End of year AP Physics Phun!

AP Physicists! The tests are over… yay!!! You’ve done great work this year, but you missed three GREAT topics that we normally would have covered…except that they weren’t on the exam. I don’t want you to miss the chance to learn about them, but I also know you might need a break, so HERE’S THE DEAL!!! Instead of earning gradebook points when you do an assignment, you can earn points to fill up a fundraising thermometer, and I will make a donation to CRS based on how much you’ve filled up the thermometer by June 1! It’s a win-win with NO academic stress: You can learn about fun topics without stress and can help your community! For more details on the assignments, check Google Classroom.
Note: This is only for AP Physics students because they have completed the required curriculum for the exam.

Week of March 9, 2020

This Week in AP Physics
The remainder of unit 10 homework 3 is due on Monday. The third phase of the tremendously great problems is also due. (You had class time on both, so hopefully your homework is minimal over the long weekend.) On Monday and Tuesday we will explore capacitors and capacitance, and unit 10 homework 4 will be due on Tuesday. (Remember that your electric fields/electric potential lab report is also due on Tuesday.) Expect the unit 10 test on Wednesday. After that omg omg it’s one of my favorite units of the year: electric circuits! Yay!!!

This Week in Physics
On Monday we will finish momentum unit assignment 3 in class. Goal set 3 is due on Tuesday. We will also conduct an experiment on the impulse-momentum theorem. You will have a formal lab report to write for this experiment. (Details will be given in class.) Expect to take the momentum unit test by the end of the week. Next up: Our last unit on mechanics: circular and rotational motion!

Week of March 2, 2020

This is a significantly shortened week due to the junior SAT and conferences.

This Week in AP Physics
On Monday we will complete our discussion of the electrostatics lab. A formal lab report will be due on Tuesday, March 10. (Be sure to use the lab report writing documents.) We will complete our introduction to electric potential and will begin capacitance. Expect a test during the week of March 9.

This Week in Physics
On Monday we will take a quiz over goal set 2. Please also take notes from momentum video 3 by the start of class on Monday. We will go through the impulse-momentum theorem and will begin assignment 3. Expect a test during the week of March 9. All resources may be found on our unit 5 webpage.

Week of February 24, 2020

This Week in AP Physics
We will complete most of the remainder of our unit on electrostatics this week by covering electric fields, electric potential energy, electric potential, and capacitors. Yes! There will be notes. Yes! There will be tremendously great problems. Yes! There will be homework (yay!), and YES! There will be one of my favorite labs of the year! Woo hoo! Expect the unit test the week of March 2. (Yes! March!)

This Week in Physics
On Monday we will begin assignment 2 from our momentum unit and will then do goal set 2 and quiz 2 when announced. By the date announced in class please take notes on video 3, which will be followed by an assignment and a lab. Plan on a unit test the week of March 2 (March! So soon!) All resources can be found on our momentum unit webpage.

Week of February 17, 2020

This Week in AP Physics
We will continue to work through unit 10 on electrostatics with remaining notes, homework, problem sets, and a lab. Please complete homework 1 for Wednesday. Expect the unit test next week. Unit 9 test corrections are due on Thursday of this week.

This Week in Physics
Due to scheduling conferences, please do NOT take notes on video 2 for Tuesday. You will do this in class. On Tuesday we will complete goal set 1 in class, go over it, and take the goal set 1 quiz on Wednesday or as announced. As the week progresses we will examine lab data to analyze the role of kinetic energy in a variety of collisions and will complete assignment 2 from goal set 2. All resources can be found on our momentum unit webpage.

Week of February 10, 2020

Happy Valentine’s Day week!

This Week in AP Physics
On Monday we’ll take a test over our thermal physics unit and then will begin our exploration of electrostatics. (Shocking!) We’ll take notes, do tremendously great problems, a smidge of homework, and a lab, natch!

This Week in Physics
We’ll begin the week by doing assignment 1 from our momentum unit on Monday, so please bring your books to class. When announced we’ll take a quiz over goal set 1. By the date announced in class please take notes over video two from the momentum unit. We’ll also most likely get to a conservation of linear momentum lab this week. All resources may be found at the unit five webpage.

Week of February 3, 2020

This Week in AP Physics
We will continue to work through thermal processes and the first law of thermodynamics with lecture, tremendously great problems, homework 3, and a lab. Following that we will begin to explore the remaining laws of thermodynamics with a special application to the function of engines. This will take us into next week when we will also take the unit test. Note: Your lab report on the behavior of gasses experiment is due at the start of class on Tuesday.

This Week in Physics
On Monday we will tie up loose ends in our energy unit and will test on Tuesday. By Wednesday please take notes from video one from unit 5. We will begin to move through this unit on momentum with assignment 1, goal set 1, and a quiz, and we will do a mini-lab on collisions as the week progresses.

Week of January 27, 2020

This Week in AP Physics
We will continue to explore thermal physics by looking at methods of energy transfer, the kinetic theory of an ideal gas, and (just barely by the very end of the week) the laws of thermodynamics. Expect some tremendously great problems and a couple of nights of homework problems. Labs (and most likely the unit test) will be the week of February 3. That’s lit!

This Week in Physics
We will finish assignment 3 from unit 4 and do a short experiment on the law of conservation of mechanical energy followed by a quiz over unit 4 goal set 3. When assigned please take notes on video 4 from unit 4. We will do assignment 4 and will then take the unit 4 test, most likely by the end of the week. Yay! Links to all relevant materials may be found on our unit 4 webpage.