AP Physics B Syllabus 2009-2010
Mount Vernon High School
Instructor: Deb Prinkey
Phone: 393-5900 x 5603
Email: dprinkey@mt-vernon.k12.oh.us
Daily Assignments: http://www.mt-vernon.k12.oh.us/teachers/high_school/Science/dprinkey/index.htm
Text: Physics; principles with applications, Douglas C. Giancoli; 5th Ed. Prentice Hall
Supplemental Materials: Lab activities from various sources
Course Description:
AP Physics B is an algebra-based, college level, introductory physics course which
follows the AP Physics B Course Description and objectives covering kinematics,
Newtonian motion, work, power, energy, momentum, circular motion, oscillations,
gravitation, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, electricity, magnetism, nuclear physics
and waves/optics. Problem solving, reading, understanding and interpreting physical
information as well as using basic mathematical reasoning is a vital component of this
course. The lab component of this course is designed to give students experience in
performing experiments, analyzing and graphing data, interpreting and presenting
results, and evaluating error and uncertainty. Students are expected to take the AP
examination in May, which consists of a multiple-choice section and a free-response
section.
Prerequisite: Recommendation of previous science teachers
Methods of Evaluation:
Students can be evaluated through tests, laboratory reports and quizzes, concept
quizzes, class work, homework, projects, semester exams and/or any other form of
evaluation instrument the instructor finds applicable to the course.
Pace of Instruction:
This course meets for two-48 minute periods a day, 5 days a week. A laboratory
exercise is done approximately once every week. The pacing of the course generally
follows the percentages for coverage listed in the AP Physics B Course Description. The
content is covered in time to leave the two weeks before the AP Exam for review.
Please see attached syllabus
Course Content:
I. Mechanics
Motion in One Dimension Chapter 2 (2 weeks)
Average speed and velocity
Instantaneous velocity
Acceleration
Graphs of motion
Kinematic equations
Free fall
Vectors Chapter 3 (1 week)
Introduction and components
Graphical vector addition
Addition of vectors by components
Subtraction of vectors
Motion in Two Dimensions Chapter 3 (1 ½ weeks)
General method
Projectiles with zero launch angle
Projectiles and general launch angle
Symmetry in projectiles
Range over level ground
Forces-Newton’s Laws Chapter 4 (2 weeks)
Newton’s 1st Law
Newton’s 2nd Law
Newton’s 3rd Law
Weight and apparent weight
Normal forces
Application of Newton’s Laws Chapter 4 (2 weeks)
Friction
Friction lab
Strings and Tension
Pulleys on flat ramps
Pulleys on angled ramps
Centripetal forces
Work and Energy Chapter 6 (2 weeks)
Work and energy
Work-energy theorem
Variable forces
Power
Conservative and non-conservative forces
Potential energy
Conservation of mechanical energy
Dissipative forces and conservation of energy
Linear Momentum Chapter 7 (2 weeks)
Linear momentum as a vector
Impulse
Conservation of linear momentum
Collisions
Momentum in 2-D
Rotational Motion and Equilibrium Chapters 5 and 8 (2 weeks)
Torque and rotational equilibrium
Law if Gravity
Kepler’s Laws and Orbit
Gravitation potential energy and escape velocity
Angular momentum
Oscillation Chapter 11 (2 weeks – combined with rotational motion)
Simple harmonic motion
Hooke’s Law and period of mass on a spring
Conservation of energy in oscillators
Period of a pendulum
II. Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Physics
Fluids Chapter 10 (1 weeks)
Hydrostatic pressure
Buoyancy force
Fluid flow continuity
Bernoulli effect
Thermodynamics Chapters 13, 14, and 15 (2 weeks)
Heat and Temperature
Expansion of gases
Kinetic theory
1st Law Thermodynamics
Gas processes
2nd Law Thermodynamics
Efficiency
Heat engines and the Carnot Cycle
Entropy
III. Electricity and Magnetism
Electrostatics Chapter 16 and 17 (2 ½ weeks)
Charge and polarization
Coulomb’s Law
The electric field
Potential energy and electric potential
Equipotential surfaces
Motion of charged particles in an electric field
Electric Circuits Chapters 17, 18, and 19 (2 weeks)
Definition of current
Ohm’s Law
Resistivity
Equivalent resistance
Kirchoff’s Rules
Capacitors in circuits
Magnetism Chapter 20 and 21 (1 ½ weeks)
Magnetic force on moving charges
Motion of moving charge in magnetic field
Magnetic force on current
Sources of magnetic fields
Superposition of magnetic fields
Magnetic flux
Faraday’s Law of Induction
Lenz’s Law
Motional emf
IV. Waves and Optics
Geometric Optics Chapter 22 and 23 (2 weeks)
Law of Reflection
Plane mirror images
Spherical concave mirror and ray tracing
Spherical convex mirror and ray tracing
Mirror equations
Mirror lab
Law of Refraction
Total internal reflection
Converging and diverging lenses
Waves, Sound, and Physical Optics Chapter 12 and 24 (1 ½ weeks)
Types of waves; reflection and refraction
Superposition and interference of waves, including light
Real world sounds
Resonance, beats
Doppler effect
Standing waves
Single slit and double slit diffraction of laser light
Separation of white light by a diffraction grating
V. Atomic and Nuclear Physics
Modern Physics Chapters 27 and 28 (2 weeks)
The photon
Absorption and emission spectra
Photoelectric effect
Nuclear reactions
Wave particle duality
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
List of Student-Run Laboratories
Description
Average velocity: Inquiry-based lab by students using cart tracks and photogates.
Students are required to develop a reproducible procedure for acceleration of a
cart on a cart track to obtain a given average velocity. In doing so, they become
familiar with the operation of photogates in gate and in pulse mode. They also
become familiar with the parts required in a formal lab report. Report required.
Ticker tape: Inquiry-based lab by students using ticker tape timers to measure
the position of various objects as they accelerate. Using the ticker tape data, the
students construct tables of position, velocity, and acceleration data and graphs
of the data. Report required.
Reflex testing: Inquiry-based lab in which students are required to develop a
procedure for determining reaction times using meter sticks and stop watches.
Force board: Students use force boards with three spring scales to construct
scaled free body diagrams. They add the vectors together graphically and by
component. Report required.
Trajectory of a projectile: Inquiry-based lab in which students collect and graph
trajectory data. A variety of launch ramps, boards, paper, and carbon paper are
provided. Students must figure out how to get trajectory data, and then must
then use the data they collect to estimate the initial launch velocity of the
projectile. Report required.
Newton’s Second Law I: Inquiry-based lab in which students determine the
relationship between acceleration and ramp angle for carts rolling down angled
ramps. Use of photogates and/or motion sensors. Report required.
Newton’s Second Law II: Inquiry-based lab in which students examine the
agreement of expected and measured results for carts on tracks accelerated by
hanging masses. Use of photogates and/or motion sensors. Report required.
Static vs Kinetic friction coefficients. Using a force probe and a piece of wood,
students pull with increasing force until the wood slides on another wood surface,
time
60 minutes
90 minutes
30 minutes
120
minutes
90 minutes
60 minutes
60 minutes
30 minutes
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
thus illustrating that static friction is variable and kinetic friction a constant.
Friction lab: Inquiry-based lab in which students determine the coefficients of
static and kinetic friction for a friction block and a cart track using a variety of
methods. Angled and flat ramps, pulleys, and mass kits are used, along with
stopwatches, photogates, and motion sensor. Report required.
Friction as a centripetal force: Inquiry-based lab where students use hand
strobes to determine the coefficient of static friction between a cork and a hand
strobe surface. Analysis is repeated with a penny. Requires students to do
extensive analysis of spinning body, and figure out a way to get tangential velocity.
Report required.
Variable force lab: Using a force sensor and probeware, students illustrate
variable force by collecting a graph of force vs position, and estimate the amount
of work done by the analysis of the graph.
Pendulum lab: Inquiry-based lab in which students are asked to illustrate
conservation of mechanical energy using a simple pendulum, a photo-gate, a meter
stick, and a caliper. Report required.
Bouncy balls vs. lazy balls: Two balls of identical appearance, when dropped from a
given height, show very different behavior – one bounces and one does not.
Students are asked to devise an experiment to compare the change in momentum
of the two balls upon collision with the table.
Collision demo lab: Using cart tracks, two carts, and sets of weights, students are
asked to demonstrate how elastic collisions, inelastic collisions, and explosions
differ with regard to momentum and kinetic energy conservation. Motion sensors
and photogates are used to collect velocity data. Report required.
Torque lab: Inquiry-based lab in which students use a meter stick and stand, and a
set of weights and clips, to design a method to determine the mass of an unknown.
Report required.
Simple harmonic motions: Students use laptop computers to collect oscillation
data from a vertical spring. Force probes and motion sensors are used to
illustrate the sinusoidal nature of simple harmonic motion
Spring lab: Inquiry-based lab in which students are asked to determine the force
constant of calibrated springs two different ways, once with a stopwatch and once
with a ruler. Masses and hangers are provided. The force constant must be
obtained graphically in both cases. Report required
Buoyancy force lab: Inquiry-based lab in which students are asked to determine
the density of a liquid (water) using cylindrical weights, string, pulleys, and known
masses. Report required
Efficiency: Inquiry-based lab in which students are asked to determine the drying
efficiency of an 1800 Watt hair drier using only a Tee-shirt, water, and mass
balances. Report required.
Electrostatic labs: Simple labs demonstrating electrostatic concepts using
balloons, fur, rods, electroscopes, aluminized Styrofoam balls, etc. These are run
over several days, and are for illustrative purposes.
Electric field and potential maps: Using carbonized paper with electrodes drawn in
180
minutes
60 minutes
30 minutes
60 minutes
30 minutes
90 minutes
60 minutes
30 minutes
120
minutes
60 minutes
60 minutes
30 minutes
120
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
silver paint, map the electric field that results when the electrodes are attached
to a voltage supply. Digital multi-meters are used. Report required.
DC Circuit lab set: Every step during the introduction of DC current is illustrated
with a simple hands-on activity using Pasco circuit boards with 2 D-cells, lights,
resistors, and capacitors. The students produce a series of short lab reports with
circuit diagrams, observations, and simple calculations. The major activity in this
set is the Ohm’s Law component, an inquiry-based activity in which the student
must collect data to determine the voltage of the cell graphically from the slope
of a best-fit curve using only resistance and current measurements. Because only
four unique resistance values are provided, the student must rely upon equivalent
resistance to get the required amount of data. Report required.
Magnetic field lab: Using large air-core solenoids and small compasses, students
map the magnetic field around the solenoid on a very large sheet of paper. They
must extend the map out far enough to see the superposition of the solenoid field
and the magnetic field of the earth. Report required
Law of reflection lab: Inquiry-based lab. Using three straight pins and a plane
mirror, students draw incident and reflected rays. Measurements of angles of
incidence and reflection are tabulated to “derive” Law of Reflection. Report
required.
minutes
Mirror lab: Student inquiry-based lab using optical benches with light kits, cut-out
images, screens, and concave mirrors. Students are asked to develop a method to
determine the focal length of a concave mirror by using a real image. Report
required.
Refraction lab I: Using glass blocks and straight pins, investigate the angle of
incidence of a light ray through a glass block for multiple angles. Using Snell’s Law,
graph the data such that the index of refraction appears as the slope of the
graph.
Refraction lab II: Using semicircular dishes filled with water and straight pins,
determine the angles of the incidence and refraction for light rays traveling
through water. Graph the data such the index of refraction appears as the slope
of the graph. Report required.
Lens lab: Student inquiry-based lab using optical benches with light kits, cut-out
images, screens, and convex lenses. Students are asked to develop a method to
determine the focal length of a convex lens by using a real image. Report required.
Virtual simulation lab: Using one of the many photoelectric effect simulations
available on the web, students collect data for three metals. They graph the data
using Excel, and determine Planck’s constant and the work function of the metals.
The URL of the simulation used most frequently appears below. Report required.
60 minutes
Slinky lab: Using slinkies, students illustrate transverse and longitudinal waves,
and illustrate open and fixed end reflection.
Oscilloscope lab: Student-performed sound sampling with data acquisition
hardware and software. Fourier transform “voice-prints” of human voices and
musical instruments. Illustrates concepts of amplitude (loudness), frequency
(pitch), beats (amplitude oscillation), vibrator (pitch oscillation).
20 minutes
180
minutes
60 minutes
30 minutes
120
minutes
60 minutes
60 minutes
http://lectureonline.cl.msu.edu/~mmp/kap28/PhotoEffect/photo.htm
29
30
60 minutes
31
32
Organ pipe lab: Using graduated cylinders and resonance tubes, the entire class
produces a standing waves necessary for a C-major chord. Students calculate the
length the organ pipes (fixed-open and open-open) should be, make them the
appropriate length, and then fine-tune the pipes. At the end of class, all groups
play their organ pipes. Report required.
Light diffraction lab: Using a diffraction grating of 13,400 groves per inch,
students shine white light through the grating and observe a rainbow. They are
asked to come up with a method to confirm the reported slit spacing. Report
required.
60 minutes
60 minutes