AP Physics C Syllabus 2009-10 Instructor
Byron Philhour - http://www.siprep.org/faculty/bphilhour
ContactPlease use the AP Physics Public Folder in your Microsoft Outlook Web Access e-mail program for physics, math, and general science questions.
For administrative or personal questions, please e-mail your instructor from your SI e-mail account.
Your instructor is available to meet by appointment or on a drop-in
basis before or after school; during lunch-time, we'd ask that you meet with other students in the TA program
SynopsisThe AP Physics course is equivalent in content, depth, and complexity
to an introductory physics course at the college level. This course is
designed to prepare the student to excel in the AP Physics C: Mechanics
exam offered in May and in college physics. AP Physics is
an in-depth, content-intensive study of physical principles that allows
students the opportunity to engage in hands-on scientific
experimentation. Units of study in preparation for the AP exam include kinematics, Newton’s laws,
conservation laws, harmonic motion, and rotational motion. Additional units of study may include electromagnetism, advanced circuits, special relativity, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, optics, and other topics. Use
of calculus in problem solving is expected to increase as the course
progresses. Students are required to enroll in the co-requisite AP Science Laboratory course and attend double-period labs before or after school at least once, but no more than twice, per week. Students are required to take the AP Physics C: Mechanics exam in May.
Resources
Required
- Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach by Randall Knight 2nd Edition, e-book, bundled with MasteringPhysics (Note: MasteringPhysics is an online tool bundled with textbook, used for homework assignments - please enroll in SIAPPHYSICS, using your SI Student ID as your student ID and your full name)
- Note: please be conscientious about printing out parts of your e-book; I'll let you know what you'll specifically need - also, parts of it I will print and photocopy in bulk (this is cheaper & easier than having everybody print out everything)
- Workbook for Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Randall Knight (Ch 1-15)
- The Cartoon Guide to Physics by Gonick & Huffman
- Miniature Guide to Scientific Thinking by CriticalThinking.org
- 3-ring binder
- Scientific calculator, preferably with graphing capabilities
- A Google account for use of shared Google documents
- Straight edge and small protractor (keep in your binder for use in class & on tests)
Strongly Recommended
-
Regular access to a computer (Mac or PC) with internet access and Microsoft Excel at home
AP Science Laboratory Course
Students are required to co-enroll in the AP Science Laboratory course. This course meets once per week at such a time that allows a 'double period' to form. For instance, for the 2009-10 school year, AP Physics meets 1st period, meaning that we'll meet once per week on the first day of the week (typically Monday, but sometimes Tuesday if Monday is a holiday) at 7:35 am rather than at 8:30 am. This allows us to do full-length, college-style laboratories. Should Monday zero period present an intractable scheduling problem, the student is encouraged to speak with the instructor immediately to make another arrangement -- note that 1st period is also adjacent to the end of the day on typical Thursdays. Attendance will be taken for the laboratory course -- absences should, as usual, be reported in advance (or asap) by telephone call to the Dean's Office.
Outline of Course
1st quarter: introduction, vector mathematics, programming and simulations, kinematics (translational, then rotational), review of Newton's Laws of motion and centripetal motion, torque (statics), Lunar Lander Project, and lab techniques
2nd quarter: conservation laws & collisions (translational), systems of particles & center of mass, rotational inertia, conservation laws & collisions (rotational), video-based analysis of collisions, Lunar Lander Project, and lab techniques
3rd quarter: thermodynamics & heat engines, Stirling Engine Project, lab techniques, and some advanced topics in physics and mathematics -- these vary by year but can include astronomy & astrophysics, linear algebra (in particular, matrix multiplication and applications of such), special relativity, quantum mechanics, optics, electricity & magnetism, AC circuits, etc.
4th quarter: simple harmonic motion, physical pendulums, calculus topics (integral methods for center of mass & rotational inertia), AP exam review, particle physics, Particle Physics Project, and lab techniques
Expectations
As a student, you are expected to ...
- Check
the course weblog and other internet resources routinely for announcements, to read
the schedule of the day's activities in advance, and to find your
homework assignment on your own.
- Check the whiteboard upon entering class for the agenda for the day; immediately begin working on any posted warmup problems.
- Bring your 3-ring binder to class each day with the appropriate sections of the workbook inside for in-class work.
- Attend the physics
homework parties in Room 313 at lunch and after school on a regular
basis to get help with difficult concepts.
- Make good use of time outside of class to complete laboratories and homework assignments.
- Use care and common sense in the laboratory and follow all stated safety guidelines.
- Write and turn in corrections for all missed problems on quizzes and exams.
- Go easy on yourself and others: be kind, patient, and helpful.
- Be
respectful, careful, and considerate of our classroom and laboratory
resources, particularly the computers and software, other technical
equipment, books, and desks. Do not leave messes in the laboratory or in
the classroom.
- Preserve the integrity of the grading system - put forth your best effort and don't represent the work of others as your own. Be sure you understand what behavior constitutes plagiarism.
- Be
honest with the material, yourself, and your instructor. (Don't take
shortcuts to avoid understanding and don't fake understanding. Don't be
embarrassed to admit you don't know or to admit that you're stuck, no
matter how stuck you are.)
- Be creative, take risks,
and ask questions. Physics is tough. It requires you to think
creatively and to challenge yourself intellectually.
Learning Differences
For students with learning differences, we will work with
your counselor to ensure that you have access to all approved
accommodations. Do not hesitate to remind your teacher about these.
Department Mission
Our mission is to teach students the scientific method so they can
understand modern scientific descriptions of the universe and come to
objective conclusions about the natural world. Like all members of the
SI community we aim to educate the whole person, emphasizing the
academic, extracurricular, and spiritual development of our students.
We would like to see graduates of SI ...
To this end, we strongly advise students to take all three of our core classes (Biology, Chemistry, and Physics) as well as a 4th year elective course.
Fundamental Ideas
- Physics
is the study of the most fundamental laws of nature. Physicsts are
concerned with the behavior of the universe and its constituents
ranging from the smallest subatomic particles up to enormous galaxy
clusters.
- Physics is an experimental science, meaning
that all theories -- no matter how elegant -- can be rejected if in
conflict with the results of a single experiment. To quote Karl Popper:
"Science may be described as the art of systematic
over-simplification...In so far as a scientific statement speaks about
reality, it must be falsifiable; and in so far as it is not
falsifiable, it does not speak about reality."
- Physicists
should "get their hands dirty." Laboratory work allows us to interact
with the world in a simplified, controlled way. There is a place for
calculations and abstract mathematical manipulation, but this kind of
effort should lead to a deeper understanding of the real world.
- As important as the content of physics is the method: students with a physics education are expected to repeatedly ask and answer the fundamental question 'How do we know?'. Physics is not a dogmatic discipline: everything is up for grabs.
- Physics
is more than just the memorization of content: it is a framework for
understanding the world as it is. To quote Nobel prize-winning
physicist Richard Feynman:
"You can know the name of a bird in all the languages of the world, but
when you're finished, you'll know absolutely nothing whatever about the
bird... So let's look at the bird and see what it's doing — that's what
counts. I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something."
- The
rational world-view taught in a physics class will be more important to
our students in their future lives than any specific course content.
- One reason physics is so powerful is that a small set of core ideas can be applied to a broad range of phenomena.
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