HONORS PHYSICS
SUMMER ASSIGNMENT
2015
NAME:
REVISED August 13, 2015 Please see alternate links if needed.
The summer assignment includes a basic introduction to kinematics as well as a preview of the mathematics to
be used in Honors Physics. In addition, this assignment introduces the graphical analysis of motion using an
online interactive Graphing Challenge Game.
THIS ASSIGNMENT IS DUE THE FIRST DAY OF PHYSICS CLASS.
PART I: INTRODUCTION TO KINEMATICS
ACTIVITY I - Kinematics
1. Go to the Physics Classroom Website (http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/1DKin/).
2. Read through kinematics Lessons 1 - 4
ACTIVITY II - Motion Basics
1. Go to the APlusPhysics ( http://aplusphysics.com/courses/honors/videos/vid_index.html )
2. Watch the video lessons “Defining motion” and “”Graphing motion”
ACTIVITY III - Physics Problem Solving
1. Go to the Khan Academy Website (http://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics).
2. Watch the first five video lessons:
a. Introduction to Vectors and scalars
b. Calculating Average Velocity or speed
c. Solving for time
d. Displacement from Time and Velocity example
e. Acceleration
PART II: USING AND REINFORCING MATH IN PHYSICS
Throughout the year, you will be applying your math skills as you learn the concepts of physics. You will find
that these skills will become much stronger and your problem solving abilities will also be strengthened as you
see that mathematics is a method of modeling, interpreting and predicting actual physical phenomenon.
ACTIVITY IV - Finding the Slope of a line
1. Go to the Khan Academy Website
https://www.khanacademy.org/math/cc-eighth-grade-math/cc-8th-linear-equations-functions/8thslope/e/slope-from-a-graph
2. Review finding slopes from a two ordered pairs on a line as well as the slope intercept equation for a
line.
ACTIVITY V – Patterns and Relationships in Physics
1. Go to the website:
(http://bowlesphysics.com/images/01Honors_Physics_-_Direct_and_Inverse_Relationships.pdf ).
2. Read through these slides as an introduction to the relationships that will be studied in Honors Physics.
ACTIVITY VI - Significant Figures and Uncertainty
1. Go to the Uncertainties in measurements website
(http://antoine.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/senese/tutorials/sigfig/index.cgi).
2. Go to the significant figures website: (http://www.lon-capa.org/~mmp/applist/sigfig/sig.htm).
NOTE: If you have difficulty opening this tutorial on your computer, read through this resource.
(http://www.chem.sc.edu/faculty/Morgan/resources/sigfigs/index.html)
Then practice what you learned here.
http://www.chemistrywithmsdana.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/SigFig.html
3. Work through these tutorials to learn the importance of significant figures and the uncertainty of
measurements.
ACTIVITY VII – Right Triangle Trigonometry
1. Watch this video lesson on Right Triangle Trigonometry.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfMkORv6ybc )
2. Go to the Trigonometric Ratios in a right-angled triangle reference site
(http://www.mathcentre.ac.uk/resources/uploaded/mc-ty-trigratios-2009-1.pdf ).
3. Read through this lesson on the meaning of the ratios; sin, cos and tan. Use this as a reference during
the written portion of the assignment
PART III: INTRODUCTION TO GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF LINEAR MOTION
FINAL ACTIVITY VIII! Motion Graphing Video Game
1. Go to THE UNIVERSE AND MORE website (http://www.theuniverseandmore.com/)
Select Games then select Graphing Challenge. Then Click to activate the physics!
2. Play and successfully complete “World 1” only.
3. Optional, if you are inspired, attempt the other Worlds.
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT (Please TYPE your answers)
1. Once you have finished ACTIVITIES I, II, & III please write a list of physics vocabulary used in the study
of kinematics (Minimum 10 terms - Maximum 12 terms).
2. In your own words, type the meaning of each vocabulary term selected.
3. Write a sentence correctly utilizing each of the selected terms in physics context.
4. Once you have finished ACTIVITY IV please complete the task below:
t
(s)
0
1
2
3
4
5
d
(m)
-3
-1
1
3
5
7
a. Graph the data. Be sure to correctly label your axes and title your
graph. [On GRAPH paper or EXCEL] Plot distance on the y-axis and time
on the x-axis.
b. Draw a best fit line through the points. Find the slope of the line. Be
sure to include UNITS for your slope.
c.
Write a mathematical model for this graph using the variables from the
x and y axis.
d. Describe the relationship shown in your graph between distance traveled
and time.
5. Once you have finished ACTIVITY V please complete the task below:
velocity
(m/s)
5
10
15
20
25
30
Kinetic
Energy
(J)
63
250
563
1000
1563
2250
a. Graph the data. Be sure to correctly label your axes and title your graph.
[On GRAPH paper or EXCEL] Plot Kinetic Energy on the y-axis and
velocity on the x-axis.
b. Draw a smooth curve through the points plotted.
c.
Describe the relationship shown in your graph between velocity and
kinetic energy
6. Once you have finished ACTIVITY VI, please determine: how many significant figures do the following
numbers below have? Pay attention to the rules of when a zero is a significant figure.
a. 1203.4 kg
___________
k. 0. 0030 g
b. 0.0203 g
___________
l.
c.
___________
m. 780. km
___________
d. 9101.0 mg
____________
n. 1000
___________
e. 9010 km
___________
o. 918.010 g
____________
f.
___________
p. 0.0001 s
___________
g. 0.00120 ns
___________
q. 0.00390 g
____________
h. 3.4x104 n
___________
r.
8120km
___________
i.
9.10x10-3J
____________
s.
7.991x10-10m ___________
j.
9.010x10-3 W ___________
t.
72 ᵒC
8900 s
10900.010 N
___________
102001.0 mg ___________
ms
_____________
7. Once you have finished ACTIVITY VII
a. Label the right triangle shown below with the terms; hypotenuse, opposite and adjacent as identified
from angle , (theta).
b. Write the ratios for sin, cos and tan.
sin =
cos =
tan =
c. Solve the problems shown below for Triangles 1,2 and 3
Triangle 1
i.
ii.
iii.
Label the sides in relation to angle  (opp, adj, hyp)
Circle the sides that we use for sin (opp, hyp)
Write the fraction with the hypotenuse, H, as the
unknown.
15 m
sin  =
iv.
Given that angle  = 60ᵒ . Solve for the length of
the hypotenuse, H
Triangle 2
i.
Label the sides in relation to angle  (opp, adj, hyp)
ii.
Write the fraction then the decimal for each of the
ratios below.
sin  =
iii.
=
tan  =
=
cos  =
=
56 cm
47 cm
73 cm
use sin-1 to find the size of the angle.
=
Triangle 3
i.
Label the sides in relation to angle  (opp, adj, hyp)
ii.
Circle the sides that we use for sin (opp, hyp)
iii.
Write the fraction then the decimal
sin  =
iv.
20 c
m
10 cm
=
use sin-1 to find the size of the angle.
=
8. Once you have finished ACTIVITY VIII, please explain with your own words how you successfully
completed “World One” using what you learned in this summer assignment. You must use sophisticated
physics vocabulary learned.
Physics is Everywhere & Physics is Phun !!!
(Note: Each of the sites listed in this assignment will be helpful to use throughout the year. Feel free to jump
ahead!!)