Download honors physics - Teacher Notes

PARAMUS HIGH SCHOOL
PARAMUS, NEW JERSEY
DEPARTMENT:
SCIENCE
DATE: January 2004
COURSE:
HONORS PHYSICS
LEVEL:
11, 12, 5 Credits, Full Year
PREREQUISITES: Successful completion of Algebra 2 and Trigonometry Honors.
Mathematical Analysis BC is recommended for all students
I.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is designed to appeal to the student who has a definite interest in science. The
material of the course is given at a pace which allows the entire contents of the text used to be
covered by the end of the academic year. The math level of the course sets an expectation of
higher performance on the part of the student in the pursuit of the solutions to the problems of
the text as well as the lab experiences provided during the course. The course touches upon all
the major topics of a complete high school physics course and serves as both a ‘stand alone’
experience as well as a pre-cursor for the A. P. Physics program, which is offered as a second
year experience at Paramus High School.
II.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
NEW JERSEY CORE CURRICULUM CONTENT STANDARDS:
5.1.-5.4.,5.7.
A.
B.
C.
To foster an investigative attitude towards the subject of physics and the experiences
associated with it.
To consistently demonstrate the ability to work with the numerical data of problems and
lab work in scientific notation with careful attention to significant figures.
To develop the skills of observation, data gathering, analysis through graphical
interpretation and the drawing of logical conclusions.
III. MAJOR CONCEPTS AND TOPICS:
A.
The Science of Physics
1. Physics as a natural science
2. Developing concepts in physics
3. Measurement and units in science
B.
Some Essential Mathematics
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Equations and formulas of physics
Powers of ten scientific notation and orders of magnitude
Significant figures
Functions and graphs
Approximate calculations
C.
Kinematics - The Description of Motion
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Types of motion
Uniform motion in a straight line
Uniformly accelerated motion
Acceleration due to gravity
Average and instantaneous values
Vectors and their components
Relative velocity
Projectiles
Dynamics — The Causes of Motion
D.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
E.
Forces and motion
Newton’s first, second and third laws
Mass, inertial and gravitational
Units for force
Mass and weight
Isolation of bodies in problem-solving
Frames of reference
Conservation of Energy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
F.
Work
Energy
Work and energy transfer
Formulas for mechanical energy
The energy principle in solution of problems
Conservation of energy: relativity
Conservation of mass in relativity theory
Conservation of Momentum
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Definition of momentum
Newton’s second law in terms of momentum
The law of conservation of momentum
Center of mass
Collisions
The significance of the conservation laws
G. Circular Motion, Gravitation and Satellites
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Free fall
Uniform circular motion
Centripetal force
Centrifugal force
Gravitation and earth’s gravitational field
Weightlessness
H. Vibration - simple Harmonic Motion
1.
2.
3.
4.
Simple harmonic motion (SHM)
Period of SHM: the reference circle
The energy principle in SHM
The simple pendulum
2
I.
Wave Motion-- Disturbances and Their Propagation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
J.
Waves and disturbances
Shock waves of compression
Longitudinal and transverse waves
Describing waves and vibration
Periodic waves
The principle of superposition
Interference
Temperature and Expansion
1.
2.
3.
K.
Temperature
Temperature scales
Thermal expansion of solids, liquids and gases
Heat and Thermal Energy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The caloric theory and its overthrow
Heat — the modern concept
Thermal energy — the first law of thermodynamics
Specific heat
Change of phase: latent heats
Transfer of heat by convection, conduction and radiation
L. Thermal Behavior of Gases
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Ideal gases
Pressure
Boyle’s law
The effect of mass — Avogadro’s number
The effect of temperature
The general gas law
M. The Theory of Heat
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Heat and temperature
The kinetic theory of gases
The first law of thermodynamics
The second law of thermodynamics
Absolute zero
N. Electric Forces — Charges at Rest
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
O.
Electric and magnetic forces
Electrification of bodies
Electrostatic experiments - conservation of charge
Coulomb’s law
Electrolysis
Electric Energy - PD, EMF and Resistance
1.
2.
3.
The energy method in electricity
Analogies - benefits and dangers
Pressure of fluids
3
4. Fluids in motion - Bernoulli’s equation
5. The application of Bernoulli’s equation
6. Electric potential difference
7. Current and EMF
8. The electric circuit - Joule’s law
9. Ohm’s law
10. Resistivity
P.
The Concept of Electric Field and Capacitance
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Q.
Electric Circuits and Their Components
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
R.
Meters
Transformers
Reactance of a coil
Reactance of a capacitor
Electronics
Integrated circuits
Electromagnetic Radiation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
U.
Magnetic field
The force on a current segment in a magnetic field
Current loops
Sources of a magnetic field
The direction of magnetic force on a current segment
The earth’s magnetism
Induced EMF
Electricity in Modern Technology
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
T.
Terminal voltage of a cell
Resistors in series and in parallel
Sources of EMF’s in series and in parallel
Ohm’s law for a complete circuit
The ammeter and the voltmeter
The potentiometer
Principles of Electromagnetism
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
S.
Measuring an electric field
Lines of force
Electric field and electric potential
Capacitance
The use of capacitors in circuits
The radiation spectrum
Electric oscillations
Radiation
The description of an electromagnetic wave
Production of electromagnetic waves
Sources of radiation
Wave Fronts and Rays of Light
4
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
.
V.
The pave Nature of Light
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
W.
Newton’s corpuscular theory gives way
Interference: Young’s experiment
Interference of light waves
Interference of TV and radio waves
The single-slit diffraction pattern
Applications of wave Optics
1.
2.
3.
4.
X.
Huygen’s principle
Straight-line propagation of light
Reflection
Refraction
Total reflection
Thin lenses
Locating image
Ray tracing: magnification
Mirrors
Interference in thin films
The Michelson interferometer
The grating
The spectroscope
The Outer Atom
1.The elementary unit of electric charge
2.The electron
3.The photoelectric effect
4.Atomic spectra
5.The Compton effect
6.The dual nature of light
7.The dual nature of mass
8.Solid-state physics
Y.
The Atomic Nucleus
1.Early discoveries about radioactivity
2.The nuclear atom
3.Radioactive decay
4.Particle detectors
5.Particle accelerators
6.High-energy physics
7.Nuclear energy
8.Fission and fusion
IV.
STUDENT SKILL OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this course, a student should be able
to:
5
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
V.
make and manipulate measurements using the metric system.
use scientific notation in writing numbers for problem-solving and lab data.
set up experiments according to supplied instructions.
gather data from experiments, arrange them in tabular
format and then display them in graphical form.
interpret graphs and describe the relationship between the variables.
write a comprehensive lab report.
relate readings in the media to the topics discussed within the scope and sequence of the
course.
EVALUATION PROCEDURES:
The students will be evaluated through the use of tests which correlate with each chapter of
the text. They will also be graded on the quality of their work in the class and lab setting.
Their lab reports will be graded on the basis of accuracy, completeness, clarity and quality.
VI.
SUGGESTED MATERIALS:
The students will work from the text, PHYSICS:PRINCIPLES WITH APPLICATIONS,
Prentice Hall. The lab materials are teacher made. The students will also be encouraged to
utilize the various media and look for articles which relate to topics which are being
discussed, have been discussed and/or those which may be discussed in the future.
cm
2004
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