AP Physics B Syllabus: (2013-2014)
Textbook: Physics, by Giancoli, 6th edition, ISBN: 0131846612
Supplemental material: AP Physics B Exam Problems binder book.
Kinematics
Forces
Work & energy
SHM
Momentum
Rotation
Fluid mechanics
Thermal dynamics
Static electricity
Electric circuits
Magnetism
Induction
Waves & sound
Geometric optics
The wave nature of
light
Modern physics
Review
Topics
1-dim., 2-dim., and relative motion.
Chapters
2, 3
Newton's 3 laws of motion, circular motion (uniform circular
motion).
Gravitation: Newton's law of gravity, orbits of planets and
satellites (circular orbit only).
Work, energy, energy conservation, conservative forces &
potential energy, power.
Simple harmonic motion (dynamics and energy relationships),
mass on a spring, and pendulum.
Linear momentum, impulse & momentum conservation.
(No center of mass?)
Torque and rotational statics.
(No angular momentum conservation (incl. satellite orbits))
(No rotational kinematics & dynamics)
Hydrostatic pressure, buoyancy, fluid flow continuity, Bernoulli's
equation.
Temperature and heat: mechanical equivalent of heat, heat transfer
and thermal expansion.
Kinetic theory and thermodynamics: ideal gases (kinetic model,
ideal gas law) and laws of thermodynamics: 1st law (including
processes on PV diagrams), 2nd law (including entropy, heat
engines, Carnot cycle.
(No specific heat, latent heat, and calorimetry)
Electric charge, force, field, potential (including potential of point
charges & potential energy (and gravitational potential energy!!).
Field and potential of planar charge distribution.
Electrostatics with conductors.
Electric current, resistance & power (steady-state direct current
circuits with batteries and resistors only).
Capacitors in circuits (steady state only).
Magnetic field (including field by long current-carrying wire), and
magnetic force on moving charge & current.
Electromagnetic induction (including Faraday's law and Lenz's
law)
Waves & sound: properties of traveling & standing waves,
superposition, Doppler effect.
Reflection, refraction, mirrors and lenses.
4, 5
Interference & diffraction, dispersion of light and the EM
spectrum.
Atomic physics and quantum effects: photons and the
photoelectric effect, atomic energy levels, wave-particle duality,
(and production of x-rays).
Nuclear physics: nuclear reactions (incl. conservation of mass
number and charge) and mass-energy equivalence.
(Rutherford scattering.) (Assumption & conclusions for Bohr
Model for H atom.) (Nuclear fission, chain reaction.) (No halflife.) (No relativity.)
Final exam covers ALL topics studied this school year.
24
6
11
7
8, 9
10
13, 14, 15
Timeline
1st quarter
Summer +
2 weeks
1st quarter
3 weeks
1st quarter
2 weeks
1st quarter
1 week
2nd quarter
1.5 weeks
2nd quarter
1 weeks
2nd quarter
1.5 weeks
2nd quarter
2 weeks
16, 17
3rd quarter
2.5 weeks
18, 19
2nd -3rd qtr
2 weeks
20
3rd quarter
1.5 weeks
3rd quarter
1 week
2nd quarter
2 weeks
3rd quarter
2 weeks
3rd quarter
1.5 weeks
3rd -4th qtr
1.5 weeks
21
11, 12
23
27, 28, 30,
31
4th quarter
4 weeks
AP exam: PM Monday, May 12th, 2014. Final exam: a science testing day around May 12th, 2014.
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
GRADING POLICY FOR AP PHYSICS B CLASSES (2013-2014)
Your grade in AP Physics B will be based on your performance measured in the following categories. The categories and
the percentages assigned for the categories are:
4th quarter:
st
rd
1 to 3 quarter:
Classwork: 25%:
Warm-up and other classwork: usually 3pts a day.
Classwork: 25%:
Warm-up and other classwork: usually 3pts a day.
Labs: participation, performance, and report: 10 to
30 pts each
Labs: participation, performance, and report: 10
points each.
Homework: 20%: usually 5 points each
Homework: 20%: usually 3 points each
assignment. Spring break assignment and review
assignment. Thanksgiving and winter break
homework are worth a lot more.
assignments are worth a lot more.
Assessment: 55%:
Quizzes: 20 points each unless otherwise specified.
Assessment: 55%:
Quizzes: 20 points each unless otherwise specified.
Review quizzes are usually 40 points each.
Tests: 100 points each unless otherwise specified.
Tests: 100 points each unless otherwise specified.
Final exam: 120 points
•
•
•
•
•
o
o
o
o
o
No quiz or test grades will be dropped.
Bonus Points work may be done to earn extra homework points for the quarter: A maximum of 10 points are allowed
for each quarters. A maximum of 8 points are allowed for the 4th quarter.
Make-Up Policy: NO make-up opportunity will be given for any work missed during an unexcused absence/tardy.
Work missed during an excused absence/tardy may be made up in a timely manner as defined in school policy. It is
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to contact your teacher and make arrangements to make up missed work THE DAY YOU
RETURN from an absence.
Tests/Quizzes are announced in advance, so you ARE EXPECTED TO take a test/quiz on the announced day
even if you are absent the day before. If a student is only abscent on the day of the test/quiz, the student has to make
up the missed test/quiz the day the student is back (so if your lunch period happens before your physics class
period, please be sure to come during your lunch period.) If a student is abscent for more than one day on and
immediately before a test/quiz, he/she can make up the test/quiz within two school days after the test/quiz. If a student
has 3 or more consecutive days of legal absence and he/she chooses not to make up the test within the 2 schooldays
after the test, the student may be required to take a CUMULATIVE end-of-the-quarter test to make up for the missed
test.
Late Work: Each assignment is given a due date and the assignment is due at the very beginning of the class period
on the due date. A homework assignment given on one day is due the next school day. You will receive NO CREDIT
on daily assignments such as homework that are turned in late. Grades for a lab report that is handed in late will be
penalized at the deduction rate of 20% for one day late, 30% for 2 days late, and 40% for 3 days late. On and after the
fourth day the maximum grade value will be 50%.
Other Information:
If you arrive late to class without an official pass, you will lose credit for warm-up and any portion of any
graded work that the class has worked on before your arrival.
A student will lose warm-up/classwork points for excused absence(s) if the student does not get his/her yellow
slip(s) signed by the teacher within 2 days after returning to school from said absence(s). If a student’s absence
is for sports or other school activities that do not have any absence forms for teachers to sign, the student must
sign the teacher’s record about the activities either before the absence or within 2 days after the absence to
avoid losing warm-up/classwork points.
You are expected to keep a record of your score of each assignment in this class each quarter. You are also expected
to KEEP ALL GRADED WORK each quarter.
You are expected to come to class prepared to participate in all class activities and to make constructive contributions
to the class.
Experience indicates that in this class poor attendance is likely to decrease grades because of missed information,
explanations, and guided practices.