This course provides an overview to the fundamental processes and principles of the physical world. Topics ranging from motion and energy to the structure of matter and the universe facilitate the means to develop higher-order, more abstract, thinking both in conceptual and mathematical facets. This will be assessed through unit tests and in-class labs.
Unit 1: One Dimensional Motion and Analytical Techniques
Essential Questions: What makes science practices effective? How does using math to solve problems change the way you think?
Big Ideas:
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Students will learn how to use lab equipment and that the use of technology and data collection is pivotal to scientific understanding
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The student will demonstrate that combining math and physics concepts can allow for effective and unique ways to solve problems
Unit 2: Forces, Two Dimensional Motion and Gravity
Essential Questions: How can you predict and describe the interactions between objects? How are these predictions helpful?
Big Ideas:
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The student will understand that Newton’s three laws are vital to explaining motion and will be able to apply these laws
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Students will be able to apply vector knowledge to these applications to see how to solve 2D problems and make mathematical diagrams for projectiles, circular motion and planetary motion
Unit 3: Energy and Momentum
Essential Questions: What is energy and how is it useful in physics? In what ways can we make predictions through the idea of conserving energy? Is energy really conserved?
Big Ideas:
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The student will understand the concepts of momentum and impulse and how they relate to forces and motion
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The student will understand how energy is transferred through systems and how to apply this to Work and Forces
Unit 4: Electricity and Magnetism
Essential Questions: How can we quantify something we cannot see? How can you, as a problem solver, find similarities between abstract concepts and tangible observations?
Big Ideas:
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Students will understand that electricity has similar properties and concepts to everyday things, such as water flowing through pipes
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Students will understand that there are differences in series and parallel circuits and apply this to lab settings
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Students will understand the origins of magnetic waves and their relation to electricity
Unit 5: Waves and Optics
Essential Questions: Where do we see waves? What are the implications of light being a wave with energy?
Big Ideas:
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Students will understand that light is a particle and a wave and be able to quantify the energy waves carry
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Students will understand the properties of waves and the ideas of reflection, refraction, diffraction, interference and the Doppler Effect
Unit 6: Modern Physics
Essential Questions: How do you study the unobservable? If we cannot see it, why does it matter? Is time travel possible?
Big Ideas:
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Students will understand that atoms are on a much smaller scale have different mechanics that quantify their motion and interactions and that atoms are made up of electrons and protons and neutrons
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Relativity is applicable at high speeds over large distances where time and space are altered