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Philhour and O'Keefe

"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery." - Mark Van Doren

Honors Physics 2006-07 / 2nd Semester

Most recent update May 29, 2007 5:30 PM

Schedule

  • Week of Friday, January 5th - Class resumes (1 day only)
    • Introduction to the second semester
      • This semester will be divided into the following units:
        • Unit VI: Thermodynamics
        • Unit VII: Simple Harmonic Motion and Waves
        • Unit VIII: Light and Atoms
        • Unit IX: Electricity
        • Unit X: Electric Circuits
        • Unit XI: Magnetism
        • Unit XII: First Semester Physics Review (TBD)
      • Introduce Thermodynamics unit
        • The study of atoms in aggregate and the flow of energy into and out of these systems: liquids, gases, thermodynamics and heat engines
        • Bulk properties as distinguished from individual properties
          • re-introduce density described by the greek letter rho; practice converting from mass to volume and vice-versa via density
        • The conversion of thermal energy into useful work; the use of work to reduce thermal energy
        • Historical basis of this study; the discovery of "air"
      • Introduce Stirling Engine Project
      • Reading HW: Check out Ch 18 and Ch 19 in the People's Physics Book (PPB) -- we'll be working on these over the next two weeks
      • Online HW: Visit the PhET website and play with the thermodynamics applets called Friction, Gas Properties, and Ballons and Buoyancy. When working on the Gas Properties demo, remind yourself of what you learned in Chemistry about Boyle's Law, Charles's Law, and the Ideal Gas Law
      • HW: do Ch 19 #s 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 -- these problems allow you to qualitatively (that is, not precisely, but conceptually) derive the Ideal Gas Law; this should be something of a review of your chemistry principles. We'll go over these on Monday.

 

  • Week of Monday, January 8th -- Thermodynamics and Heat Engines (PPB Ch 19)
    • Day 1
      • Demo: Stirling Engine (in preparation) or Butane 4-stroke
      • Properties of gases / compressibility
      • Ideal Gas Law - conceptually and numerically
      • Definition of pressure as Force / Area; practice problems
      • Demo: Bed of Nails
      • Thermal energy expressed as (3/2)kT; equal to average kinetic energy <KE>; typically the only energy content of a gas is in the kinetic energy of its molecules
      • Calculating the mass of individual gas atoms or molecules; using this information to gauge average speed. Brief conceptual mention of the Maxwell velocity distribution
      • HW: do Ch 19 #s 18, 19, 20, 21, 22; note errata: the answer to #18 should be 510 m/s; the answer to #19 should be roughly 1.2E12 (1.2 Trillion) Kelvin; answers will vary for #s 20 and 22, so don't worry if yours is different
    • Day 2
      • Entropy and statistical mechanics
      • Video on entropy (Mechanical Universe)
      • HW: do Ch 19 #s 6, 11, 12, 23, 24 and check out this Ideal Gas Law applet
    • Day 3
      • Work = Force x Displacement = (Force / Area) x (Area x Displacement) = Pressure x Change in Volume
        • W = P*deltaV
      • Manipulating the state of a gas in order to extract work:
        • Isochoric means constant volume. Since W = P*deltaV, no work is done, so W = 0.
        • Isobaric means constant pressure. As volume changes, work done to or by the gas is related to total energy content (temperature)
        • Isentropic (adiabatic) means constant entropy (no heat added or removed). All cooling or heating of the gas is done through work. Adiabatic expansions are often very quick or very well insulated.
        • Isothermal means constant temperature. The total energy of the gas is fixed, so heat input must be offset by work output, or vice-versa.
      • Heat Engines
      • Introduce the Laws of Thermodynamics
      • HW: do Ch 19 #s 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 (note we have removed #32 as it had a few annoying problems with it)
    • Day 4

 

  • Week of Tuesday, January 16 -- Fluids (PPB Ch 18) (3 days -- MLK JR day on Monday)
    • Day 1
      • AOK and BJP's classes will diverge a bit today and then converge by the end of the week
      • BJP (1st and 6th periods):
        • Properties of liquids / incompressibility
        • Pressure increase with depth in a gravitational field
        • Buoyancy & Archimedes Principle
        • Demo: the peeing cylinder
        • HW: Ch 18 #s 9, 10, 14, 15, 18
      • AOK (2nd, 3rd, and 4th periods):
        • Finish Thermo
        • Properties of liquids / incompressibility
        • Floating & Sinking: specific gravity and density ratios
        • HW: Quiz Corrections; Ch 19 #s 27 (note errata), 28; Ch 18 #s 1, 2, 5, 6
    • Day 2
    • Day 3
      • BJP (1st and 6th periods):
        • HW Questions
        • Review period for exam on Day 1 of next week
      • AOK (2nd, 3rd, and 4th periods):
      • HW: Study for exam on Day 1; here's a practice exam from Summer Physics 2006 [please skip #10 -- if you are interested in automotive engineering, sign up for engineering for your senior year! =)]; and work on Stirling Engine Project (Benchmark 1 due on Monday by email to Mr. Philhour; your e-mail should include the following:
        • a reasonably sized image file that shows the state of your Stirling engine -- PLEASE shrink the image so that when viewed at 100% it fits in the screen. I prefer .jpg files less than 200 kb in size!!!
        • both your name and your partner's name)

 

  • Week of Monday, January 22nd -- Simple Harmonic Motion (PPB Ch 10)
    • Day 1
      • Benchmark 1 for Stirling Engine Project due today by e-mail to Mr. Philhour -- see Day 3 above for instructions about FILE SIZE)
      • Unit VI (Thermodynamics) Exam (Key is posted on our exam site)
        • Makeup Exam for retreatants and those absent today will be given afterschool on Day 1 next week
      • HW: check out this java applet for SHM and this site on how pendulum clocks work; also, check out Chapter 10 in the People's Physics Book
    • Day 2
      • Brief introduction to the concept of Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM): why it is "simple" and why it is "harmonic"; concept viewed from a force perspective and an energy perspective
      • Lab: conservation of energy
        • Use a sonic range finder to measure the position and speed of a mass hanging on a spring. Verify that the kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, and spring potential energy add up to an unchanging constant. To measure the spring constant, hang a known weight from the spring and see how much it displaces from equilibrium, then use mg = kx.
      • HW: Ch 10 #s 1, 7, 8abc, 9
    • Day 3
      • SHM for a mass on a spring
        • Describing equilibrium
        • Calculating the period of oscillation and using this equation to describe different situations (car shocks, buoy bobbing, etc.) -- in physics language we say 'identifying linear restoring forces'
        • Writing the equation of motion for position x(t) in terms of sine or cosine functions
        • Writing the equation of motion for velocity v(t) in terms of sine or cosine functions; matching this function with the function for x(t)
      • HW: Ch 10 #s 2, 3, 4, 8de, 12 also please bring a protractor to measure angles on Day 4
    • Day 4
      • SHM for a pendulum as below
      • In-class Lab / Demonstration: each student will measure the period of three pendulums; for each pendulum they will inform the instructor of the period of motion (in seconds), length of the string (in meters), the mass of the bob (in kg), and the initial angle of the pendulum (in degrees). The instructor will enter this data into excel and look for patterns. Here's our data from 2nd period.
      • HW: Ch 10 #s 5, 6, 10, 11 and check out the Physics Classroom lessons on Sound and here's a funny from Mr. Gavin; Study for HW Quiz on Day 1 next week
      • HW: Those absent on Day 1 - Study for Makeup Exam on Thermo & Fluids

 

  • Week of Monday, January 29th -- Wave Motion and Sound (PPB Ch 11)
    • Day 1
      • Makeup thermodynamics and fluids exam for retreatants after school in Room 310
      • HW Quiz (20 minutes) on material from Ch 10
      • Informal Lab: Slinkys -- students will use slinkys to work with along with today's lecture
      • Introduce theme for the unit (echolocation)
      • Wave nomenclature: amplitude, frequency, angular frequency, period, phase shift, velocity
      • PhET simulations (go to 'sound and waves')
      • Fundamental wave equation: velocity = wavelength x frequency (this comes from velocity = distance / time = wavelength / period)
      • Internet HW: watch this short video on echolocation (here's a YouTube link to the same thing)
      • Reading HW: begin reading two articles: Richard Dawkins on echolocation and Is Sonar Boy for real? from Slate; finish in time for HW Quiz on Day 4
      • HW: People's Physics Book Chapter 11 #s 7 & 8
        • AOK - Finish Test Corrections, Due Day 2
    • Day 2
      • Wave interference and beats
      • Demo: Ripple Tank (we'll be using this applet a lot)
      • Demo: wave slider
      • Introduce standing waves
      • Demo: standing waves on a string; strobe light; introduce harmonics (visually)
      • This site does a great job of showing how traveling waves that interfere cause standing waves
      • Internet HW: watch this Shockwave introduction to dolphin echolocation
      • Reading HW: see Day 1 and read this article on the Chinese River Dolphin (baiji)
      • HW: Ch 11 #s 1, 9, 10 (complete in your book), 13 -- and please bring in a stringed instrument (guitar, harp, violin, etc.) for tomorrow if you have access to one for Day 3
    • Day 3
      • Stringed instruments
      • Harmonics as multiples of the fundamental frequency
      • Calculating the frequency of the nth harmonic
      • Informal Lab: stringed instruments -- instructor will show harmonics in frequency-space fourier transforms using Logger Pro
      • Internet & Reading HW: see Days 1 & 2 (HW Quiz on reading and internet material tomorrow) and
      • HW: Ch 11 #s 15, 19 and play around with the PhET simulations (go to 'sound and waves') -- for instance, notice what kinds of reflections you get when you send a wave on a string toward a fixed end point, an open end point, or towards no end point.
    • Day 4
      • HW Quiz (20 minutes) on reading and internet material this week -- notes allowed but not the articles themselves
        • AOK: HW Quiz will include a problem that reflects the homework done this week
      • Resonance
      • Standing waves in bridges (similar to those in strings) / Earthquakes / Tacoma Narrows YouTube video
      • Demo: shaker table
      • Demo: breaking glass
      • HW: Ch 11 #s 2, 5 (AOK: You can hold off on #2 since we'll do resonance on Day 1); and continue work on Stirling Engine Project -- Benchmark 2 due on Monday by email to Mr. Philhour; your e-mail should include the following:
        • a reasonably sized image file that shows the state of your Stirling engine -- PLEASE shrink the image so that when viewed at 100% it fits in the screen. I prefer .jpg files less than 200 kb in size!!!
        • both your name and your partner's name
      • Additional HW: in addition to the above ... please bring in a woodwind instrument (flute, saxophone, harmonica, etc.) if you have access to one for Day 1

 

  • Week of Monday, February 5th -- Wave Motion and Sound (PPB Ch 11)
    • Benchmark 2 for Stirling Engine Project due today (see sending instructions above)
    • Day 1
      • AOK: Resonance & Standing Waves in Bridges / Earthquakes
        • Demo: shaker table
        • Demo: breaking glass
      • Wind instruments
      • Compression waves in air (sound) and how to visualize them (normal pressure, slightly higher pressure, and slightly lower pressure represented by sketches and graphs)
      • Harmonics in open and closed cylinders
      • Concept of resonance with regards to standing waves in tubes: we are blowing in with many different frequencies, but only those that create resonant standing waves (i.e., those with the right frequency) are amplified by the tube
      • Internet HW: still having trouble understanding how standing waves form? Check out this great standing waves in a string site
      • Reading HW: read this more thorough article on how echolocation works in dolphins ; also, if you're having trouble understanding resonance and musical instruments, check out the Physics Classroom lessons on Sound.
      • HW:
        • BJP:Ch 11 #s 11, 16, 17
        • AOK: Ch 11 #s 2, 5, and finish Quiz Corrections
    • Day 2
      • AOK:
        • Harmonics in open and closed cylinders
      • BJP:
        • Demo: The FLAMING TUBE
        • The speed of sound and variance on temperature
      • Lab: Tuning fork lab to determine the speed of sound using resonance
      • Reading HW: read this article on bats
      • HW:
        • BJP: Ch 11 #s 6, 20, 21 and play around with the PhET simulations (go to 'sound and waves')
        • AOK: Ch 11 #s 11, 16, 17 and play around with the PhET simulations (go to 'sound and waves')
    • Day 3
    • Day 4
      • The air as a 'fixed' medium: the Doppler effect and its uses in astrophysics; sonic booms
      • I found a mirror site for the Ripple Tank -- this should work now ...
      • HW Quiz on material from Ch 11
      • Review for exam on Day 1 of next week
      • HW: do Ch 11 #s 22 and 23, then continue studying for exam on Day 1 of next week (review packet); exam covers material of Chapters 10 and 11

 

  • Week of Monday, February 12th -- Light (PPB Ch 17)
    • Unit VIII: Light and Atoms
    • Day 1
      • EXAM on material of Chapters 10 and 11 as well as the echolocation theme we've developed this unit ...
        • Makeup Exam on Wednesday During 5th Period Lunch in Rm. 310
      • Internet HW: read through this tutorial on light waves and check out Chapter 17 in the People's Physics Book; note that we'll not do much with the topic of polarization or addition and subraction of colors simply because we don't have enough time. We will be performing Young's experiment, so pay particular attention at that point.
    • Day 2
      • Introduce unit on Light and Atoms
      • Light as an electromagnetic wave, as a wave-packet, and as a photon
      • Reflection and refraction
      • Snell's Law
      • Note error in Ch 17: the index of refraction n is equal to c / u NOT u / c.
      • Internet HW: begin reading this tutorial on reflection and this tutorial on refraction (continue reading and finishing these over the next week) also you can check out the KEY for Monday's Exam here
      • HW: PPB Ch 17 #s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (you will need to refer to the tutorials in your reading this week)
    • Day 3
      • AOK gone on Kairos; BJP at Learning & Brain conference THU and FRI
      • MAKEUP EXAM 5th Period Lunch in Rm. 310 (bring a lunch with you)
      • Watch The Elegant Universe, Part I: Einstein's Dream
      • Internet HW: finish the episode we watched in class by going to the PBS site and click on Watch the Program -- note that it is broken into chapters so you only have to watch from where we left off in class
      • HW: PPB Ch 17 #s 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 (you will need to refer to the tutorials in your reading this week)

**** Stirling Engine Work Party **** 12 Noon to 4 PM on Saturday, February 17th. Meet at the flagpole at 12 Noon -- we will come down on the hour (1 PM, 2 PM, 3 PM) if you have trouble getting in. We'll work in the Physics LAB. Come if you'd like!

**** Stirling Engine Work Party **** 12 Noon to 4 PM on Saturday, February 17th. Meet at the flagpole at 12 Noon -- we will come down on the hour (1 PM, 2 PM, 3 PM) if you have trouble getting in. We'll work in the Physics LAB. Come if you'd like!

  • Week of Tuesday, February 20th -- Light (PPB Ch 17) (2 class days -- President's day on Monday and Magazine Holiday on Friday)
    • Unit VIII: Light and Atoms
    • Day 1 - HAPPY MARDI GRAS! Where in the US did Mardi Gras begin?...(Hint: AOK's Hometown)
    • Day 2 - Feb 21 is the 42nd Anniversay of the Assassination of Malcolm X
      • Ray-diagrams for lenses and mirrors
      • Here's a great ray diagram SIMULATION
      • Check out Mr. Stecher's ray diagrams power-point files
      • Walk through the Physics Classroom explanations of Lenses and Mirrors
      • Sign conventions:
        • object is to left of mirror or lens; object distance is positive
        • concave mirror: focal length is positive and left of mirror; if the image distance is negative (right of the mirror / behind the mirror) the image is virtual; if the image distance is positive (left of the mirror / in front of the mirror) the image is real
        • convex mirror: focal length is negative and right of mirror; if the image distance is negative (right of the mirror / behind the mirror) the image is virtual; if the image distance is positive (left of the mirror / in front of the mirror) the image is real
        • concave lens: focal length is negative; if the image distance is negative (left of the lens) the image is virtual; if the image distance is positive (right of the lens) the image is real
        • convex lens: focal length is positive; if the image distance is negative (left of the lens) the image is virtual; if the image distance is positive (right of the lens) the image is real
      • Sign Conventions for focal lengths:
        • converging lenses (convex) & converging mirrors (concave): focal lengths are positive
        • diverging lenses (concave) & diverging mirrors (convex): focal lengths are negative
      • HW: Read table and instructions on bottom of page 17-7 then do Ch 17 #s 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 (be sure to check out ERRATA) and work on Stirling Engine Project (3rd and final benchmark is due Day 1 of next week)

 

**** SECOND Stirling Engine Work Party **** 12 Noon to 4 PM on Saturday, February 24th. Meet at the flagpole at 12 Noon -- we will come down on the hour (1 PM, 2 PM, 3 PM) if you have trouble getting in. We'll work in the Physics LAB. Come if you'd like!

 

  • Week of Monday, February 26th -- Light and Lasers (PPB Ch 24; some Ch 22 & 23)
    • Unit VIII: Light and Atoms
    • Day 1
      • A-/B+-level Stirling Engines due today, or Benchmark 3 if you're not quite done
      • HW Questions?
      • Short lecture introducing n*lambda = dsin(theta) equation for interference
        • Some useful websites: 1, 2, 3, 4
      • Begin Laser Interference Lab (Day 1/2)
      • HW: PPB Ch 17 #s 24, 27, 28
    • Day 2
    • Day 3
      • Atomic energy levels and the operation of a laser
      • Alpha Lab (1st, 2nd, 3rd & 6th periods) or Laptops (4th period): use PhET laser simulation (begin with one atom, then after you've got the hang of it click on the 'multiple atoms' tab)
      • HW: Begin midterm review and/or work on Stirling Engine
        • For a practice test on SHM & Waves or on Thermodynamics, check out the archive of past exams and take the makeup exam. (If you took the makeup exam, then check out the real one. The key for the Waves makeup exam is in preparation.)
        • Here's last year's Light and Optics exam (here's the key)
    • Day 4
      • HW Quiz
      • Review / slack / extra topics
      • HW: Study for midterm exam (see instructions above in Day 3) and finish your Stirling Engine if you haven't already; see details for content of the Midterm Exam below.

**** THIRD Stirling Engine Work Party **** 12 Noon to 4 PM on Saturday, March 3rd. Meet at the flagpole at 12 Noon -- we will post a phone number for access. We'll work in the Physics LAB. Come if you'd like!

 

  • Week of Monday, March 5th -- Midterm Week and Quarter Break
    • All Stirling Engines must be demonstrated after school on Monday or Tuesday, or by video with a deadline at Tuesday night at 12 midnight
    • Midterm Exam will be the 3rd step (unit) exam for SHM, Waves, Sound, Light and Atoms -- we are thinking one page for Thermo, one page for SHM and Waves, and two pages for Light
      • Monday is 0, 1, 2, 3
      • Tuesday is 4, 6, 7, 5
      • Wednesday is Career Day
      • Thursday is Faculty Inservice
      • Friday is Quarterbreak
     
  • Week of Monday, March 12th -- Radioactivity and Nuclear Physics (PPB Ch 18; some Ch 22 & 23)
    • Day 1
      • BJP (on retreat Monday & Tuesday) -- 1st & 6th periods to computer labs or library
      • AOK: 2nd, 3rd, & 4th periods to Beta Lab (Rm 227)
      • Begin Nuclear War project (due Day 4 of next week) Nuclear explosion
      • HW: continue work on Nuclear War project
    • Day 2
    • Day 3
      • Activity: Radioactive half-life (Hewitt Conceptual Development page)
      • Writing down nuclear decay equations (this will remind you of writing down balanced equations in chemistry -- you'll likely find it much easier this time around)
      • Demo: measuring half-life with a radioactive sample
      • Time permitting, begin HW problems
      • HW: PPB Ch 21 #s 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and continue work on Nuclear War project; AOK: Finish Midterm Corrections
    • Day 4

 

  • Week of Monday, March 19th -- Electrostatics (PPB Ch 12)
    • Day 1
      • Four Fundamental Forces/Interactions (Gravitational, Electromagnetic, Weak Nuclear, Strong Nuclear)
      • Review of electric charge: ++ repulsion, -- repulsion, +- attraction, +0 attraction through polarization, -0 attraction through polarization, 00 no effect
      • The triboelectric sequence
      • The fundamental charge through the Millikan oil drop experiment
      • Demo: electroscope, rabbit fur, rods; Scotch tape activity
      • BJP Demo: Van de Graff shocks
      • HW: PPB Ch 12 #s 1, 3, 4 and continue work on Nuclear War project (due Day 4)
    • Day 2
      • BJP out Tuesday for professional development -- this only affects 1st period
      • 1st period: Video: Bill Nye the Science Guy -- Static Electricity (25 minutes)
      • 2nd period: Meet in 313, then we'll go to Beta Lab
      • 3rd period: Meet in 313, then we'll go to Alpha Lab
      • 4th period: Meet in 313, then we'll go to Beta Lab
      • AOK Demo: Van de Graff shocks
      • Lab: play around with the following PhET simulations: (under Electricity, Magnets and Circuits) John Travoltage, Balloons and Static Electricity, and Electric Field Hockey
      • HW: continue work on Nuclear War project (due Friday at 10:00pm)
    • Day 3
      • Quiz on radioactivity material from last week
      • BJP: The fundamental charge through the Millikan oil drop experiment (didn't have time on Day 1)
      • Charge by conduction, induction, and polarization
      • Coulomb's Law / how inverse-square laws work (one dimension only today)
      • HW: PPB Ch 12 #s 11, 13, 14 and continue work on Nuclear War project (due Friday at 10:00pm)
    • Day 4
      • Demo: Tesla coil and fluorescent light
      • Coulomb's Law in two dimensions
      • Java Applet - Vector addition
      • HW: PPB Ch 12 #s 18, 19 (notice that there's a HW Quiz on Day 2 next week)
    • ALL PERIODS: FRIDAY 10:00PM - DEADLINE TO SUBMIT YOUR NUCLEAR WAR PROJECT VIA EMAIL

 

  • Week of Monday, March 26th -- Electrostatics (PPB Ch 12)
    • Day 1
    • Day 2
      • Brief HW Quiz -- you will have a Coulomb's Law problem that will involve vector addition
      • Recap electric field and use the Java applet
      • In-class work: revisiting some concepts from chemistry
      • HW: PPB Ch 12 # 15, 17, 20 and continue work on handout from today
    • Day 3
      • An energy perspective: electric potential ("voltage") and electric potential energy
      • Java applet -- now look at equipotentials
      • Voltage / altitude analogy
      • Relationship between potential energy and electric potential (analogy to definition of electric field)
      • Relationship between electric field and electric potential (via work)
      • HW: PPB Ch 12 #s 6, 7, 10, 21 and continue work on handout from Day 2
      • Internet HW: Lesson 1 on Electric Potential Difference from the Physics Classroom Tutorial.
        • ignore any section related to circuits; we'll cover this in our next unit
    • Day 4
      • Review / practice problems
      • HW: prepare for exam on Day 1 of next week.
      • Here are some practice exams:
        • Summer 2006 unit exam (skip #3) and KEY in .pdf and .doc formats
        • Summer 2006 physics final exam (just do pages 1 and 2) and KEY in .pdf and .doc formats
        • The chemistry-related problems from Day 2 are great exam questions: Molecules: Force & Field in 1 & 2 Dimensions and KEY in .pdf and .doc formats (these are slightly revised to correct a math error)
        • We strongly encourage you to check out the physics classroom tutorial for Static Electricity and Lesson 1 of Current Electricity for supplemental explanations, especially if you are having trouble conceptually with the electric field and electric potential
        • Similarly, we strongly encourage you to use this very helpful simulation: Charges & Fields (this requires the Macromedia Shockwave plug-in for your web browser -- you probably already have this) You can make your own problems and scenarios and use the simulation to check your answers. Try problems with multiple charges, positive and negative.

 

  • Week of Monday, April 2nd -- Electrostatics
    • Day 1
      • Exam on material from Ch 12
      • Note: you will receive your grade for the Nuclear War project after Easter Break
      • Reading HW: Check out PPB Ch 13
      • HW: in the PhET simulations, navigate to the Electricity, Magnets and Circuits page and find the simulation called Battery-Resistor Circuit. Play around with this simulation and see what you can figure out.
        • AOK - Finish any quiz corrections if you haven't yet and turn them in tomorrow.
    • Day 2

 

  • Week of Monday, April 9th -- Easter Break (no classes)

 

 

  • Week of Monday, April 16th -- Electric Circuits and Capacitors (PPB Ch 13 & 15)
    • Day 1
      • Using the PhET Circuit Construction Kit:
        • Introduce current as a flow of charge
        • Voltage sources
        • Ohm's Law
        • Power dissipation in resistors
      • 1st and 6th period only:
        • the Nuclear War projects you turned in before break were graded as a Step 2 exercise. Many students earned scores of 2.0. I have decided to allow students to turn in their project again, later in the quarter, to be graded as a Step 3 exercise. This is an optional Step 3 exercise: if you do not turn in the project again, the Step 2 exercise score is all that is entered into the unit gradebook.
        • If you intend to rework your project, please re-read the rubric for the project (at the bottom of this page) -- note in particular the requirements for the 2.0 grade -- that the student did the parts of the project as requested.
        • In order for the score of 3.0 to be entered into the gradebook, students need to bind together the separate parts of the project in some interesting and informative way. That is, you need to come up with an idea -- separate from any of the parts of the assignment -- that integrates these parts. The guiding questions are an attempt to help you with this.
        • In order for the score of 4.0 to be entered into the unit gradebook, students need to come up with a totally new idea, using the project as a framework for discussion of this idea. It is hard work coming up with a new idea, a fresh way of looking at things -- but that's the goal! Following instructions is not enough =)
      • Mini-Lab time permitting
      • HW:
        • BJP: PPB Ch 13 #s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 // or, for 1st period and 6th period, if Mr. Philhour is absent, visit this site
        • AOK: The 8-page assignment I typed up got deleted so I can't post it. I'll have to make hard copies and will hand them out tomorrow. So...
          • Get started on Test Corrections, which should be completed on a blank test found here (this is due on Day 4 with your exam for 15 points)
          • Use PhET Circuit Construction Kit:
            • Figure out how to make the lightbulb light up!
            • Right-click on the battery and light bulb to change their voltage and resistance, respectively
            • Click on 'lifelike' and 'schematic' to see the difference
            • Learn to use the Non-Contact Ammeter
            • Figure out how to use the switch and other elements
    • Day 2
      • 8 page "Quiz" (Here's a Key)
      • AOK: Using the PhET Circuit Construction Kit:
        • Begin 8-page conceptual sheet (hard copy only)
        • Finish Ohm's Law and Power dissipation through resistors
        • Resistors in Series
      • BJP: Using the PhET Circuit Construction Kit:
        • Demo: GE power meter
        • Power / conversion of kW-hr to Joules / hair dryer
        • 1 kw-hr is 3,600,000 Joules; 1 kw-hr of energy costs about 13 cents in San Francisco
        • Circuit analysis (Kirchhoff's Rules) -- we will come back to this material in May
        • Series and parallel resistors
      • Mini-Lab time permitting
      • HW:
        • BJP: PPB Ch 13 #s 6, 10, 11, 20 // or, for 1st period and 6th period, if Mr. Philhour is absent, visit this site
        • AOK: PPB Ch 13 #s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (try #6 using the simulation...we'll go over this more tomorrow)
        • Work on this 8 page "Quiz" (Here's a Key)
    • Day 3
    • Day 4
      • Second Exam on material from Ch 12 with one page of material from Ch 13
      • HW: Ch 13 #s 13 & 19 // or, for 1st period and 6th period, if Mr. Philhour is absent, visit this site
        • AOK: I changed my mind, no required HW. Rest up this weekend (enjoy prom) and be ready to go next week.
      • Reminder: Exploratorium Activity due in mid-to-late May

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR 1st and 6th PERIODS: it is extremely likely that Mr. Philhour will be absent at least one day -- and perhaps several days -- this week. If this happens, visit this site for further instructions.

 

  • Week of Monday, April 23rd -- Circuits (PPB Ch 13)
    • Day 1
    • Day 2
      • Circuits Lab
      • HW:
        • AOK: get caught up on any HW problems you haven't finished from last week, especially 6, 10, 11, 20; and study for exam on Day 4
        • BJP: continue worksheet on Circuit Problems from Day 1 (finish by Day 4); get caught up on homework; and study for exam on Day 4
    • Day 3
      • Review for exam
      • (Material on capacitors has been moved to later in the semester)
      • HW: study for exam on Day 4: Here are some challenging circuit problems (Here's a Key)
        • Here's a Key for the Circuit Problems from earlier this week
        • Don't forget to review concepts as well: take a look at the 8 page "Quiz" (Here's a Key) or use the physicsclassroom
        • As always, use the PhET Circuit Construction Kit; you can check your answers by buiding the circuits and taking measurements (this is especially helpful for HW problems like #13 and #19)
    • Day 4
      • Exam on material of Ch 13 (circuits)
      • HW: check out this introduction to magnetism online (there are 17 sections in the table at right ... read through all of these this week and next, working the problems as you go) also check out Ch 14 in the PPB

 

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR AP PHYSICS B STUDENTS: Check this site for dates & times for a formal practice exam.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR 1st and 6th PERIODS: it is extremely likely that Mr. Philhour will be absent at least one day -- and perhaps several days -- this week. If this happens, visit this site for further instructions.

 

  • Week of Monday, April 30th -- Magnetism and Magnetic Induction (PPB Ch 14)
    • Day 1
      • Note: the Exploratorium is FREE on the first Wednesday of the Month, or MAY 2. (hours and admission)
      • AOK (2nd, 3rd, and 4th periods)
        • Demo: rebar launcher
        • Magnetism; north and south pole attraction; permanent magnets
        • Magnetic fields and the Lorentz Force
        • Aurora (Northern Lights) and the Earth's magnetic field
        • Here's My PowerPoint on Today's Topics
        • HW: PPB Ch 14 #s 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
      • BJP out - use this site
    • Day 2
      • Note: the Exploratorium is FREE on the first Wednesday of the Month, or MAY 2. (hours and admission)
      • AOK (2nd, 3rd, and 4th periods)
        • Demo: kicking wire magnet
        • Magnetic field generated by a wire
        • Force on a wire in a magnetic field; mutual forces between wires
        • HW: PPB Ch 14 #s 9, 10, 11
      • BJP out - use this site
    • Day 3
      • AOK (2nd, 3rd, and 4th periods)
        • Review
        • Mass spectrometers (magnetic forces as centripetal forces)
        • In-class: work this mass spectrometer problem (.pdf, .doc, key in .pdf, key in .doc)
        • HW: PPB Ch 14 # 12; finish in-class sheet
      • BJP (1st and 6th periods)
        • Demo: rebar launcher
        • Magnetism; north and south pole attraction; permanent magnets
        • Magnetic fields and the Lorentz Force
        • Aurora (Northern Lights) and the Earth's magnetic field
        • HW: PPB Ch 14 #s 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
        • Note for 1st and 6th periods: 2nd draft of nuclear war project due Monday May 21
    • Day 4
      • Physics students taking the AP exam: Come after school on Friday to Rm. 313 for review. AOK will be around after an hour or so due to a faculty meeting. Get yourself started on practice problems and then I can answer questions.
      • AOK (2nd, 3rd, and 4th periods)
        • HW Quiz on material of Ch 14
        • Demo: turning a coil in the Earth's magnetic field to generate electricity
        • The Sun's Magnetic Field
        • HW: Finish Test Corrections from last Exam by Day 1 (key-A in .doc, key-B in .doc); Catch up on HW
      • BJP (1st and 6th periods)
        • Demo: kicking wire magnet
        • Force on a wire in a magnetic field; mutual forces between wires
        • Mass spectrometers (magnetic forces as centripetal forces)
        • In-class: work this mass spectrometer problem (.pdf, .doc, key in .pdf, key in .doc)
        • HW: PPB Ch 14 #s 9, 10, 11, 12
        Exploratorium Activity due Monday May 21 (AOK plans to be there on Saturday afternoon, time is TBA)
    • Physics students taking the AP exam:
      • We'll have practice AP Physics B exams available after school on Monday, May 7, Tuesday, May 8, or Wednesday, May 9. See my prep site for details.
      • The Multiple Choice & Free Response sections are 90 min each. You can elect to take them on separate days if you wish.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR AP PHYSICS B STUDENTS: Check this site for dates & times for a formal practice exam.

 

  • Week of Monday, May 7 -- Magnetism and, time-permitting, Electric Circuits Project (AP Exams this week)
    • Physics students taking the AP exam:
      • We'll have practice AP Physics B exams available after school this week. See my prep site for details.
      • The Multiple Choice & Free Response sections are 90 min each. You can elect to take them on separate days if you wish.
    • Day 1
      • Exploratorium Activity due Monday May 21
      • Demo: turning a coil in the Earth's magnetic field to generate electricity
      • Motors and generators -- using magnetic forces to "generate" voltages and vice-versa (motors and generators as inverse processes)
      • Lenz's Law
      • Internet HW: visit the PhET Site and go to the Faraday's Electromagnetic Lab; note that there are 5 tabs at the top, each representing a different experiment. Write up a paragraph or so explaining the purpose of each lab and the phenomena the lab is attempting to describe.
      • Note for 1st and 6th periods: 2nd draft of nuclear war project due Monday May 21
    • Day 2
    • Day 3
      • Exploratorium Activity due Monday May 21
      • Capacitor material
        • Demo: flash-bang capacitor
        • Capacitance (a very brutally short introduction)
        • Circuits practice problems / PhET simulations (AC) with RC circuits
      • Exam review
      • HW: None due to History AP Exam (Good Luck) on Friday; Start studying for magnetism exam on Day 1
    • Day 4

 

  • Week of Monday, May 14-- Electric Circuits Project (AP Exams this week; AP Physics B exam on Monday)
    • Exploratorium Activity due Monday May 21
    • Note for 1st and 6th periods: 2nd draft of nuclear war project due Monday May 21
    • Day 1
      • Magnetism exam (no capacitor material, just Ch 14)
      • Students taking the AP exam: You will not be taking the magnetism exam on Day 1 in light of the AP test. Plan to take the test Day 2 of next week.
    • Day 2: Electric Circuits Project
    • Day 3: Electric Circuits Project
      • HW: Note that we have moved the makeup magnetism exam to day 2 of next week so that everyone can take it, including the seniors. If you took the exam this week and are not happy with your grade, you can retake the exam on Day 2. Exploratorium Activity due on Monday. 1st and 6th periods: final draft of nuclear war project due on Monday

 

 

  • FINAL EXAM
    • Final Exam Review Sheet with Key [.pdf, .doc] note: key was revised May 29, 2007 @ 5:30 pm with help from students -- see public folder for discussion
    • Final Exam Review Session (Tuesday, May 29) NOTES in .SWF format and in .PDF format (you'll have to print these otherwise they look tilted, sorry)
    • Wednesday, May 30th, 10:20 am to 11:50 am (1 hr, 30 minutes)
    • Final exam will be 6 pages long // each page corresonds to a unit: Unit VI: Thermodynamics; Unit VII: Simple Harmonic Motion and Waves; Unit VIII: Light and Atoms; Unit IX: Electricity; Unit X: Electric Circuits; Unit XI: Magnetism // you will need to budget about 15 minutes per page; each page will consist of approximately two free response or short answer questions of the type you've seen in the exams this year.
    • You will be provided with this equation sheet; you can bring and use a graphing calculator
      • 1st period: Room 212
        • Full-test exemptions due to practice AP exam scores: Matt Mahoney, Jack Kodros, Clare Landefeld, Alex Arnest, Jake Avella, Jessica Harders, Joe Massanti, Joe Strizich, Chris Johnson
        • Full-test exemptions due to "Senior A/A-": none
        • Partial test exemptions due to scores on past exams and projects: Unit VI (Thermo): Peter Cronin, Alex Esparza, Elisa Fanucchi, Ed Hesselgren, Giana Lando, Addie Schivo, Tony Urbina; Unit VII (Waves): Alex Esparza, Ed Hesselgren, Victor Nguyen; Unit VIII (Light & Atoms): none; Unit IX (Electricity): none; Unit X (Circuits): none; Unit XI (Magnetism): none
      • 2nd period: Room 224
        • Full-test exemptions due to practice AP exam scores: Charlie Johnson, Simon Loos, Thomas Mattimore, Isabelle Struve, Paul Toboni, Chris Warner
        • Full-test exemptions due to "Senior A/A-": Liz Adler, Andrea Dillon
        • Partial test exemptions due to scores on past exams and projects: Unit VI (Thermo): Liz Adler, Alex Fotsch, Ryan Geraghty, Lucy Gonzalez, Roy Lang, Oisin Lewis, Simon Loos, Bianca Manalansan, Chris Martin, Thomas Mattimore, Megan McCarthy, Lauren Padilla, Bruno Schatz, Lucas Stratton, Paul Toboni; Unit VII (Waves): none; Unit VIII (Light & Atoms): Ryan Geraghty; Unit IX (Electricity): Charlie Johnson, Isabelle Struve; Unit X (Circuits): none; Unit XI (Magnetism): none
      • 3rd period: Room 225
        • Full-test exemptions due to practice AP exam scores: Mason Kwiat, Chris Duhn, Jack Ostler
        • Full-test exemptions due to "Senior A/A-": none
        • Partial test exemptions due to scores on past exams and projects: Unit VI (Thermo): Rian Dineen, Chris Duhn, Paige Fennie, Jackson Galan, Mike Providenza, Kylie Reich; Unit VII (Waves): none; Unit VIII (Light & Atoms): none; Unit IX (Electricity): none; Unit X (Circuits): none; Unit XI (Magnetism): none
      • 4th period: Room 226
        • Full-test exemptions due to practice AP exam scores: Drew Beaurline, Kristin Halsing, Michael Kutzscher, Ian Sarmiento
        • Full-test exemptions due to "Senior A/A-": none
        • Partial test exemptions due to scores on past exams and projects: Unit VI (Thermo): Drew Beaurline, Kayla Gogarghty, Sandra Kelly; Unit VII (Waves): none; Unit VIII (Light & Atoms): none; Unit IX (Electricity): none; Unit X (Circuits): none; Unit XI (Magnetism): none
      • 6th period: Room 213
        • Full-test exemptions due to practice AP exam scores: Bus Leonard, Eric Tom, Zoe Feld, Sean Tsui
        • Full-test exemptions due to "Senior A/A-": Mimi Smith
        • Partial test exemptions due to scores on past exams and projects: Unit VI (Thermo): Hannah Abarquez, Lilibeth Fernandez, Helen Fowler, Rachel Hatch, Becca Lynch, Calvin Ma, Danny Martinez, Tiffany Ng, Jon Rey, Alex Tice, Joe Tursi, Stephen Zhu; Unit VII (Waves): Heather Mui, Mia Neagle, Tiffany Ng, Jon Rey, Joe Tursi, Stephen Zhu; Unit VIII (Light & Atoms): none; Unit IX (Electricity): none; Unit X (Circuits): none; Unit XI (Magnetism): none

 

 

 

 

 

 



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