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AP PHYSICS B Course Description: General Physics 2/Advanced Placement Physics B course considers traditional topics in physics beyond those in Physics 1 and represents a preparation targeted for further study in the physical sciences or in engineering at the university level. The prerequisite for this course is the first year in general physics, which covers Newtonian Mechanics, including kinematics, Newton’s Laws, work, energy, momentum, and circular motion.  The emphasis of this second year course is on fluids, thermodynamics, general wave theory, light, optics, electricity and magnetism, atomic and nuclear physics, and special relativity. Mathematical analysis of situations and problem solving are heavily stressed, and laboratory design techniques supplement this goal.  This course is offered as an EEP course through Rhode Island College.   AP Physics B Grading and Expectations Due Dates Homework Good physics links for extra help... Click here ..... or .... Click here AP Physics Grading and Expectatins Required Text:         “College Physics”.  Serway and Faughn, fifth edition Supplemental Resources:         AP practice problems; Excerpts from The Einstein Paradox by Colin Bruce Required Materials: 3-ringed binder with separate sections for notes and handouts and another section for labs and projects. Scientific or graphing calculator (and plenty of batteries) Grading:           The grading is based on a point system.  Roughly 400pts may be earned each quarter.  The course requirement to receive credit is to earn 60% of the points.  Approximate point distribution: homework 5 - 10 pts per assignment summative/formative assessments 10 - 100 pts each labs 25 - 50 pts each projects/activities 25 - 100 pts each Midyear and Final Exam = 10% each toward the year’s final grade by school policy         The Final Exam has a Final Performance Assessment Piece worth 50% of the Final Exam grade. Course Outline: Unit 1: Introduction and Review: (2.5 weeks) Math Review Kinematics Newton’s Laws Work, Energy, Momentum Circular Motion Torque and Equilibrium Unit 2: Fluid Mechanics: (3 weeks) Density and Pressure Variation of pressure with depth Buoyant forces and Archimedes’ Principle Fluids in Motion and Flow Continuity Bernoulli’s Equation Unit 3: Thermodynamics: (4 weeks)   Mechanical Equivalent of Heat Specific Heat and Calorimetry Latent Heat and Phase Changes Heat transfer and thermal expansion Ideal Gases and Ideal Gas Laws Laws of Thermodynamics Unit 4: Wave Motion: (2 weeks)   Simple Harmonic Motion, Hooke’s Law, and Pendulums Wave motion Superposition and Interference of Waves Unit 5: Sound: (3 weeks) Characteristics of Sound Waves Speed of Sound Energy and Intensity of Sound Doppler Effect Standing Waves, Resonance, Harmonics, and Beats Unit 6: Light and Optics: (4 weeks) Nature of Light Electromagnetic Spectrum and the Speed of Light Reflection and Refraction, including Total Internal Reflection Huygens’ Principle, Dispersion, and Rainbows Mirrors and Lenses Interference and Diffraction patterns Unit 7: Electricity: (4 weeks)   Electrostatics (Coulomb’s Law, Electric Fields and Potential) Capacitors Electric Circuits (Ohm’s Law and DC circuits) Kirchhoff’s Rules *time permitting* Unit 8: Magnetism: (3 weeks) Magnets, Magnetic Fields, and Electromagnets Magnetic Forces on moving charges and current-carrying wires Magnetic Fields of long, straight wires, current loops, and solenoids Induced emf and Magnetic Flux Faraday’s Law, Lenz’s Law Motors, Generators, and Back emf Unit 9: Atomic and Nuclear Physics: (3 weeks) Photons, the Photoelectric Effect, and the Compton Effect The Wave Function and The Uncertainty Principle Atomic Energy Levels and Atomic Spectra Nuclear Reactions, Decay Mass-Energy Equivalence Review for AP TEST (3 days)    Unit 10: Modern Physics and Relativity: (2 weeks)    {after AP exam, before final exam} The Principle of Relativity Michelson-Morley Experiment Einstein’s Principle of Relativity Consequences of Special Relativity Laboratory Experiences and Projects: Students continuing on to AP Physics are expected to bring the lab notebook from physics 1 with them and add to it during the school year.  Students will be required to keep a lab notebook which will include graded formal and informal lab reports.  The majority of the labs are open-ended.  All laboratory experiences will require a lab write-up, whether formal or informal. Both formats include data collection, data analysis, calculations and conclusions.  For formal lab reports, students will be responsible for designing their own procedures and testing them.  A formal lab report will be graded according to the school wide lab rubric.  Informal lab reports will have different emphasis on different aspects, depending on what part the instructor deems most important.  Projects are conducted entirely outside of class time.  Each project will require a research component, a building component, and a write-up based on project specifications and a rubric. This class will also be participating in “Molecular Workbench” activities (online computer models made available through RI-ITEST) Unit 1: Introduction and Review: Project:  Memory Mobile (Torque and Equilibrium) Unit 2: Fluid Mechanics         Labs:   Buoyant Force Activity                 Archimedes’ Principle Unit 3: Thermodynamics Molecular Workbench Computer Models: “Gas Laws,” “Phase Change” and “Heat and Temperature”         Labs:   Specific Heat of a Metal                 Latent Heat of Fusion of Ice         Design your own experiment:  Is Styrofoam an Acceptable Calorimeter? Unit 4: Wave Motion         Labs:   Hooke’s Law                 Simple Pendulum Unit 5: Sound         Lab:    Resonance in a Tube of Variable Length         Project: Sound: Making your own Musical Instrument Unit 6: Light and Optics         Molecular Workbench Computer Models: “Atoms, Excited States and Photons”                 and “Spectroscopy”         Labs:   Index of Refraction Lab (Snell’s Law)                 Ray Diagrams                 Young’s Double Slit Experiment         Project: Making a Pinhole Camera Unit 7: Electricity Molecular Workbench Computer Models: “Electrostatics” and “Electricity” Labs:   Electrostatics Ohm’s Law and Basic Electric Circuits (Kits) Kirchhoff’s Rules *time permitting* Unit 8: Magnetism         Labs: Magnetic Dipoles Magnetic Field of Current-Carrying Wires Unit 9: Atomic and Nuclear Physics         Lab:    Photoelectric Effect                 Quantum Leap Unit 10: Modern Physics and Relativity Final performance assessment: Create a battery operated toy that incorporates several functions, with special consideration to series and parallel circuits and electromagnets. Class Expectations: Homework:  These assignments, to be worked on individually or with a partner, are for reinforcing the work we do in class.  There will be one assignment for the chapter given at the start of the chapter.  Each night specific questions from this assignment will be assigned and due the following day.  Completion will be checked.  The full assignment will be due the day of the chapter test, so you may study from them.  The due dates will be given in class and posted on an assignment sheet, as well as posted on the website.  They can be turned in one day late, at the beginning of the class, but you lose half credit.  Homework assignments will not be accepted the after that. Summative Assessments:  Generally there will be one small and one large summative assessment per unit.  Sometimes there may be a formative assessment (“pop” quiz), which will not be announced.  These are to check your understanding, not to hurt your grade, meaning they will not be worth as many points (if any) as an announced quiz.  Your final exam is not cumulative.  The material on it will start at the midyear exam through the end of the year. Make-ups: A student who is out for one to two days on or before the day of an announced quiz or test needs to make up that quiz or test within one week, unless there are extenuating circumstances.  The full homework assignment is due upon return. Extra Help:  I am available everyday after school for at least 15 to 30 minutes.  Anything longer, you need to make (and keep!) an appointment top of page Homework for AP Physics Textbook:  College Physics, published by Serway and Faughn YOU NEED TO HAVE A SCIENTIFIC CALCULATOR TO DO THESE ASSIGNMENTS!! These assignments are designed to give you practice to succeed in class.  I will not be checking these assignments daily, but you will have quizzes based on the concepts learned in class.  Homework is for you to gauge your OWN understanding.  You will have to hand in homework.  Your book has only the answers to the odd numbered questions in the back.  I have solutions that I will share.  If you have questions (before the due date if you are doing homework problems), I will give hints ;-) SEMESTER 1 Assigment Chapter Assignment Due Date #1 1-8 AP Summer Review packet:        Multiple Choice and summaries        Free Response 9/6 9/7 #2 9 Fluids 10/3 #3 10-12 Thermodynamics 11/7 #4 13-14 Waves and Sound 12/16 #5 22-25 Light and Optics 2/17 SEMESTER 2 Assigment Chapter Assignment Due Date CQ = Conceptual Questions Probs = Problems top of page AP Physics This is to remind you of DUE DATES!! ** means that this assignement is a validated task for your portfolio.** Assignment: due date (periods) Quarter 1 HW #1: 9/13 Sketch due:  9/9 Mobile due:  9/12 Review Test:  9/13 Mobile Lab Report Due:  9/15 Buoyant Force Lab: 9/26 HW #2 due: 10/3 Ch 9 Test (Fluids): 10/3 Ch 10 Quiz: 10/13 Specific Heat Lab: 10/18 Latent Heat Lab: 10/21 Calorimetry Lab (Formal): 10/27 Ch 11 Quiz: 10/28 top of page

Last Modified: Jan 03, 2012