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IB Physics SL (One Year) (2018-2019)

8/16

• Informational Packet / Syllabus

​8/20

• An introduction to the mathematical modeling of simple motion, including the concepts of average speed and Cartesian coordinates for recording direction
• Homework - Read (and solve all problems in) Chapter 1 of Perrone's book

8/22

• Practice vector arithmetic HERE
• Explore the geometric representation of a vector HERE and HERE
  • ​Install                                                                   on your computer, first.​​​

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• Define acceleration.
• Homework - Read Chapter 2 up to page 32

8/24

• Graph the motion of a toy car; draw and interpret various position and velocity graphs; data file
• Homework - in your Oxford IB Physics book, read pages 18-21 and 27-36 (include the Worked Examples)

8/28

• Quiz
• Analyze accelerated motion data in a spreadsheet
• Homework - read pp. 36-38 in the Oxford book (and pp.32-33 in my book)

8/30

• Derive the kinematic equations
• Graph the accelerated motion in the spreadsheet above; interpret the trendlines
• Practice interpreting trendlines and using the extracted (velocity and acceleration) information to interpolate and extrapolate (file 1, file 2)
• Homework - complete Interpolations and Extrapolations; also complete Kinematics Problems (partial key)

9/4

• Model the falling of an object; find the rate of acceleration of gravity on Earth
• Homework - read Section 1.2 in your Oxford book; install Logger Pro

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9/6

• Complete free fall data collection and graph the data
• Homework - type up the Exploration section of the lab

9/10

• Linearize data (spreadsheet)
• Complete the free fall lab
• Homework - add the max and min gradients to the graph; the finished lab is due Friday the 14th at midnight; submit it using turnitin.com

9/12

• Analyze the motion of a tossed ball using a motion detector and Logger Pro (instructions)
• Homework - 

​9/14

• test over material to date; submit lab using turnitin.com
• Homework - read pp. 39-43 in the Oxford book and sections 3.2.1, 3.2.3, 3.3.4 and 4.5 (no practice problems) in my book (Chps 3-4) (read for comprehension)

9/18

• Discuss relative motion and its relevance to projectile motion
• Model projectile motion

9/20

• Practice solving projectile motion problems​ (key)
• Homework - Study (2D) projectiles in more detail here; also complete the problems on page 49 in my book (Chapter 4)
• Study this animation of a launched projectile

9/24​

• Analyze the motion of an Angry Bird; is it on Earth?
• Analyze projectile motion graphs
• Study (1D) free fall in more detail here
• Homework - complete the packet of projectile "nTIPERs"

9/26​

• quiz over free fall and projectile motion
• Homework - complete the Deduction/Induction handout

9/28

• The Laws of Nature (PowerPoint)
• Homework - read through page 20 in the new booklet (and do the math!)

10/2

• Scientific Laws and What They Say: read me
• Review Newton's 2nd Law
• Discover the various types of forces that operate in our world (follow this guide and answer questions in your class notebook)
• Homework - complete the handout in which you explain something about graphs, and read the short essay, Scientific Laws and What They Say

10/4

• Laboratory investigation of Newton's Second Law (using Method 2)
• Homework - read and take notes on pp. 44-51 in the Oxford book, and read pp. 21-30 in my book (do the included practice problems)

10/11

• complete data analysis for the Second Law lab
• discuss and use Newton's Law of Gravity
• Homework - read pp. 58-60 in the Oxford book (in preparation for indoor skydiving); read pp. 31-45 in my book; complete the Second Law lab (analysis and conclusion only)

10/15​

• discuss the calculation of gravity, the difference between mass and weight, and what it means to be weightless
• draw and label a free-body diagram
• Homework - read over the handouts and try the included problems; also, please update your lab data (as we discussed in class) and turn in the lab, using turnitin.com, by Friday's class

10/17

• draw free-body diagrams and calculate the acceleration of various objects
• Homework - complete pp. 45-56 in my book (read as needed, solve all problems)

10/19

• model the sliding of a box down a hill
• Homework - read pp. 54-57 in the Oxford book and do p.61 in my book

10/23

• model hanging signs (an example of static equilibrium); review for the quiz

10/25

• quiz on drawing free-body diagrams, quantifying the forces, and working out the object's acceleration
• Homework - complete the handout; read pp.63-64 in my book

10/29

• discuss Newton's Third Law
• Homework - read pp.62-64 in the Oxford book

10/31​

• define and discuss work and energy and their relationship to one another
• Homework [Quiz Grade] - Video yourself asking two individuals (not juniors or seniors in high school) what it means to be weightless and record their responses. Then, in 1 min 30 sec or less, clearly explain what it means to be weightless. Also specifically address any misconceptions offered by the interviewees. Don't say too little; show what you know. Plan what you are going to say before you say it! You do not need to appear in the video throughout, but I should see you at least some and hear you for the entire post-interview section. Props, diagrams and photos can be used, if desired. Upload this video to this shared Google folder by the end of Sunday, 11/4.

​11/5

• define kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy; show how total work done on an object equals its change in KE; identify the area under a Force-Position graph as work
• Homework - complete the handout (with F-d graphs and W=∆KE) and read the blue packet (okay? the first section, the section on KE, and then skim the rest)

11/7

• test

11/9

• analyse motion using energy conservation, with and without friction
• potential energy handout
• Homework - complete this Work-Energy packet (answer key), and read the rest of the Energy chapter in your Oxford book

​11/13

• model, then measure, the coefficient of kinetic friction for an object sliding down a wooden board; perform a complete uncertainty analysis
• Homework - complete the lab: calculate the coefficient with its proper uncertainty

​11/15

• practice propagation of uncertainties
• practice solving word problems using the concepts of work and energy

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​We will have a quiz on Wednesday after Thanksgiving break. The quiz will cover work, energy and propagation of uncertainties.

Coming Up: A few days after returning from Thanksgiving break, I will assign "the mousetrap car project", in which you will need to design and build a small car powered by a single mousetrap. The project also includes a video recording of you explaining the physics behind the car's operation. Stay tuned! They're pretty fun to build and race! [project details] - video help

​11/26

• discuss elastic potential energy and energy conversions in a swinging pendulum
• elastic potential energy problems
• energy questions (hand in your typed-up responses on Friday, for a grade)
• read a short overview of gravitational and elastic PE here, if you need to
• Homework - complete the IB exam problems passed out in a previous class along with the elastic PE packet

​11/28

• quiz on work, energy and propagation of uncertainties
• the Mousetrap Car Project is to be completed at home and turned in on Dec 12 (the car should be brought to class and the video submitted here)
• Homework - type up answers to the 3 energy questions (maybe a half-page, double-spaced per question, but it doesn't have to be exactly a half-page; I'm really looking for effort and a real attempt to think through these questions)

​11/30

• define and calculate power
• define momentum and impulse; calculate impulse from a force-time graph (practice)
• Homework - complete the force-time graph practice (key); you should probably start working on your mousetrap-car project

​12/4

• use the principle of momentum conservation to model two-body collisions and explosions
• Homework - complete the momentum practice problems (answer key); read pp. 73-79 in your Oxford book

​12/6

• Conservation of Momentum lab (due 12/14 through turnitin.com)

​12/10

• quiz over impulse and momentum (review the momentum practice problems and force-time graph problems)
• Homework - read pp. 80-86 in your Oxford book

​12/12

• test mousetrap cars (submit the video here by class time)
• discussion of internal (thermal) energy (PowerPoint)

​12/14

• review for the midterm
• turn in the conservation of momentum lab online
• Homework - complete the review in your textbook, pp.87-90 (omit 13.a) and pp.24-26 (7,8,9,13,14,15) (answer key for pp.87-90)

​12/18

• midterm

finding the minimum and maximum gradients

with Logger Pro

Practice matching motion to graphs with this interactive.

Unit One-Page Overviews

1.1 Measurements in physics

1.2 Uncertainties and errors

1.3 Vectors and scalars

2.1 Motion

2.2 Forces

2.3 Work, Energy, and Power

2.4 Momentum

Putting the I in IB!

EF Tours - Japan

Stay tuned for news of a potential trip for Summer 2020.

Energy and Momentum

Download a copy of the Spring Semester calendar.

Find video notes here.

Homework

1/8 - complete worksheet; read Unit 3.2

1/10 - watch video 1 and 2; worksheet

1/14 - watch video; read pp. 687-692 on IA; answer key for book problems

1/16 - finish Centripetal Force lab; complete worksheet on circular motion

1/18 - review for quiz; choose IA topic; do 6 IB Questions on handout; answer key for centripetal force worksheet

1/25 - read Unit 4.1; write IA Exploration (must include all Exploration components)

                    1/29 - PhET link; complete Oscillation packet (pp. 1-9)

1/31 - do waves handout, read Units 4.2 and 4.3; Oscillation packet key

2/4 - complete 3 worksheets (on intensity, superposition and chapter review); watch video on polarization and Malus's Law

2/6 - read Unit 4.4; watch videos on reflection and on Snell's Law

2/8 - standing waves sim; complete IA Exploration; optional: do pp.164-166 and #12 on p.168 in your book

2/14 - test corrections, due by 2/21

2/25 - E-Field Activity; watch this video; read pp. 169-179

2/27 - read Unit 5.1, especially pp. 179-186; complete IA Analysis; finish packet

                       3/1 - read pages 10-23 in the yellow booklet

3/7 - watch last 2 videos here; take notes; bring posterboard and art supplies to class on 3/11 if you want to, for the Circuits Project, but you can also do this part at home; the main focus of class is to construct the circuits for the Project

                        3/11 - do pp. 24-31 in yellow booklet; review IA feedback; bring batteries to class

3/13 - the Circuits Project due date has been changed to 3/27, the same day as the quiz

Unit One-Page Overviews

3.1 Thermal Concepts

3.2 Modelling a gas

6.1 Circular Motion

4.1 Oscillations

4.2 Travelling Waves

4.3 Wave Characteristics

5.1 Electric Fields

Getting ready for the 3/27 quiz/test:

- review key for Circuits SL packet

- do short Magnetism SL packet

- review Unit 5.4

- do pp. 240-4 #1-10,17,19 in your textbook

* you will have one class day (3/25) to review and ask questions; you'd benefit from doing some of this review work prior to that class, but nothing is due until 3/27 

Regarding the IA:

• Don't include a cover page
• Don't include your name; instead, include your candidate code (which you should already have, but which I can give to you if you need it)

Homework

4/4 - watch this video on half-life and complete your packet of IB problems (atomic spectra, radioactivity, and half-life)

4/8 - watch this video on fusion and fission and try to work through the related IB problems on the handout

4/10 - make sure you have proper citations [use this resource] in your IA! get updated IA's to me by Sunday; I'll upload them on Monday; also, I recommend reading or skimming Unit 7.3 in your book

4/12 - we've completed Unit 7; I recommend that you review this unit in your book; you would do well to complete the review Questions on pages 304-306, but these are not for a grade (at least right now)

*you should check out this website to learn more about particle physics and the place -- CERN -- where most of the recent discoveries have occurred

-answers to recent problem sets

4/18 - we won't cover Unit 8 from your book; you need to watch the five corresponding videos here; you should watch critically, take notes, and solve the problems in the videos; for the astrophysics packet, read and do the problems 1a,1b,2a,3a,6,7, then read some more, then do 2b,2c

Learn more astrophysics on your own! Read this book!

Homework

4/24 - dynamic equilibrium in a star; capturing light with a CCD; answer key for astrophysics packet; complete the handout (6 questions on one side and 3 on the other) and the big colored packet at home

*We will meet at UT, outside the RLM [physics/astronomy] building, on Wed May 1st at 8:30 pm for a "Star Viewing Party". This is, of course, optional. Here is the official website. Hope you'll join us! (Feel free to bring a parent along.) I don't know how late we'll stay. The event ends at 10:30 but we'll probably leave earlier.

4/30 - watch these 2 videos, then read this webpage; discuss Cepheid variables ("standard candles") || video || website

create a display that explains how it is that we determine the chemical composition of stars (i.e. that explains stellar spectra and relates them to chemical composition; include a definition of the Balmer series) and explains 2 ways that we measure the distance to stars

5/2 - quiz in class; work through Paper 1 (from 2016) that I previously handed out to you (due Monday)

5/6 - Stellar Evolution and More Stellar Evolution; at home, finish notes on Stellar Evolution; you should be taking notes on the first webpage linked here and pp. 655-659 in your book; be sure to explore the Star in a Box, too

5/8 - annotated copy of the Physics Data Booklet; homework - complete the new astrophysics packet of IB problems (omit #3 if you are running out of time)

5/10 - PowerPoint on cosmology; homework - finish the astrophysics packet if you haven't already

5/14 and 5/16 - review for IB Physics exams

-answer key for Papers 2 and 3 (2016)

5/17 (Friday) 12 pm - IB Physics SL Paper 1 and 2

testing begins at 1:15

5/20 (Monday) 8 am - IB Physics SL Paper 3

-bring food and let's celebrate being done!

5/24 - quiz over stellar evolution and cosmology

The final exam (if you're not exempt) is Friday, May 31.