Welcome to AP Physics class. Having already gone through a year of physics you can be categorized as one of two types of people. You were either dropped on your head as a child and for some reason enjoy this stuff or you are just plain nuts and like to put yourself through a year of stress and educational torture. However, no matter what type of person you are, I am glad you are here. I hope we will have a lot of fun as we delve into realms of physics that you have never dreamt about (but you will). There will be A LOT of work in this class and a large portion of that work must be completed on your own time. Your success is based on honestly completing this work on time as well as preparing for quizzes and tests. I am here to help you succeed!

Classroom Guidelines

1. Come prepared for class. (Be on time, pencil, notebook, book, homework, etc.) 2. No food or drink in the lab. Only water in the classroom. 3. If you are absent it is your responsibility to complete any missing assignments. You have the same

number of days that you missed to make up any incomplete work for full credit. Come in before or after school to get help. Quizzes missed due to an unexcused tardy cannot be made up.

4. Assignments due on the day of school excused events must still be turned in on that day. 5. Hall pass use will be restricted to the beginning and end of class. 6. Respect all ideas given in class and do not criticize anybody's ideas or thoughts. 7. School policy is enforced concerning cheating. 8. Cell phones, Mp3 players, and any other electronic device not suited for the classroom will be

confiscated upon sight or sound and turned into the office.

Attendance

1. School policy is enforced concerning any absence. 2. The following procedure will be enforced concerning tardy students.

1st offense – Warning 2nd offense – Parents contacted 3rd offense – Detention

Assignments

Homework is one of the best ways to practice the day’s material and learn many of the techniques and concepts discussed in class. All assignments will be due on an assigned due date and must show all work. All late work will be docked 50%. Any assignment without adequate work will receive zero (0) points. Assignments missed due to excused absences can receive full credit, but they must be cleared through the teacher immediately following your absence. If you get behind in assignments please come and talk with me. I am here to help and I want you to succeed. I will do what I can to work with you and get you back on track. No assignments will be accepted after the correlating tests. Get help early and get help often.

AP

Physics

Mr. Nelson 1215 Longvue Avenue Aliquippa, PA 15001

School: (724) 375-6691 ext. 2327 E-mail: nelsond@hopewellarea.org

Grade Breakdown (Weighted)

90 - 100% A 80 - 89% B 70 - 79% C 60 - 69% D Below 60% F Homework & Class work 25% Labs and Projects 25% Quizzes 10% Tests 40%

Materials

Scientific OR graphing calculator Pen AND Pencil Eraser Book Notebook A scientific calculator will have sine, cosine, and tangent buttons. This type of calculator IS necessary. If you cannot obtain any of these supplies please come and talk with me and we will try to accommodate your situation.

Projects & Labs

There will be several projects and labs throughout the year. These are an important part of the learning experiences. Participation, organization, and accuracy are crucial and will be reflected in your grade. One of the most important aspects of projects and labs is safety. Please obey all safety rules. Failure to obey these rules will result in your dismissal from the lab. Making up the lab/project must be done on your own time after school. Tests

Tests are a reflection of your learning and therefore are very important. Please prepare yourself for the tests by studying and coming in for help if you feel you need it. Students who are absent the day of the exam for any reason will be given an alternate test to complete. Test corrections will be allowed if you feel your grade is unsatisfactory. These must be done on your own time before or after school in my classroom. Up to 50% of the credit for the wrong answers can be earned depending on your understanding of the content. Technology in the Classroom

Due to the nature of the course, computers will be used for virtual labs, graphical analysis, and interpretation of data throughout the year. If you do not have access to a computer at home there are computers available at school. A computer use agreement is necessary to participate so please get these turned in early. Class Website

This class has a website with many resources. Assignments and their due dates, all handouts, class notes, and recordings of class can be found within the site. Please take advantage of this resource. Access to the site can be obtained by clicking on my last name in the faculty list on the schools website or through the following url: hopewellarea.org/APPhysics.aspx Conclusion

I look forward to spending this year helping you explore the world around you. This is an exploration class and questions are appreciated and encouraged. Please feel free to contact me with any difficulty or questions you may have. I am here to help you and I will do all that I can to make this class enjoyable.

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PLEASE READ AND SIGN THE BACK OF THIS PAGE!

Class Website and Recordings

The internet is a great educational resource for students, parents, and teachers. As such I have designed the class website to be a place where students can get as much classroom material as possible. One of the resources on the website is a recording of class that students can watch if they have missed school or simply want to review concepts. This recording is a video of the material that is placed on the white board and the audio of my explanations. In addition I have received software that will enable me to record demonstrations and labs using a webcam. In the process of recording demonstrations and labs there may be a possibility that your student’s image may be recorded and posted on the website. In the process of developing a class website the students’ safety and privacy were a major concern. In order to ensure the students’ safety and privacy the class website is password protected and ONLY current students and faculty of Hopewell Area School District have access to the content. In addition the videos are hosted on a secure educational server. However, I understand that even with these safety features there may be parents/guardians that wish to not have their child on the videos posted to the website. Although I would hope that you would allow your child to participate in these recordings, you may indicate your decision below. Thank you for your help in this matter. Please check one ____ I give permission for my son/daughter to be occasionally recorded in the class videos. ____I DO NOT give permission for my son/daughter to be occasionally recorded in the class videos. _______________________________________ _____________________

Signature of Parent or Guardian Date

AP Physics B Syllabus

Course Overview The school day consists primarily of eight 42 minute periods. AP Physics classes meet 7 times a week.

There are 2 double periods of class each week for an 84 minute block. AP Physics B is an algebra-based

course in general Physics. Its syllabus is designed by the College Board. There are a wide range of topics

covered in 2 semesters. Laboratory work is an important part of the class.

Classes Classes consist of a 20-30 minute lecture. With the lecture there can be demonstrations, discrepant

events, computer animations, and real-life situations. The remaining 10-15 minutes is set aside for

students to begin the new problem set. Students often work in small groups of 2 or 3. The teacher can

facilitate during this time.

Problem Assignments Problems given come from the physics textbook, AP Review books, AP released Exams, teacher designed

worksheets and real life scenarios.

Text College Physics, Serway and Vuille; 8th Edition, Brooks/Cole, Belmont CA, 2009.

How to prepare for the AP Physics B Advanced Placement Examination, 2nd Edition, Wolf, Barrons

Educational Series, Inc., New York 1999.

Evaluation Tests – 40% Quizzes – 10% Homework – 25% Labs/Projects/Competitions – 25% Students are tested at the end of each unit and announced and surprise quizzes are given to check understanding throughout the year. Tests and quizzes are a mixture of AP problems, both multiple choice and free response, and teacher generated problems.

Labs Labs are conducted throughout the year. Some units contain more lab opportunities than others, but

every attempt is made when materials are available to perform the labs where they best fit the

curriculum. All lab experiments are “hands-on” activities. Students will be prompted with a question or

problem. On occasion, a demonstration will be done in class and data will be collected. Students will

form a hypothesis and follow the scientific method. Some labs are open-ended, discovery type activities

where students are given a variety of supplies and instruments and they must decide how to approach

the problem. Students will keep a portfolio of lab reports.

Labs

Note: a timeline for labs follows in the course outline. All labs listed are student conducted. Italicized

labs are competitions with the majority of the work done outside of class.

1. Measurement of Inaccessible Heights and

Distances

2. Acceleration of a Cart on an Air Track

3. Determination of Acceleration Due to Gravity

4. Egg Drop

5. Determining the Initial Velocity of a Projectile

6. Comparing Angle of Launch with Range

7. Prediction of Landing Point off a Horizontal

Surface

8. Catapults

9. Applied Force and Acceleration of a System on

an Air Track

10. Calculating the Coefficient of Friction

11. Finding the Equilibrant Force on a Force Board

12. Calculating the Center of Gravity

13. Constructing a 4 Tier Mobile in Equilibrium

14. Conservation of Energy on and Air Track

(spring-mass system)

15. Mousetrap Racers

16. Perfectly Inelastic Collisions on an Air Track

17. Elastic Collisions on an Air Track

18. Glancing Collisions in Two Dimensions

19. Centripetal Force and Centripetal Acceleration

20. Mousetrap Boats

21. Drag on a Golf Ball

22. Specific Heat of a Metal

23. Electroscopes – Conduction and Induction

24. Electrophorus

25. Ohm’s Law – Calculating Unknown Resistance

26. Series and Parallel Circuits

27. Combination Circuits

28. Magnetic Observations

29. Electric Motor

30. Hooke’s Law

31. Period of a Simple Pendulum

32. Resonance

33. Pipe Organs (Closed Pipes)

34. Guitars (Law of Strings)

35. Single Slit Diffraction

36. Snell’s Law

37. Finding Focal Lengths of Converging and

Diverging Lenses

38. Photoelectric Effect

39. Rube Goldberg Machine

Lab Report Format

The basic format for a lab report write-up contains the following sections. The lab reports will be turned

in as a group with a single staple placed in the upper left corner of the packet. Late reports will have 10

points deducted for each day they are late.

Title Page:

This section should be placed on its own sheet of with the following information centered on the page.

Title of Lab Due Date

Name of Group Members

Objective:

This section includes a brief explanation of the purpose of the lab. This section should answer the question: Why was this lab conducted?

Apparatus:

A numbered list of all instruments and materials needed for the lab

Procedure:

A detailed explanation of how the lab was completed. This section should be in chronological order with numbered steps. An individual reading this section should be able to duplicate your results by following these steps.

Diagram:

This section includes a drawing or drawings of how the experiment was set up. An individual reading the lab report should be able to set up the lab based upon this drawing. The diagram should include labels of all parts of the lab.

Data:

This section will contain charts or tables of all the data measured/obtain directly from within the lab. Descriptions should be included under all tables that explain what the tables include.

Evaluation of Data:

All calculated values should be presented in this section of the report in the form of a table or

graph. Descriptions should be included under all tables and graphs that explain what the table

or graph includes. This section also must contain one sample calculation for each type of

calculation that was performed as part of the lab. Any questions asked within the lab will be

addressed here.

Conclusion:

The conclusion is the place to restate the results of the laboratory. In this section a declaration of the findings should be explained and defended based on the data from the previous sections. The conclusion is also the place where the percent error must be stated and possible sources of error are discussed.

Projects & Competitions

There are four major projects throughout the year. . .

1. Catapults: Design and build a catapult to hit 3 targets place 2m, 4m, and 7m away from the

catapult

2. Mousetrap Racecars: Design and build a car powered by a mousetrap which will travel the

farthest distance.

3. Mousetrap Boats: Design and build a boat powered by a mousetrap which will travel the fastest.

4. Rube Goldberg Machines: Design and build a machine consisting of at least 7 different simple

machines to accomplish a creative task assigned by the instructor.

These projects are meant to supplement the rigorous course material with an innovative approach to

problem solving. Students are to work on these projects outside of the school day with the exception of

the day of demonstration or competition. More time is allotted for the Rube Goldberg Machines since it

is after the AP Physics Test.

Course Outline

The following is a course content outline with a suggested timeline. The percentages are those listed in

the AP physics course description for the material covered on the AP exam.

I. Newtonian Mechanics 35%

A. Kinematics 7%

1. Introduction Chapter 1 (1 Week)

2. Motion in One Dimension Chapter 2 (1.5 Weeks)

3. Vectors & 2-Dimensional Motion Chapter 3 (1 Week)

B. Newton’s Laws of Motion Chapter 4 (2 Weeks) 9%

C. Work, Energy, and Power Chapter 5 (1.5 Weeks) 5%

D. Momentum and Collisions Chapter 6 (1.5 Weeks) 4%

E. Rotational Motion and the law of Gravity Chapter 7 (1 Week) 6%

F. Rotational Equilibrium and Dynamics Chapter 8 (1 Week) 4%

II. Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Physics 15%

A. Fluid Mechanics Chapter 9 (1 Week) 6%

B. Temperature and Heat Chapter 10 (2 Weeks) 2%

C. Kinetic Theory and Thermodynamics 7%

1. Energy in Thermal Processes Chapter 11 (1 Week)

2. The Laws of Thermodynamics Chapter 12 (1 Week)

III. Electricity and Magnetism 25%

A. Electrostatics Chapter 15 (3 days) 5%

B. Conductors and Capacitors Chapter 16 (1 Week) 4%

C. Electric Circuits 7%

1. Current and Resistance Chapter 17 (1 Week)

2. Direct-Current Circuits Chapter 18 (2 Weeks)

D. Magnetism Chapter 19 (1 Week) 4%

E. Electromagnetism 5%

1. Induced Voltages and Inductance Chapter 20 (3 days)

2. AC Circuits Chapter 21A (2 days)

IV. Waves and Optics 15%

A. Wave Motion 5%

1. Vibrations and Waves Chapter 13 (1 Week)

2. Sound Chapter 14 (1 Week)

B. Physical Optics 5%

1. Electromagnetic Waves Chapter 21B (2 Days)

2. Wave Optics Chapter 24 (3 Days)

C. Geometric Optics 5%

1. Reflection and Refraction of Light Chapter 22 (1 Week)

2. Mirrors and Lenses Chapter 23 (1.5 Weeks)

V. Atomic and Nuclear Physics 10%

A. Atomic Physics and Quantum Effects 7%

1. Quantum Physics Chapter 27 (2 Days)

2. Atomic Physics Chapter 28 (3 Days)

B. Nuclear Physics Chapter 29 (3 Days) 3%

VI. End of Year ________

A. April 15 – April 23 Semester 1 Review

B. April 24 – May 3 Semester 2 Review

C. May 6 – May 14 Released AP Exam Review

D. May 13 AP Exam

E. May 17 Final Exam

F. May 20 – End of Year Rube Goldberg Machines

Problem Sets

Chapter 1 Introduction 1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 14, 16, 17, 18, 23, 25, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47

Chapter 2 Motion in One Dimension 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 24, 26, 27, 28, 37, 43, 45, 47, 49, 50, 51, 53, 54, 58, 59, 64, 65, 75

Chapter 3 Motion in Two Dimensions 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 48, 51, 54, 55, 57, 58, 65, 72, 73

Chapter 4 The Laws of Motion 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 25, 26, 28, 30, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 45, 48, 50, 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 61, 67

Chapter 5 Energy 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 53, 54, 57, 59, 60, 68, 70

Chapter 6 Momentum and Collisions 2, 4, 5, 8, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 24, 27, 30, 32, 33, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 59, 63, 66, 77, 78

Chapter 7 Rotational Motion and Gravity 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 32, 35, 37, 49, 65

Chapter 8 Rotational Dynamics 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 31, 32, 33, 43, 44, 46, 52, 54, 60, 61, 62, 71, 74, 82, 88

Chapter 9 Solids and Fluids 7, 9, 16, 21, 41, 42, 44, 46, 49

Chapter 10 Thermal Physics 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 22, 29, 31, 32, 34, 35, 39, 40, 42, 45, 59, 60,

Chapter 11 Energy in Thermal Processes 2, 3, 7, 11, 16, 19, 22, 24, 25, 29, 34, 37, 38, 40, 44, 48, 64

Chapter 12 The Law of Thermodynamics 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 17, 23, 29, 31, 36, 39, 43, 45, 48, 52

Chapter 13 Vibrations and Waves 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 34, 39, 42, 43, 49, 50, 52, 56

Chapter 14 Sound 1, 3, 4, 5, 9, 12, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 33, 34, 38, 39, 48, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 57, 68

Chapter 15 Electric Forces and Fields 1, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18, 20, 27, 30, 32

Chapter 16 Elec. Energy and Capacitance 1, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, 26, 27, 28, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 42, 44, 61

Chapter 17 Current and Resistance 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 25, 29, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 40, 44, 45, 54, 57

Chapter 18 DC Circuits 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 37, 40

Chapter 19 Magnetism 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, 25, 26, 27, 34, 43, 44, 48, 59, 60, 61, 63

Chapter 20 Induced Volt. and Inductance 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 19, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29

Chapter 21 AC Circuits & EM Waves 1, 3, 4, 8, 19, 43, 44, 45, 46

Chapter 22 Reflection & Refraction of Light 1, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 19, 24, 34, 35, 36, 44, 57

Chapter 23 Mirrors and Lenses 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 15, 18, 19, 29, 30, 31, 33, 36, 41, 44, 51, 59

Chapter 24 Wave Optics 1, 38, 41, 43, 45, 51, 53

Chapter 27 Quantum Physics TBD

Chapter 28 Atomic Physics TBD

Chapter 29 Nuclear Physics TBD