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Honors Physics Course Syllabus
Honors Physics is the study of mechanics. Motion, energy, forces, and momentum will be
studied and analyzed through the exploration of laboratory experiments, demonstrations, and
mathematical derivations. An emphasis on the use of mathematics to describe the natural laws of
the universe will be employed to further students’ knowledge. Students should be proficient in
trigonometry, and will be introduced to calculus; they should have a strong background in science
as a course prerequisite.
Unit #1 Introduction to Measurement
Objectives:
Measure length and convert from the English to the SI System and viceversa.
Round off to the correct significant figures on measured and calculated quantities.
Use sine, cosine, and tangent functions to solve for the sides or angles of a right triangle.
Use algebra to solve an equation for a single variable.
Discuss the meaning of and describe the difference between accuracy and precision.
State Standards
3.1.12.D Analyze scale as a way of relating concepts and ideas to one another by some
measure.
3.2.12.B Evaluate experimental information for appropriateness an adherence to relevant
science processes.
Shared Activities and Assessments
Measurement Lab
Available Equipment and Supplies
Meter sticks, rulers, micrometers, calipers, wood blocks. Room 814.
Unit #2 One Dimensional Motion
Objectives:
Describe motion in the x or y dimension independently.
Calculate the gravitational acceleration on Earth.
Discuss the meaning of and describe the difference between difference between average
and instantaneous change.
Use the three primary one dimensional formulas to calculate distance, acceleration,
velocity, and time with a set of known variables, and in the laboratory.
Shared Activities and Assessments
Running Lab
Acceleration due to Gravity Lab
State Standards
3.2.12.B Evaluate experimental information for appropriateness an adherence to relevant
science processes.
3.2.12.C Apply the elements of scientific inquiry to solve multi-step problems.
3.4.12.C Apply the principles of motion and force.
Available Equipment and Supplies
Picket Fence, Photogates, various spheroids, meter sticks, stopwatches. Room 814.
Unit #3 Two Dimensional Motion
Objectives:
Analyze motion in the x and y direction together.
Use the three primary one dimensional formulas and the range equation to calculate
distance, acceleration, velocity, and time with a set of
known variables, and in
the laboratory.
Combine two one dimensional results into a single two dimensional magnitude and
direction.
Shared Activities and Assessments
Projectile Motion Lab
Target Lab
State Standards
3.2.12.B Evaluate experimental information for appropriateness an adherence to relevant
science processes.
3.2.12.C Apply the elements of scientific inquiry to solve multi-step problems.
3.4.12.C Apply the principles of motion and force.
Available Equipment and Supplies
Projectile launcher, time of flight sensors, photogates, shoot the monkey accessory,
motion sensors. Room 814.
Unit #4 Vectors
Objectives:
Calculate a vector‘s components.
Add vectors both graphically and analytically.
Multiply vectors by traditional, dot and cross product, and use the right hand rule to
determine the direction of a cross product vector.
Shared Activities and Assessments
Vector Adventure Lab
State Standards
3.2.12.B Evaluate experimental information for appropriateness an adherence to relevant
science processes.
3.2.12.C Apply the elements of scientific inquiry to solve multi-step problems.
3.4.12.C Apply the principles of motion and force.
Available Equipment and Supplies
Compasses, rulers, meter sticks. Room 814.
Unit #5 Newton’s Law’s of Motion
Objectives:
Recite Newton’s Three Laws of Motion.
Use the second law to solve static and dynamic problems.
Solve for and use the force of friction, tension, normal, gravity and mechanical in
problems.
Solve problems in the classroom and lab dealing with the coefficient of friction.
Shared Activities and Assessments
Sledding Lab
Force Table Lab
Atwood Machine Lab
State Standards
3.2.12.B Evaluate experimental information for appropriateness an adherence to relevant
science processes.
3.4.12.C Apply the principles of motion and force.
Available Equipment and Supplies
Force meters, force tables, mass sets, lab kits, carts, tracks, smartpulleys, balance. Room
814.
Unit #6 Work, Power and Energy
Objectives:
Recite Conservation Law of Energy.
Apply Conservation Law of Energy, and the Work Energy Theorem to solve problems.
Calculate or solve for gravitational and spring potential energy, kinetic energy, and
power.
Discuss the meaning of and describe the difference between work, power and efficiency.
Shared Activities and Assessments
Human Energy Lab
State Standards
3.2.12.B Evaluate experimental information for appropriateness an adherence to relevant
science processes.
3.4.12.C Apply the principles of motion and force.
Available Equipment and Supplies
Meter sticks, stopwatches, projectile launchers, time of flight accessory, ballistic
pendulum, bowling ball pendulum. Room 814.
Unit #7 Linear Momentum
Objectives:
Recite the Conservation Law of Momentum.
Use the Conservation Law of Momentum to calculate velocity, impulse, and mass.
Determine if a collision is elastic or inelastic.
Shared Activities and Assessments
Elastic Inelastic Collision Lab
State Standards
3.2.12.B Evaluate experimental information for appropriateness an adherence to relevant
science processes.
3.4.12.C Apply the principles of motion and force.
Available Equipment and Supplies
Carts, tracks, motion sensors, mass sets, picket fences, lab kits. Room 814.
Unit #8 Newton’s Universal Law of Gravity / Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion
Objectives:
Use Newton’s Law of Universal Gravity to solve problems involving gravity, force, and
distance.
Recite Kepler’s Three Laws of Planetary Motion.
Calculate orbit and escape velocity.
Shared Activities and Assessments
State Standards
3.4.12.C Apply the principles of motion and force.
Available Equipment and Supplies
Photogates, picket fences, time of flight accessory. Room 814.
Unit #9 Rotational Motion
Objectives:
Use the rotational motion equations to solve for single rotational variable.
Convert between rotational and linear velocities.
Shared Activities and Assessments
Centripetal Acceleration Lab
Centripetal Acceleration Demonstrator
State Standards
3.2.12.B Evaluate experimental information for appropriateness an adherence to relevant
science processes.
3.4.12.C Apply the principles of motion and force.
Available Equipment and Supplies
Rotational Motion Sensor, Conservation of Rotational Momentum
Table, Photgates, Smartpulleys, ball bearings. Room 814.
Unit #10 Rotational Dynamics
Objectives:
Apply Newton’s second law to rotational motion.
Apply the Law of Conservation of Energy to rotational motion.
Apply the Conservation Law of Momentum to rotational motion.
Shared Activities and Assessments
Rotary Motion Sensor Lab
Conservation of Rotational Momentum Lab
State Standards
3.2.12.B Evaluate experimental information for appropriateness an adherence to relevant
science processes.
3.4.12.C Apply the principles of motion and force.
Available Equipment and Supplies
Rotational Motion Sensor, Conservation of Rotational Momentum Table, Photgates,
Smartpulleys, ball bearings.Room 814.
Unit #11 Simple Harmonic Motion
Objectives:
Recognize simple harmonic motion in waves, spinning discs, and pendulums.
Apply the formulas of simple harmonic motion to solve problems.
Shared Activities and Assessments
(a) Simple Harmonic Motion Lab
(b)
State Standards
3.2.12.B Evaluate experimental information for appropriateness an adherence to relevant
science processes.
3.4.12.C Apply the principles of motion and force.
Available Equipment and Supplies
Springs, mass sets, lab kits, bowling ball pendulum, photogates, force
and other Pasco equipment. Room 814.
meters,