advanced placement physics c curriculum and...

Advanced Placement Physics C Curriculum and Resource Document

2014-2015 Class Syllabus for AP Physics C

"It seemed that the next minute they would discover a solution. Yet it was clear to both of them that the end was still far, far off, and that the hardest and most complicated part was only just beginning."

--Anton Chekhov

Course Overview:

Congratulations on success in your first year of physics. AP Physics C is a second-year physics course. Those of you who have succeeded in PreAP Physics are already very well prepared for college physics. The AP Physics C course is designed to incorporate concepts and skills from the first year course and apply these to deriving many of the theorems and laws used in the physical systems we studied in the first-year course. Differential and integral calculus will be applied as both a conceptual tool and as a cudgel to manipulate problems and systems that would otherwise be incomprehensible. The curriculum blueprint from this course indicates concurrent enrollment in Calculus as a prerequisite to this course. Calculus is not a necessity to succeed in this class, but it is strongly recommended that students bear this qualification in mind when enrolling. In this course, we will spend a great deal of time problem solving, a modest amount of time in the laboratory, and a minimal amount of time, especially as the year progresses, in lecture. You already know most of the concepts. Now we begin to both truly apply them and see where they come from. However, this course is very difficult and will require significant independent study and diligent effort on the part of every student if success is to be found.

This Class and the AP Exam:

You will be taking both Physics C: Mechanics and Physics C: Electromagnetic theory. Per Prosper ISD policy, you will take both AP exams in May.

Like most 1st year college physics courses, Physics C is broken into sections by semester: the first for mechanics and the second for electromagnetism. Per district policy, students enrolled in this class will take both tests since this class is taught as a single unit. You will be scored separately on each section. Most colleges will award one half-credit (one semester) of sophomore-level, calculus-based physics for a score of 4 or 5 on either section of the exam. You should also maintain copies of your laboratory work, discussed below, as these may be necessary for placement at some schools. Unlike most college courses this class does not delve into thermodynamics (barely touched on last year) and waves & optics (covered well in your first-year course).

As an added note: Some of your predecessors blew off the E&M part of the course after they discovered their university did not accept this AP exam. Bad idea. Several of them ended up transferring to schools that did take the credit and ended up having to take freshman physics during their junior and senior years! Furthermore, while the content we will study in E&M will initially seem very new and complicated, if you give it a chance you will find it to be quite easy and meaningful.

Daily Required Materials:

Text: Halliday. Resnick and Walker. Fundamentals of Physics, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 6th or 7th editions.

Writing Utensil

Straight Edge (a good protractor is recommended)

Graphing calculator (TI-83 or better)

WebAssign.com (more details to come), Remind101 and/or Twitter (more details to follow)

Supplementary materials (not required, but handy):

Drawing compass

Prep Outline: Students are STRONGLY encouraged to purchase an AP prep outline (Princeton Review is a favorite of mine) to assist with the course. Such a review will become most useful during the course review following Spring Break, but will also be a good place to look for study resources for your unit tests.

Course Outline:

The following topics will be covered in the time frame given: The first semester will comprise the mechanics section of the course. The second semester will comprise the E & M section of the course. Teachers will complete instruction on all course topics by spring break or shortly thereafter, depending on the specific calendar. This will give students ample time for an organized and constructive review in the month leading up to the AP exam.

Grading in this Class:

Formative Grades: 40% of student average, including

Homework, online, weight = 1 per assignment, a units HW grade may count for as many as 4 to 5 grades

Labs, grade based on successful completion of labs AND in class participation during activity, weight = 1

Quizzes, weight = 2

Summative Grades: 60% of student average, including

Full-length Examinations, weight = 2

Half-length Examinations, weight = 1

Projects, weight TBA (some projects may count as labs)

Exams:

Examinations will occur at the conclusion of each unit unless otherwise indicated in this course outline

Exam format:

Each test will include 10 25 multiple choice questions usually related directly to the content covered in that unit although a few review questions may be included. 2 - 4 free response questions, often taken directly from past AP exams will comprise the remainder of each exam. Where available, the actual AP scoring rubric for these questions will be used in assessing student work. Students may use a calculator and equation sheet on the free-response section, but not on multiple-choice questions. Exams will be timed to reflect an AP testing atmosphere. 45 minutes will be allotted for the multiple choice and another 45 minutes will be provided for the free response questions. As the year progresses tests will become more lengthy and comprehensive, in reflections of the nature of the AP exam. Most tests will be administered over the course of a whole block day. Some tests will allow for timed periods of student cooperation.

Peer grading of free response questions according to AP rubrics will be employed as the year progresses as it is an important part of the learning process.

Labs:

Approximately 25% of this course is spent in laboratory work. Some units have significantly more labs available and some have fewer. In general, during the first semester of this class (Mechanics) there are more labs available to us in the high school environment and correspondingly more time will be spent on hands on activities than in the later semester (Electromagnetic Theory) of the class. Laboratory goals are described in the teacher notes section of the outline below. Laboratory assignments are coded in the course outline to indicate the format of the lab. The following key will provide a more detailed explanation. Most labs will be performed in one 50-minute class period, although some will require additional time spent for either additional data collection and student analysis as indicated.

All labs will require one of the following:

Completion of a formal laboratory report that will be graded on a rubric specific to that lab exercise. (50% of all labs, labs to be formally written up are indicated in the Curriculum and Resource Document, below)

Completion of supplementary resources related to that laboratory exercise, usually accompanied by classroom discussion. (50% of all labs)

Miscellaneous Grading Notes:

No late work will be accepted unless a student misses class with an excused absence.

Additional extra credit may be assigned individually or to the class on an as needed basis.

Tests may be curved at my discretion. All curves will be mathematically justifiable and applied uniformly.

All homework is due the period after it is assigned unless otherwise stated on the students unit syllabus.

Students may view their grades anytime except during class.

While I have confidence that all students can achieve success in this course, As are difficult to come by based on these standards. Hard work is often required to achieve success at this level, but remember that an A doesnt mean that you have just worked hard, but rather it suggests that you are getting it right 90% of the time, every time. This type of mastery requires that you be exceptionally diligent in your studying.

Semester exam grades will be calculated based on the scoring standards an AP Physics C examination.

Absenteeism:

The student will be allowed one day for each excused absence to make up work. School field trips and activities will not count as absences. It is the student's responsibility to get all missed assignments and communicate any problems with the teacher. Any work not turned in within the designated make up time period will receive a grade of zero and no make up will be permitted.

The tutorial period is for tutoring and help with daily assignments. I am happy to help with work in any subject area. Any tests or labs will be made up during a prearranged time outside school hours. If a student is unable to attend these make-up sessions due to another academic or athletic event, a note must be shown from that instructor and another time will be scheduled. Any student who chooses not to attend the scheduled make up session will receive a zero for the missed work. If students do not arrive in a timely manner for scheduled sessions, I may not be available and any missing work will receive a grade of zero.

In any AP course it is imperative that students attend every class and are present for each exam. If you have strenuous extracurricular activities that will necessitate frequent absences then this class is probably not for you! Frequent absences on test days will be met with a serious response as an alternate exam must be created for fairness. In an AP class this is a difficult task as there is a limited amount of material available from existing AP examinations. If you miss any exam, your raw score will stand as your grade since there will be no mathematical basis for creating a curve.

Academic Honesty:

Students are expected to complete work individually with the exception of in-class labs and group projects. Any lab write-ups, homework, quizzes and tests are considered individual assignments. Neither copying and "sharing," nor cheating of any kind will be tolerated. Any instances of academic dishonesty will be reported immediately to the school administration and the student will receive and automatic grade of zero on the assignment. There will not be ANY opportunity for make up. Cheating has become a profound problem in our schools today and it seriously undermines the integrity of the academic process. In my lexicon, cheating is tantamount to stealing something that does not belong to you, namely the academic success of others. Further penalties include my informing any coaches and/or club sponsors (including NHS) of the occurrence, as well as my rescinding of any letters of recommendation to any colleges that I may have written for the offending student.

Advanced Placement Physics C Curriculum and Resource Document

Key to Reference Laboratory Type:

Trad: A traditional, student led, hands-on physics lab utilizing analog and/or primitive instrumentation for data collection (i.e., ruler, metric balance, stopwatch, graph paper, etc)

CAL: Computer-Aided Lab. A traditional, student led lab exercise which utilizes the use of digital sensors and computer data collection and analysis. PCs with Verniers LoggerPro 3.x will be utilized along with the LabPro data interface and various digital sensors (motion, force, acceleration, charge, current, voltage, magnetic field, etc.).

Online: Lab to be performed using a JAVA applet or other online resource.

Inquiry: An open-ended lab in which the student must devise a procedure/choose materials to analyze a given topic.

Demo: Teacher led demonstration w/ discussion.

Unit/TopicObjectivesTimeNotesAssignments

Unit 1: Linear Motion

Motion

Position and Displacement

Avg Velocity and Avg Speed

Instantaneous Velocity and Speed

Acceleration

Constant Acceleration a special case

Freefall

Graphical Interpretations

Linearization of data w/ graphing for non-linear functional relationships

Approx. 12 daily classes

Includes time spent on learning elementary linear calculus techniques for analysis of motion equations. Calculus techniques will be learned over a period of approx. 2 days and reinforced when relevant throughout the course.

Lab Goals:

The labs selected for this unit are traditionally employed in many first-year college physics courses. Goals include guiding students to the relationships between kinematics variables via hands-on demonstration and critical thinking.

Labs:

Walking Graphs (CAL, 80 minutes)

Acceleration on an inclined plane (CAL, 60 minutes, FORMAL REPORT)

Acceleration under the influence of gravity (CAL, photogates, 50 minutes)

Unit 2: Vectors

(Test with unit 3)

Vectors and scalars

Components of Vectors

Vector Addition

Dot Product

Cross Product

Vectors applied to Physics


Unit 3: Projectiles and 2D motion

Projectile Launched horizontally

Projectiles Launched at an Angle

Range w/out time

Uniform Circular Motion again

Relative Motion


Lab Goals:

The projectile lab that accompanies this unit provides an opportunity for hands-on analysis of the systems covered in lecture.

Labs: Horizontal Projectile (Trad, 50 minutes)

Unit 4: Forces I

(Test with unit 5)

Newtons 1st Law static equilibrium

Force

Mass

Newtons 2nd Law d;ynamics of a single particle

Newtons 3rd Law

Applying Newtons Laws


Lab Goals: The selected labs will provide hands-on experiences related to the topics/titles. The Newtons 2nd Law lab is largely conceptual in nature, whereas the Hookes Law lab is inquiry-oriented and requires students to do a comprehensive analysis including the design of a procedure and the use of graphical analysis techniques.

Labs:

Hookes Law (Trad, Inquiry, 50 minutes, FORMAL REPORT)

Newtons Second Law (Trad, 50 minutes)

Unit 5: Forces II

Friction

Properties of Friction

Drag Force and Terminal Speed

Centripetal Force

9 daily classes

Students will set-up differential equations to describe situations with non-constant and resistive forces. Students will learn to solve these functions later in the year.

Lab Goals:

The friction lab enumerated here has students compute (via experimental data and graphical analysis) the coefficient of friction for the Pasco Dynamics system and assess whether these lab tools are truly appropriate to use as a frictionless environment in earlier kinematics experiments.

Labs:

Friction on an inclined plane (CAL, 50 minutes)

Centripetal Force (Trad, 50 minutes, FORMAL REPORT)

Unit 6: Work

(Test with unit 7)***

Kinetic Energy

Work

Work and Energy

Work done by Gravity

Work done by a spring

Work done by a varying force

3 daily classes

Emphasize the use of integration techniques for solving problems involving work done by non-constant forces (esp. the spring force)

This is the first time students in this course will have to employ real techniques of integration (definite integrals) as opposed to simple Power Rule differentiation with functional answers.

Lab Goals:

The non-constant force/work lab utilizes student data collected during the Hookes Law experiment (above). Students must integrate their force function (F(x)) and compare their calculation against theoretical values for their chosen spring.

Labs:

Work done by a non-constant force (Trad, 90 minutes, FORMAL REPORT)

Unit 7: Energy

Work and Potential Energy

Conservative Forces

Conservation of Mechanical Energy

Work done by an External Force

8 daily classes

Students will understand conservative vs. non-conservative forces and their relation to conservation of energy.

Lab Goals:

In this lab students must collect data (either bounce height or velocity) from a bouncing or basketball and use this information to determine the energy transferred from the ball by each bounce. The solution will be an equation fitted to the students data and will be different for each student. This lab is a great opportunity not only for inquiry-based learning, but also for student use of either graphing calculators or spreadsheet software for data analysis.

Labs: Conservation of Energy (Inquiry, CAL, 90 minutes, FORMAL REPORT)

Unit 8: Momentum

Center of Mass

Newtons 2nd law for a system of particles

Linear Momentum

Linear Momentum for a system of particles

Collision and Impulse

Conservation of Linear Momentum

Momentum and K.E. in collisions

Inelastic Collisions(one and two dimensions)

Elastic Collisions(one and two dimensions)

10 daily classes

Students will use integration to find impulse where appropriate. Students will also analyze motion functions (usually of velocity) with differentiation and integration to determine relevant information with regard to the impulse-momentum theorem.

Lab Goals:

Students will perform and compare the results of two experiments in an effort to test the validity of the impulse/momentum theorem. A statistical analysis of the similarities of the end results will be performed.

Labs:

Conservation of Momentum In Collisions (Demo, Pasco dynamics carts, 15 minutes)

Impulse/Momentum (CAL, motion detector combined w/ force sensor, 90 minutes)

Unit 9: Rotational Motion (Test with Angular momentum)

Rotation with Constant Angular Acceleration

Relate Linear and Angular Variables

Kinetic Energy of Rotation

Rotational Inertia

Torque

Newtons 2nd law for rotation (Static Equilibrium)

4 daily classes

Lab Goals:

Students will assess how the angle of an applied force affects the torque needed to keep a meter stick in balance. In their data analysis, students must connect their results to the sine element in the torque/force equation.

Labs:

Torque, balancing and non-right angles (CAL/Trad, Force Probe or Spring Scale, 50 minutes)

Unit 10 : Angular Momentum

Work and Rotational K.E.

Rolling as Translation and Rotation

Kinetic Energy of Rolling

Angular Momentum

Angular Momentum of a system of particles

Angular Momentum of a rigid body

The gyroscope

8 daily classes

Lab Goals/ Notes:

A rotating chair, disk weight plates and a bicycle wheel will be used to provide students with concrete examples of conversation of angular momentum in real systems.

A demonstration similar to the projectile lab indicated above will be employed as a demonstration during our study of rotational energy with the intent to demonstrate rotational inertia & energy as a component missing from our analysis of a projectile as a multi-directional (i.e., x & y) linear, kinematic system. Data will be collected as a class and analyzed individually.

Labs:

Conservation of Angular Momentum (Demo, 20 minutes)

Demonstration of rotational kinetic energy as a factor in a rolling/translating system. (Demo, 40 minutes, FORMAL REPORT based on data collected as a class)

Unit 11: Gravity & Oscillations

Newtons Law of Gravitation

Gravitation and the law of superposition

Gravity near earths surface

Gravity inside earth

Gravitational potential energy

Planet and satellites

Keplers laws

Satellites: orbits and energy

Simple Harmonic Motion

Force Law for simple harmonic motion

Energy in SHM

Angular SHM oscillator

Pendulums

SHM and Uniform circular motion

9 - 12 daily classes

(depends on semester time window)

Unit 12: Electrostatics

Electric Charge

Coulombs Law

Simple E-Fields

Static and Dynamic behavior of charges in an E-field.

Electric fields of continuous charge distribution

point, dipole, line, disk, other shapes

Electric Flux

Gauss Law and symmetric distributions

Charged, isolated conductor

Cylindrical symmetry

Planar symmetry

Spherical symmetry


Many of the objectives in this unit are a review and addition to topics addressed in Physics I. Most class time will be spent on using calculus to define the electric fields of various objects. Emphasis will be placed on the use of Gauss Law of understand symmetric distributions as this topic is critical to students understanding of later topics in E&M. Some problems involving Gauss Law will include scenarios with a non-uniform distribution of charge that varies in one direction (ordinarily spherical or cylindrical symmetry where the concentration of charge varies with r, the distance from the center, but not with the or coordinates). In all cases, electric fields will always be analyzed as superposition functions and thus will require will include the solving of definite and indefinite integrals.

Lab Goals:

See Assignments column.

Labs:

The Van de Graaf Generator and the behavior of static charges (Trad, CAL, Demo, approx. 50 minutes)

Electric Field Mapping (CAL, approx. 90 minutes)

Lab Goals:

Students will understand the construction and use of the Van de Graaf Generator via inspection and experimentation.

Students will qualitatively observe the behavior of static charge in a strong electric field.

Students will understand electric field topography based on equipotential surfaces.

Unit 13: Electric Potential

(Test with unit 14)***

Vectors and scalars

Electric Potential Energy

Electric Potential

Equipotential Surfaces

Potential from charge distributions (points, dipole, line, others)

Potential of a charged, isolated conductor


Students will employ the skills learned in unit 12 to find electric field intensities and relate this information to the electric potential. Use of integral calculus will be employed in this process to assist with spatial analysis of various charge densities/symmetries.

Lab Goals: Students will experimentally define electric fields via the right-angle relationship between the field and multiple, measured equipotential lines. In this lab students will qualitatively determine field intensity by means of the density of field lines.

Labs:

Electric Field Mapping (Finding Equipotential Surfaces using voltmeters), (Trad, 50 minutes, can also be done with digital sensors)

Unit 14: Capacitance

Capacitors and Capacitance

Type of Capacitors

Capacitors in Series and Parallel

Finding the E-field inside a capacitor

Energy Stored in the Electric Field

Dielectrics (conceptual)


Analysis of changes in the electric field inside a capacitor will be stressed on both a qualitative and quantitative level where Gausss Law and appropriate integrals for electric potential will be used to determine characteristics of capacitors including charge stored, E-field, potential difference and capacitance. Dielectrics will be discussed on a conceptual basis, although students will be asked to identify how the presence (or removal) of a dielectric creates a change in a capacitor or circuit.

Lab Goals: This demonstration will use a simple Lyden Jar apparatus with different dielectricmaterials to differentiate both qualitatively (the intensity of the arc when discharged) and quantitatively (using digital charge sensors) the effect of a dielectric material on capacitance.

Labs:

Capacitors and Dielectrics w/ the Van de Graff generator, digital charge sensors, Lyden jar (Demo/CAL, 20 minutes)

Unit 15: Electric Current, Resistance and Circuits

Moving charges and currents

Current density

Resistance and Resistivity

Ohms Law

Power in Electric Circuits

Work, Energy and the EMF.

Circuits (Kirchoffs Rules)

Single Loop

Multi-loop

RC circuits


Emphasis will be on laboratory exercises in circuitry. Resistor only circuits will be mainly review from Physics I. RC circuits will be discussed in detail and problems in circuits will deal mostly with these.

The equations governing the functions q(t), i(t) and v(t) for an RC will be derived using Kirchoffs Rules and analysis of the resulting differential equations. Students will demonstrate the capacity to derive the equations from scratch.

Lab Goals:

Students will learn, via trial and error inquiry, the correct use of ammeters and voltmeters in circuit analysis. (Review from Physics I)

Students will analyze the relationship between voltage and current in a simple circuit (Ohms Lawa review from Physics I) and study the mathematical differences inherent when a non-ohmic resistor (light bulb) is employed in the same circuit. The non-ohmic resistor provides an opportunity for students to linearize (by graphing), inherently non-linear data.

Students will devise a process to study the relationships between current, resistance and voltage in series and parallel circuits as well as in combination circuits in an inquiry-based lab.

Students will observe the behavior of a simple RC circuit by employing an oscilloscope and a square-wave signal generator.

Labs:

Ammeters and Voltmeters: a study of the operations of circuit analysis instrumentation. (CAL, 50 minutes)

Ohms Law (CAL, 50 minutes),

Advanced Series and Parallel Circuits (CAL, Inquiry, 90 minutes),

RC Circuits (Demo, 20 minutes)

Unit 16: Magnetic Fields (tested with unit 17 at instructors discretion)

Magnetic Materials

Magnetic Fields

Fields due to charges

Gauss Law for B-fields

B-Fields due to currents

Amperes Law

Magnetic force on a current-carrying wire (torque on a loop)


Students will find B-fields for various circumstances (wires, loops, solenoids, etc) using Amperes Law and integral calculus. The Biot-Savart Law will be introduced, but encouraged only as a tool in geometries where Amperes Law may not be appropriate. Specific examples covered will include the magnetic field at the center of a circular arc. In this case, students may be asked to integrate to find the field intensity for a particular radian measure of angle.

Lab Goals:

Students will witness the effect of permanent and electromagnets on the screen of a CRT. Students will also witness the effect of changes in current on the patterns observed in the CRT screen. Students will be asked to discuss the nature of the changes and the reasons for any patterns witnessed. This is a qualitative lab.

The magnetic fields due to currents lab relies on the students use of a B-field sensor to measure the intensity of a B-field at increasing radial distances from a wire carrying a high current. The student will graph this data and compare to solutions from Amperes Law and Biot-Savarts equation. Since the B-field sensors are highly directional and susceptible to the Earths B-field, the results for this lab are dubious and difficult to obtain. There are also safety concerns regarding the use of significant currents. I am currently seeking a replacement for this experiment in our curriculum.

Labs:

Magnetic field effects from permanent and electromagnets on a CRT (Demo, 10 minutes)

B-fields due to currents (CAL, 50 minutes)

Unit 17: Electromagnetism

Faraday/Lenzs Laws

Self-induction and RL circuits

The use of Ohms Law to determine the induced emf in a circuit.

Energy Stored in a magnetic field

As Time Permits:

RLC circuits

Maxwells Equations

The displacement current

5 daily classes

Magnetic induction will be studied both qualitatively (using the right-hand-rule) and quantitatively using the differential form of Faraday/Lenzs Law. Problems involving magnetic induction caused by both changes in area as well as changes in B-field intensity will be analyzed. In the case of a changing area, the differential form of a given, constant velocity function (dx/dt) will be used to determine a change in the magnetic flux. Induced currents due to area changes involving non-constant velocities/accelerations will be discussed (using appropriate differential equations from the Mechanics part of the course), but not applied, except for an occasional homework problem. Induced currents due to changes in the B-field intensity will be approached from two perspectives:

1) Changes in the current creating the field

2) Changes in the spatial distance from the field source.

These problems will require both the application of integration (finding a function that describes a spatially dependent magnetic flux) as well as differentiation (finding the induced emf and current in a wire loop in this scenario).

Lab Goals:

These demonstrations are intended to provide a dynamic, visible application of concepts discussed in lecture emphasizing the resistive force on a magnet created by self-induction and the inductance current generated by a changing magnetic field. The use of a solenoid in the latter demonstration serves as a springboard for a conceptual discussion of the modern electric generator. Further applications of electromagnetism, such as power transformers, are discussed as time permits.

Labs:

Induced currents and the Galvanometer

Magnet falling through a copper pipe and solenoid (Demo, 20 minutes)

RL circuits (Demo, 15 minutes, time permitting)

Course Review

As time permits before the AP examination, the instructor will lead in-class reviews based on annual student feedback. Areas of particular interest (especially where the concurrent calculus curriculum at our school does not align with Physics C) are noted at the right.

Variable by calendar year.

Topics of Emphasis For Guided Review:

The analysis of motion graphs/functions using calculus (differentiation and integration)

Linearization of data w/ graphing for non-linear functional relationships

Examples will be brought from both mechanics topics and E&M.

Solving the differential equation set up for a resistive/non-constant force scenario

The use of centripetal force in problem solving and free-body diagrams

Contd in next colum

Torque and Angular momentum (general, but including the derivation of center of mass and moment of inertiaapplication of integral calculus)

Appropriate use of Keplers Laws

Gauss Laws for Electricity and Magnetism

Review the major symmetries

Solving the integral

Amperes Law

Solving the integral

Faraday/Lenz

RC Circuits

Parent Acknowledgement of Class Policies

Dear Parents,

Your son or daughter is taking Calculus-based AP Physics. Congratulations (and apologies) are in order!

Congratulations!

This is college-level physics and is very difficult. Your child is to be commended for successfully completing the coursework necessary to come this far academically. This class will advance your child far beyond the education and understanding in science that most people in this country, or indeed in the world, ever achieve! Colleges typically award up to 8 credit hours for success on the AP Physics C exams.

Apologies!

This is college-level physics and is very difficult. Your child will have homework every night! Students should be prepared to complete between four and ten problems of varying difficulty in between each class. That means that in order for a student to achieve academic success, they must stay current with the material. I cannot, save in extraordinary circumstances, accept late work. Maximum success in this class will entail that your children give a minimum of one hour every day, sometimes more, over to study and homework for this class.

About the class:

This course is broken up by topic units based on the material covered. The primary purpose of an AP Physics course is to present students with a course that is equivalent in scope to what students could expect in the first year of college. Generally calculus-based general physics is a sophomore or 2000-level course taken by freshmen physics, mathematics, chemistry and engineering majors. Students in a pre-medical program typically take this same course as juniors and many advanced business and law programs also require similar coursework due to the emphasis on mathematics and logic in problem solving. Per PISD policy, every student is required to take the AP Physics exam that is given in May.

I plan to have completed the teaching of all course material by the first week of April. The remainder of April and the 1st week of May will be spent in review. I will be holding extra review sessions outside of school as we close with the AP exam.

Recent surveys by the College Board consider this class to be one of the most challenging courses offered at most high schools! Because of the rigor, this curriculum has been lauded as a model of what AP courses should represent. Because of the scope and pace of the material some students will find themselves lost and frustrated, especially if they do not quickly establish a daily routine for dealing with the coursework. Please encourage your children to seek me for assistance when they encounter problems.

Please take time to review the detailed syllabus your son or daughter has been given. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact me at any time. Email is the absolute best method to ensure a prompt and complete response to any issues that may arise. You may also leave me a message through the front office.

Sincerely,

John C. Boehringer email: [email protected], Office Phone: (469)219-2180

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Parent/Guardian Name (Printed)Parent/Guardian Signature

Parent/Guardian Email and Phone

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