AP Physics C: Mechanics Syllabus 2017

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1 AP Physics C: Mechanics Syllabus 2017 Instructor: Phillip Z. Brewer, Textbook: Raymond A. Serway and John W. Jewett, Jr. Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 9 th edition About this course: Any student who has completed a year of physics and one term of calculus or will be concurrently enrolled in calculus may register for an AP Physics C: Mechanics course. Our goal in the AP Physics courses is to provide an excellent first-year college-level calculus-based physics education. Students coming out of the courses should have a strong conceptual understanding of physics and well-developed skills in performing and analyzing laboratory experiments. They should also be able to apply their understanding to approach and solve problems that are essentially new to them. The AP Physics C course will meet for 45 minutes every day. Lab work is integral to the understanding of the concepts in this course. At the end of the course, students will take the AP Physics C: Mechanics Exam Monday, May 14 th, 2018 at 12pm which will test their knowledge of both the concepts taught in the classroom and their use of the correct formulas. The content for the course is based on six big ideas: Big Idea 1 Objects and systems have properties such as mass and charge. Systems may have internal structure. Big Idea 2 Fields existing in space can be used to explain interactions. Big Idea 3 The interactions of an object with other objects can be described by forces. Big Idea 4 Interactions between systems can result in changes in those systems. Big Idea 5 Changes that occur as a result of interactions are constrained by conservation laws. Big Idea 6 - Waves can transfer energy and momentum from one location to another without the permanent transfer of mass and serve as a mathematical model for the description of other phenomena. Required Materials: 3-ring binder w/notebook paper and dividers (required daily) Scientific calculator (required daily) $30 Lab Fee (ASAP) 1

2 Evaluation: Students will get grades on homework, quizzes, laboratory work, projects, and exams. Exams are typically worth 100 points and will consist of questions similar students will see on the AP Exam. Homework assignments and quizzes will consist of problems from the textbook, supplements, online and web-based activities, and old AP Exams. Projects are long-term, and typically will involve groups of students developing a plan, collecting data and/or research, and presenting conclusions in a meaningful way. Laboratory work is student-centered and inquiry-based. Grades will be determined by taking the number of points a student has earned and dividing it by the total number of points for each category. Each category makes up a percentage of the student's quarter average. Categories include Tests (60%), Work (20%), and Labs (20%). A course calendar is available online on the DHS website. Be sure to check the calendar for topics, assessments, and due dates. Topics Covered: I. Kinematics (including vectors, vector algebra, components of vectors, coordinate systems, displacement, velocity, and acceleration) a. Motion in one dimension b. Motion in two dimensions, including projectile motion II. ewton s laws of motion a. Static equilibrium (first law) b. Dynamics of a single particle (second law) c. Systems of two or more objects (third law) III. Work, energy, and power a. Work and work-energy theorem b. Forces and potential energy c. Conservation of energy d. Power IV. Systems of particles, linear momentum a. Center of mass b. Impulse and momentum c. Conservation of linear momentum, collisions V. Circular motion and rotation a. Uniform circular motion b. Torque and rotational statics c. Rotational kinematics and dynamics d. Angular momentum and its conservation VI. Oscillations and gravitation a. Simple harmonic motion (dynamics and energy relationships) b. Mass on a spring c. Pendulum and other oscillations d. ewton s law gravity e. Orbits of planets and satellites i. Circular ii. General 2

3 Laboratory Activities: Twenty five percent of the course will be lab work. Labs may take several in-class days to finish, and students may have to work outside of class as well. A signed safety contract is required before participation in laboratory activities. Students are expected to keep a lab notebook where they will maintain a record of their laboratory work. In addition, all lab reports must be submitted electronically to Turnitin.com to receive a grade. To enroll into this course on Turnitin.com, use the Class ID and Password provided on the accompanying documentation or me at pbrewer@mcpss.com. Lab reports will consist of the following components: Title Objective/Problem Design (if applicable): If the lab has no set procedure, what is to be done? Why are you doing it this way? Data: ALL data gathered in the lab will go here. Calculations/Graphs: Calculations are done here. Any graphs that need to be made go here. Conclusion: Data analysis occurs here, and a statement can be made about what was learned in the lab. Error analysis also occurs here. Evaluation of the lab occurs here as well. Every major unit will have an inquiry-based lab, and inquiry-based labs will make up no less than half of the laboratory work. Lab activities and report due dates will posted on the course calendar. Homework: Homework is integral to your success. If completed properly it will enhance your understanding of the material and increase your success in physics. Homework assignments vary in point value and collectively make up 10% of your grade. Homework grades are determined by how completely and accurately you do the assignment. All homework answers must be written clearly and show applicable work. If you do not show the applicable work, you will not receive any credit - even if you have the correct final answer. A homework quiz may be administered once every week based on the previous week's homework assignments. AP Exam: The AP Physics 1 exam is nationally scheduled for Monday, May 14 th, 2018 at 12pm All AP Physics C: Mechanics students may take the AP exam in May. OTE: According to Mobile County Public School Policy - Advanced Placement courses in High School have a weight of 1.5 if the AP test is taken. If the test is not taken, the weight reverts to

4 Tutoring: Tutoring will be held on Wednesday afternoons from 2:45-3:45pm throughout the duration of the course. Tutoring sessions are designed to 'supplement' instruction, not replace it. Tutoring solely for the AP exam will be scheduled when AP exam review starts. Make-Up Work: If you miss an assignment you will receive a grade of zero. Students have three days to make up any missing assignments from the date of their return. Test category grades should be completed within two weeks. Make-up day (test category) will be on Wednesday afternoons from 2:45-3:45pm. This is the only day allowed for make-up work. Make-up work is the student's responsibility. Conferences: Conferences may be scheduled by contacting the school at or via at pbrewer@mcpss.com 4

5 Both you and your parents should read this syllabus and sign it. Return this portion to me, signed, within 3 days, and place the rest in your notebook. Student ame I/we have read the above syllabus and understand the expectations of the class. I will keep this syllabus in the front of my notebook and use it as a guide throughout the year. A parent and I have signed this syllabus as a statement of accepting the challenges and responsibilities of this class in order to achieve my greatest academic potential. Student signature Date Parent/Guardian signature Date 5

6 Laboratory activities and simulations in this class are included in the following table. [CR6a] The inquirybased labs are noted in the second column. ame ASIM Round Things Coefficient of Restitution ASIM Physics in Motion ASIM In-Line Motion ASIM May the et Force Be With ou ASIM Bombs Away Open- Inquiry or Guided- Inquiry? [CR6b] Short Description The purpose of this activity is to become acquainted with graphical methods and interpretation by exploring the relationship between the diameter and circumference of round or circular objects. The purpose of this activity is to design an experiment to determine the coefficient of restitution for a tennis ball The purpose of this activity is to investigate the relationships between the position, velocity, and acceleration for an object in motion, and to practice graph analysis skills. The purpose of this experiment is to record the position, velocity, and acceleration of a cart moving along an incline, and to examine the relationships among these quantities. examine vector addition using three different methods: the experimental method (using a force table), the graphical method, and the component method. investigate the factors that influence the flight of a projectile. Science Practices Toilet Paper Drop ASIM It's The Law investigate rotational motion. verify ewton s Second Law of Motion. 6

7 ASIM Playing Hookey The purpose of this lab is to have students explore the properties of springs, and the relationship between the amount of mass on a spring and the distance of the stretch (Hooke s Law). 7

PHYSICS 40S - COURSE OUTLINE AND REQUIREMENTS Welcome to Physics 40S for !! Mr. Bryan Doiron

PHYSICS 40S - COURSE OUTLINE AND REQUIREMENTS Welcome to Physics 40S for 2016-2017!! Mr. Bryan Doiron The course covers the following topics (time permitting): Unit 1 Kinematics: Special Equations, Relative