DESCRIPTION:

Note: This class also has the optional opportunity of special instruction and additional study work for students who desire to take the AP Physics Exam 1 in the Spring.

This class will cover the entire textbook (Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Physics, 2nd Ed.), and supplements the book with one or two in-depth laboratories per chapter.  The laboratories will extend beyond what is taught in the textbook, and will emphasize derivations, data analysis, and graphical techniques.  Topics normally included in an “advanced physics” high school class are included in the laboratories.  The use of Excel in performing numerical analysis is taught and its use is encouraged.  All laboratory reports are due with each chapter test.  Material covered will include basic laws of motions in one and two dimensions, scalars and vectors, Newton’s Laws and gravitation, rotational motion, momentum and energy concepts, optics, electric and magnetic fields, basic electromagnetic theory, electrical circuits, and basic AC and DC electric motor theory.  The class is taught as if the students are planning to attend college majoring in physics or engineering.  The class includes a mid-term exam and a final exam.

Instructor: Erika Hess  HessHARC@gmail.com

Prerequisites:

The student must have completed Algebra and Geometry and should have substantial background in physical science and Chemistry. Most students are currently taking Pre-Calculus when they take this class.  Trigonometry would be a benefit, but is taught and is used throughout the class.  This class is not a calculus-based physics class; however, calculus principles are taught and students are pointed in the direction of how calculus is used to solve physics and engineering problems.  In the past, students who are simultaneously taking calculus have found this class to be beneficial to their calculus studies.

Texts:

Exploring Creation with Physics (2nd Edition)