Download AP Physics - Stafford County Public Schools

STAFFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Curriculum Overview
Advanced Placement Physics
Course Description:
This fast paced, advanced level course is equivalent to a first-year Algebra/Trig based college Physics course requiring a
considerable effort and time commitment compared to the regular Physics course. AP Physics B is a non-calculus based
physics course that covers a very wide range of topics including mechanics, thermo-dynamics, waves and optics,
electromagnetism, and atomic and nuclear physics. Trigonometric identities of sine, cosine, and tangent will be utilized.
Assignments may be given to students for the summer prior to class.
Essential Skills/Processes:
To develop critical thinking and analytical skills that should enable students to be successful on the AP Physics exam in
early May.
The student will investigate and understand how to analyze and interpret data
The student will investigate and understand how to demonstrate scientific reasoning and logic
The student will investigate and understand how applications of physics affect the world
The student will investigate and understand the interrelationships among mass, distance, force, and time
through mathematical and experimental processes
The student will investigate and understand that quantities including mass, energy, momentum, and charge are
conserved
The student will investigate and understand properties of fluids
The student will investigate and understand that energy can be transferred and transformed to provide usable
work
The student will investigate and understand how to use models of transverse and longitudinal waves to interpret
wave phenomena
The student will investigate and understand that different frequencies and wavelengths in the electromagnetic
spectrum are phenomena ranging from radio waves through visible light to gamma radiation
The student will investigate and understand, in describing optical systems, how light behaves in the
fundamental processes of reflection, refraction, and image formation
The student will investigate and understand how to use the field concept to describe the effects of gravitational,
electric, and magnetic forces
The student will investigate and understand how to diagram and construct basic electrical circuits and explain
the function of various circuit components
The student will investigate and understand that extremely large and extremely small quantities are not
necessarily described by the same laws as those studied by Newtonian physics
Essential Knowledge:
Essential knowledge and skills is categorized into six strands.
Science as Process:
Information recorded and presented in an organized format.
Metric units used in measurements and calculations with conversions when necessary.
Instruments and techniques used in observations and measurements of mass, volume, temperature, heat
exchange, energy transformations, motion, fields and electrical charge.
Descriptions of physical problems translated into mathematical statements to find a solution.
Construction and interpretation of graphs.
Examples of physics principles affecting the world.
MECHANICS:
Multi-dimensional kinematics including relationships among position, velocity and acceleration for particles
moving on straight lines and/or under the influence of gravitational, electric and magnetic fields.
7.12 Vectors.
Newton's laws of motion and their application.
Work and energy, including exchange of energy among various types including mechanical, chemical, nuclear,
electrical and thermal .
Conservation laws (energy, momentum and charge).
Linear and angular momentum as relates to both single bodies and multiple body elastic and inelastic
collisions.
Rotational kinematics.
Gravity, including Newton's universal law of gravitation and the influence of gravitational forces on bodies in
motion and at rest.
Oscillations and simple harmonic motion including masses on springs and simple pendulums.
Waves and sound including relationships among wavelength, frequency and velocity for traveling and standing
waves and the Doppler effect.
Fluids including Bernoulli's equation.
THERMAL PHYSICS:
Temperature and heat including the mechanical equivalent of heat.
Phases and phase changes including transportation of heat energy, expansion and contraction.
The laws of thermodynamics including the principles of entropy and the function of heat engines.
ELECTROMAGNETISM:
Electric charges, forces, and fields - both static and dynamic - to include basic operational theory of motors and
generators.
Electric potential & electrical potential energy.
Electric circuits & direct-current circuits including use of Coulomb's law, Ohm's law and Kirchhoff's rule in
single and multiple resistor circuits with and without capacitors.
Magnetism.
Magnetic flux & Faraday’s law of induction.
LIGHT AND OPTICS:
Electromagnetic waves.
Geometrical optics including construction and interperation of ray diagrams and image formation in both lenses
and mirrors.
Physical optics: Interference & diffraction.
MODERN PHYSICS:
Quantum Physics including the duality of light.
Atomic and nuclear physics including the atomic nature of matter and theories of the atom.
Physics of nuclear radiation including radioactivity and half-life.
Resources:
ƒ Stafford County Public Schools: http://www.staffordschools.net
ƒ High School Program of Studies:
http://stafford.schoolfusion.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/120789/File/Parent%20and%20Student%20Forms/201
0_2011%20High%20School%20Course%20Catalog.pdf?sessionid=1c7e1960147c9d23991284967a7b7b9e
ƒ VA Standards of Learning: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Superintendent/Sols/home.shtml
ƒ School Report Card (VA Department of Education): https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/
ƒ Jefferson Lab SOL review: http://education.jlab.org/solquiz/
7.12