AP Physics 2015 Summer Assignment Welcome to AP Physics. This course is designed to give you the opportunity to earn college credit through the AP Physics I examination. AP Physics can be a conceptually and mathematically challenging course. The following pages are designed to ensure you have the foundation necessary to do well in this course. The following concepts are an integral part of this course, and they are skills you must be comfortable with from day 1. The more effort you put into this packet, the easier the beginning of the semester will be. If you do not feel comfortable with one or more of the following skills/concepts, it is your responsibility to use the resources available to you (a friend, the internet, or by e- mailing me) until these skills are second nature. We will NOT spend class time on this material, so it is your responsibility to get it done outside of the classroom. This packet will also count as your first homework assignment. If you have any questions or concerns about the assignment, please feel free to contact me at the below e-mail address. I look forward to a great year. Good luck and enjoy your summer, Mr. Dorsch ndorsch@bssd.net
Part I: Helpful Geometry and Trigonometry Review: Consider the diagram at the right, then answer the following: 1. What is line B in relationship to the circle? B a) Secant b) Tangent c) Chord A 2. Line A extends from the center of the circle, what is the angle measured between lines A and B? Angle = 3. What is the measure of θ in the diagram below? θ 142 4. What is the measure of angle θ in the diagram below? 30 θ 5. Find the area under the following curve: 7 10 22
Pythagorean Theorem - for any right triangle, a 2 + b 2 = c 2, where: a Find the unknown quantities for each right triangle given the information below, round to the nearest tenth. b 6. a = 9, b = 9, c = 7. a = 4, b =, c = 12 8. a =, b = 10, c = 13 c Basic Trigonometry: Using Sine, Cosine, and Tangent for any right triangle. Sin(θ) = opp adj ; Cos(θ) = hyp hyp ; Tan(θ) = opp adj Use the following triangle to find the unknown information for questions 9-12: a c 9. θ = 50 ; a = ; b = 10; c = b θ 10. θ = 60 ; a = ; b = ; c = 2 11. θ = ; a = ; b = 10; c = 15 12. θ = 45 ; a = 8 ; b = ; c =
Formula Manipulation: Some of the most difficult problems we ll see in this course are those which require implicit manipulation of a formula (solving for one of the variables in terms of the others). Solve the following relationships for the indicated variable: 13. v 2 = v 0 2 + 2a(x x 0 ) ; Solve for a: a = 14. x m = mλl d ; Solve for d: d = 15. qv = 1 2 mv2 ; Solve for v: v = 16. 1 f = 1 d 0 + 1 d i : Solve for d i : d i = 17. x = x 0 + v 0 t + 1 2 at2 ; solve for t: t = 18. F g = Gm 1m 2 r 2 ; solve for r: r =
Scientific Notation and Significant Figures: We deal with many macroscopic and microscopic contexts (ranging from studies of planetary motion to nuclear reactions), so scientific notation is commonly used, and we should be comfortable working with significant figures too. Write the following numbers in scientific notation: 19. 85100000 20. 0.0000000423 Write the following numbers in standard notation: 21. 6.67 x 10-11 22. 9.00 x 10 6 Identify the number of significant figures in each of the following: 23. 2.03 24. 0.00860 25. 500000000 26. 2.0550 27. 2.80 x 10-7 28. 0.003 x 10 5 Perform the following operations/calculations in accordance with Significant Figures: 29. (62.52)(0.032)(15.24) = 30. 15.246 + 1.24 = 31. (3.45)(0.0013) = 157 x 10 6
Part II: Intro to Inquiry In addition to the review of algebra and geometry, I would like for you to do some research this summer. Something semi-scientific. This next year will have a large lab emphasis with much of the learning stemming directly from experimental observations. With that in mind, the second part of your summer assignment will involve making observations, doing research, analyzing data, and reaching conclusions based on popular YouTube experiments. Choose any ONE of the following for your short report to be turned in on the First Day of Class as part of your first grade. Rubens tube Pendulum waves Singing Tesla Coil Ooblek Toroidal vortices Cloud in a bottle Bed of nails Again, the short report should include the following areas of focus: I. Background/Research How was the lab set up? What safety precautions must be taken? What key Physics Relationship(s) does the lab exhibit? What significance does this relationship have in real-world contexts? (You ll have to do a little digging beyond the video clip) II. Observations What observations can you make as you watch the lab? What measurements and data would you need to collect to support the relationship at play? Did the lab go as you expected? Were there any unexpected outcomes? In particular, be sure to include the following: 1. Record scientific observations and other scientists' findings regarding the phenomena. 2. Record any questions that come to mind when viewing the scientific phenomenon. III. Analysis/Conclusions: What does the data obtained from the experiment suggest? What conclusions can you reach about the particular physics phenomenon you choose to study? What aspects, if any, are still unclear and would need further exploration? You must include: 3. Propose how a variable could be changed in the experiment and suggest a hypothesis for the results. 4. Locate a graph, table, or equation associated with the scientific phenomena. Use mathematical reasoning to explain the model. 5. Locate a scientific explanation of the phenomenon and evaluate the evidence leading to that explanation. The report does not have to be a set number of pages or paragraphs, just do your best to respond fully to each of the sections listed above. Each numbered prompt must be addressed (i.e. #1 Record scientific observations and other scientists findings must be addressed). It does not have to follow a certain format, but I would title each section as Background, Observations, and Analysis. If you have any questions or concerns about the assignment, please feel free to contact me at the below e-mail address. I look forward to a great year. Good luck and enjoy your summer, Mr. Dorsch: ndorsch@bssd.net