Fall 2014 version
Day 1: Intro, book cards, syllabus, expectations
Diagnostic quiz
Examination of equipment:
Students are handed, by table, the CPO Timer II box, which includes photogates.
They were prompted to explore what the equipment could do and how it does it.
After about 10 minutes of exploration they were asked to organize their findings (including diagrams and/or bullet points on the whiteboards) and to share them with the class
Opener: book cards
Essential Questions:
Closer: clean lab
Handouts: Course information sheet, book card, unit 1 assignments,
Day 2:
What is physics?
- matter & energy & how they interact
- fundamental science, express how nature behaves in as few and simplest rules as possible
- many such rules expressed mathematically
What makes a method scientific?
Scientific Method
– many forms;
– all involve experimentation, analysis of data, prediction, reevaluation of hypothesis/theory/principle/law in light of new data
– must be testable (falsifyable)
– self-correcting because theory must fit old + new data
(D-block abbreviated due to evacuation drill)
Students misinterpreted homework, completed homework in class
Opener: What is physics?
Closer: clean lab
Day 3
Accuracy, Precision, Sig figs
Homework review
Measurement
– rabbit length example (using ruler calibrated to every 10 cm)
– estimate to the nearest 10th of a division;
Begin lab: analyzing the motion of a dropped ball bearing. (intro to equipment, lab passed out)
Handouts: Motion of a dropped ball bearing lab
Significant Figures
Day 4
Lab – motion of a dropped ball bearing