2012-2013

AP Physics CMechanics

Textbook Serway, Raymond A., Robert J. Beichner and John J. Jewett. 2000.Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 5th ed.Pacic Grove, Calif.: Brooks/Cole Publishing. Course Description AP Physics CMechanics is equivalent to a rst-year calculus-based college physics course. The curriculum is designed by the College Board and will prepare students to take the AP Physics CMechanics exam in May. Students who pass the exam may receive college credit. This course involves the application of derivative and integral calculus, and students should have completed a calculus course or be enrolled in one concurrently. Laboratory experiments represent a major component of the course. Some labs are entirely open-ended, with students responsible for designing and executing the experiment, while other labs are highly structured. Hands-on lab work is completed in groups, but students are responsible for writing their lab reports independently. An emphasis is placed on the analysis of data through graphical methods. Students must maintain neat lab notebooks as record of the laboratory component of the course. Objectives There are two essential objectives for the course: 1. To build a strong conceptual understanding of the topics in classical mechanics, through scientic inquiry and student-centered learning 2. To develop critical thinking skills through performing and analyzing laboratory experiments Schedule The AP Physics section meets MondayFriday for 53 minutes each day. With laboratory time representing 20% of the course, one laboratory experiment will be completed per week, on average.

Grading Student grades are based on the following four categories: " Unit Exams & Quizzes" 40%" Quizzes consist of AP multiple-choice questions, while unit tests are comprised of free-response questions from previous years exams and problems written in the style of AP free response problems. One problem set per unit, specic problems submitted for grading on a daily basis. Group-based, hands-on laboratory assignments with all lab notes and writeups completed in a laboratory notebook. Mock-AP Physics C: Mechanics test, at the end of each semester.

" Homework"

10%"

" Laboratory "

20%"

" Final Exam"

30%"

Outline: " Unit 0Introduction" "

Length" Topics"

1 week (August) Introduction Units Measurement 4 weeks (September) Kinematics in 1D Position & displacement Average velocity & average speed Acceleration & free-fall acceleration Vectors Adding vectors geometrically Adding vectors by component Multiplying vectors Kinematics in 2D Position & displacement Average & instantaneous velocity

Unit 1Kinematics" "

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Average & instantaneous acceleration Projectile motion Relative motion" " 1. Prediction and reproduction of kinematics graphs with motion detector 2. Determining acceleration due to gravity using photogates and falling picket fence. 3. Determining human reaction time through kinematics 4. Projectile motion golng. Students must sink ball bearing into cup

Unit 2Newtons Laws" Length" " " " " " " "
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3 weeks (October) Newtons Laws Force, mass Free-body diagrams Atwood machine Friction and drag force Uniform Circular motion 5. Atwood machine & Newtons Laws 6. Hookes lawseries vs. parallel springs 7. Determining coefcient of kinetic friction, k 8. Relationship between Fc and r for circular motion 3 weeks (November) Kinetic Energy & Work Work by constant & position-varying force Work-energy theorem Power Potential Energy & Conservation of Energy Work done by conservative forces Work done by a spring Work done by nonconservative forces Conservation of mechanical energy Potential energy functions/curves 9. Energy exchanges of a spring-mass system 10. Energy of a tossed ball, relationship between kinetic and potential gravitational energy, and total mechanical energy.

Topics" " " " " Labs" "

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Unit 3Work & Energy" Length" " " " " " " " " Topics" " " " " " " Labs"

11. Stable, unstable, and neutral equilibrium points on model roller coaster track Unit 4Momentum! " " " " ! " " " " Length" Topics" " " " ! " " " Labs" 4 weeks (December, January) Systems of particles Center of mass, position & velocity Conservation of linear momentum Collisions Impulse Inelastic collisions in one dimension Elastic collisions in one dimension Collisions in two dimensions 12. Finding the center of mass of a at shape 13. Dynamics carts to demonstrate conservation of momentum 5 weeks (February, March) Rotational Motion Angular velocity and acceleration Torque Rotational inertia Rotational analog of Newtons 2nd Law Rotational energy Rolling motion Rotational Vectors & Angular Momentum Angular velocity & acceleration vectors Torque and the vector cross product Angular momentum Conservation of angular momentum Rotational equilibrium 14. Calculating the rotational inertia of rings & discs using rotary motion sensor 15. Validation of conservation of angular momentum using rotary motion sensor 2 weeks (March) Universal Gravitation Energy & angular momentum Keplers Laws Critical and escape velocities 16. Satellite orbital motion data analysis

Unit 5Rotation! "

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Labs"

Unit 6Gravitation" " " " " "

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Unit 7Oscillations! " " " " " " "

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3 weeks (April) Simple harmonic oscillation " Kinematics " Dynamics Simple pendulum Spring-mass system Physical pendulum 17. Analysis of factors affecting simple pendulum 18. Relationship between force, velocity, displacement, and acceleration for an oscillating spring and weight 19. Validating formula for the period of a physical pendulum

" " " " " " Why Physics? (From the American Physical Society: http://www.aps.org/programs/education/whystudy.cfm) Physics is crucial to understanding the world around us, the world inside us, and the world beyond us. It is the most basic and fundamental science. Physics challenges our imaginations with concepts like relativity and string theory, and it leads to great discoveries, like computers and lasers, that lead to technologies which change our livesfrom healing joints, to curing cancer, to developing sustainable energy solutions. Physics encompasses the study of the universe from the largest galaxies to the smallest subatomic particles. Moreover, its the basis of many other sciences, including chemistry, oceanography, seismology, and astronomy (and can be applied to biology or medical science).

Required Supplies 1. Composition notebook (for labs) 2. 3-ring binder with loose-leaf paper 3. Protractor

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