Unit Lesson Plan – Dynamics 2D
Teacher:
Grade:
<Teacher>
Time Frame:
11, 12
School:
Subject:


AP Physics C Standards:
<School>
PSI AP Physics C

NGSS DCI:
8 days
HS-PS2-1. Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second
law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net
force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.
HS-PS2-4. Use mathematical representations of Newton’s Law of
Gravitation to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic
forces between objects.
B. Newton’s laws of motion
1. Static equilibrium (first law) Students should be able to analyze
situations in which a particle remains at rest, or moves with constant
velocity, under the influence of several forces.
2. Dynamics of a single particle (second law)
a) Students should understand the relation between the force that
acts on an object and the resulting change in the object’s velocity, so
they can:
(1) Calculate, for an object moving in one dimension, the velocity
change that results when a constant force F acts over a specified
time interval.
(2) Calculate, for an object moving in one dimension, the velocity
change that results when a force F(t) acts over a specified time
interval.
(3) Determine, for an object moving in a plane whose velocity
vector undergoes a specified change over a specified time interval,
the average force that acted on the object.
b) Students should understand how Newton’s Second Law, ,
applies to an object subject to forces such as gravity, the pull of
strings, or contact forces, so they can: Â = F Fnet = ma
(1) Draw a well-labeled, free-body diagram showing all real forces
that act on the object.
(2) Write down the vector equation that results from applying
Newton’s Second Law to the object, and take components of this
equation along appropriate axes.
c) Students should be able to analyze situations in which an object
moves with specified acceleration under the influence of one or more
forces so they can determine the magnitude and direction of the net
force, or of one of the forces that makes up the net force, such as
motion up or down with constant acceleration
d) Students should understand the significance of the coefficient of
friction, so they can:
(1) Write down the relationship between the normal and frictional
forces on a surface.
(2) Analyze situations in which an object moves along a rough
inclined plane or horizontal surface.
(3) Analyze under what circumstances an object will start to slip, or
Note that this exact Smart Notebook presentation has not been used in the classroom, although all of the
material has. The pacing below is approximate based on a 40-45 minute class period. Feel free to adjust as
necessary and please provide your feedback!
to calculate the magnitude of the force of static friction.
e) Students should understand the effect of drag forces on the
motion of an object, so they can:
(1) Find the terminal velocity of an object moving vertically under
the influence of a retarding force dependent on velocity.
(2) Describe qualitatively, with the aid of graphs, the acceleration,
velocity, and displacement of such a particle when it is released from
rest or is projected vertically with specified initial velocity.
(3) Use Newton's Second Law to write a differential equation for
the velocity of the object as a function of time.
(4) Use the method of separation of variables to derive the
equation for the velocity as a function of time from the differential
equation that follows from Newton's Second Law.
(5) Derive an expression for the acceleration as a function of time
for an object falling under the influence of drag forces.
3. Systems of two or more objects (third law)
a) Students should understand Newton’s Third Law so that, for a
given system, they can identify the force pairs and the objects on
which they act, and state the magnitude and direction of each force.
b) Students should be able to apply Newton’s Third Law in
analyzing the force of contact between two objects that accelerate
together along a horizontal or vertical line, or between two surfaces
that slide across one another.
c) Students should know that the tension is constant in a light string
that passes over a massless pulley and should be able to use this
fact in analyzing the motion of a system of two objects joined by a
string.
d) Students should be able to solve problems in which application
of Newton’s laws leads to two or three simultaneous linear equations
involving unknown forces or accelerations.
Essential Questions
(What questions will the student be able to answer as a result of the instruction?)
1. How can an object be made to accelerate?
2. How do forces interact?
3. How do objects respond to multiple forces acting on them?
4. How can you use Newton’s Laws of Motion to predict the behavior of objects?
5. How can free body or force diagrams be used to analyze interactions between objects?
6. Why can’t an object exert a force on itself?
7. How can resistive forces change when an object is in motion?
Knowledge & Skills
(What skills are needed to achieve the desired results?)
By the end of this unit, students will know:
 How to apply the concept of inertia to determine
the motion of an object experiencing a net force
and zero net force.

How to solve problems specifically by first
sketching the setup, drawing a free body
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
 Describe inertia using Newton’s First Law.

Relate force, mass and acceleration using
Newton’s Second Law.

Solve problems in 1 and 2 dimensions using
diagram, determining the forces present, aligning
coordinate axes, solving the equation for the
variable needed, inserting numbers into the
equation, and finally performing calculations with
a scientific calculator.
Newton’s Second Law.

Describe inertial reference frames.
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Differentiate between weight and mass.
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Describe weight as a force in terms of mass and
gravitational acceleration.
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Describe the normal force and understand the
conditions in which it exists.
How apply Newton’s Third Law (for every action
force, there is an equal and opposite reaction
force) to determine action/reaction pairs.

Identify a reaction force if given an action force.
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Determine whether a frictional force is kinetic
(moving) or static (not moving).
How to identify when friction must be considered
in a problem and when it can be ignored,
determine the type of friction present, and the
point at which the static friction is overcome to
result in kinetic friction.

Solve problems in 1 and 2 dimensions involving
static and kinetic friction.

Identify and solve for tension force.

Draw free body diagrams in 1 and 2 dimensions.
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How to identify all the different types of force
present in a problem. They will draw the relative
magnitudes and directions of the forces on a free
body diagram and note the direction of
acceleration

Solve problems in 1 and 2 dimensions involving
multiple forces and accelerations not restricted to
one axis of motion.

How to, after drawing a free body diagram,
students will apply Newton’s Second Law to a
problem, determining the net force acting on an
object. They will solve for net forces and forces
specific to the problem.

How to identify the following forces and illustrate
their relative magnitudes and directions when
problem solving:
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How to determine the weight of objects in settings
with vertical accelerations and determine the
difference between true weight and apparent
weight (normal force).
o
Applied Force
o
Normal Force
o
Weight (Gravitational Force)
o
Apparent Weight
o
Tension
o
Friction (Kinetic and Static)
How to solve air resistance problems
Assessment
(What is acceptable evidence to show desired results (rubrics, exam, etc.)? Attach Copy
During the Smart Notebook lesson designed to introduce concepts, students will be continually questioned on these
concepts using a combination of class work/homework questions and the SMART Response system. Classwork and
Homework questions will be discussed as a class and misconceptions will be addressed by the teacher prior to the
formal evaluations listed below.

Dynamics 2D Test
Note that this exact Smart Notebook presentation has not been used in the classroom, although all of the
material has. The pacing below is approximate based on a 40-45 minute class period. Feel free to adjust as
necessary and please provide your feedback!
Other assessments on the NJCTL website are optional and can be used as needed.
(What is the sequence of activities, learning experiences, etc, that will lead to desired results (the plan)?
Topic
Classwork
Homework**
1
Review of 1D Dynamics &
Resolving Forces
Presentation slides 1-71
MC 1 - 10 & FR 1 - 4
2
Two Dimensional Forces
Presentation slides 72-135
MC 11 - 20 &
FR 11, 12, 13, 14
3
Static Equilibrium and
Tension Force
Presentation slides 136168
Extra AP problems*** &
MC 20-30
4
Air resistance
Separate presentation
slides 123-130
MC 31-40 & FR 6 - 10
5
Air Resistance Lab
Lab
Finish Lab
6
Review MC
Review
HW: FR 5 & Extra AP
Problems
7
Review & Quiz
Quiz on AP Problems &
Review for test
Study for test
8
Dynamics 2D Test
Test
Review next unit
Day
* It may not be possible to complete labs in the order stated due to lab schedules. Other labs on the
NJCTL website are option and can be used as needed.
**HW Problems are currently not scaffolded from least to most difficult, but are instead listed in order of
topic. Teacher should pay special attention at the end of each class period when assigning HW so that
only problems related to the topic that was taught are being assigned.
*** Students should be given 5-10 AP problems from previous years’ AP exams regarding dynamics.