Physics Course Outline

Physics is a course that covers concepts related to matter, motion and energy. It uses lab based activities, reading and mathematical models to build and assess student understanding. Our focus is on Newtonian physics, but we may bring in modern and nuclear physics at the end of the year.

Units 1 - 4: Motion

Introduction to the concepts of measuring, describing and predicting motion.

Students can:

• Describe 1-Dimensional and 2-Dimensional motion of objects using concepts of position, velocity, and acceleration.

• Describe the motion of objects in free-fall.

• Use mathematical models to predict the motion of objects (position, velocity, & acceleration) at a specific time when given initial or final conditions.

Units 5 - 11: Forces

Learn how individual and multiple forces influence the motion of an object.

Students can:

• Identify forces acting on an object, and how they influence an object.

• Use Newton's Laws to determine how forces will influence an object.

• Create a Free-body diagram of the forces acting on an object, and determine the magnitude and direction of the net force.

• Apply Newtons laws for forces acting at different angles to determine how they influence an object.

• Apply Newtons laws for forces causing circular motion to determine how they influence the motion of an object.

Units 13 & 14: Energy and Momentum

Introduction to energy and momentum concepts and how they relate to motion and position.

Students can

• Identify the types of energy present in a system.

• Calculate total energy based on initial conditions of a system.

• Apply conservation of energy and conservation of momentum to determine how a system changes with different interactions.

• Use rate of energy usage to determine how much power an object has.

• Explain how momentum and energy provide more information about the motion of an object than kinematics alone.

Applying what we know about motion and forces, and introducing the corresponding rotational concepts.

Students can:

• Use a free-body diagram and the point of rotation to determine the net torque.

• Use rotational kinematics equations to describe the rotational motion of an object.

• Use rotational energy and momentum to describe changes in rotational motion.

• Use Net Torque to determine changes in rotational motion.