Topics and Objectives:

​

• Scientific Method & Measurement

  • Outline Scientific Process and distinguish from bias, opinion, and prejudice.

  • Review parameters of measurement (metrics, volume, mass, area, density, scientific notation, uncertainty, graphing, precision, percent error, significant figures).

​

• Vectors

  • Distinguish vector quantities from scalar.

  • Identify components and conventions.

  • Determine resultant & equilibrant vectors.

  • Utilize properties (addition, subtraction, graphing), including trigonometry.

​

• Force & Linear Motion

  • Describe how motion is produced.

  • Explain what is meant by relative motion and factors involved.

  • Distinguish between speed and velocity and know how to calculate both. Describe the types of speed and velocity.

  • Define and calculate acceleration, acceleration due to gravity, and free fall.

  • Distinguish free fall from terminal velocity, incorporating air resistance.

​

• Projectile & Circular Motion​​

  • Identify five types of projectile motion.

  • Resolve horizontal and vertical components of various projectiles (horizontal, upwardly launched, non-horizontal off a cliff).

  • Rotational, linear (tangential) speed. Revolution. Centripetal & Centrifugal force. Simulated Gravity.

​

• Newton's Laws of Motion

  • Distinguish philosophy from scientific process based on Aristotle’s claims, Galileo’s experimentation, to Newton’s Laws of Motion.

  • Recognize and explain Newton’s First Law of Motion, Inertia, as the tendency of matter to resist change in motion.

  • Identify and explain friction [defining four kinds of friction] as a force that opposes motion, producing negative acceleration or “deceleration”.

  • Explain & calculate variables of Newton’s Second Law of Motion, f = ma, describing how force, acceleration, and mass are related. Force equals mass times acceleration.

  • Explain & recognize Newton’s Third Law of Motion which states that forces always occur in pairs. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

​

• Momentum, Impulse & Energy

  • Identify and give examples of the components of momentum (mass, speed, direction) in the motion of objects.

  • Calculate momentum involving elastic collisions and inelastic collisions while showing the conservation of momentum.

  • Define impulse in terms of force, time, and change in momentum. Explain practical applications of impulse (e.g. sports).

  • Define and calculate Potential Energy (PE) in terms of gravitational PE, and explain elastic PE.

  • Define and calculate Kinetic Energy (KE) related to the motion of object.

  • Recognize maximum PE, maximum KE, maximum velocity, rest position, and when PE = KE for moving objects.

  • Identify specific forms of energy and how they can be transformed into other forms.

​

• Work, Power, Simple Machines, Efficiency

  • Define and calculate Work as the force applied to an object over a specific distance (W = f d) in units of joules.

  • Understand how work relates to Potential Energy (mgh) & Kinetic Energy (½mv2).

  • Define and calculate Power as the amount of work done per unit of time (P = W/t) in units of Watts.

  • Classify the six simple machines, being able to calculate work done based on effort (force and distance) and resistance (force and distance) and calculating mechanical advantage.

  • Define & calculate efficiency of machines, knowing that real machines are never 100% efficient due to friction.

​

• Heat Transfer 

  • Distinguish aspects of heat flow (endothermic, exothermic, potential energy, kinetic energy, heat and temperature).

  • Identify heat flow, potential and kinetic energy, phase changes, and heating or cooling for phase diagrams of a substance.

  • Define temperature, heat flow direction, thermal expansion, and specific heat.

  • Calculate / measure heat changes in a system using a calorimeter.

  • Understand thermal expansion and its importance regarding water.

  • Distinguish the three types of heat transfer (radiation, conduction, convection).

  • Explain the difference between thermal insulators and conductors.

  • Understand and apply the concept of adiabatic processes.

​

• The Atom & Quantum

  • Explain the energy levels of atoms.

  • Understand that atoms are mostly empty space (Rutherford) and energy is quantized (Bohr).

  • Calculate energy, frequency, and wavelength of light absorbed or released by electrons when excited (absorption spectra) or returning to the ground state (emission spectra).

  • Recognize the color or portion of the light spectrum relating to electron energy, frequency and wavelength and where it fits in the electromagnetic spectrum.

​

• Nuclear Energy

  • Define "radioactivity"

  • Describe the three types of nuclear radiation

  • Summarize the history of the study of radioactivity

  • Describe the effects of nuclear radiation

  • Define "half-life" & solve problems involving the concept of half life

  • Discuss the application of radioactive decay to dating methods

  • Artificial Transmutation of Elements - Explain how one element can be changed into another by bombardment

  • Define and describe subatomic particles protons, neutrons, electrons in terms of composition, electric charge and arrangement (quarks, baryons, mesons).

  • Define Nuclear Fission

  • Describe the forces acting on an atomic nucleus

  • Summarize the history of the study of atomic fission

  • Explain how a nuclear power plant generates electricity

  • Define Nuclear Fusion & discuss the practical obstacles to nuclear fusion as a power source

  • Describe the process by which atomic fusion takes place

  • Explain where the energy from a nuclear fusion reaction comes from

​

• Static Electricity & Magnetism

  • Which particle is involved in transfer of charge between objects?

  • Compare and contrast Static Electricity and Magnetism (similarities, differences).

  • Explain the source of electrostatics and how objects are affected by it.

  • Identify properties of magnetic objects.

  • Distinguish and draw electric field lines around charges and magnetic field lines around magnets, labelling the charges and the poles.

  • Identify properties of electrified objects and magnetic objects (retention, strength).

  • Understand how magnets are formed and sustained.

  • Define and understand insulators and conductors.

  • Describe the transfer of charge, which particle is most involved.

  • Understand magnetic strength related to magnet size and composition.

  • Explain friction, induction and conduction related to electrostatics and magnetism.

​

• Electric & Magnetic Fields, Current, Circuits & Electromagnetic Induction

  • Define & calculate components of electric fields (energy, charge, & force).

  • Understand voltage related to force and distance (work).

  • Explain components of electric current in relation to Ohm’s law.

  • Distinguish direct current from alternating current.

  • Differentiate series circuits and parallel circuits and calculate electrical power, voltage, current, and resistance for each.

  • Define & calculate components of magnetic fields (right/left hand rules, flux, charge & force).

  • Explain electromagnetic induction and give practical applications (Faraday’s Law, electrical usage).

  • Distinguish motors from generators.

  • Describe electrical transmission in terms of voltage, current, and transformers.

​​

• Waves & Sound Energy 

  • Define electromagnetic radiation and recognize the relationship between frequency, wavelength, energy, and the speed of light.

  • Describe wave-particle duality and classify associated properties of light (photoelectric effect, reflection, refraction, diffraction, and polarization).

  • How is sound produced, transmitted, and heard?

  • Define the properties of sound waves (longitudinal, wavelength, amplitude, frequency, speed) and calculate variables.

  • Properties of Sound Waves
    Reflection, Refraction, Doppler Effect, Amplitude, Diffraction, Music

  • Explain and recognize behaviors of sound waves (Doppler Effect, refraction, reflection) [resonance, diffraction (enrichment)].

  • Distinguish between pure sound, noise, and music. How do musical instruments work? 

​

• Light - EM Radiation, Reflection, Refraction

  • Identify and define the electromagnetic spectrum, giving practical applications of each range (wavelength, frequency, energy).

  • Recognize, draw, measure and calculate using reflection of light, the law of reflection, and components of light when it reflects off a reflective surface.

  • Recognize, draw, measure and calculate using refraction of light, optical density, index of refraction, identifying all components of light as it refracts while travelling through different media, including total internal reflection.

​

• Light & Color - Mirrors and Lenses

  • Name the three major types of mirrors and describe & draw how light is transmitted through them.

  • Name the two major types of lenses and describe & draw how light is transmitted through them.

  • Calculate focal points, object and image distances and shapes related to each type of mirror and lens.

 

• Light - Polarization, Behavior, Human Eye, Color

  • Define polarization and give real life examples of its use.

  • Understand the behavior of light in various materials (transparency, translucency, opacity, and scattering).

  • Identify and define the anatomy of the human eye responsible for vision.

  • Distinguish between primary additive, primary subtractive, and complementary colors of Light. Be able to define how each color is created.

​​

• Student Project

  • Participate in a project-based, independent study, learning unit as a review of one major concept from 2nd semester.

  • Use class notes, labs, homework, textbook, internet, and other resources to research ideas to create a lab experience based on Motion, Newton’s Laws, Simple Machines, Heat Transfer, Electricity, Sound, or Light.

  • Submit a report of the project that includes all elements of a formal lab report.​