
Tests / Major Projects / 40%
Homework
Homework will be assigned every day. The purpose of homework is to reinforce and apply the concepts that are taught in class; “busywork” is not the goal of homework, the assignments serve as additional practice for what was covered in class. Homework allows students to practice the new skills they are learning in class so that they can then apply these concepts.
For planned absences from school, students are required to turn in any homework assignments prior to the absence (this includes athletic activities and field trips). For unplanned absences due to illness or family emergency, the homework must be turned in within the total number of days absent plus one. If a student is out for an extended period of time, please contact the teacher to set up an alternate arrangement for making up the missed classes.
For homework to be graded to a maximum grade of 100% it must follow the homework guidelines or it will be returned and you will be asked to redo it.
Late Work Policy
Students are expected to complete and return assignments on the date due at the beginning of class. Late work will be accepted for up three school days after the original due date. However, for every school day late, students will lose 15% off the maximum grade possible for that assignment. After the fourth school day, the assignment will be assessed and a grade of 0 will stand.
Quizzes
Quizzes will be given daily. If absent (excused or unexcused), students may not make up daily quizzes. They will not receive a 0 and will not be penalized for missing that quiz, but the opportunity to receive credit is forfeited. There will be a multitude of quizzes, so students will have ample opportunity to get a good quiz grade.
Labs / Activities
Students will participate in laboratory and experimental activities on a regular basis (about three days a week every 2 weeks). Students are expected to follow all safety guidelines and procedures as outlined in their safety contract and any additional guidelines as deemed necessary by the teacher or administration.
The majority of the labs are open-ended. Students are given an objective, a list (total or partial) of equipment, and are then expected to design their own procedure, data gathering, and data analysis. Even during labs in which a procedure is provided, students may be asked to modify the procedure and data collection process to use different materials.
The allotted time in class is for conducting the experiments and recording the data. Students are expected to read any introductory materials before coming to class; students are also expected to perform data analysis and complete the lab report at home. Lab reports will be recorded and graded in the lab notebook. Students are required to maintain a lab notebook. Each student in a lab group is responsible for recording and completing the assigned task in their individual notebook.
Lab Schedule
All labs are “hands-on- activities. Students will be required to maintain a lab notebook containing all lab experiments, data, calculations, analysis, and lab reports.
Fall Semester
· Areas, Volumes, and Densities
o Determine through calculations and experimentation the densities in regularly and irregularly shaped objects
o Use data to determine the identity of an unknown material
· Graph Matching
o Prediction and reproduction of kinematics graphs
o Creation of Motion Graphs: creation of motion graphs by opposing lab groups
· Determination of acceleration due to gravity
· Projectile Motion: Relationship between θ and range
· Hooke’s Law I: Elastic force in rubber bands
· Hooke’s Law II: Determining the spring constant
· Newton’s Second Law
o Graphical analysis of variable force and acceleration for different masses
· Coefficient of Friction
o Determination of kinetic and static friction for various materials
· Kepler’s Laws
o Plot planetary orbit and apply Kepler’s Laws using given planetary data
· Conservation of Energy
o Determine the velocity of a system to verify conservation of mechanical energy
o Verify conservation of mechanical energy using an Atwood’s machine
· Work and Energy
o Design an experiment to determine the work done due to non-conservative forces on an inclined plane
o Modify given lab procedure to determine the work done on an cart-mass system without “technology”
· Momentum, Energy, and Collisions
o Use a two-car system to analyze momentum conservation in elastic, inelastic, and completely inelastic collisions
o Use a two-car system to analyze kinetic energy conservation in elastic, inelastic, and completely inelastic collisions
· Torque
o Determination of an unknown mass based on translational and rotational equilibrium
· Simple Pendulum
o Investigation of the dependence of the period on the length, mass, and angle
o Determine acceleration due to gravity
Spring Semester
· Determining Density using Archimedes’ Principle
· Coefficient of Linear Expansion
o Design a lab to experimentally determine the coefficient of linear expansion
· Boyle’s Law
· Electrostatics
o Order materials based on electronegativity
· Equipotential Lines and Electric Fields
o Map potentials and electric fields using conductive paper using dipole-dipole, dipole-plate, and parallel plate configurations
· Magnitude of the Electric Field
· Ohm’s Law
o Analyze voltage, current, and resistance in variable situations
· Series and Parallel Circuits I
o Investigate the behavior of resistors in series and parallel
· Series and Parallel Circuits II
o Investigate the behavior of capacitors in series and parallel
· Magnetic Field in a Coil
· Magnetic Field in a Slinky
· Speed of Sound
o Students will develop a procedure to determine the speed of sound using tuning forks and a column of water/ water tank
· Standing Waves in a String
· Plane Surface Reflection and Refraction
o Investigate the laws of reflection and refraction of light at plane surfaces separating two regions with different optical densities.
o Applications of Snell’s Law
· Thin Lenses
o Study the position and sizes of images produced by thin lenses
o Measure the focal length of single thin lenses and a system of lenses in contact
· Double-Slit Experiment
o Determine the wavelength of a light source by using a double slit and a diffraction grating; multiple colors of light will be used
· Single-Slit Diffraction of the Human Hair
o Measure the diameter of a hair by observing the diffraction of light by the hair
· Photoelectric Effect
o Use simulation to collect data and create a graph that allows for the calculation of Planck’s constant for three different metals
Labs will frequently begin with the presentation of a question or problem; students are then encouraged and led in discussion to formulate ideas of how to best answer the question or solve the problem. Given a variety of equipment and supplies, students are asked to create and design a procedure that will allow them to test their hypotheses.
Tests / Major Projects
AP style tests will be given; all tests are cumulative. After tests students will periodically be allowed to do test corrections for additional credit, the instructions for test corrections will be given out after the first test.
If a student receives a grade below 70%, then they must come in for a retest within one week of receiving notice of the failing grade. Prior to the retest, students must come in for a tutorial with the teacher. Only one retest will be allowed per test. If retests become a habit, the teacher will schedule a meeting with the parents and student to address any underlying difficulties.
Translators: Translators may NOT be used on tests or the Midterm and Final Exams. If this poses a problem, please talk to me before the day of the test.
Final Exam Exemption Policy
At the end of the school year in May students take their Final Exams. They will be allowed to exempt their final if, and only if, they maintain a 100% average in the class during Spring Semester (January-May). Otherwise, students are required to take the final exam.
Teacher Help (Office Hours)
If a student is having difficulty with a concept or topic I am available before and after school and during specific times during the school day for help. (Please note that Staff Meetings are on Wednesdays and afterschool help will, out of necessity, be limited on those days.) Please contact me, either in person or though email, if there is a problem. Science is cumulative —it is always better to ask a question sooner rather than later because the topics build on one another.
Schedule of Topics (Schedule subject to change without notice)
[Students are also given a copy of the topic coverage list from pages 13-15 of the AP Course description for AP Physics B. All subsections of the five major content areas will be covered.]
· Unit 1: Kinematics (15 days)
o Graphical Description of Vectors
o Interpreting dv/dt and dx/dt graphs
o Vectors
o Kinematic Equations
o 2-D Motion
o Projectile Motion
· Unit 2: Newton’s Laws (12 days)
o Newton’s Laws of Motion
o Free-Body Diagrams
o Static Equilibrium
o Dynamics
o Frictional Forces
· Unit 3: Planetary Motion (3 days)
o Orbits and Kepler’s Laws
o Universal Law of Gravitation
· Unit 4: Work and Energy (10 days)
o Work
o Energy: Kinetic and Potential
o Conservation of Energy
o Power
· Unit 5: Momentum (5 days)
o Conservation of Momentum
o Elastic and Inelastic Collisions
· Unit 6: Circular Motion and Rotation (5 days)
o Uniform Circular Motion
o Torque and Equilibrium
· Unit 7: Oscillations and Simple Harmonic Motion (5 days)
· Unit 8: Fluid Mechanics (9 days)
o Fluid Mechanics
o Buoyancy
o Fluid Flow Continuity
o Bernoulli’s Equation
· Unit 9: Thermodynamics (10 days)
o Heat Transfer and Thermal Equilibrium
o Kinetic Theory and Thermodynamics
o Laws of Thermodynamics
· Unit 10: Electrostatics (8 days)
o Charge and Coulomb’s Law
o Electric Fields and Potentials
o Capacitors
o Dielectrics
· Unit 11: Electric Circuits (7 days)
o Current, resistance, power
o Steady-state DC Currents
· Unit 12: Magnetic Fields (8 days)
o Forces on Moving Charges
o Forces on Current-Carrying Wires
· Unit 13: Electromagnetism (7 days)
o Electromagnetic Induction
o Lenz’s Law
o Faraday’s Law
· Unit 14: Wave Motion (3 days)
o Sound
o Travelling Waves and Wave Propagation
o Standing Waves and Superposition
· Unit 15: Optics (10 days)
o Interference and Diffraction
o Reflection and Refraction
o Mirrors and Lenses
· Unit 16: Atomic and Nuclear Physics (10 days)
o Atomic Physics and Quantum Effects
o Wave-particle Duality
o Nuclear Reactions
· Putting It All Together (21 days)