Physics Honors
Module 1
Topics/ Activities :
HOMEWORK
Class procedures; Notebook requirements;
Lab notebook - lab notebooks procedures;
Math Evaluation; Safety rules
Read /Sign / Return class procedures
Read / Sign / Return safety contract
Class rules : copy available on website
Safety rules: copy available on website
Notebook : recommend 3 ring binder for papers/ homework
Homework will be assigned for every class, due next class.
Unless absent, maximum 50% credit given for any late homework.
Assignments must be handed in at beginning of class OR emailed to me prior to beginning of class.
If you write homework in spiral notebook, place entire notebook on my desk and I will return the notebook after I check in
the assignment. If you use looseleaf paper, I will return the paper after I check it in .
Lab Notebook: A separate lab notebook will be provided. Do not use this notebook for any other purpose.
Necessary elements of a lab report:
Team Members:
Date:
Title: Name of experimental activity
Introduction / Objective
Statement of problem to be investigated;
what are your expected results? .
Materials
Sketch
All equipment used
Procedure
Experimental setup / apparatus
Step by step description
Data collected
Measurements, observations
Analysis
Calculations, graphs, tables
Conclusions
Summarize results: did experiment support hypothesis? Why?
Before the lab: Whenever possible, prepare for lab activity by writing the Introduction, Materials and Procedure sections
in your lab notebook prior to beginning the lab.
If this preliminary work is not done before the lab, leave a few blank pages for these sections to be completed after the lab
During the lab: Record all data in your lab notebook,
After the lab: Analyze collected data, show all work. Draw tables, graphs etc in the lab notebook.
Summarize your conclusions and answer any additional follow-up questions in the lab notebook.
Lab notebooks will be periodically collected and graded.
Hewitt textbook online: http://www.dsusd.k12.ca.us/users/phealy/physics/Ebook/htm/_cp9e.htm
Small groups: Safety rules:
read the safety rules. make a slogan/graphic describing each one of the safety rules
Physics Honors
Module II
HOMEWORK: 1st lab write – up
Topics / Activities 5.1.12.B.1 5.1.12.B.2
5.1.12.B.4
5.1.12.C.1 5.1.12.D.1
Read chapter 3 in online textbook or
textbook.
Scientific method: design lab using scientific
method; conduct lab;
Writing a lab report;
1Q benchmark pretest
SCIENTIFIC METHOD:
a series of steps followed by scientific investigators to answer
specific questions about the natural world.
OBSERVATIONS
FORMULATE
HYPOTHESIS
MAKE
PREDICTION
EXPERIMENT/
TEST
ANALYSIS
DO
RESULTS
SUPPORT
HYPOTHESIS?
YES
Accept hypothesis
REPORT RESULTS
NO
MODIFY HYPOTHESIS
Reject hypothesis
REPORT RESULTS
Observations= information obtained through senses.
Hypothesis = proposed explanation of observations. A valid hypothesis MUST be able to be tested.
Experiment = repeatable and controlled procedure to test hypothesis .
A valid experiment must be able to be repeated.
In a controlled experiment, change only a single variable during experiment, all others constant.
Design an experiment: Make a prediction based on your hypothesis, and test it.
Manipulated variable = independent variable [ x-axis]
Responding variable = dependent variable [y-axis]
Analyse results: accept or reject your hypothesis.
If the experimental results support your hypothesis, repeating the experiment should yield similar results. If
experimental results do NOT support your hypothesis, revise/modify hypothesis and design a new experiment to test it.
A hypothesis can ONLY be disproved; a hypothesis CANNOT be proved true.
Based upon results of many experiments and observations, scientific laws and theories are developed.
Scientific law = law generalizes a body of observations. A law describes what happens, not how it happens.
Many scientific laws are expressed as mathematical equations:
Example: Newton’s second law: Force = mass X acceleration
Theory = summarizes a hypothesis or group of hypotheses supported with repeated testing. A theory is valid
as long as there is no evidence to dispute it. A theory describes how things happen.
Applying scientific method: Based upon your observations, propose a hypothesis and make a prediction. Design an
experiment for Melting Ice. ICE lab: see website.
Quarterly benchmark assessments: every marking period a “pretest” will be given. This pretest is recorded as a quiz in
the grade book. Your score on this assessment will be replaced by your score on the quarterly “post-test” assessment given
at the end of this quarter. You are NOTexpected to know the answers to all of the questions in this pretest!!
Physics CCR
Scientific Method
Melting Ice
Approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. 97 % of the water on Earth is saltwater. Of the remaining
3%, approximately 2/3 of this (2% of the total) is found in the icecaps and the remaining 1/3 is found in rivers, streams,
lakes and underground storage.
Seawater has salinity of ~3.5% or 35 parts per thousand (ppt.) That means there are 35 grams of sodium chloride (NaCl)
dissolved in every 1000 kg of seawater.
Water is found in three physical states on Earth: steam (vapor) , water (liquid) and ice(solid). At standard pressure ( air
pressure at sea level), water changes phase with temperature. At room temperature water is liquid, at low temperature(
0C) water is solid, and at high temperature(100C) water is a vapor.
Water has many unusual properties. Unlike most substances, water is less dense when it is frozen than when it is in the
liquid state The density of ice is about 90% the density of water ; That is why ice floats on water.
Some factors to consider:
Does the temperature of water affect melting? How can we account for this during the experiment?
Do saltwater and fresh water have the same density? How can we account for this during the experiment?
Does ice melt faster in salt water, or in fresh water?
.
Apply the Scientific Method
1) Observations: gathering data
How does ice melt?
What happens if salt is put on ice?
2) Hypothesis: decide if you believe ice should melt faster in salt water or in fresh water
3) Experiment: design an experiment to test your hypothesis
What are you trying to detect?
What factors do you need to control to isolate what you want to measure?
4) Analysis:
What are your results. Do your results support or disprove your hypothesis?
*********************************************************************************************************************************
Hypothesis
Saltwater or fresh water?
Design of experiment:
Results of experiment
Analysls\
Physics Honors CCR
Module III
HOMEWORK
MEMORIZE the symbols and factors in the
table below.
Watch Khan Academy: vectors and scalars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihNZlp7
iUHE
Topics / Activities 5.1.12.A.1
SI base units and prefixes
MKS units
Vectors and scalars
Velocity and acceleration
http://www.dsusd.k12.ca.us/users/phealy/p
hysics/Ebook/htm/_cp9e.htm
Velocity lab: read over Lab procedure and
prepare LAB NOTEBOOK
SI units : measurements usually are base units and prefixes.
Some base units: mass: gram length : meter
Prefix
Symbol
Giga
G
Mega
M
Kilo
K
Examples: 1 kilogram = 103 grams
1 megameter = 1X106 m
time: second
Factor
Prefix
109
centi
106
milli
3
10
micro
8.5 kg = 8.5X1x103 g
2.45 Mm= 2.45X106 m
volume: liter
Symbol
factor
c
10-2
m
10-3
10-6

1 cg = 10-2 g 2.8 cg = 2.8 X10-2 g
1 microsecond = 10-6 sec 1.8ms = 1.8X10-6 sec
For physics we will use MKS units: meters-kilograms-seconds
Distance/length = meter M
mass = kilogram K
time = second S
SI units [Metric Units] are universally used in scientific measurement. SI units were based upon the natural world
The meter is based on the size of the Earth.
Distance from North Pole to equator = 10,000,000 m
One kilogram of water fills a cube with edges 1/10 m [ 10cm ]
In the USA we use a combination of “English units” and SI units for measurements [ gasoline measured in gallons, soda
measured in liters]. For physics, we will only use MKS and other SI units.
Motion is relative: motion is always measured relative to something else.
Even though the Earth is rotating on its axis [once every day] and revolving around the Sun [once every year], the Earth
is motionless with respect to [wrt] us when we stand still.
Vectors and Scalars
Vectors are quantities that have magnitude and direction. Scalars just have magnitude
Distance and displacement:
Distance [a scalar] is the total path length of an objects motion;
Displacment[ a vector] is its change in position = final position – initial position
X = Xf - Xi
Referring to the sketch,
if you travel on this path, your distance would be 12 m but your displacement would be 0 m.
Speed and velocity:
Speed [scalar] is how fast an object is moving. Speed = distance covered per unit time.
Speed = distance / time interval
v = d/t
Average speed = total distance/ time interval
Velocity [vector] is speed in a specific direction. Velocity = x/t = [X2-X1]/[T2 - T1]
Velocity is the rate of change of position
“rate of” means change wrt time.
Constant velocity means traveling in a straight line at constant speed.
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity
acceleration a = V/T = [v2 - v1]/[T2 - T1]
An object accelerates if its speed changes or direction changes or if both change.
An object accelerates if it speeds up or if it slows down [“decelerates”]
Acceleration in a straight line = change in speed/time interval
Free Fall = object accelerating due to gravity only.
Assumptions in free fall:
- Ignore air resistance.
- Acceleration due to gravity = g = approximately 10 m/sec2 directed straight down.
MKS units
distance and displacement d =
meters = m
velocity and speed
v=
meters = m = m/sec
second
sec
acceleration
a = [meters/second ] = [m/sec] = m/sec2
second
sec
Representing motion: ticker tape diagrams
A long slip of paper - a paper tape- is attached to a moving object. The tape is threaded through
a device that places a mark [a “tick”] upon the tape at EQUAL intervals of time. For example, the
device marks the paper every second or every 0.10 second.
As the object moves, it drags the tape through the "ticker," producing a trail of dots. The trail of
dots is a representation of the object's motion.
The total time elapsed is found from counting the dots.
The total distance the the object length of dotted tape
The objects Average speed = total
v = d/t
distance /total time.
Example: In the ticker tapes shown below, a mark is recorded every 5 seconds.
What can you conclude about the motion of objects 1, 2, and 3?
1
2
3
Representing motion with graphs.
Distance –vs- Time graph: D-T graph
Always show time on the x-axis.
From a ticker tape, the following data is collected. The data is graphed as shown.
What does the slope of the line represent? What does it mean if the curve is a straight line?
distance traveled per unit time
0
3
6
9
12
15
Distance
[meters]
0
2.1
3.8
5.9
8.2
10.1
12
10
Distance [meters]
Time
[sec]
8
6
4
2
0
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Time [seconds]
Summary of Terms
 ‘delta’ = final - initial
Vector Quantity with magnitude and direction, represented by an arrow.
Scalar Quantity with only magnitude
Distance how far an object travels, the path length [a scalar]
Displacement change in position: x = X2 – X1 = final position – initial position [a vector]
Speed How fast something moves. The distance traveled per unit of time.[a scalar]
Velocity The speed of an object in a specific direction of motion. [a vector] V= x/t
Acceleration The rate at which velocity changes with time; the change in velocity may be in magnitude or direction
or both. [a vector]
Free fall Motion under the influence of gravity only.
Summary of formulas
Speed = distance/ time
v = d/t
Velocity = change in position/time elapsed
v = d/t = [d2-d1] / [t2-t1]
Average speed = total distance/total time
v = d/t
Average velocity = [final velocity + initial velocity] / 2
V avg =[ Vf + Vi ]/ 2
Acceleration = change in velocity/time elapsed
a = v/t = [v2-v1] / [t2 - t1 ]
Physics CCR
Module IV
Topics / Activities
HOMEWORK
Quiz: metric prefixes and Scientific method
Lab report in lab notebook
LAB: ticker tape cars
Problem set 1.
Battery-powered cars lab
Graphing motion
D-T graphs
Time is independent variable, ALWAYS on x-axis
= Displacement –time graphs
Slope of line is change in displacement =
Change in time
D
t
= VELOCITY
Constant velocity = When the D-T graph is a straight line,
Hewitt textbook online:
http://www.dsusd.k12.ca.us/users/phealy/physics/Ebook/htm/_cp9e.htm
Physics Honors
Module V
HOMEWORK : graphing/analysis problems
Read module VI: kinematics
Topics / Activities
Review metric conversions; quiz
D-T graphs; constant velocity
Steeper slope = greater velocity;
Horizontal slope = zero velocity
What is vertical slope?
V-T graphs: slope =constant acceleration
Area under curve = total displacement
Graphing free fall;
Base units: meters, liters,grams, seconds.
Remember we use MKS units = meters- KILOGRAMS- seconds.
Prefixes to memorize:
Look at a Meter stick:
smaller than base units: c, m, 
larger than base units= G,M, k
1 meter = 100 cm = 1000 mm
Therefore 100 cm = 1000 mm
divide by 100: 1 cm = 10 mm
1 kg = 1000 g = 10 [100 g] = 2[500 g] etc
D-T graphs
D
t
Slope of line is change in displacement =
Change in time
= VELOCITY
Constant velocity = When the D-T graph is a straight line .
1) Describe the motion in graphs below
A)
B)
D[meters ]
D[meters ]
C)
D[meters ]
60
60
60
50
50
50
40
40
40
30
30
30
20
20
20
10
10
10
0
10
20
30
T[sec]
A)Constant velocity
2) compare D-T graphs (A) and (B):
0
10
20
B) Constant velocity
30
T[sec]
0
10
30
T[sec]
C) constant velocity for 10 seconds, then stops
Object in graph B has greater velocity = steeper slope.
When slope is steeper, greater CONSTANT speed.
20
When slope is horizontal ZERO speed.
We can also graph motion on a V-T diagram = Velocity –Time graph, where T is on the x-axis and V on the y-axis.
Look at diagrams A,B,C above.
How can we graph them on V-T diagrams? First, calculate the velocity in each case
For A: velocity = slope = D/T = [60-0]/[30-0] =V= 2 m/sec.
For B: velocity = slope = 60-0/15=V= 4 m/sec
For C : velocity from t= 0 to 10 sec: vel = [40-0]/10 = 4 m/sec from 10 sec to 30 sec, vel = [40-40]/20 = 0 m/sec
A)
6
V [m /sec ]
6
B)
V [m/sec ]
C)
V [m/sec ]
60
5
5
50
4
4
40
3
3
30
2
2
20
1
1
10
0
10
20
30
T[sec]
0
10
20
30
T[sec]
0
10
20
30
When velocity is constant or zero, acceleration is zero.
FREE FALL:
when an object moves[falls] only due to gravity. We ignore air resistance in free fall.
If you drop an object what happens? Does it fall with constant velocity?
NO.
An object in free fall experiences CONSTANT ACCELERATION
D-T GRAPH of free fall is not linear because velocity is NOT constant.
Free fall D-T diagram
D
[meter]
0.0
1.3
5.0
11.3
20.0
31.3
45.0
61.3
80.0
101.3
125.0
140.0
d = 5t2
120.0
Displacment [meters]
t [sec]
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
100.0
80.0
60.0
40.0
20.0
0.0
0
1
2
3
Time [sec]
4
5
6
T[sec]
V-T graph of free fall is linear. The slope of a V-T curve is the acceleration.
slope = acceleration =constant.
The area under a V-T curve is the total displacement
Area = ½ Base X Height
. for linear acceleration, area under curve is a triangle.
V = 10t
free fall
60.0
v = 10t
50.0
Axis Title
Slope of line
= acceleration
= 5 m/sec 2
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
0
1
2
3
4
5
time [sec]
Area under curve = total displacment
= ½ [5 sec][50 m/sec]=250m
6