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AP Physics Class Syllabus and Calendar
Course Description:
AP Physics B is a college level course that
uses advanced algebra and trigonometry as the primary tools for problem
solving. The course covers topics in mechanics, energy, waves,
thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, optics, quantum theory, and
nuclear
physics. Students should expect to spend 6 hours per week outside
of class on
physics related assignments.
AP Physics is an intense course and is purposely designed to extract
the
students’ best reasoning skills. Consequently, it is not unusual for
students
to occasionally become frustrated with laboratory work, problem
solving, and
tests. For this reason, there are several fundamental requirements that
I
expect from them that will allow them to reach their personal goals in
this
course. Firstly, students are expected to attend all classes. Absences
related
to legitimate reasons are unavoidable, however, it
becomes the students responsibility for obtaining the information
and assignment for that day. Secondly, problems assigned
in class
are valuable for understanding the material. It is expected that all
assignments be completed on time to the best of their ability. Thirdly,
students who are not achieving or who are struggling with the material
with a grade
of 75 or below are required to attend tutorials (although, tutorials
are
suggested for all students).
The students can best reach their
goals in this course through daily preparation. There is no substitute
for hard
work, especially in a course such as AP Physics that requires a
collection of
skills (i.e., writing, mathematics, reasoning, etc.) to succeed.
Students
should expect to work much harder in this course than what they are
accustomed
to in high school courses, but the rewards will be worth it
all. The AP
Physics course provides a foundation in physics for students in the
life
sciences, pre-medicine, and some applied sciences, as well as
engineering and
other fields not directly related to science.
Students will be expected to read the textbook and become familiar with formulas and vocabulary prior to class. A quiz will be given for each chapter to determine if the student has completed their pre-reading assignment. Lecture and class discussion will occur throughout the units as needed.
Conceptual questions will be assigned for each chapter as well as a number of homework problems to extend the students learning experience. (See attached list titled Homework).
Recitations will be conducted about once every other week. Recitations are a demonstration of obtained knowledge through teaching peers and coaching one another in strategies to complete released free response questions.
All students will read the book Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank and complete a special project to demonstrate understanding of the text.
Course
Section Grading: (Spring)
Tests/Lab Practicals 30%
Pre-Lab 10%
Lab 30%
Daily/Recitation 20%
Evaluation:
Students are tested
at the end of every unit. Tests consist
of two sections: 23 multiple choice questions from the textbooks test
bank (30
minutes to complete) and two free response problems from the released
tests (30
minutes to complete). Note: In the spring, when there is reduced time
one free
response problem (15 minutes to complete) counts double.
The tests are scored in the same manner as
the actual AP Physic B Exam and given a numerical value of 1 through 5.
COURSE OUTLINE
Fourth
Six Weeks
January
8-12
Electrostatics-Chapter
18
-Charge,
Field, and Potential
-Coulomb’s
Law and Field and Potential of Point Charges
-Fields
and Potential of Planar Charge Distribution
January
16-19
Conductors
and Capacitors-Chapter 19
-Electrostatics
with Conductors
-Parallel
Plate Capacitors
January
22-February 2
Electric Circuits-Chapter 20
-Current,
Resistance, Power
-Steady
State with DC Circuits with Batteries and Resistors
-Steady
State Capacitors in Circuits
February
5-9
Magnostatics-Chapter
21
-Forces
on Moving Charges in Magnetic Field
-Forces
on Current Carrying Wires in Magnetic Fields
-Fields
of Long Current Carrying Wires
February
12-16
Electromagnetic
Induction-Chapter 22
-Lenz’s
Law
-Faraday’s
Law
Fifth
Six Weeks
February
19-March 2
Fluid Mechanics-Chapter 11
-Hydrostatic
Pressure
-Buoyancy
-Fluid
Flow Continuity
-Bernoulli’s
Equation
March
5-9
Temperature
and Heat-Chapter 12 and 13
-Mechanical
Equivalent of Heat
-Heat
Transfer and Thermal Expansion
March
19-30
Kinetic
Theory and Thermodynamics-Chapter 14 and 15
-Ideal
Gases (Kinetic Model and Ideal Gas Law)
-Laws
of Thermodynamics (First and Second Law)
April
2-13
Atomic
Physics and Quantum Effects-Chapter 28, 29, and 30
-Photons
and the Photoelectric Effect
-Atomic
Energy Levels
-Wave-Particle
Duality
Sixth
Six Weeks
April
16-20
TAKS
TESTING (schedule will vary)
-Nuclear
Reactions
April 30-May 11 AP Review
May 21-25 Review and Final Exam
