AP PHYSICS 1 Syllabus
I. Curricular Requirements
Curricular Requirements
Page(s)
CR1
Students and teachers have access to college-level resources including college level
textbooks and reference materials in print or electronic format.
7
CR2a
The course design provides opportunities for students to develop understanding of the
foundational principles of kinematics in the context of the big ideas that organize the
curriculum framework.
1
CR2b
The course design provides opportunities for students to develop understanding of the
foundational principles of dynamics in the context of the big ideas that organize the
curriculum frame work.
1
CR2c
The course design provides opportunities for students to develop understanding of the
foundational principles of gravity and circular motion in the context of the big ideas that
organize the curriculum frame work.
1
CR2d
The course design provides opportunities for students to develop understanding of the
foundational principles of simple harmonic motion in the context of the big ideas that
organize the curriculum frame work.
2
CR2e
The course design provides opportunities for students to develop understanding of the
foundational principles of linear momentum in the context of the big ideas that organize
the curriculum frame work.
1
CR2f
The course design provides opportunities for students to develop understanding of the
foundational principles of energy in the context of the big ideas that organize the
curriculum frame work.
1
CR2g
The course design provides opportunities for students to develop understanding of the
foundational principles of rotational motion in the context of the big ideas that organize
the curriculum frame work.
2
CR2h
The course design provides opportunities for students to develop understanding of the
foundational principles of electrostatics in the context of the big ideas that organize the
curriculum frame work.
2
CR2i
The course design provides opportunities for students to develop understanding of the
foundational principles of electric circuits in the context of the big ideas that organize
the curriculum frame work.
2
CR2j
The course design provides opportunities for students to develop understanding of the
foundational principles of mechanical waves in the context of the big ideas that
organize the curriculum frame work.
2
CR3
Students have opportunities to apply AP Physics 1 learning objectives connecting
across enduring understandings as described in the curriculum frame work.
6
CR4
The course provides students with opportunities to apply their knowledge of physics
principles to real world questions or scenarios (including societal issues or
technological innovations) to help them become scientifically literal citizens.
Students are provided with the opportunities to spend a minimum 25 percent of
instructional time engaging in hands-on laboratory work with an emphasis on inquirybased investigations.
The laboratory work used throughout the course includes investigations that support
the foundational AP Physics 1 principles.
The laboratory work used throughout the course includes guided-inquiry laboratory
investigations allowing students to apply all seven science practices.
The course provides opportunities for the students to develop their communication
skills by recording evidence of their research of literature or scientific investigations
through verbal, written, and graphic presentations.
The course provides opportunities for students to develop written and oral scientific
argumentation skills.
6
CR5
CR6a
CR6b
CR7
CR8
1, 7
4, 5, 6
4, 5, 6
8
4, 7
II. Course Description
AP Physics 1 is the first of a two year sequence that is designed to prepare students to take the
AP Physics 1 examination. This course is organized around six big ideas combining together the
fundamental science principles and theories of a general physics college course. It begins by integrating
the use of trigonometric functions into Algebra-Based Physics topics of mechanics, waves, sound
waves and electricity. This allows students to solve problems with vectors that are oriented at
arbitrary angles; rather than just parallel or perpendicular to one another.
This course emphasizes problem solving in the context of the principles of physical laws and principles;
as well as the ability to apply that knowledge and skill to phenomenon in either an experimental
or theoretical setting. Great attention is given to strengthening and reinforcing the natural connections
between the sciences and real world.
Students will be involved in problem solving, inquiry-based laboratory activities on an individual, small
group and large group basis. Through this process the ability to read and understand problems,
break them down into their component parts and then create and present solutions will be developed.
About 25% of instructional time will be spent on hands-on laboratory activities with an emphasis on
inquiry-based investigations. [CR5]
Much of the work done in the laboratory will include the gathering of data through low-tech and high-tech
(PASCO electronic sensors) lab investigations. That data will be configured by the students using the
PASCO software and then analyzed using that software as well as a number of compatible programs,
including Word and Excel. Through this process both analytical techniques as well as technological
capability will be developed.
III. Big Ideas for AP Physics 1
Big Idea 1: Objects and systems have properties such as mass and charge. Systems may have internal
structure.
Big Idea 2: Fields existing in space can be used to explain interactions.
Big Idea 3: The interactions of and object with other objects can be describe by forces.
Big Idea 4: Interactions between systems can result in changes in those systems.
Big Idea 5: Changes that occur as a result of interactions are constrained by conservation laws.
Big Idea 6: Waves can transfer energy and momentum from one object to another without the permanent
transfer of mass and serve as a mathematical model for the description of other phenomena.
IV. Course Outline and Correlation to Big Ideas (BI)
Units
Unit 1
Kinematics
[CR2a]
Unit 2
Dynamics
[CR2b]
Unit 3
Circular Motion
and Gravity
[CR2c]
Unit 4
Energy
[CR2f]
Unit 5
Momentum
[CR2e]
Physics Principles
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
Vectors and Vector Components
Kinematics 1D
Kinematics 2D
Newton’s Laws
Applications of Newton’s Laws
Big Ideas (BI)
BI 2, BI 3, BI 4
BI 1, BI 2, BI 3, BI 4
1. Circular Motion
2. Law of Universal Gravitation
BI 1, BI 2, BI 3, BI 4
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
BI 3, BI 4, BI 5
Work and Energy
Conservation of energy
Power
Linear momentum and Impulse
Conservations of Linear Momentum
Collisions
BI 3, BI 4, BI 5
1
Unit 6
Simple
Harmonic
Motion
[CR2d]
Unit 7
Waves, and
Sound
[CR2j]
Unit 8
Rotational
Motion
[CR2g]
Unit 9
Electrostatics
[CR2h]
Unit 10
Electric Current
& Circuits
[CR2i]
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
Periodic Motion
SHM and Uniform Circular Motion
Mass-Spring Oscillating System
Simple Pendulum
BI 3, BI 5
Wave Motion
Properties of waves
Mechanical waves
Sound
Rotational Kinematics
Torque and Rotational Dynamics
Rotational Energy and Angular Momentum
Conservation of Rotational Energy and Angular
Momentum
Electric Charge and Conservation of Charge
Electric Force and Electric Field
Electric Power
Analyzing Simple, Series, and Parallel Circuits
using Ohm’s Law and Kirchoff’s Laws
Electric Potential, Conductors and Dielectrics
Electric Current and Ohm’s Law
Simple DC Circuits: Series and Parallel
BI 6
BI 3, BI 4, BI 5
BI 1, BI 2, BI 3, BI 5
BI 1, BI 5
V. Detailed Course Content Outline
Unit 1. Kinematics
a. Decomposition of vectors
b. Composition of vectors
c. Motion in one dimension
d. Motion in two dimensions (Independence of perpendicular components)
e. Displacement in two dimensions
f. Velocity in two dimensions
g. Acceleration in two dimensions
h. Projectile motion
Unit 2. Dynamics
a. Newton’s Laws
b. Free body diagrams in two or three dimensions
c. Determining the net force due to forces acting at arbitrary angles
d. Decomposing forces into perpendicular components
e. Friction when an applied force is at an arbitrary angle
f. Elastic force
Unit 3. Circular Motion and Universal Gravitation
a. Circular Motion
b. Law of Universal Gravitation
c. Net force due to a banked curve
Unit 4. Energy
a. Work, Energy and Power
b. Work when force and displacement are at arbitrary angles
c. Applying Law of conservation of energy
Unit 5. Impulse and Momentum
a. Impulse and momentum
b. The effect of impulse at an arbitrary angle to initial velocity
c. Collisions: Perfectly elastic, perfectly inelastic, inelastic
2
d.
e.
f.
g.
Perfectly inelastic collisions of objects moving in arbitrary directions
Perfectly elastic collisions of objects moving in arbitrary directions
Inelastic collisions of objects moving in arbitrary directions
Conservation of linear momentum with objects moving in arbitrary directions
Unit 6. Simple Harmonic Motion
a. Simple Harmonic Motion
b. Mass-spring Oscillating System
c. Simple Pendulum
d. Oscillation and Energy Transformation
e. Resonance
Unit 7. Waves & Sound Waves
a. Mechanical Waves (Longitudinal and Transverse)
b. Wave Interference and Diffraction
c. Standing Waves
d. Sound
e. Sound Resonance
f. Beats and Beat Frequency
g. Doppler Effect
Unit 8. Rotational Motion
a. Rotational Kinematics and Kinematics Equations
b. Torque and Angular Acceleration
c. Moment of Inertia
d. Rotational Energy
e. Angular Momentum
f. Conservation of Energy and Angular Momentum
Unit 9. Electrostatics
a. Electric charges and their interaction
b. Electric field intensity
c. Potential and Voltage
d. Capacitance and Capacitors
e. Adding electric fields at arbitrary angles
f. Motion of a charged particle traveling at an angle to an electric field
Unit 10. Electric Current and Simple DC Circuits
a. Introduction to Current, Potential Difference, and Resistance
b. Ohm’s Law and Kirchhoff’s Laws
c. Joule’s Law
d. Electric Power
e. Analyzing Simple, Series, and Parallel Circuits using Ohm’s Law and Kirchoff’s Laws
3
VI. Physics Labs and Activities Outline Correlation to Big Ideas (BI)
Units
Unit 1: Kinematics
Physics Principles and Science Practices
Big Ideas
1. Bowling Bowl Lab: Student determine the speed of a
bowling ball and introduce the results with graphs. Guided
Inquiry Investigation [CR6a] [CR6b]
1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 4.1, 5.1, 6.2
BI 3
2. Hopper Lab: Students determine the initial speed of a
hopper by measuring the maximum height of the hoppers
jump. Guided Inquiry Investigation [CR6a] [CR6b]
1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.2, 5.1, 6.2
BI 3
3. Stomp Rocket Lab: Students determine the initial speed,
and the maximum height of the rocket by measuring the
time the rocket is in air. Guided Inquiry Investigation
[CR6a] [CR6b]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 5.1, 6.1
BI 3
4. Kinematics High Tech Lab: Students study the
displacement, velocity, and acceleration of a lab cart
moving at a constant acceleration, they will be able to
construct the lab conclusion based on graphical analysis.
[CR6a]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 5.1, 6.1
BI 3
5. Projectile Range Finding Lab: Students determine the
relationships between the horizontal range and angle with
the horizontal of a marble launched at different angles.
BI 3
Students will work in groups to determine the initial velocity
of a marble fired from a launcher and the two different
angles for which the range of the marble is the same for a
given initial velocity. Each group will present their
procedure, data, and the analysis of their investigation with
a group that has a different initial velocity. Groups will need
to justify their findings. Each group will provide critique of
the other’s claims and supporting evidence, and give that
group an opportunity to respond to the critique. [CR8]
Open-Inquiry Investigation [CR6a] [CR6b]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 5.1, 6.1
Unit 2: Dynamics
6. Projectile Target Lab: Students make calculations and
predictions of how to shoot two targets: vertical and
horizontal. Open-Inquiry Investigation [CR6a] [CR6b]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 5.1, 6.1
BI 3
1. Newton’s 2nd Law: Students figure out the relationships
between force, acceleration and mass. [CR6a]
1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 5.1, 5.2, 6.2
BI 3
2. Atwood Machine: Students determine the experimental
value of acceleration due to gravity. [CR6a]
1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 5.1, 5.2, 6.2
BI 3
3. Electronic Scale: Students determine the apparent weight
of a static object and figure out the relationships between
the apparent weight and inclined angle. [CR6a]
1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 5.1, 5.2, 6.2
BI 3
4
Unit 3: Circular Motion
and Gravity
Unit 4: Work and
Energy
Unit 5: Momentum
1. Centripetal Force Lab: Students determine the relationship
be centripetal force, velocity and radius of a rotating object.
[CR6a]
1.1, 1.4, 2.,2.2, 3.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.2, 7.2
1. Marble Launcher Lab: Students study the relationships
between kinetic, gravitational potential, and elastic potential
energy. Open-Inquiry Investigation [CR6a] [CR6b]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 4.1, 5.1, 6.2
BI 3
2. Energy High Tech Lab: Students observe the energy
transformation from one form into another. [CR6a]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 4.1, 5.1, 6.2
BI 3, BI 4,
BI 5
3. Power Lab: Students investigate how time and amount of
work done change power. [CR6a]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 4.1, 5.1, 6.2
BI 3, BI 4,
BI 5
4. Inclined Plan Lab: Students investigate the conservation of
energy on inclined plan. Open-Inquiry Investigation [CR6a]
[CR6b]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 4.1, 5.1, 6.2
BI 3, BI 4,
BI 5
1. Explosion Lab: Students verify the conservation of
momentum during “explosions”. [CR6a]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7.2
BI 3, BI 4,
BI 5
2. Momentum High Tech Lab: Students verify conservation of
momentum and energy for two types of collisions: elastic
and inelastic. [CR6a]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7.2
Unit 6: Simple
Harmonic Motion
1. Mass-spring Pendulum Lab: Students have to prove that
the period of pendulum depends on mass and spring
constant. Open-Inquiry Investigation [CR6a] [CR6b]
1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.2, 7.2
2. Simple Pendulum: Students verify the relationships
between the period and length of the pendulum. OpenInquiry Investigation [CR6a] [CR6b]
1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.2, 7.2
Unit 7: Waves &
Sound Waves
1. Standing Waves Lab: Students determine the speed of a
wave by using standing waves on a string. [CR6a]
1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.2, 7.2
2. Sound Resonance Lab: Students determine the speed of
sound by using sound resonance. [CR6a]
1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.2, 7.2
Unit 8: Rotational
Motion
1. Ballistic Pendulum Lab: Student determine the initial speed
of a bullet by using a ballistic pendulum. [CR6a]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 4.1, 5.1, 6.2
BI 3, BI 4,
BI 5
BI 3, BI 4,
BI 5
BI 3, BI 5
BI 3, BI 5
BI 6
BI 6
BI 3, BI 4
BI 5
5
Unit 9: Electrostatics
1. Student Activity with Induction: Students plan and execute
class demonstration(s) of charging by induction using an
electroscope and non-conducting objects/materials. Each
demonstration is accompanied by student explanation of
how and why charge is being transferred (or not) as it is.
(LOs: 1.B.1.1, 1.B.1.2, 3.C.2.1) [CR3]
BI 1, BI 3,
BI 6
2. Electric Field Maps Lab: Student construct electric filed
maps. Open-Inquiry Investigation [CR6a] [CR6b]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1,2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.1, 7.2
1. Ohm’s Law Lab: Student determine the relationships
between current, voltage and resistance. [CR6a]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1,2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.1, 7.2
Unit 10: Electric
Current and Simple
DC Circuits
Real World Physics
Solution
BI 1, BI 6
2. Series and Parallel Circuits: Students study the properties
of series and parallel circuits. [CR6a]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1,2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.1, 7.2
BI 1, BI 6
3. Resistivity Lab: Student determine the resistivity of metals.
[CR6a]
1.1, 1.4, 2.1,2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.1, 7.2
BI 1, BI 6
In order for students to become scientifically literate citizens,
students are required to use their knowledge of physics while
looking at a real world problem. [CR4]
BI 1, BI 2,
BI 3, BI 4,
BI 5, and/
or BI 6
Students will pick a Hollywood movie and will point out three (or
more) instances of bad physics. They will present this
information a partner in class for critique, describing the
inaccuracies both qualitatively and quantitatively.
VII. Course Assessment
Formative assessments are done by the teacher in order to assure that the students understand the
material that has been taught. These occur during class and divide into two categories. The first
category is ungraded and consists of student participation, student responses to questions, observed
student-student interactions and homework completion.
The second type of formative assessment is graded and consists of quizzes, based on
previously discussed homework assignments; quests, which are full period assessments that check a
broader set of problems at the same level of difficulty as quizzes; and reading quizzes, which check to
see if students have been completing reading assignments. Altogether these assessments represent
about 20 - 30 % of the marking period grade.
Summative assessments take the form of unit tests, midterms and finals. These are all given in the same
form as the AP exam; half multiple choice and half free response. The multiple choice questions are
conceptual in nature while the free response section involves solving multistep problems; often taken
from prior AP exams. Unit tests comprise about 50-60% of each marking period grade. The midterm and
final exam each represent 10% of the full year grade; combined they equal a marking period grade.
The intention is for identical summative assessments to be given to all the students in the course on the
same day, regardless of their teacher. This is to encourage students to study together in groups, with
or without a teacher, to advance their skill and understanding.
Laboratory work is graded and typically represents about 20% of each marking period grade. The grade
is divided evenly between the work done in the lab, based on teacher observation, and the lab report.
6
VIII. Textbook/Teaching Resources
Progressive Science Initiative AP Physics 1 digital textbook course documents from the New Jersey
Center for Teaching and Learning found at https://njctl.org/courses/science/ap-physics-1/, published in
2014. This digital textbook includes SMART Notebooks Presentations, homework, labs, unit plans and
assessments. [CR1]
Laboratory Software: PASCO
IX. Methodology
Lecture
Use of this method will be limited to the introduction of new topics and will be of short duration, typically
no more than 10 minutes at a time. Many classes will not include this component at all. The students will
need to use their visual, listening, writing skills and organization skills to benefit from this part of the
course. Students will be required to keep complete and organized notes.
Large group Problem Solving and Discussion Sessions
The teacher will lead these sessions where students will actively participate in raising questions,
answering questions and expanding upon topics. The entire class will work together to solve
complex problems which test their understanding of the ideas being developed. The teacher will
coordinate these sessions to ensure that all the students participate. This is vital in that this gives each
student the opportunity to expand their understanding. By increasing the Zone of Proximal Development
(ZPD) for all the students, they will be able to quickly advance their understanding.
Small Group Problem Solving Sessions
In these sessions a few problems will be given to the entire class and they will work in groups of 2 to 4
students to solve them. Once most of the problems have been solved, each group will present a solution
to one of the problems to the rest of the class. Disputes and different approaches will be discussed in the
Large Group format with the class taking the lead in determining the best approach. The
teacher serves to chair the discussion. Once again this activity is designed to allow the students to
quickly learn in an environment where their ZPD has been expanded.
Hands-On Activities / Laboratory / Discovery
Students participate in hands-on labs at least 25% of instructional time [CR5]. Each lab period is typically
86 minutes long, giving students the time necessary to take all data and begin analysis in groups.
Students need to not only solve problems analytically but also apply those solutions to real hands on
problems. These sessions are generally, but not exclusively, held in the physics laboratory and involve
two to four students working together. The students will be asked to conduct experiments that either
apply or develop new understandings. These will not be cookbook experiments, where the
students simply walk through a procedure. Rather, these experiments involve gathering data and making
analyses where the results are unknown to them, and sometimes even to the instructor.
These labs will use actual physical apparatus, often with electronic probes to gather data and
computers to conduct analysis. Whenever possible, they will be performed towards the beginning of each
unit, affording the student the experience of discovering the concepts before they are formally taught
by the instructor. One objective of each lab exercise is for each student to analyze their data using data
and error analysis techniques in order to judge the accuracy and meaning of their results.
Labs can be either teacher directed or student directed/open-ended. During a teacher-directed lab, the
students are given instruction on the operation of lab equipment and guidance in the process of the
experiment. Student-directed labs are when the students are given an objective and standard materials
needed to conduct a lab. Students are allowed to create their own experimental design and collect data,
which can be analyzed through graphical methods. After these labs, each student group must present
their results to the class and/or other student groups to defend their results. They will also evaluate one
other group's approach to the problem and offer a critique of their procedures and results. [CR8]
7
Each student will be required to keep their labs recorded in an organized lab notebook. This lab notebook
will be kept by the students for the entire year and must include the completed labs including but not
limited to the raw data tables and any notes made during the execution of the labs done in the course.
[CR7].
Reading
Students will be encouraged to develop the self-confidence and techniques required to learn
directly from the text. The techniques needed to accomplish that will be discussed in class and reviewed
from time to time. Readings will be assigned to either introduce or reinforce topics. In this way,
classroom time is not spent reviewing every fact and detail for which the students will be responsible.
Students will then be better prepared to participate and engage in active classroom discussion. The skill
of being able to read and understand a text is so critical that great effort will be made to encourage
students to develop it. In this vein, reading quizzes will be given from time to time to determine that
students are completing their reading assignments.
Homework problems
Problems will be assigned every night so that students can apply the learning that was done during
class that day. This will be checked by periodic homework quizzes that will be given the day after the
assignment was due. In that way, student who made an honest effort but need to ask questions in
class to reach a correct solution are not penalized. The homework quizzes are designed to test
students are learning how to do these problems. This contrasts with collecting assignments, which can
lead to copying rather than understanding.
Field Trips
Appropriate trips out of the school environment are an excellent way to show students that what
they learn in classroom definitely relates to the world at large. Students are given a chance to see how
ideas develop into real life situations and have real life applications.
8