Physics 2, Electricity (Honors) Syllabus
Bentley, 2019-2020
Email: ​calee@bentleyschool.org
Office: Rm 3 (or MakerSpace, or Rm 17)
P3
Classroom: Rm 18
Teacher: Cameron Lee
Free periods: 5, 6, and 7
Phone: 925-283-2101 ex: ????
Course Description:
The world is awash in electric phenomena; whether we are considering modern technology or
the structure of the atom, there is literally no way to escape this force in the material universe.
In this lab-based seminar, students will explore the fundamental physics underlying electricity.
After quickly reviewing Newton’s Laws and static electricity, the course will jump into Coulomb’s
Law, electric fields, DC circuitry, and the fundamentals of voltage, current, resistance, batteries,
capacitors, building circuits, magnetism, and electromagnetism. There is a significant
expectation that students employ mathematics on a regular basis as well as explore concepts
by designing their own experiments in the laboratory.
Required Materials:
You will need a notebook for class notes, problem solving, data recording, and graph drawing.
You will need a binder or folder to hold and keep handouts, worksheets, and graded work.
You will need a trigonometry capable scientific calculator or higher. (Any TI series will do, you
may want to see what your future math classes require.)
You will need a pen or pencil everyday.
Laptops:
At least one member in your group will need a laptop to take data and for group presentations.
You should download the free version of Logger Pro. You may not use your laptop in class to
take notes unless specifically authorized for that accommodation.
Textbook:
Holt Physics Student Edition 2009 is the required text for homework assignments, but you may
also appreciate different perspectives on the material. Fundamentals of Physics by Halliday,
Giancoli Physics, and various Youtube channels such as Khan Academy or Crash Course
Physics may be useful reference material.
Course Policies:
Student responsibilities​: Arrive to class on time with all materials ready. For back to back
classes, please arrive within 5 minutes. Do your work on time and do it thoroughly. Monitor the
course website on a daily basis for assignments. Treat your peers, the course, and the Code of
Conduct with respect. Seek extra help when you need it - and everyone will at some point. And
always show your work, write units, and use dimensional analysis.
Required prerequisite knowledge:​ (You may want to brush up on these ideas)
There are two types of charge, protons are positive, electrons are negative, protons are
much-much-much more massive than electrons, opposite charges attract, like charges repel,
kinetic and potential energy, energy conservation, and dimensional analysis.
Physics 2, Electricity (Honors) Syllabus
Bentley, 2019-2020
P3
Classroom: Rm 18
Teacher: Cameron Lee
Study Tips:​ You don’t get skilled at something by watching other people do it. Just knowing a
basketball is supposed to go in the hoop doesn’t mean you’re able to do it consistently. A single
day of practice and cramming cannot substitute for weeks of regular training. I strongly
recommend that all students struggle with the material, research the topics in the reading or via
online materials, try to follow example problems, and try to apply the problem solving method for
at least 30 minutes​ on their own before collaborating with groupmates or seeking help from me
or tutors. Progress is made by taking stock of what you know and don’t know. So you need to
develop the skill of diagnosing problems and making connections.
Homework​: Will be posted several places. You can always find it on the resource calendars
posted to Canvas. It will also be written on the board during class. Handouts and deadlines will
generally be posted 2 weeks in advance so that you can allocate your study time and plan
around absences.
Late Work Policy:​ All due dates are announced in class, on the Resource Calendar, and under
Assignments on Canvas. Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the specified due
date. If you do not request an extension 24 hours ahead of the due date, assignments are
considered late. If there is an emergency, let me know immediately.
If you turn in an assignment on the specified due date, but after it’s originally collected, the
assignment is considered 1 class late and 10% is deducted. If you turn in the assignment
during the following class meeting, that is also considered 1 class late. For each additional
class meeting it is not turned in, another 10% is deducted to a baseline of 50%. However, you
can only receive that 50% if you actually turn in the ​completed​ assignment.
If you miss a class, my expectation is for you to arrange a meeting with me for the next day you
are on campus, regardless of whether or not the class is meeting that day. Missing material due
to athletics or travel is never an excuse for falling behind. You are expected to plan ahead. If
you are absent for several days due to illness or other emergencies, you will have as many
class periods to make up missing work as you were absent, without penalty.
Plan on doing any missed labs within two days during flex, lunch, or your free period.
Corrections:​ Learning is an iterative, continually growing process. I allow corrections on
Quizzes up to 50% and Tests up to 25% of the points missed. Corrections should be completed
before the next quiz or test. However, you must thoroughly ​convince me​ that you actually
understood what you did wrong and how to do it correctly. The easiest way to do this is to
schedule a meeting with me to go over the problems. Another way to do it is to write out clear
explanations as to what the misconception was, and what the correct concept is. Math
problems must be written out fully showing all work with proper units and dimensional analysis.
Statements such as “I ran out of time” or “I forgot” or “I made a mistake” will not be sufficient to
receive points back. But something like “I calculated the velocity instead of the acceleration
because I wrote the formula wrong” might be sufficient depending on the context.
Physics 2, Electricity (Honors) Syllabus
Bentley, 2019-2020
P3
Classroom: Rm 18
Teacher: Cameron Lee
Course Topics: (Time permitting and subject to change)
Each trimester seminar is independent and have the same prerequisites. There is very little
overlap and students are welcome to take all three terms or any individually. Only T1 has a final
exam. T2 and T3 have final projects.
T1 Electricity: Electrostatics, forces, fields, potentials, DC circuits, circuit components, Ohm’s
Law, Electric Power, capacitance, magnetism, electromagnetism, inductance
T2 Waves: EM radiation, Waves, Interference, Diffraction, Harmonics, Doppler Effect, Rotational
Kinematics, Musical instrument Project,
T3 Modern Physics: Relativity, Nuclear Physics, Astro Physics, Standard Model, Quantum
Theory, Research Project.
Grading:
Category
T1 Weight
Comment
Labs and
Projects
35%
There will be both group and individual
experiments and data analysis
Tests
20%
All tests are cumulative.
Quizzes
15%
Includes announced and unannounced
quizzes.
Homework
10%
Homework is graded differently depending
on the assignment. Some are spot
checked for accuracy, some are graded on
completion, and some are graded
thoroughly. Check the assignment info.
Participation
and Safety
5%
This includes overall participation,
citizenship, lab cleanup, etc.
Final Exam
15%
Open Note final, but that means the
questions are harder and you will be time
limited.
Physics 2, Electricity (Honors) Syllabus
Bentley, 2019-2020
P3
Classroom: Rm 18
Teacher: Cameron Lee
Conduct and Safety Pledge:
All students must agree to the following:
Bentley’s Code of Conduct:
“I will respect myself and others, I will tell the truth, I will not steal or misuse others’ property,
and I will act with academic integrity by neither giving nor receiving any unauthorized aid.”
All cases of dishonesty or violation of Bentley’s Code of Conduct will be brought to the deans.
In addition, students in Physics 2 agree to:
● Give an honest effort to complete all assignments on their own before seeking
additional help when they get stuck or begin the collaboration phase.
● Use all tools and lab equipment as instructed for safety and to prevent damage to
lab equipment.
● Not touch any bare or exposed wire without first checking if it is live (and will
electrocute you). When in doubt, use gloves or insulated tools. .
● Dress appropriately for labs, clothing must allow for a full range of motion (sitting,
bending, reaching, running) without perpetual readjustment.
● Wear proper protective clothing and gear as directed by the teacher during labs.
● Avoid horseplay or tomfoolery at all times inside the classroom.
● SHOW YOUR WORK AND WRITE UNITS.
● Keep cellphones put away except for appropriate use (such as taking photos
during labs, using the stopwatch feature, etc) and silenced or powered off.
Failure to consistently follow these class rules could result in lower grades.
Please detach this page, sign and date, and turn in to me.
Student’s Name: __________________________________
Student’s Signature: _______________________________
Date: _________________
Parent’s Signature: ________________________________
Date: _________________