Physics
- Unit 1 Kinematics
- Unit 2 Projectile Motion
- Unit 3 Forces
- Unit 4 Circular Motion
- Unit 5 Work and Energy
- Unit 6 Waves and Harmonic Motion
- Unit 7 Waves and Sound
- Unit 8 Light
Unit 1 Kinematics
Students will explore one dimensional motion. Beginning with evaluating the nuances of distance vs displacement and velocity vs speed, students will learn about scalars versus vectors and how they affect signs and acceleration. With this new understanding of vectors and scalars, students will embark on problem solving techniques, experiments, and graphical analysis of motion. As a part of this unit, students will also spend time looking at the importance of units and unit conversions in calculations and understanding of what numbers really mean. Ultimately, students will be using these skills to help them develop their own procedures for an end of unit project.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Analyzing, Design, Collective Intelligence
Unit 2 Projectile Motion
Students will expand upon prior knowledge in linear motion, to begin evaluating two-dimensional motion. Beginning with demonstrations that pose questions about two dimensional motion, students will explore the relationship between horizontal and vertical motion of objects. Students will continue to develop their understanding of vectors and scalars. Ultimately, students will be evaluating motion to determine the landing position of a projectile.
This unit focuses on the study of motion in two directions and the analysis of projectiles.
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Unit 3 Forces
Students will explore forces as being a push or a pull. They will begin by evaluating if a system of forces is balanced or unbalanced. They will be introduced to the creation of free body diagrams as a modality to analyze and survey motion in order to determine if the motion is, or is not, accelerated. Students will explore Newton’s three laws of motion and apply their understanding of which to real life situations. With this new understanding, students will explore the principle of force of frictions as an application of Newton's Third Laws of Motion. Ultimately, students will be using these skills to help them understand the Physics of a person skydiving.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Analyzing
Unit 4 Circular Motion
Students will explore and analyze objects that move in a circular path. This analysis is based on prior units, however, allows students to apply their reasoning and problem solving to specific real-world situations that they are very familiar with; why they feel like they are pushed to the outside of a car when they go around a curve, why they lift off their seat at the top of a roller coaster hill and why they feel heavy at the boom of the Ferris wheel. Students apply their knowledge of circular motion and forces to analyze the motion of man-made and natural (celestial) satellites. Students will study the laws of physics that govern the motion of planets, moons and the universal law of gravitation that holds the universe together.
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Unit 5 Work and Energy
Students will explore three different types of mechanical energy: kinetic energy, potential gravitational energy and potential elastic/spring energy as well as conservation of energy, the work-energy theorem and power. Students will begin with analyzing the three common types of mechanical energy (kinetic, potential gravitational, and potential elastic). They will analyze transformation between these types of energy to uncover the conservation of energy theorem. They will continue with analyzing the transformation of work in energy and energy into work in order to uncover the work-energy theorem. Students will also explore the six types of simple machines and their advantages and disadvantages and uncover how to calculate actual mechanical advantage, ideal mechanical advantage and efficiency. Finally they will uncover that the rate the energy transfers is called power. As a part of this unit, students will also spend time looking at the importance of units and unit conversions in calculations and understanding of what units and numbers really mean.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design
Unit 6 Waves and Harmonic Motion
Students will explore the anatomy of waves, types of waves, and wave interactions. Students will begin with analyzing common oscillators, objects which make repetitive motions (such as pendulums and springs). Through this analysis, students will uncover the periodic motion of oscillators and waves, as well as what factors dictate their motion. Ultimately, students will analyze how information can be transmitted on waves.
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Unit 7 Waves and Sound
Students will continue building on their understanding of waves to apply it to understanding musical instruments and everyday technologies like Doppler effect. Students will start by exploring the mechanics of sound in wind and stringed instruments and relate instrument design to pitch. They will continue by exploring harmonic frequencies and their relationship to the instruments' quality and timbre. Ultimately students will qualitatively analyze the Doppler effect and relate the increase apparent frequency to an object (moving vehicle or a moving galaxy) approaching and the apparent decrease in frequency to an object going away from the observer.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Collective Intelligence
Unit 8 Light
Students will explore electromagnetic radiation with emphasis on visible light. They will begin by exploring electromagnetic radiation and its spectrum in order to correlate frequencies and wavelengths. They will also explore the relationship between the frequency of a wave and its energy and real life applications of this principle. They will further evaluate the relationship between frequency, wavelength and speed as quantitatively described in the wave equation. They will continue exploring light and electromagnetic radiation's Law of Reflection and will qualitatively explore the principle of refraction and how it manifests in real life in terms of color mixing, polarization and curved mirrors. If time allows, students will explore lenses as they relate to optical instruments and the functioning of the eye.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Analyzing, Design