AP Physics

AP Physics C Mechanics

Lecture-Discussion-Laboratories: Monday-Friday. 50 minutes each

Text

Physics for Scientists and Engineers, Randall D. Knight, 4^th Edition.

Supplementary Material

Mastering Physics online platform and teacher resources.

The AP Physics C is a national calculus-based course in physics. The syllabus for this course is designed by the College Board. This course is equivalent to the pre-engineering introductory physics course for university students. The emphasis is on building conceptual knowledge through understanding concepts, analyzing real-life problems, and formulating and implementing the use of formulas to solve problems. Laboratory work in an integral part of this course.

Grade

Quarter grades will be evaluated from a combination of the following tasks:

Tests 60%

Minor Grades 30%

Homework 10%

Lab work will be assessed as a quiz grade.

Labs:

Students must save all graded lab reports for future reference. Students may type reports; however, reports should be saved in a notebook to be set up per teacher instructions.

Laboratory investigations is an important component of the AP Physics C course. Labs will be approached from a goal-oriented objective. Students will be responsible for designing laboratory procedures, forming questions, and analyzing methods to meet the objectives in the lab. Emphasis will be placed on quality of experimental design, analysis, and reflection of results and methods. Students will be expected to debrief other lab groups on their methodology and results in order to improve laboratory skills.

Lab experiments will be performed in the following categories:

1. Data Manipulation. Design an experiment to determine displacement and angle of objects in three dimension. (1 day)

2. Kinematics. Prediction and reproduction of kinematics graphs for constant velocity motion and constant acceleration using motion detectors. (2 days) Acceleration of Hot Wheels on track. (1 day).

3. Projectile Motion. Determine the initial velocity of a projectile (marble), range, and maximum height of the projectile. (2 days)

4. Dynamics. Determination due to gravity in free fall and on incline planes. (2 days) Derivation of Hooke’s Law (2 days) Elastic force of rubber bands-Nonlinear springs (2 days). Determination of work done by variable forces from area under force versus displacement graphs. (2 days).

5. Static Friction Lab. Determine the force required to move a load at various angles. (1 day)

6. Conservation Laws. Prove conservation of energy of a marble on roller coaster at varying positions along the track. (1 day)

7. Oscillations. Determine characteristics of a simple pendulum and spring mass system.

8. Circular Motion. Determine the speed of flying pig in circular orbit. (1 day)

9. Momentum Conservation. Determine the speed of an object before and after collision using a ballistic pendulum.

Each lab will require:

· The formation of a hypothesis based on in-class discussion of the presented problem or focus of the experiment.

· Design of (an) experiment, also based on in-class discussion to test the hypothesis.

· Collection of data and observations.

· Graphical representation and calculations using collected data.

· Conclusion about how well the hypothesis held up based on the experiment.

· Class discussion of variance and error analysis.

· Written report.

Teaching Strategies:

Students will be presented with conceptual knowledge about each topic presented for the day. Teacher will act as a facilitator to guide discussion. Students will be presented will daily problem sets and will be expected to work in small groups to solve problems. Students will build a personal library of physics for quick reference to guide thinking. Groups will be given a problem of the week related to the topic and work as a three-member team to brainstorm a solution.

Teacher will use the mastering physics platform to assign weekly online problems to foster the development of skills needed for students to solve problems. Weekly quizzes will be administered to evaluate mastery of concepts taught during the prior week. Weekly collaboration exercises will be given to build discussion and develop fundamental problem solving skills.

Teacher will review each quiz pointing out the difficulty students had in solving the problems. Students are encouraged to analyze problems and make an attempt at each assigned problem. Teacher will reemphasize the content and rigor of the course to keep students motivated.

Study of Sequence

August 20-September 22

Kinematics and Projectiles

· Concepts of Motion

· Motion in 1-D

· Motion in 2-D

September 25-October 24

Newton’s Laws of Motion and Classical Mechanics

· Newton’s First Law Applications

· Newton’s Second Law Applications

· Newton’s Third Law Applications

· Force and Mass

· Dynamics of a single particle

· Dynamics of two or more objects

October 27-November 28

Linear Momentum and Impulse

· Impulse and Linear Momentum

· Center of Mass

· Law of Conservation of Momentum

· Two-Body Collision

December 1- January 4

Rotational Kinematics

· Constant Angular Speed

· Constant Angular Acceleration

· Relationship between Linear and Angular Variables

January 5- February 5

Rotational Dynamics

· Rigid Bodies

· Moment of Inertia and Torque

· Rotational Variables and Newton’s Second Law

· Angular Momentum

· Conservation of Angular Momentum

· Static Equilibrium

February 8-March 8

Work, Energy, and Power

· Defining work, energy, and power

· Kinetic and potential energies

· Conservation of Energy

· Work done by Conservative and Non-conservative forces

· Work done by variable forces

· Conservation of Mechanical Energy

· Translational Motion

· Rotational Motion

· Rolling Motion

March 12-April 5

Gravitation

· Universal Law of Gravitation

· Gravitational Potential Energy

· Motion of Planets and Satellites

· Kepler’s Laws

· Critical and Escape Velocity

April 8- May 8

Oscillations and Waves

· Simple Harmonic Motion

· Simple Pendulum

· Spring Mass Systems

· Physical Pendulum

Additional time in course will be spent in review of course material. Practice exams will be administered throughout the course to integrate content knowledge of standards and objectives.