Dual-Enrollment Course Outline - Accelerated Physics
Instructor: Mrs. Terri Ogden
Email: togden@pomounties.org
Course Goals
Accelerated physics is an introductory course designed to teach the basics of physics. This course will
cover linear and projectile motion, inertia, forces, energy, friction, waves, sound and electricity. Be prepared
to apply trigonometric concepts as well as use algebra skills fluently. Mathematics is the language of physics
and helps to define it. Other topics may be covered, time permitting, such as optics, magnetism,
thermodynamics, and students’ interest. Welcome to the science of energy!
Materials
 Textbook:
Serway, R.A. & Faughn, J.S. (1999). Holt Physics. Holt,
Rinehart, and Winston: Austin, TX.
 Supplemental materials such as notes, study guides, readings, et cetera will be provided.
 Students are responsible to obtain a scientific calculator (two line display preferred), notebook, and
writing utensils. Students may also want to keep a 3-ring binder to organize important worksheets.
Course Outline

Introduction to Physics
o Scientific Method
o Measurement accuracy vs. precision

Motion in One Dimension
o Acceleration, Velocity and Distance
 Acceleration Activity: motion detector, graphing velocity and acceleration vs. time
 Quiz on graphing distance, velocity and acceleration
 Lab: Recreating Galileo’s acceleration experiment
o Kinematics
o Free-fall
o Chapter test: Concept questions on velocity, constant acceleration and free-fall, Calculation
problems on Kinematic equations.

Motion in Two Dimensions
o Vectors
o Projectile Motion
 Projectile lab – Determine horizontal speed, then calculate the horizontal distance of a
projectile launched from the lab table
 Projectile activity – students determine landing distance given different angles of a
PASCO projectile launcher
 Activity: On-line satellite motion simulation – determine velocity and alititude to keep
a satellite in orbit.
o Relative Motion
o Chapter test: Concept questions on independence of horizontal and vertical velocities, frames
of reference for relative motion. Problems on vector addition, projectiles and relative motion.
Revised 08/25/11

Forces and Laws of Motion
o Net force
 Activity: Unbalanced forces / Website research and discussion
o Newton’s First Law / Inertia
o Newton’s Second Law
 Lab: Acceleration vs. force and mass using Pasco carts and motion detectors
o Newton’s Third Law
o Weight and Normal Force
 Net forces on an incline
o Friction
 Activity: Coefficient of Friction, Static vs. Kinetic Friction using Pasco force meters.
Students determine the coefficient of friction between various surfaces.
 Activity: Hovercraft and coefficient of friction. Students determine friction forces and
coefficient of friction between a toy hovercraft and a tile floor.
o Chapter test: Concept questions on Newton’s laws, coefficient of friction. Problems include
net force and acceleration for horizontal and inclined planes that include friction.

Work and Energy
o Work
 Lab: Pulleys / work input vs. work output and machine efficiency
o Kinetic & Potential Energy
 Elastic and gravitational potential energy
 Restoring force
o Conservation of Energy
 Activity : On-line simulation (Energy Skate Park), students observe how changing
friction, normal force, velocity, and gravity value change kinetic, potential or thermal
energy.
o Work-Kinetic Energy Theorem
o Power
 Activity: Power of YOU / Students determine the power in Watts required to lift
themselves up stairs, and compare to potential energy and horsepower.
o Chapter Test: Concept questions and problems on work, efficiency, conservation of energy,
work-kinetic energy theorem and power.

Momentum and Collisions
o Impulse-Momentum Theorem
o Conservation of Momentum
 Lab: Elastic and Inelastic Collisions w/ Pasco carts and motion detectors. Inquirybased, student-created lab to prove momentum is conserved.
o Stopping Distance
o Chapter test: Concept questions on how time affects force in a collision, conservation of
momentum and stopping distance using impulse-momentum theorem.

Rotational Motion
o Angular Displacement, Speed and Acceleration
o Angular Kinematics
o Tangential and Centripetal Acceleration
o Centripetal Force
Revised 08/25/11
o
Chapter unit: Concept questions on angular kinematics, centripetal and tangential acceleration,
centripetal force.

Rotational Equilibrium and Dynamics
o Torque
o Universal Gravitation and Center of Gravity
o Translational vs. Rotational Equilibrium
o Chapter test: Concept questions on Center of gravity. Problems calculating torque, rotational
and translational equilibrium.

Vibrations, Waves and Sound
o Hooke’s Law
 Activity: Using Hooke’s Law to find spring constant
o Simple Harmonic Motion
 Periods of a pendulum or a spring –mass system.
 Lab: Pendulum/ inquiry-based student-designed lab to prove what variable affects the
period of a pendulum.
o Wave Properties
 Period, frequency, amplitude, wavelength, wave speed
 Doppler Effect
o Sound Intensity and Resonance
o Chapter test: Concept questions on waves, simple harmonic motion. Problems calculating
period of a pendulum and spring-mass system, Doppler effect.

Electricity
o Forces and Fields
 Activity: Simulation of static electricity
o Circuits
 Parallel and Series circuits
 Activity: Simulation of circuits
 Lab: Parallel and Series Circuits. Students create simple parallel and series circuits
o Ohm’s Law
o Electricity concepts included in end of year Final exam.
Revised 08/25/11