Advanced Placement Physics B
Angela McLeod, Teacher
Pleasant Grove High School
805 7th Avenue, Pleasant Grove, AL 35127
(205) 379-5250
amcleod@jefcoed.com
August 11, 2010
Introduction
Advanced Placement (AP) Physics B is a trigonometry-based physics course equivalent
to a two-semester introductory college physics course. This class meets for one 45minute and two 96-minute sessions every week. Physics is the study of motion and
energy. Among its many subdivisions are mechanics, heat, light, sound, electricity, and
magnetism. This course in physics explores these topics in detail while stressing critical
thinking and problem solving skills needed for further study in sciences as well as
successful performance on the AP Physics B Exam. Learning physics is not about
memorizing information. It is about learning a new set of skills and a new way of looking
at the world. For most people, these skills are not inherent. They require hard work and
dedication. In order to be successful in AP Physics, students must challenge themselves
to practice every day and give their best in everything we do in this class.
Prerequisites
Pre-Calculus is a prerequisite or co-requisite for this class.
Text
The text is Physics, 7th ed. by Serway and Faughn (Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2006).
Course Objectives
Objectives are prescribed by the College Board and may be viewed on-line at
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap05 phys objectives 458591.pdf.
Class Rules
1. Courtesy and respect for all are expected of all participants in this class.
2. This class takes place in a science laboratory; therefore, a healthy respect for the
facility and equipment is essential to ensure a positive learning experience and safety for
all. In other words, treat the classroom and everything in it with respect. Horseplay
is not tolerated. Food and drink are not permitted.
3. Assignments and homework are due before the class bell rings on the designated due
date. Late homework will not be accepted. We use the UT online homework system.
4. Plagiarism1 and dishonesty will not be tolerated. Plagiarism will result in loss of
credit (i.e., a score of zero) for the assignment or test concerned. A second zero will
result in being referred directly to administration.
5. Students are expected to arrive on time and prepared with all materials. Personal
matters (including restroom and water breaks) should be completed prior to arriving
for class.2
6. Students are responsible for finding out and completing all assignments given during
any absence regardless of the reason for absence.
Materials
Each student will need pencils or pens, a notebook or binder for class notes, a separate
notebook for laboratory work (I have lab notebooks for sale if you want one let me
know), and a scientific/graphing calculator. Class notes and handouts may
be kept in the same binder or notebook, but for lab a separate notebook is
required.
Grading
In accordance with Pleasant Grove High School Science Department policy for science
courses, the final grade in the course comes from three sources:
. 75% from tests
. 15% from laboratory work and minor projects
. 10% from homework
The above items will comprise 80% of the final grade in the course, while the
comprehensive final exam will comprise 20%. Students should monitor their own scores
carefully. Grades may be reviewed with the teacher after school, but not during class
time.
Tests
Approximately eight unit tests will be given during the course. All tests will be timed and
will consist of multiple choice items and free response questions. Tests and test
questions are structured to resemble actual AP Physics B Exam questions in both form
and scope; therefore, they will be scored in the same fashion as the AP examination.
Students should bring their own pencils and calculators. These may not be shared
during tests. Calculators may never be used on multiple choice items. Unannounced
quizzes (pop quizzes) will be given often to check student progress and encourage daily
study and practice. These will usually occur at the beginning of class, and only students
who are seated when the bell rings will be permitted to take the quiz.
1Plagiarism
is any attempt to submit another's work as one's own. This includes copying another student's
work from tests, homework, or lab reports. It also applies to the use of printed material (even on the Internet)
without appropriate citation.
2Do not come to class one minute before the tardy bell and tell me that you have to \run to the bathroom."
If the tardy bell rings, and you are not in class, then you are tardy. Do not ask for permission to retrieve
items or assignments from your locker or any other location after the tardy bell has rung.
Laboratory
Laboratory experiments help form connections between lectures and real-world
situations, encourage curiosity and critical thinking, and give opportunities for group
learning. To foster the discovery nature of science, each lab will be presented as a
problem to solve. Topics will be approached with questions that begin with such openended questions as \What if . . ." or \How could one measure . . . ." Students will plan
and carry out procedures that will lead them to answer their questions or to re_ne the
procedures for further exploration. Nineteen in-class labs (listed below) will be
performed, following the schedule in this syllabus.
Lab Experiments
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
Heat Transfer
Color Addition
Concave Mirror
Convex & Concave Mirrors
Snells Law
Acceleration on an Incline
Free Fall
Muzzle Velocity
Newton’s 2nd Law
Newton’s 3rd Law
Conservation of Energy
Work Energy Theorem
Impulse-Momentum
Properties of Sound
Speed of Sound
Simple Harmonic Motion
Electric Field PhET (online)
Discovering Ohms Law
Simple Circuits
Students will be assigned one or more lab partners. Each student will maintain a
laboratory notebook for recording experimental procedures, observations, and data.
Each student will also submit a formal written report for each experiment performed and
keep these together in the lab notebook. Examples of formal lab reports will be
presented to the class. Formal reports will consist of the following items:
. Introduction - background and statement of the problem or question being investigated
. Materials - descriptions and appropriate diagrams of materials and apparatus used
. Experimental method - description of procedures used to gather data
. Data (or Observations) - detailed summary of the data acquired
. Calculations - examples of calculations performed to analyze the data
. Conclusions - summary of conclusions drawn from the experiment and discussion and
calculation of error involved.
Homework
We will use UT online homework for most assignments. Homework will be assigned
every day that class meets. Assignments are due at the beginning of the next class
meeting. Assignments are not intended to be lengthy, rote exercises. They are, instead,
meant to provoke deeper study and practice. They will general consist of two to four
problems at a time. Homework submissions must follow the guidelines given in class.
Following any score less than 40% on a given assignment, the student is required to see
the teacher during tutorial time for clarification of topic.
Make-Up Work
If a student plans to be absent, assignments are due and test must be taken before the
absence. For unforeseen, excused absences, assignments are due upon return and
tests must be taken within two school days. Failure to complete a make-up test within
two calendar days (NOT CLASS DAYS) upon return to school results in a zero for
the test. A laboratory experiment missed for an excused absence may be completed at
Make-up lab sessions after school on the third Wednesday of each month. Students
must make up the lab at the next available time and must sign-up in advance with the
teacher in order to attend. The student is responsible for finding out all assignments and
material covered during an absence, regardless of the reason for the absence.
Additional Information
The class will use web page (wiki) located at proton.wikispaces.edu for communications
during the course. Often material used in class will be posted on the web space for
future reference, or for students who must be absent from class. Links and resources
that contribute to learning or thinking about physics can be posted.
The class web space contains a link to MIT OpenCourseWare and the videos of
freshman physics at MIT. These videos are required viewing for all students in AP
Physics B at PGHS. Students can watch the videos on-line or download them to handheld devices (iPods) for more convenient viewing. The entire series must be viewed
during the year; students are highly encouraged to watch the video corresponding to the
current topic during the time it is being covered in class. Deadlines for viewing of the
materials will be issued at a later date. After-school problem tutorials will be held on
Wednesday afternoons after school. Students may arrange other times with the teacher
before or after school for additional help as needed. Review sessions for the AP exam
will be held in the spring at times and places to be determined.
Advanced Placement Examination
The Advanced Placement Physics B Exam is scheduled for noon on Monday, May 9,
2010. Some fifty thousand students take the exam each year to compare what they have
learned and to attempt to earn college credit for the course by making a qualifying score.
All AP exams are scored from 1 to 5, and 3 or above is considered a qualifying score.
Colleges and universities vary in the amount of credit they will offer for different scores,
so students should check with their schools of interest. In the weeks prior to the
examination, the class will be geared toward intense review for the exam. Students will
be expected to participate in study sessions outside of normal school hours.
All students enrolled in AP Physics B at PGHS are required to sit for the AP Physics
B Exam in May. The cost of the examination will be paid by a generous grant from A+
College Ready. This grant also provides monetary rewards to students scoring 3, 4, or 5
on the AP Physics B exam.
Schedule
We will stick to the following schedule for the 2010-2011 school year.