This will be a shorter week, as you do not have school on Tuesday, election day, while the teachers go through a training day. The exciting news is that for some of you, this is your first chance to vote! Enjoy the experience! 🙂

This Week in AP Physics
For Monday remember to identify which big ideas, enduring understandings, essential knowledge items, and learning objectives we have covered so far in this unit. There will be a very short timed quiz asking yes/no questions to see if you can correctly identify the learning goals we’ve been working on. On Monday we will design an experiment to explore the work done on an object in relation to the energy it gains. For Wednesday or Thursday (as announced) please do homework 1. We will take a quiz as announced over internal energy, work, and the work-energy theorem after we complete exploring homework 1. We’ll end the week by looking at the conservation of energy. Anticipate a test by the end of next week.

This Week in Physics
We will continue to explore friction by completing assignment 2 together in class followed by a quiz when announced. We will finish out the week with our friction lab, during which we will collect data related to kinetic and static friction in order to analyze their relationship to each other and to mass.

This Week in Astronomy
We will continue to examine the phases of the moon by through a variety of activities aimed at helping you analyze the relationship between the Earth-sun-moon alignments, phase of the moon, time of viewing, and location of the moon throughout the synodic lunar cycle. Following this we’ll explore the geology of the moon. We may be ready to take the moon unit test by the end of this week. If not, we’ll text next week. Finally, please remember to work on your Unit 2 – Outdoor Lab. This lab requires you to take multiple observations at the same time of day for multiple days. Be sure to start it right away, since you’ll need to find five sunny days. Because this is Cleveland, we’ll need some time. This lab is therefore due on November 17.

Cool Science of the Week
Check out this video in which two guys manage to explain the four fundamental forces of the universe in an entertaining way.

This Week in AP Physics
Our unit 3 test on mass, force, gravity, gravitational fields, and Newton’s laws is Monday. (If you kept homework 4 to study from, please be sure to turn that in before you take your test.) On Tuesday at the start of class your lab report for the Newton’s second law experiment is due. Please remember to share it with me at [email protected]. By 3:00 on Tuesday please also be sure to upload it to TurnItIn.com. On Tuesday we will begin unit 4 on energy. At some point in the week we will also complete the short experiment, Friction and Vector Analysis of Forces.

This Week in Physics
We will begin our unit on force and Newton’s laws this week. Please take notes on Podcast 1 – Net External Force, Podcast 2 – Weight, and Podcast 3 – Normal Force for Monday. Through Monday and Tuesday we will cover these topics and do assignment 1 followed by a quiz as announced. When announced please take notes on Podcast 4 – Introduction to Friction, Podcast 5 – Static Friction, and Podcast 6 – Kinetic Friction. This will lead us into assignment 2 and our experiment on friction.

This Week in Astronomy
We will continue to work on our unit on the moon by collecting and analyzing a lot of data related to the moon phases and Earth-Sun-Moon alignments. A great website to use as we practices is Lunar Phases Interactive. In addition, Podcast 1 – Introduction and Orbit, Podcast 2 – Lunar Phases and their Appearances, and Podcast 3 – The Phases and their Timings will support your efforts. Expect a quiz at some point this week as announced. Finally, please remember to work on your Unit 2 – Outdoor Lab. This lab requires you to take multiple observations at the same time of day for multiple days. Be sure to start it right away, since you’ll need to find five sunny days. Because this is Cleveland, we’ll need some time. This lab is therefore due on November 17.

Cool Science of the Week
Did you know that rainbows aren’t actually acrs? They only look like arcs because of our ground-based view of them. It turns out the ground cuts off our view of their full form, and if we were higher up, such as in an airplane or helicopter, we would see them in their full form: a circle! Check out this beautiful photograph taken from a helicopter! (Note that it’s also a double rainbow. When light bounces inside of a raindrop once, it makes a rainbow. When it bounces twice, it makes a wider but dimmer rainbow.)

This is the last week of the quarter, so finish strong!

This Week in AP Physics
On Monday homework 3 is due. We’ll spend the class period doing homework 3 and completing the Newton’s second law experiment. If we finish going over homework 3 on Monday we’ll take a quiz on Tuesday covering everything related to Newton’s second law and tension problems with friction. If we don’t finish going over homework 3 on Monday we’ll take the quiz on Wednesday. On Tuesday and possibly into Wednesday we’ll do our third and final experiment for this unit, Friction and Vector Analysis of Forces. By the end of the week we’ll finish our notes for the unit so that we can do homework 4 for Thursday or Friday. Expect the unit test on Friday or on Monday, October 27. Therefore the lab reports for both the second law lab and the friction lab will be due during the week of October 27. Finally, for those of you who wanted to experience the joy of our fabulously complex Newton’s second law/tension/friction/inclined plane problem (example 16), enjoy!

This Week in Physics
We will finish unit 2 on two-dimensional motion this week by completing the final assignments for the unit and by experimenting with our awesome projectile launcher thingy. No podcasts are due, but make sure you’ve taken notes on all of the ones for this unit. Expect the unit test by Friday.

This Week in Astronomy
On Monday we will explore the shape of Earth’s orbit around the sun and how it affects our revolutionary speed (thereby affecting climate.) There will be no quiz on Monday, but we WILL DEFINITELY test Unit 2 – The Ecliptic Motion of the Sun on Tuesday. Be sure to bring your star maps to the test AND do Unit 2 – Homework Questions for Tuesday as a way to review. (The homework will be due at the start of class on Tuesday.) Remember that everything from our lectures is available on the Unit 2 Podcast – The Ecliptic and its Implications. On Wednesday we will begin our moon unit by analyzing data we’ll collect regarding the appearance of the moon and the times during which we see each phase. Finally, it’s time again for another real-world application of your astronomy fabulousness as you do your second outdoor lab, the Unit 2 – Outdoor Lab. This lab requires you to take multiple observations at the same time of day for multiple days. Be sure to start it right away, since you’ll need to find five sunny days. Because this is Cleveland, we’ll need some time. This lab is therefore due on November 17.

Cool Science of the Week
Let’s talk about something POSITIVE! COFFEE…(I could probably stop here, but I’ll go on.) Scientists have identified genes that make some of us more likely to find coffee rewarding. Although it’s hard to imagine anyone not finding it rewarding, some apparently find it more rewarding than others. (If you want to make it even more rewarding, of course, you could add some pumpkin spice and a whole latte sugar.)

This will be a short week with some scheduling hurdles, so be ready to focus and work hard so we make the most of every minute! 🙂

This Week in AP Physics
There is no school on Friday, and our class won’t meet on Wednesday, as first and second periods are not meeting due to the PSAT. With just three days together, we have to work very hard to keep on pace. On Monday we will finish debriefing homework 2 so that we can quiz on Tuesday over Newton’s second law, normal force, and tension. On Monday and Tuesday we will cover friction and terminal velocity so that we can do homework 3 over the long weekend (due Monday.) On Thursday I anticipate that we will perform our second unit 3 lab, Newton’s second law. Your lab report on gravitational mass vs. inertial mass will be due on Thursday (not Friday as planned, since we don’t have school on Friday.) Remember to share your writing with me via Google Drive ([email protected]) and submit to TurnItIn.com by 3:00 on Thursday.

This Week in Physics
If you are in 6th period, for Monday please take notes on Podcast 10 – Projectile Formulas, Podcast 11 – Projectile Sample Problem part 1, and Podcast 12 – Projectile Sample Problem part 2. By Wednesday we will do assignment 3 and will begin to experiment with our awesome laboratory projectile launcher!
If you are in 10th period, on Monday we will take a quiz over vector resolution. ( Podcast 5 – Introduction to Vector Resolution and Podcast 6 – Vector Resolution Sample Problem will help you study.) Also for Monday please take notes on Podcast 7 – Introduction to Projectile Motion part 1, Pocast 8 – Introduction to Projectile Motion part 2, and Podcast 9 – Introduction to Projectile Motion part 3. For Tuesday please take notes on Podcast 10 – Projectile Formulas, Podcast 11 – Projectile Sample Problem part 1, and Podcast 12 – Projectile Sample Problem part 2. By Wednesday or Thursday we will do assignment 3.

This Week in Astronomy
Well, sadly, we had some disruptions this past week due to special bell schedules, field trips and the like, so we are continuing with our plan from last week. You can follow the blog (below) from the week of October 6 for details.

Cool Science of the Week
This past week on Tuesday, October 7th, the Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded to three scientists who in 1994 invented the blue LED light. WHAT?!? A Nobel Prize for a blue light? Well, yes, actually! Read to discover why! (Hint, it was really hard to do, and you use blue LEDs all the time…)

This Week in AP Physics
On Monday we will design an experiment to compare inertial mass with gravitational mass. On Tuesday your lab report on the horizontal range of projectiles is due. Also on Tuesday we’ll analyze multiple situations involving tension force so that you can do homework 2 for Wednesday followed by a quiz as announced for Thursday or Friday. Late in the week we’ll design an experiment to test Newton’s second law, and we’ll also explore friction.

This Week in Physics
On Monday we’ll tie up any loose ends related to vector operations (covered in Unit 2 Podcasts 1-4) so that we can quiz over this topic on Tuesday (or as announced.) For Monday (6th period class) or Wednesday (10th period class) please take notes on Podcast 5 – Introduction to Vector Resolution and Podcast 6 – Vector Resolution Sample Problem. We will review these in class and then do assignment 2 together. As announced please take notes on Podcast 7 – Introduction to Projectile Motion part 1, Pocast 8 – Introduction to Projectile Motion part 2, and Podcast 9 – Introduction to Projectile Motion part 3. For the following day please take notes on Podcast 10 – Projectile Formulas, Podcast 11 – Projectile Sample Problem part 1, and Podcast 12 – Projectile Sample Problem part 2. Expect a test sometime next week.

This Week in Astronomy
We will continue to explore the motion of the sun as the seasons change, as the time of day changes, and as our latitude changes. We’ll also analyze data of solar radiation throughout the USA to see how well our predictions regarding sun position correlate with the amount of solar radiation received. Expect a test late this week or early next week. The Unit 2 Podcast – The Ecliptic and its Implications will aid your work.

Cool Science of the Week
Real life invisibility cloaks? Using the optics principles from physics, researchers have developed a way to make moving objects seem to disappear. Mischief managed!