AP Physics C Mechanics Syllabus Overview Our one section of AP Physics C Mechanics has about 30 students enrolled. Students are not required to take the AP Physics C Exam. The prerequisite for the course is concurrent enrollment in calculus. Textbook I use Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Paul Fishbane, Stephen Gasiorowicz, and Stephen M. Thornton. Schedule All classes meet five days a week in 50-minute periods. The semester is about 90 days. With this calendar, it is necessary to organize the course within a tight schedule that includes assignments during some holiday breaks. I find it useful to lay out a calendar by which to measure progress through the material, in order to insure completion with time for sufficient review before the AP Physics Exam. The calendar reflects the day-byday unit assignment schedule outlined below. Mechanics Outline Mechanics is covered during the fall semester, with each subject is covered in the same order as in Fishbane. Concepts and problem-solving techniques are introduced through a combination of lectures, demonstrations, question answer sessions, and teacher-generated worksheets with the text acting as a back-up resource. Calculus is used throughout and where appropriate. Unit Topics Chapter Number Number Of Days Unit 1 SI Units, Significant Figures, Vectors 1 2 Unit 2 Linear Motion 2 5 Kinematics quantities Kinematics with constant accelerations Kinematics with time varying accelerations Analysis of kinematics graphs Unit 3 2-D Motion 3 9 Kinematic quantities in 2 or more dimensions Kinematics of projectiles Kinematics of circular motion Relative velocities Analysis of graphical quantities in 2 dimensions Unit 4 Newton s Laws 4-5 9 Newton s 3 Laws Page 1 of 8
Free-body diagrams Weight, tension, normal force Writing equations based on forces present Friction, drag forces, terminal velocity Circular motion and forces, banking Fundamental forces of nature Unit 5 Energy 6-7 14 Energy types Work-Energy theorem Work by constant force Work by position-varying force Work and non-conservative forces Power Potential energy diagrams Conservation of energy Conservation of energy and non-conservative forces Unit 6 Impulse, Momentum, and Collisions 8 7 Conservation of momentum in 1 and 2 dimensions Impulse Collisions Center of mass and applications Unit 7 Rotational Motion 9-10 15 Kinematics with constant angular acceleration Kinematics with time-varying angular acceleration Moment of inertia and parallel axis theorem Rotational energy and conservation Torque and free-body diagrams and Newton s Laws Rotational dynamics Angular momentum and conservation Rotational impulse Rolling Unit 8 Translational and Rotational Equilibrium 11 6 Statics and conditions for static equilibrium Applications Unit 9 Gravitation 12 3 History of planetary motion Universal gravitation Potential energy Escape velocity Page 2 of 8
Orbits Kepler s Laws Gravity and actual masses Unit 10 Simple Harmonic Motion 13 8 Kinematics of SHM and relationships Energy and SHM Simple Pendulum Physical Pendulum Damped harmonic motion Driven harmonic motion Teaching Strategies Lecture, Question/Answer Sessions, and Demonstrations Other than lab experiments, class time is taken up with lecture, question and answer sessions, and problems solving strategies and identification. A lecture consumes 30-35 minutes in which a concept is developed or reviewed. Problems associated with the concept are presented. Students identify the important concepts involved and students present their solutions in real time. The remainder of the period usually involves showing relevant demonstrations using either toys or actual lab equipment. Students are asked to explain the relevant concepts related to the demonstration and explain how the demonstration works. Often, students will take quick measurements of the apparatus and make calculations of the relevant quantities. During these activities (demonstrations, lecture, and problem solving), I encourage discussion, questions, hypotheses, and debate among the students. Much of the learning is developed through the students debates. Actual demonstrations with equipment are preferred. When equipment is not available, computer simulations and video demonstrations are used to supplement. I also encourage learning by analogy, building on what was previously learned to make the transition to new and more difficult easier. I try to pass on to my students tips and tricks I learned when I was a student. Page 3 of 8
Problem Assignments I provide students with a calendar and list of when topics are taught, when experiments and tests are scheduled, and what problems will be assigned and when they are due at the beginning of the semester. This informs the students about the work required to master the objectives of the unit. The assigned problems are from the textbook, a supplemental worksheet, or an online grading service. The worksheet problems are usually adapted from another, but equivalent, textbook. The online grading service ensures students do the problems and do them correctly. The online grading services closely correlates with the problems from our textbook. Problems are chosen carefully to provide the students with experience from a wide range of applications of the subject. I like to show students how applicable the subject is in many different fields. I strongly encourage students to develop good problem solving and writing skills while solving problems. I require students to include and discuss the concepts involved while formally writing their solutions. I also require students to include text describing what they are doing and why as they go from one step or calculation to the next. This promotes a more friendly style writing and is easier for the reader and grader. In class, we work on building a general-to-specific routine in solving problems. Students must know and recognize what basic principles are needed to solve the problem before moving on to actually solving the problem. This is an important skill to develop for success in future coursework in the long term and for success on the AP Exam in the short term. Lab Experiments 20 percent of class time is devoted to lab work. The time is divided between discussion and pre-lab activities, actually manipulating the equipment and taking measurements, and data and result analysis with post-lab discussion of findings and trends. We use a mixture of traditional labs and technology-based labs. I believe it is important that students learn the old ways and actually take, graph, and analyze data on their own. However, I also recognize the importance of immersing students in technology. I do try to emphasize the importance of eyeballing the data as it comes out of the computer so they are not relying so heavily on what a black box says. Lab experiments are either written by me or modified to suit the students and the course s needs. Students write full lab reports for major labs and abbreviated lab reports for minor labs. Students are expected to maintain a portfolio of their lab work. Many labs require two periods to complete. In general, the labs are open-ended, allowing students latitude on how best to accomplish the task and how to set up a good scientifically-based experiment. Students are also expected to correctly propagate error and use basic statistics in their analysis (mean, standard deviation, goodness of fit, linear regression, correlation coefficients). Page 4 of 8
Portfolio Each student will be required to keep a running portfolio of the labs that they perform in A.P. Physics C as well as the labs that they performed in Enriched physics. This portfolio will give evidence of the lab requirement for the state audit. Mechanics Labs 1. Motion lab with motion sensors. Students physically model a motion graph. The graph may be position vs. time, velocity vs. time, or acceleration vs. time. The students are expected to move so they replicate the given graph. This introduces slope-differential and area-integral concepts. 2. Freefall lab. Students experimentally determine the acceleration due to gravity by using a motion sensor to measure the distance an object has fallen over time. They compare their results with the classic falling picket fence experiment. Students produce a v vs. t graph. This covers slope-differential and area integral concepts. They also learn about goodness of fit between experimental data and a modeling equation. Introductory statistics are introduced. 3. Projectile motion lab. Given a marble launcher with its own particular characteristics, students calibrate the launcher. They then predict how high up on a wall the marble will strike, given a particular horizontal distance from the wall. Students then experimentally verify their predictions. Students learn the intricacies of projectile motion and how to manipulate the equations using calculus. 4. Coffee filter lab. Students learn about air resistance and how to calculate air resistance. Students perform an experiment with varying masses of coffee filters and timing their descent from different heights. Again, calculus is needed. Students must also design a correct lab in which only one variable is adjusted at a time. 5. Atwood s Machine. A simple mass/pulley Atwood s machine is used to measure the acceleration of a system and compare it with the theoretical acceleration found using Newton s laws. 6. Friction and energy lab. Students use the concepts of work, potential energy, kinetic energy, conservation of energy, and friction. A ramp is set up on an angle. A cart is placed on the inclined plane. A string is connected between a falling mass and the cart. Students directly measure the coefficient of static friction and the coefficient of kinetic friction. This is a strong error analysis lab. Also, students need the work-energy integral. 7. Oscillating mass lab. Students use force sensors and motion detectors to explore the relationships between force, position, velocity, and acceleration for an oscillating mass system. Students compare the results they find experimentally with the theoretical results. Differentiation is required for this lab. A relationship is determined between the area of an F vs. x graph and potential energy integral Page 5 of 8
8. Collisions and momentum lab. Students calibrate the experiment by rolling their marbles down an elevated incline and measure the distance the horizontal distance the marbles flew by measuring the impact point on the floor. The theoretical velocities (measured by a horizontal distance) of the marbles after collision is calculated. Students then place a marble at the end of the incline and roll the same kind of marble into the stationary target marble. Students calculate the velocity of the marbles after collision. In the second part, the marbles impact at an angle and students determine if momentum is still conserved. This provides an excellent opportunity to review the concepts of conservation of momentum and graphical vector addition. In the third part of the lab, students roll different kinds of marbles into each other and calculate the speeds. They look for any difference between same material collisions and different material collisions. 9. Turntable lab. Students initially determine the frictional torque of a rotating turntable. They next calculate the theoretical moment of inertia of the turntable and then experimentally determine the moment of inertia of a rotating turntable. Students must also theoretically and experimentally calculate the moment of inertia of different configurations of the rotating turntable, including turntable plus thick hoop and turntable plus an asymmetrically loaded bar. Technology is used in this lab to determine rotation rates. 10. Statics lab. Students revisit the classic force table lab in an application of statics in two dimensions. 11. Physical pendulum lab. Students create a physical pendulum and calculate the theoretical period. They then experimentally determine the period of the pendulum using a photogate. Students also calculate the acceleration due to gravity by varying the position of mass on the pendulum and graphing the results. 12. Damped harmonic motion lab. Students use a damped mass-spring system (a piece of cardboard is taped to the mass to create damping) along with force probes and motion sensors to measure the relationships between force, position, velocity, and acceleration. Students witness the decaying sinusoidal and measure the damping coefficient of the oscillating mass. Students are also introduced to phase space plots and learn what these plots can tell them about an object s motion. Evaluation Tests are given approximately every two units. The tests are purposely similar in construction and procedure to the AP Exam. Each test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and three multipart free-response questions. Students are allowed the same equation sheet on the test they will receive for the AP exam in May. While going through the course material, the stress is on developing concepts and problem-solving strategies, not on memorization. The multiple choice questions come from primarily the AP released exams, but also some from the supplied test bank. The free-response questions have the same format as those on the AP exam and most are previous AP exam Page 6 of 8
questions. All questions test current material and many questions include material previously covered. For example, an energy free-response question might require a free body diagram and have a part involving trajectory. The only cumulative examination given before the AP exam review time is the first semester final. It consists of the 35-question multiple choice section from an AP Physics C Mechanics released exam. This exam is taken during the assigned exam period and reviewed when school resumes. Homework Homework is assigned daily. Students are also given an assignment sheet at the beginning of the semester. Homework is checked and graded at random intervals. An online homework grading service is being used to aid in the grading of homework. This service ensures that students not only do the work, but also do it correctly. I have worked out all of the homework assignments in elaborate detail. I post the solutions to the previous night s homework and make my binder of solutions available to students when they need help. Grading Lab reports vary in value, from 40 to 60 points, depending on the difficulty, length, and complexity of the lab and the report. Tests are 60 points, consisting of 15 multiple choice questions and 3 multiple-part free-response questions. Multiple choice questions are 1 point each and the free-response questions are 15 points each. Extra credit is rarely given, consisting of problems taken from more advanced courses. All points are added and the percentage of points is determined. Grades follow the school s grade policy: A=90-100%; B=80-90%; C=70-80%; D=60-70%; F=0-60% Nearly all of the students earn A s and B s. AP Exam Review Formal review begins three to four weeks before the AP Physics exam. The review consists of two main parts. The first two weeks deal with mechanics and the last two weeks deal with electricity and magnetism. Students review past questions, identifying the concepts involved and sketch out problemsolving strategies. They take past tests anonymously, grade each other s papers and learn from the mistakes. They also learn how to write their answers in an easily understandable way. Students also must pick out errors in work and explain why the error is wrong. Other activities are provided as well to help students review for the exam. Page 7 of 8
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