AP Physics 2 Course Overview AP Physics 2 is a year long class taken Sophomore, Junior or Senior year.. Each class meets every day for 55 minutes over 170 days. The class's curriculum is designed to cover all the required topics of the AP Curriculum and to do applied physics projects, utilize cooperative learning groups and allow students to investigate a variety of concepts in the manner that best suits them. The course focuses on the interconnections between the various strands and units contained in the course syllabus and how each contributes to the Big Ideas that provide a core foundation for this science course. Problem solving techniques and strategies are fine tuned throughout the year, and students are continually tasked with connecting physics applications learned in different units in order to synthesize solutions to complex problems. The course textbook was specifically chosen due to its focus on key underlying principles and modeling of physics phenomena in a manner similar to the Big Ideas. Course Text: Knight, Randall D., Jones, Brian, and Field Stuart. 2010. College Physics: A Strategic Approach. 2 nd Edition. Pearson Addison-Wesley. San Francisco. Course goals include developing each student's intuition, creativity and investigative abilities. Through inquiry-based learning, students will develop critical thinking and reasoning skills. Students have the opportunity to meet the learning objectives in a variety of ways andto apply their knowledge to real world experiences and societal issues. Instructional time involves a variety of student-centered activities. Students have the opportunity to work cooperatively to solve challenging problems and to present their solutions to the class. Throughout the year connections to the world are explored in discussions, group projects, and class demonstrations. Laboratory work, described below, offers frequent opportunities to work cooperatively, explore ideas, and present information. Outside of class students read the assigned text and complete homework assignments that support and reinforce each lesson as well as what has been learned in the laboratory setting. Unit exams take place at the end of each block of instruction Students spend 25% of the instructional time engaged in laboratory work and Engineering design projects. Experiments designed by the instructor are used to demonstrate procedural guidelines and to learn how to use specific laboratory equipment. The majority of labs are inquiry- based where students are given an objective and a set of materials. They are tasked with designing a procedure and collecting data to determine specific quantities, determine the relationship between variables, and/or to derive fundamental physics equations. Laboratory design, experimentation, data gathering, data presentation, analysis, drawing conclusions, and experimental error analysis are elements in these lab activities.
AP Physics 2 Course Outline All Chapters refer to Knight, Jones, Field College Physics: A Strategic Approach Thermal Physics Unit 1: Thermodynamics - Chapter 11 and 12-7 Problem sets A. Kinetic Molecular Theory B. Expansion of solids C. Gas Laws D. Conservation of Thermal Energy - Calorimetry E. Specific heat F. Entropy G. Heat Engines H. Application: Design an energy producing system for a small town. Solids and Fluids Unit 2: Fluid Mechanics - Chapter 13 5 Problem sets A. Deformation of Solids B. Density and Pressure C. Buoyancy and Archimedes Principle D. Fluid flow and Bernoulli s equation E. Hydraulic Activity Electricity and Magnetism Unit 3: Static Electricity - Chapter 20 & 21-3 problem sets A. Coulomb's Law B. Electric Fields and Intensity C. Electric Potential and Electric Potential Energy Unit 4 : RC Circuits - Chapters 21 & 23 6 Problem sets A. Capacitors B. RC Circuits Unit 5 : Magnetic Inductance Chapter 25 4 Problem sets A. Magnetic Flux B. Faraday s Law C. Lenz s Law D. Self-Inductance E. Inductance Invention
Electro-Magnetic Waves Unit 6: Reflection & Refraction of Light Chapter 18 3 Problem Sets A. Huygens Principle B. Law of Reflection and Refraction C. Total Internal Reflection Unit 7: Lens & Mirrors Chapter 18 & 19 3 Problem Sets A. Images from Convex & Concave Mirrors B. Images from Convex and Concave Lens C. Application: Laser Shoot Unit 8: Interference and Diffraction Chapter 17 2 Problem Sets A. Thin Film Interference B. Double-Slit Interference C. Single-Slit Interference D. Diffraction E. Polarization Modern Physics Unit 9: Special Relativity Chapter 27 5 Problem Sets A. Speed of Light B. Consequences of Special Relativity C. Relativistic Addition of Velocities D. Relativistic Energy Unit 10: Quantum Mechanics Chapter 28 5 Problem Sets A. Planck s Hypothesis B. Photoelectric Effect C. Pair Production D. Compton Scattering E. Wave Properties of Particles F. Uncertainty Principle Unit 11: Nuclear Physics Chapter 29 & 30 3 Problem sets
AP2 Physics Labs/Activities 1--Thermodynamics Specific heat lab Determine the Specific Heat of a material. Students will develop and use a procedure of their own design. Thermo demo lab Describe and explain 6 demonstrations of various Thermodynamic concepts Keplersberg Project Research and design an energy producing system for a small town 2--Fluids and Solids Deformation Lab Determine the Youngs modulus for a rubber band. Kiss the Floor Activity Use the Youngs modulus for a rubber band to determine how far a 5 Kg mass will hang off the floor. Bernoulli Demo s Create and perform a demonstration of Bernoulli s principle Hydraulic Activity Design and construct a device that utilizes hydraulics and mechanical advantage to lift a 5 kg mass with a 1 kg mass. 3--Capacitance, RC Circuits and Inductance Capacitance Lab Investigate the behavior of capacitors in a simple RC Circuit Magnetic Strength Lab Develop and utilize a procedure to determine the magnetic field strength of a bar magnet. Research and Development Create a device that can be used in everyday life that utilizes magnetic induction. 4--E & M-Static Energy of Electric Fields Static lab Investigate the behavior of different materials that create a static charge. 5--Capacitance, RC Circuits Capacitance Lab Investigate the behavior of capacitors in a simple RC Circuit 6 Magnetic Inductance Magnetic Strength Lab Develop and utilize a procedure to determine the magnetic field strength of a bar magnet. Research and Development Create a device that can be used in everyday life that utilizes magnetic induction. 7--Reflection and Refraction of Light Color Lab Investigate the addition and subtraction of light as it relates to color. Ray Box Lab Investigate the behavior of light as it moves off and through various objects.
8--Lens and Mirrors Laser Shoot Design and construct a setup that will pass a laser beam through various optical devices and hit a target. 9--Interference and Diffraction of Light Soap Bubble Lab Use thin film interference to determine the thickness of a soap bubble. Cellphones and Popcorn Discrepant event, explain how a cell phone can pop corn. Laser Lab Use a diffraction grating to determine the wavelength of a red laser. 10--Special Relativity Rellabs Conduct 4 different experiments with a computer program designed to investigate the effects of special relativity on moving objects. 11--Quantum Mechanics Electron Diffraction Activity Determine the physical characteristics of an experiment that will show electrons behaving like waves. Photo-Electric lab Design an experiment to verify one of Einsteins assumptions concerning the behavior of some materials electrons when hit with photons. 12 Nuclear Physics Research Project Students work in groups to research and present current nuclear research that is occurring today.