Download The Physics A course consists of 40 lessons, which address key

2013-2014
Physics A
Teacher: Angela Costello
Course Description:
The Physics A course consists of 40 lessons, which address key concepts and
processes from motion along a straight line, motion in a plane, Newton’s laws of motion,
applications of Newton’s laws, circular motion, gravitation, work, energy, momentum,
mechanical waves, and sound. Concepts are explored through animations and videos
Grading Scale:
A 95-100, A- 90-94, B+ 88-89, B 84-87, B- 80-83, C+ 78-79, C 74-77, C- 70-73,
D+ 68-69, D 64-67, D- 60-63, E 0-59
Grading Categories: In this class your grade will consist of the following
Post-tests
90%
Review Test 10%
Unit 1: Motion Along a Straight Line
MHSCE Standards: P2.1 Position – Time; P2.2 Velocity – Time; P2.3x Frames of
Reference
Students will be able to:
 Define displacement and average velocity; Calculate the average velocity of an
object; Determine average velocity and its sign based on a coordinate system or
a graph; Determine instantaneous velocity from a graph
 Determine average acceleration using velocity and time; Determine
instantaneous acceleration from a graph
 Apply the kinematic equation for velocity as a function of time; Apply the
kinematic equation for position as a function of time; Apply the kinematic
equation for velocity as a function of position; Solve problems using equations of
motion with constant acceleration and graphs
 Identify objects in a state of free fall; Determine speed, velocity, position, and
time for objects in a state of free fall
 Define frame of reference; Solve problems involving relative velocity
Unit 2: Motion in a Plane
MHSCE Standards: P2.1 Position – Time; P2.2 Velocity – Time; P2.3x Frames of
Reference
Students will be able to:
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Distinguish between a vector quantity and a scalar quantity; Create a resultant
vector using algebra and trigonometry, and by sketching a diagram; Multiply a
vector by a scalar quantity
Calculate the components of a vector using algebra and trigonometry; Use
components to calculate a resultant vector
Describe position, velocity, and acceleration of a projectile; Calculate position,
velocity, and acceleration of a projectile; Calculate position, velocity, and
acceleration of a projectile using trigonometry; Describe the symmetry of the path
of a projectile in terms of time, position, and velocity
Unit 3: Newton’s Laws of Motion
MHSCE Standards: P3.1 Basic Forces in Nature; P3.1x Forces; P3.2 Net Forces; P3.3
Newton’s Third Law; P3.4 Forces and Acceleration
Students will be able to:
 Identify forces in nature as contact forces or forces at a distance; Use vector
analysis to resolve multiple forces into one resultant force; Identify objects with
zero acceleration; Define inertia, mass, and their roles in Newton's first law of
motion; Identify the inertial frame of reference
 Recognize the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration; Use Newton’s
second law to solve problems involving acceleration
 Differentiate between weight and mass; Calculate acceleration by applying the
relation of mass to weight
 Identify an action force and reaction force; List the four fundamental forces of
nature
 Use free-body diagrams to help identify relevant forces; Use a free-body diagram
to help solve a problem involving Newton's laws
Unit 4: Applications of Newton’s Laws
MHSCE Standards: P3.1 Basic Forces in Nature; P3.1x Forces; P3.2 Net Forces; P3.3
Newton’s Third Law; P3.4 Forces and Acceleration
Students will be able to:
 Identify the conditions needed for a particle to be in equilibrium; Calculate the
forces needed for a particle to be in two-dimensional equilibrium
 Calculate the force or acceleration involving one object using Newton's second
law; Calculate the force or acceleration involving two objects using Newton's
second law
 Calculate the force of kinetic friction; Calculate the force of static friction
 Understand the relation of force to spring deformation; Calculate elastic forces
needed to stretch or compress a spring
Unit 5: Circular Motion and Gravitation
MHSCE Standards: P3.1 Basic Forces in Nature; P3.1x Forces; P3.2 Net Forces; P3.3
Newton’s Third Law; P3.4 Forces and Acceleration; P3.6 Gravitational Interactions
Students will be able to:
 Identify particles moving in uniform circular motion; Calculate the centripetal
acceleration for a particle moving in uniform circular motion
 Identify the force or forces directed to the center of a circular path; Calculate the
centripetal force for a particle moving in uniform circular motion
 Calculate one or more of the forces needed for a particle to maintain a vertical
circular path; Calculate the maximum walking speed of an individual
 Relate the gravitational force between particles to their masses and the distance
between them; Calculate the gravitational force of attraction between two
particles; Calculate the weight of a particle using Newton's law of gravitation
 Compare satellite motion to projectile motion; Calculate the speed needed for a
satellite to maintain a circular orbit about a planet; Apply the dynamics of satellite
motion to astronomical observations; Identify the contributions of scientists to the
understanding of planetary motion
Unit 6: Work and Energy
MHSCE Standards: P4.1 Energy Transfer; P4.1x Energy Transfer – Work; P4.2 Energy
Transformation; P4.3 Kinetic and Potential Energy; P4.3x Kinetic and Potential Energy –
Calculations
Students will be able to:
 Understand that energy is always conserved; Define mechanical energy and
identify its different forms; Identify transformations of energy
 Relate work to force and displacement; Differentiate between positive and
negative work; Calculate work when several forces act on an object
 Understand the relationship between work and kinetic energy; Calculate the
change in the kinetic energy of a particle based on the work done on the particle
 Relate work to the area beneath the curve on a graph of force as a function of
displacement; Calculate the area under the curve for a varying force to determine
the work done
 Identify examples of potential energy; Calculate the potential energy of a particle
based on its position in a gravitational field; Identify the change in potential
energy for an object not moving in a vertical line; Calculate the stored elastic
potential energy in a spring that has been stretched or compressed
 Relate the total mechanical energy of a system at the beginning and end of a
process; Apply the law of conservation of energy to solve problems that have
only conservative forces
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Solve problems involving both conservative and nonconservative forces; Identify
a force as either a conservative or nonconservative force
Define average power and instantaneous power; Calculate the power of an
external force doing work on a particle
Unit 7: Momentum
MHSCE Standards: P3.1 Basic Forces in Nature; P3.1x Forces; P3.2 Net Forces; P3.4
Forces and Acceleration; P3.5x Momentum
Students will be able to:
 Relate momentum to Newton's second law; Calculate the total momentum of a
system of particles
 Identify the role of internal and external forces in relation to conservation of
momentum; Apply the principle of conservation of momentum to solve problems
involving isolated systems
 Identify a collision as either an elastic or inelastic collision; Calculate the final
velocity of two particles involved in a completely inelastic collision
 Relate impulse to momentum; Calculate impulse acting on a particle due to an
applied force
Unit 8: Mechanical Waves
MHSCE Standards: P4.4 Wave Characteristics; P4.4x Wave Characteristics –
Calculations; P4.5 Mechanical Wave Propagation; P4.8 Wave Behavior – Reflection
and Refraction; P4.8x Wave Behavior – Diffraction, Interference, and Refraction
Students will be able to:
 Categorize the characteristics of a transverse wave and longitudinal wave;
Relate the main components of a transverse mechanical wave; Relate the main
components of a longitudinal mechanical wave; Identify influences on wave
speeds
 Identify resulting wave forms by the superposition of two waves; Identify locations
of nodes and antinodes on a standing wave; Identify possible harmonics of a
standing wave; Solve problems involving standing waves and normal modes
 Identify displacement and pressure nodes and antinodes for a standing
longitudinal wave; Calculate conditions necessary to produce a standing sound
wave in an open pipe; Calculate conditions necessary to produce a standing
sound wave in a stopped pipe
Unit 9: Sound
MHSCE Standards: P4.4 Wave Characteristics; P4.4x Wave Characteristics –
Calculations; P4.5 Mechanical Wave Propagation; P4.8 Wave Behavior – Reflection
and Refraction; P4.8x Wave Behavior – Diffraction, Interference, and Refraction
Students will be able to:
 Identify key values in limits of auditory perception; Calculate the power required
to produce a given sound intensity; Relate sound intensity to intensity level in
decibels
 Understand the relation between the frequency shift for a sound and the velocity
of the listener; Calculate observed frequency heard when both the listener and
source may be moving; Apply the Doppler effect equation for electromagnetic
waves to astronomical calculations
 Determine conditions necessary to produce constructive or destructive
interference; Calculate beat frequencies resulting from two waves of different
individual frequency
Student Aides:
Study Guides
On-line calculators
Graphing Calculators
Graph Paper
Science Help Websites