AP PHYSICS B Syllabus
Mr. Andrade
Description:
AP Physics is a college
level science course that will cover many topics and areas about the
physical world around us, using lectures, demonstrations, labs, projects, humor
and FUN. To fully achieve competence in this material, the students must work
hard and apply themselves. You must do all of the assigned work and reading.
This course is extremely fast paced and the students must keep up with the
reading and work.
Work will
include: Lectures, Labs and lab reports, Class and homework problems, Projects
and project reports, Articles and various readings, Films and Videos,
Demonstrations, Class Activities. We will also be doing practice AP Exams
during the year. Students will work together on problems, projects, and lab
investigations to learn team building skills. Many of the problems and labs will
be open-ended, inquiry based projects. Students will be learning physics
content as well as critical thinking and problem solving skills. Throughout the
course, real world applications of the concepts being studied will be explored.
Students will be assigned short “how does it work” assignments to research
applications of physics concepts in the other sciences, consumer products, and
research efforts.
Evaluation: Homework 20% (homework is essential to your success in this
class)
Quizzes 20%
Labs
/Projects 30%
Exams 30%
Textbook:
Giancoli, D. (2002). Physics: Principles
with Applications, 5th rev. ed. Upper Saddle River , NJ
The following
areas will be covered:
1.
Introduction
to Physics – 1 week
2.
Kinematics
in One Dimension – 1.5 week
3.
Kinematics
in Two Dimensions – 1 week
4.
Dynamics – Newton
5.
Circular
Motion – Gravitation – 1 week
6.
Work and
Energy – 1 week
7.
Linear
Momentum – 1 week
8.
Rotational
Motion – 1 week
9.
Static
Equilibrium – 1 week
10.
Fluids – 2
weeks
11.
Vibrations
and Waves – 1 week
12.
Sound – 1
week
13.
Temperature
and Kinetic Theory – 1 week
14.
Heat – 1
week
15.
Laws of
Thermodynamics – 1 week
16. Electric Charge and Electric Field – 1.5 weeks
17.
Electric
Potential – 1 week
18.
Electric
Currents – 1.5 weeks
19.
DC Circuits
– 1.5 weeks
20.
Magnetism –
1 week
21.
Electromagnetic
Induction and Faraday’s Law – 1 week
22.
Electromagnetic
Waves – 1 week
23.
Light:
Geometric Optics – 1.5 weeks
24.
The Wave
Nature of Light – 1 week
25.
Optical
Instruments – 0.5 weeks
26.
Special
Theory of Relativity – 1 week
27.
Quantum
Theory, Models of the Atom, Quantum Mechanics, Molecules and Solids – 1 week
28.
Nuclear
Physics and Radioactivity, Nuclear Energy, Elementary Particles – 1 week
29.
Astrophysics
and Cosmology – 1 week
1 – 2 weeks are then spent reviewing and preparing for AP
Exam. Some labs and projects are done after the AP Exam takes place.
------------------------------------
Lab Investigations:
(student conducted, virtual, teacher led demonstration)
Labs
are typically open-ended and require the students to design their own lab
procedure to solve a problem. Many of the labs are set up as a Physics Olympics
event, with each team competing against each other to solve the problem.
Students work in teams and may use any resources available to them in the room
to complete their experiment. The design of the experiment and all data
collecting is done during class, while the lab reports must be done at home.
Students keep their lab notes in a notebook, and then submit a formal lab
report. All lab reports are returned to students for them to keep for future
reference.
------------------------------------
Assignments:
Students
will be assigned reading from the textbook, as well as problem sets for each
section.
There
will be a quiz after each unit and at least 4 exams during the year.
Released
AP Test Questions will also be assigned as either homework or in class
assessments.
There
will be two research projects during the year where the students will be
required to perform research on a
physics topic and
either prepare a scientific report, or a presentation for the class.
Lab
investigations will be held throughout the course and students will be expected
to write lab reports for each lab.
Students
will also complete short research projects throughout the year as well as
virtual labs and explorations.
------------------------------------
Resources:
Textbooks:
Handed out to every student to
take home, plus a classroom set at school:
Giancoli, D. (2002). Physics: Principles with Applications, 5th rev.
ed. Upper Saddle River , NJ
ISBN 0-13-061143-3
In room for student use (1-5
copies of each):
Glencoe: Physics: Principles and Problems. 2005. Glencoe Publishing.
Holt: Physics by Serway and Faughn
Conceptual Physics by Paul Hewitt
Serway, Raymond A., and Jerry S.
Faughn. 2003. College Pacific Grove , Calif.
Brooks/Cole
Publishing.
Cutnell, John D., and Kenneth W.
Johnson. 2004. Physics. 6th
ed. Hoboken , N.J.
Web Sites:
www.physicsmedic.org – (my site) This
site has links to textbook companion websites, the College Board web site,
physics tutorial websites, and physics applets and demonstrations.
Equipment in room:
7
internet connected computers for student use
Extensive
library of reference books
Lab
equipment for all units
Virtual
lab software for all units of physics
Reference Books: (copies
available in classroom)
Barron’s
AP Physics B Prep Book
AP
Advantage, Physics B, by James Mooney
Cliffs
Notes, AP Physics B
Required Materials:
Students are required to have a scientific or graphing
calculator, notebook, and pencil
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