SCI404: High School Honors Physics

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www.k12.com { Pg. 1 } SCI404: High School Honors Physics K 12 High School Honors Physics gives students a solid basis to move on to more advanced courses later in their academic careers. It is a college-prep level course and will meet state requirements .or college-prep physics and thus gives adequate preparation .or beginning college physics courses.

The Honors Physics course contains the same lessons as Comprehensive Physics and then asks the students to .urther their knowledge by conducting Internet research and writing a research paper or presenting their \x4ndings based upon the di\x3erent research topics provided .or each o. their projects. The students complete two Honors projects per semester.

The projects require signi\x4cant e\x3ort in which the students are given a .ew weeks to research and then \x4nalize a report. This extra e\x3ort beyond the comprehensive course provides the honors student with a deeper look at some interesting applications o. physics.

SemeSter One U+i1 1: I+1/oduc1io+ 1o Physics Students explore physics and it place among the sciences, and con.ront concepts o. the role in society o. physics in now and in the past.

Students examine the relationships o. energy and the physical systems scientists and model systems use to study energy. " Semester ... more. less.

Introduction " The History o. Physics " Physics and Society " Physics and Science " Physical Systems and Models U+i1 2: Physical U+i1s a+d m$asu/$*$+1 To prepare students .or solving chemistry problems throughout the course, students learn about the metric system, signi\x4cant \x4gures, and conversion techniques. They learn the use o. both base and derived metric unit. In a laboratory they take measurements and understand them within the context o. solving problems in physics. " The Metric System: History and Use " The Metric System: Base Units " The Metric System: Derived Units " Measurement and Scienti\x4c Notation " Conversion Techniques " Signi\x4cant Figures " Laboratory: Measurement and Signi\x4cant Figures 1 " Laboratory: Measurement and Signi\x4cant Figures 2 U+i1 3: G/aphi+g a+d P/obl$* Solvi+g To prepare .or solving physics problems throughout the course, students learn about collecting and graphing data obtained .rom research. They create and interpret graphs and learn how to properly construct and label graphs. Students are also give an overview o. the strategies needed to solve physics problems, including keeping units straight and estimating answers to apply to physics problems. " Graphing Physical Data " Graphs and Data Relationships www.k12.com { Pg. 2 } " Laboratory: Creating and Interpreting Graphs 1 " Laboratory: Creating and Interpreting Graphs 2 " Problem Solving Strategies: Units " Problem Solving Strategies: Estimation " Honors Project 1 U+i1 4: Ki+$*a1ics Students begin their direct study o. physics with an examination o. kinematic motion. They compare and contrast speed and velocity, employing a .rame o. re.erence. They construct velocity-time graphs. They then move to the concept o. acceleration. Students per.orm two laboratories during this .undamental examination o. moving bodies. " Rotation and Translation " Frame o. Re.erence " Speed and Velocity " Position-Time and Velocity-Time Graphs " Laboratory: Kinematics 1 " Laboratory: Kinematics 2 " Acceleration " Acceleration and Displacement " Laboratory: Acceleration 1 " Laboratory: Acceleration 2 U+i1 5: Fo/c$s Dynamics is the study o. how .orces a\x3ect the motion o. a body. Students de\x4ne and give examples o. the various kinds o. .orce that act upon objects to change their motion. Students con.ront the physical realities o. Newton 9s three laws o. motion. A laboratory gives students \x4rst-hand experience in applying Newton 9s laws. " Forces " Inertia and Newton 9s First Law " Newton 9s Second Law " Mass and Weight " Laboratory: Newton 9s Laws o. Motion 1 " Laboratory: Newton 9s Laws o. Motion 2 " Newton 9s Third Law U+i1 6: n$1 Fo/c$s a+d V$c1o/s Physicists are o.ten con.ronted with determining the net .orce applied to a stationary or moving object. What will be the e\x3ect o. the .orce or .orces applied? To solve to problems, students learn how to calculate net .orces both graphically and through the use o. trigonometry. This unit gives students a primer on the application o. trigonometry to solve net .orce problems. There are two laboratories in this lesson so students can determine net .orces and apply the proper mathematics to issues o. the change in a body 9s motion. " The Net Forces Problem " Resolving Vectors " Adding Vectors " Laboratory: Working with Vectors " Net Forces at Equilibrium www.k12.com { Pg. 3 } " Free Fall and Equilibrium " Calculating Net Force I " Calculating Net Force II " Friction " Laboratory: Net Force 1 " Laboratory: Net Force 2 U+i1 7: mo1io+ i+ t4o Di*$+sio+s All students are .amiliar with certain kinds o. moving objects 4a cannonball shot through the air, a baseball thrown in .rom center \x4eld, the swinging arm o. a grand.ather clock, a spring bouncing up and down. These are all examples o. motion in two directions 4the subject o. this unit. Students conduct experiments in spring motion and other .orms o. harmonic motion. Students apply the knowledge gained in their studies o. kinematics and dynamics to a new type o. motion o. a physical body. " Projectile Motion " Uni.orm Circular Motion " Laboratory: Motion in Two Dimensions 1 " Laboratory: Motion in Two Dimensions 2 " Laboratory: Motion in Two Dimensions 3 " Angular Displacement and Torque " Simple Harmonic Motion: Springs " Simple Harmonic Motion: Pendulum " Laboratory: Harmonic Motion 1 " Laboratory: Harmonic Motion 2 " Honors Project 2 U+i1 8: G/avi1a1io+ This course in physics builds students 9 knowledge step by step. Their understanding o. motion gives them a basis .or understanding both Newton 9s and Einstein 9s views o. gravity. They will work with some o. the data that Kepler worked with. Students work problems with the inverse square law as applied to the gravitational attraction between two bodies. With a \x4rm basis in acceleration, students see how Einstein explained gravity to the world. " History o. Gravitation " Laboratory: Keplar 9s Laws " Universal Gravitation " Einstein and the Gravitational Field U+i1 9: Physics a+d Sci$+1ifc I+qui/y It is traditional in science classes to start a course with a discussion o. the scienti\x4c methods. In this course, however, students are engaged in the scienti\x4c method later in the semester, allowing students to work with scienti\x4c processes a.ter they have a solid basis in the physics o. motion. Students spend detailed time on questioning, .orming hypotheses, and other science processes. " Physics Inquiry: Inductive Reasoning " Physics Inquiry: Questions and Hypotheses " Physics Inquiry: Experimentation " Physics Inquiry: Data Collection and Analysis " Physics Inquiry: Conclusions and Communicating www.k12.com { Pg. 4 } U+i1 10: S$*$s1$/ r$vi$4 a+d t$s1 " Semester Review " Semester Test U+i1s 11: Ho+o/s I+d$p$+d$+1 r$s$a/ch Students conduct independent research and write a .ormal research paper that is handed in to the teacher. " Astronomical Distances U+i1s 12: Ho+o/s I+d$p$+d$+1 r$s$a/ch Students conduct independent research and write a .ormal research paper that is handed in to the teacher. " Biomechanics SemeSter twO U+i1 1: mo*$+1u* In his studies o. motion Newton spoke o. the cquality o. motion. d All three o. Newton 9s laws were written about momentum 4 the subject o. this unit. As a basis .or understanding momentum, students \x4rst de\x4ne it and apply the mathematics o. momentum to an object, and then learn the law o. conservation o. momentum and its importance. The importance o. the law o. angular momentum is then discussed. Students do a laboratory that gives them data to which they can apply their understanding o. momentum. " Linear Momentum and Impulse " Law o. Conservation o. Momentum " Momentum in Collisions 1 " Momentum in Collisions 2 " Laboratory: Momentum 1 " Laboratory: Momentum 2 " Conservation o. Angular Momentum U+i1 2: wo/k In this unit students take another step in understanding energy as it applies to physical systems by examining the concept o. work. Using their knowledge o. .ree-body diagrams, students work though problems involving direction o. work problems, using simple and compound machines as a template by understanding work and power. " Work and Power " Direction o. Force and Work " Laboratory: Work and Power " Machines and Mechanical Advantage " Laboratory: Simple and Compound Machines 1 " Laboratory: Simple and Compound Machines 2 " Honors Project 3 U+i1 3: e+$/gy The conservation o. energy is one o. the .undamental laws o. physics, and .orms the basis .or this unit. Students learn about the .orms o. energy and how one .orm can be trans.ormed into another 4realizing that energy is always conserved in the process. A laboratory gives students real experience with energy conservation in the sense o. physics. www.k12.com { Pg. 5 } " Types o. Energy and Their Conversions " Kinetic and Potential Energy " Conservations o. Energy 1 " Conservations o. Energy 2 " Laboratory: Conservation o. Energy 1 " Laboratory: Conservation o. Energy 2 " Energy During Collisions U+i1 4: th$/*al e+$/gy Thermal energy is a .orm o. energy with a unique basis in atomic theory. Heat and thermal energy are discussed as resulting .rom the movement o. particles and the motion in a many-particle system. Students come to know both the \x4rst and second laws o. thermodynamics and get \x4rst-hand experience with heat engines. In addition, students calculate the heating o. an object .rom solid to gas, including calculation o. heat changes during change o. state. " Kinetic-Molecular Theory " Speci\x4c Heat " Laboratory: Speci\x4c Heat 1 " Laboratory: Speci\x4c Heat 2 " States o. Matter " Heat During Change o. State " First Law o. Thermodynamics " Second Law o. Thermodynamics and Entropy U+i1 5: wav$s Heat is one way that energy moves .rom one place to another, and now students examine another way 4through waves. Young physicists learn the characteristics o. waves by examining them and then by studying sound as an example o. one type o. wave. This unit provides the .undamentals that students apply to the study o. light. " Characteristics o. Waves 1 " Characteristics o. Waves 2 " Sound: Vibration and Waves " Qualities o. Sound " Laboratory: Sound 1 " Laboratory: Sound 2 U+i1 6: Ligh1 The electromagnetic spectrum contains radiation o. various wavelengths, including X-rays, gamma rays, and visible light. Students study the properties light by exploring di\x3raction and the resulting inter.erence. Refection and re.raction .orm the basis .or students 9 understanding o. the optics o. mirrors and lenses. A laboratory on optics gives students the opportunity to create and interpret ray diagrams based on hands-on learning. " The Electromagnetic Spectrum " Di\x3raction and Inter.erence " Refection " Re.raction " Mirrors " Lenses www.k12.com { Pg. 6 } " Laboratory: Optics 1 " Laboratory: Optics 2 " Laboratory: Optics 3 U+i1 7: el$c1/ic Fo/c$s Students have explored the energy o. motion and waves, as well as thermal energy. With this sound basis o. what energy is and how it is conserved, students 9 attention is turned to electricity, another .orm o. energy. This unit explores the electr ic charge and its behavior in electric \x4elds. Students are introduced to the concept o. an electrical \x4eld and apply various equations that de\x4ne the behavior o. a test charge in electric \x4elds. " Static Electricity " Electric Force " Electric Fields " Laboratory: Electrostatics 1 " Laboratory: Electrostatics 2 " Electric Potential " Honors Project 4 U+i1 8: Cu//$+1s a+d Ci/cui1s With a basis in understanding a .orce \x4eld and how to calculate and monitor electric potentials, students will diagram, construct, and interpret electric circuits. They will understand how a current is generated and how it fows through series and parallel circuits. In addition they will construct and interpret combined circuits, .ollowing the electric fow. " Current and Circuits " Current Electric Forces " Series Circuits " Parallel Circuits " Combined Circuits " Laboratory: Circuits 1 " Laboratory: Circuits 2 U+i1 9: mag+$1is* Electricity and magnetism are both phenomena that students have a lot o. experience with. In this unit the goal is to explore magnetism and then unite electricity and magnetism, introducing the phenomenon o. electromagnetism. Students conduct experiments in electromagnetism to gain knowledge o. energy relationships involved in the interplay o. electricity and magnetism. " Magnets and Magnetic Fields " Forces in Magnetic Fields " Electromagnetic Induction " Laboratory: Magnetic Fields 1 " Laboratory: Magnetic Fields 2 www.k12.com { Pg. 7 } U+i1 10: mod$/+ Physics When you read news or see it over electronic media you can understand the importance o. some o. the area o. physics traditionally called modern physics. Solar panels, .or example, work because light, striking certain sur.aces, can cause the generation o. electricity. Why this happens was explained by Einstein. This and other modern physics topics connect students to the importance o. physics in the modern world. " Atomic Spectra and Quantum Theory " The Nature o. Light and the Photoelectric E\x3ect " Relativity " Structure o. the Nucleus " Radioactivity U+i1 11: S$*$s1$/ r$vi$4 a+d t$s1 Students conduct independent research and write a .ormal research paper that is handed in to the teacher. " Semester Review U+i1s 12: Ho+o/s I+d$p$+d$+1 r$s$a/ch Students conduct independent research and write a .ormal research paper that is handed in to the teacher. " TBD U+i1s 13: Ho+o/s I+d$p$+d$+1 r$s$a/ch Students conduct independent research and write a .ormal research paper that is handed in to the teacher. " TBD Copyright © 2008 K12 Inc. All rights reserved. K12® is a registered trademark and the K¹² logo, xPotential and Unleash the xPot ential are trademarks o. K12 Inc.

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