Logan High School
Course Syllabus 2013-2014
Course Name: AP Physics
Credit: 1
________
Teacher: Mr. Begley
Materials: 3 Ring Binder, Calculator
Prerequisite: Algebra II, Advanced Math (or concurrent), Chemistry I (or
concurrent)
*Academic performance in prerequisite classes will be taken into account as
well as faculty recommendation
Course Description and Objectives
AP Physics is a rigorous course designed for students considering majors
and careers in science. The content of the course will focus on the areas of
Newtonian mechanics, fluid mechanics and thermal properties, electricity
and magnetism, waves and optics, and atomic and nuclear physics. There
will be emphasis placed on problem solving and application of principles.
Students should be prepared for work outside of the classroom due to the
substantial amount of material covered. A strong background in
mathematics is required for the course. Qualifying scores on the AP Physics
Test can result in college credit and/or a waiver for certain college courses.
Students are required take the AP exam at the conclusion of the course and
are responsible for the test fee.
LON-CAPA (Learning Online Network Computer Aided Personal
Approach)- These are additional homework assignements that are
submitted electronically through a system used by major universities (Ohio
University, Ohio State University) Students will be expected to complete
multiple CAPA assignments each quarter
AP Course Weight
 Students enrolled in AP Physics are eligible for weighted credit in
accordanance with the student handbook.
Textbook Name: Prentice Hall Physics (6th ed.) Copyright 2009.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Giancoli
Workbook: N/A
Workbook Fee: N/A
Lab Fee: $12.50
Grading
Tests and Quizzes
Labs
Homework, Classwork
60%
20%
20%
Grading Scale: The scale in the handbooks, as adopted by the LoganHocking Board of Education, will be used to determine letter grades
Notebooks
All students will be required to keep a comprehensive notebook that will
include notes, worksheets, and all lab reports. This notebook will be graded
at the end of each nine weeks and be counted as a quiz grade. A 3-ring
binder is required.
Absences for Tests
Students that are absent for a test may be required to take an alternative,
more diffiucult version of the test. No tests will be given early to
accommodate student absence. Students signing in late on the day of a test
are required to make arrangements to take the test that day.
Absences for Labs
Some labs will require extensive setup times and may not be availible for
make up. Alternative assignment may be assigned to replace missed labs.
Absence (Per school handbook)
Students should make arrangements for make-up work the day they return to
school. An “F” will be recorded if no arrangements are made. A student
will have the same number of days to make up their work and/or tests as
excused absence (example: 4 days absent- 4 days to make up work)
After 2 days of absence per 9 weeks in a year long course, a physician’s
statement will be required in order for the student to make up work. Without
a medical excuse, the student will receive an “F” on all work missed.
Quarterly and Final Exam
Quarterly exams will be comprehensive and include material from all
previous chapters. The final exam will count both as a test grade and as the
final exam grade. All students will be required to take the final. Students
that are exempt may choose to have the grade not counted toward the final
exam score, but it will still be recorded as a test grade for the nine weeks.
Final Exam – May 8th and 9th 2014.
Classroom Rules/Policies
1. Show Respect
2. Be on time- tardies will be kept and enforced per school conduct
guidelines (detention on 3rd tardy)
3. Bring necessary materials- no locker passes
4. Use all lab materials responsibly and safely
5. Do not use or have out cell phones
6. Sit in assigned seat
Keys to being successful
1. High Attendance Rate (just like college)
2. Ask Questions
3. Ask for extra help as needed (after school etc.)
4. Note taking is mandatory
5. Cumulative notebook/binder is mandatory
Advanced Placement (AP) Class/Exam Policy
Advanced Placement (AP) classes are designed to offer higher-level students
the opportunity to be taught academic material at the college level and then
take an Advanced Placement exam with the possibility to receive college
credit.
About the AP Exam:
ALL AP students are required to take the Advanced Placement Exam(s)
given in May (AP Art students submit an art portfolio in lieu of a
written exam). The goal of the AP exam/portfolio is to measure the student
achievement relative to their peers nationwide, in a specific area of study. If
achievement is high enough, students may receive college credit saving them
time and money in their college careers.
The AP tests are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being a top score. This
basically corresponds to an A to F scale. While each college or university
can determine their own policy on accepting AP scores, generally all schools
accepting AP scores give college credit for a score of 5, many will give
credit for a score of 4 and some will give credit for a score of 3. Scores of 2
or 1 are not accepted at colleges or universities, as they correspond to D and
F work.
Fees for the AP exam(s) are added to student fees as described in the
registration handbook. ALL AP fees are NON-REFUNDABLE!
Under extreme circumstances, special arrangements may be made through
the Enrichment Coordinator for late testing based on Advanced Placement
National Program guidelines (this does NOT apply to portfolios). If a
student must miss the exam due to an emergency, the student is responsible
for supplying proper documentation to justify late testing, paying the extra
fee required, and sitting for the make up exam on the nationally designated
late testing date. If the student has to miss an exam for a school related
conflict (academic competition, etc) arrangements must be made for late
testing IN ADVANCE. The school will pay the extra fees, but the student is
responsible to take the make up exam on the designated late testing date. If
a student does not sit for the AP exam or submit an AP portfolio, the
student will need to take a class final exam (regardless of class average)
and will lose the extra weight applied to the course in calculating their
G.P.A.
Approximate list of topics to be covered
Unit One

Introduction and Math Review (Chap 1)
o Significant Figures
o Metric Conversions
o Accuracy and Precision
o Dimensional Analysis
Unit Two

One Dimensional Motion (Chap 2)
o Distance and Displacement
o Speed vs. Velocity
o Acceleration
o Constant Uniform Acceleration
o Freefall

Two Dimensional Motion (Chap 3)
o Scalars vs. Vectors
o Coordinate Systems
o Graphical and Mathematical Vectors
o Resolving Vectors
o Vector Addition
o Horizontal Projectiles
o Projectiles at an Angle
Unit Three

Newton’s Laws of Motion (Chap 4)
o Types of Forces
o Free- Body Diagrams
o Resolution of Forces
o Newton’s 1st Law
o Newton’s 2nd Law
o Newton’s 3rd Law
o Weight vs. Mass
o Force of Friction
Unit Four

Work, Energy, Power (Chap 6)
o Work with Resolution of Force
o Kinetic Energy
o Work/KE Theorem
o Potential Energy
o Conservation of Mechanical Energy
o Power

Linear Momentum (Chap 7)
o Momentum
o Conservation of Momentum
o Impulse
o
o
Collisions: Inelastic vs. Elastic
Center of Mass
Unit Five

Circular Motion and Rotation (Chap 5)
o Acceleration of Uniform Circular Motion
o Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation
o Weightlessness
o Keplar’s Laws

Rotational Motion (Chap 8)
o Angular Quantities – Radians
o Angular velocity and acceleration
o Torque and Rotational Inertia
o Conservation of Rotational Momentum

Simple Harmonic Motion
o Pendulum
o Spring/Mass Systems
Unit Six

Fluid Mechanics (Chap 10)
o Density
o Pressure in Fluids
o Pascal’s Principle
o Buoyancy and Archimedes Principle
o Fluids in Motion
o Bernoulli’s Principle

Temperature and Heat (Chap 13)
o Thermal Expansion
o Heat Transfer
o Temperature Scales

Thermodynamics (Chap 15)
o Boyle’s Law
o Ideal Gas Law
o Kinetic Theory
o Specific Heat
o First Law of Thermodynamics
o Second Law of Thermodynamics
o Heat Engines
Unit Seven

Electric Charge and Electric Fields (Chap 16)
o Static Electricity
o Insulators and Conductors
o Induced Charge and the Electroscope
o Coulomb’s Law
o Electric Fields
o Gauss’s Law
o Field Lines

Electric Potential (Chap 17)
o Potential Energy
o Point Charges
o Capacitance
o

Parallel Plate

Spherical

Cylindrical
o Dielectrics

Electric Currents (Chap 18)
o Batteries and Electric Cells
o Electric Current
o Ohm’s Law: Resistance and Resistors
o Electric Power
o Alternating Current

DC Circuits (Chap 19)
o Resistors in Series and Parallel
o Capacitors in circuits
o RC circuits
Unit Eight

Magnetism (Chap 20)
o Magnets and Magnetic Fields
o Field Lines
o Electric Current and Magnetic Fields

o Right Hand Rule
o Force on Electric Charge moving in a Magnetic Field
o Magnetic Field due to Long Straight Wire
o Ampere’s Law
Electromagnetic Induction (Chap 21)
o Induced EMF
o Faraday’s Law
o Lenz’s Law
o Inductance in Circuits
Unit Nine

Waves (Chap 22)
o Electromagnetic Spectrum
o Maxwell’s Equations
o Speed of Light

Wave Motion (Chap 11,12)
o Speed of Sound and Characteristics
o Types of Waves
o Reflection and Transmission
o Principle of Superposition
o Standing Waves
o Refraction, Diffraction
Unit Ten

Geometric Optics (Chap 23)
o Refraction and Reflection
o Mirrors
o Lenses

Nature of Light (Chap 24)
o Huygen’s Principle
o Interference
o Double Slit Experiment
Unit Eleven

Atomic Physics (Chap 27)
o Photons and the Photon Theory of Light
o Photoelectric Effect
o Compton Effect
o Photon Interaction
o Atomic Energy Levels
o Wave vs. Particle and Duality

Nuclear Energy (Chap 31)
o Fission Reactions
o Atomic Bomb
o Nuclear Fusion
o Mass = Energy