Unit: Modern Physics Topics
Grade: 9-12 | Content Area: Science | Course Name: Physics |
Description of Unit: During this unit students will explore the concepts of modern physics. They will first look at the properties of the atom and the development of the Atomic Theory. Explorations in particle physics and the Big Bang Theory will complete the unit. | Approximate Time Needed: 10-17 days |
Benchmarks: 10.1 I can describe changes in society that have resulted from significant discoveries and advances in technology in physics. (9P.1.3.3.1)
10.2 I can compare fission and fusion in terms of the reactants, the products and the conversion from matter into energy. (9.2.3.2.6)
10.3 I can describe how technological problems and advances often create a demand for new scientific knowledge, improved mathematics, and new technologies. (9.1.3.4.1)
10.4 I can explain how scientific and technological innovations-as well as new evidence-can challenge portions of, or entire accepted theories and models including, but not limited to: cell theory, atomic theory, theory of evolution, plate tectonic theory, germ theory of disease, and the big bang theory. (9.1.1.1.7)
10.5 I can describe how changes in scientific knowledge generally occur in incremental steps that include and build on earlier knowledge. (9.1.1.1.6)
Essential Questions: How do changes in technology impact the theories that we study in science?
How are the conservation of matter and conservation of energy related?
What ways are we currently using to study the origins of the universe?
Lesson | Duration | Supporting Target | Resources | Assessment |
1 | 3-5 days | I can describe how technological problems and advances often create a demand for new scientific knowledge, improved mathematics, and new technologies. I can explain how scientific and technological innovations-as well as new evidence-can challenge portions of, or entire accepted theories and models including atomic theory. I can describe how changes in scientific knowledge generally occur in incremental steps that include and build on earlier knowledge. | Atomic Theory Timeline Class Project | Pre Formative |
2 | 2-3 days | I can compare fission and fusion in terms of the reactants, the products and the conversion from matter into energy. | Fission & Fusion Plus an Alternative Energy Class Project Calorimetry lab comparing heat released by different processes | Formative |
3 | 1-2 days | I can explain the interaction of small particles that form atoms. I can describe how particle accelerator technology is used in making new discoveries. | Pre Formative | |
4 | 3 - 6 days | I can describe how technological advancements lead to new scientific knowledge. I can explain how new scientific evidence can challenge existing theories. I can describe how how changes in scientific knowledge build on earlier knowledge. | Summative | |
5 | 1 day | I can describe changes in society that result in significant advances in physics. | Summative |
Activity | Notes to Instructors |
Purpose: Students will become familiar with at least 20 scientists that have contributed to the atomic theory by creating a timeline and specifying scientific findings for each scientist. Time: 90-120 minutes | |
Purpose: Students will simulate the process that Ernest Rutherford used to determine the size of the nucleus and analyze the data collected. See the Rolling With Rutherford Lab link for teacher notes. Time: 60 minutes | |
Fission & Fusion Plus an Alternative Energy Class Project Calorimetry lab comparing heat released by different processes | Purpose: To explore the various methods of generating energy and compare them. This presentation compares fission and fusion and their applications. The Alternative Energy Class Project is designed to let groups of students research six various forms of alternative energy and resort back to the class about their results. This activity deals with energy changing from one form to another. Students are to devise a lab where energy is changing forms and to come up with a way to measure or calculate the energy present before and after transforming. The first part of this activity uses a pop can calorimeter to capture and measure the amount of heat liberated from burning a small sample from a can of mixed nuts. The second part is a student designed activity that converts a different form of energy, besides chemical energy, into heat. Time: 120-180 minutes |
Purpose: This slideshow is a guide to help introduce students to the study of the Standard Model and the particles that make up our universe. Slide 2: The focus of the is the decay that can occur with a nucleus. Some students may have an understanding from a chemistry course. During the discussion of this, you should go over examples of how each decay is different. Resource for Decay Equations Slide 3: This is for the discussion of the Standard Model at this point. Two good sources for more information on this topic are The Perimeter Institute and Quarknet. Slide 4: Experiments require equipment and particle accelerators are the tools that are used. This slide will allow you to discuss how a particle accelerator works. The video that is linked can be found on TED.Ed and you may find some support information there. Time: 30-40 minutes | |
Purpose: The database of activities will give you a jumping point of several activities that could be used. The recommended activity is the Top Quark Mass activity. Time: 60 minutes | |
Purpose: Students will look at how new technologies and evidence shaped, and continues to shape our understandings of the Universe. If you know little about the Big Bang story and would like to learn more for yourself, it is suggested that you read The Big Bang by Simon Singh, the book is a great read and filled with lots of great information about astronomy. The project is a webquest that asks students to look into different periods of time, and what the current understanding of the Universe was, and how it was changing. The students are then asked to take what they learned by doing the webquest and turn it into some type of product. Depending on the amount of time that you would like to spend on this project, you could have students do it completely independently and do all parts, do the webquest independently but the project as part of a group… You will need to decide based on your timeline and the level of your students. Time: 135-225 minutes | |
Purpose: To have students recreate some of the observations that astronomers work with to learn about the Universe Materials: meter sticks, paper, light source, electronic device with light sensors. There are 3 different labs. The first one is on parallax and only requires meter sticks and paper. The second one builds on the inverse square law lab that students did in an earlier unit and has a similar set up. You will need to decide if you want students to redo data collection for this lab or try to use their old data to identify how far away the light source is. If you have them utilize their old data, you will need to make sure that the lab is performed in the same conditions as before. The last lab is a flame test lab. A video is attached to the lab and the lab can be done with this video. If you would like to have student do the wet lab you could instead set it up. Alternatively if you have emission tubes, you may want to have students examine those instead, of course then the lab will need to be modified slightly. One thing you could have the students look for with emission tubes if you choose to use them is how the number of lines in the spectrum is related to the number of electrons in the element. Time: 45-90 minutes | |
Purpose: To have students learn a little bit about the weirdness of the quantum world. This assignment has students read a short story that uses quantum weirdness as a plot device. The student also looks into some of the interpretations of quantum mechanics. The students’ task is to link the story to the proper interpretation of quantum mechanics and explain why. This is a difficult task, so you should probably be lenient in grading it, but it is an interesting topics and will make students think. Time: 60 minutes |
PHYSICS by MN Partnership for Collaborative Curriculum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
