PhysicsPhysicsLa CaLa Cañada High Schoolñada High School

““Dr. E” Dr. E”

Mark Ewoldsen, Ph.D.Mark Ewoldsen, Ph.D.

Physics Physics Course DescriptionCourse DescriptionThis is a laboratory course in Physics that prepares the students for the California STAR exam in physics by covering the appropriate State Science Standards

The essential topics are motion and forces, conservation of energy and momentum, heat and thermodynamics, waves, and electrical and magnetic phenomena

One RuleOne RuleShow Show RespectRespect

Letter Grade PolicyLetter Grade Policy• A separate total will be kept for

Homework/Quizzes/Lab Reports (30%), Tests (50%), and a cumulative final (20%) 

• Grades will not be rounded up

• A test will be dropped at the semester if you have a homework grade of 80%

TestsTestsShort Answers:Explain the why the ocean is cyan, the sky is blue and sunsets are red.

Multiple Choice:Which of the following is not

required when determining velocity?

A. direction B. distance traveledC. timeD. mass

Math Problems:A clown leaves a cannon with a velocity of 100 m/s at an angle of 37o. Where does the clown hope the center of the net is – if there is no air resistance?

HomeworkHomework• Homework will be turned in on the day of the

test

• No homework will be accepted late except for excused absences and then within the same number of days you were absent

LabsLabs• Lab Reports are based on a 20-point

scale

• Labs are due the day after the lab is completed and will not be accepted late

• If you are absent on the day of a lab, you may be asked to write a report on the concept if the lab has been taken down

AssignmentsAssignments

• On the board

• On the Internet at http://www.lcusd.net/lchs/mewoldsen

Power StandardsPower Standards

• Newton's laws predict the motion of most objects

• The laws of conservation of energy and momentum provide a way to predict and describe the movement of objects

• Energy cannot be created or destroyed, although in many processes energy is transferred to the environment as heat

• Waves have characteristic properties that do not depend on the type of wave

• Electric and magnetic phenomena are related and have many practical applications

• Special Relativity

ProjectsProjects• Projects will be done to illustrate

mastery of the concepts in Physics (and to have fun!)

• Most of these projects will occur after the STAR tests as we will be covering the curriculum before that time

Types of ProjectsTypes of Projects

• Egg Drop

• Egg Catch

• Catapult

• Mouse Trap Car

• Spaghetti Bridge

• Paper Towers and Airplanes

• Rube Goldberg Invention

Egg DropEgg Drop

Egg Catch ContainerEgg Catch Container

CatapultCatapult

                                                                

                     

                                                                

                     

Spaghetti Spaghetti BridgesBridges

Paper TowersPaper Towersand Airplanesand Airplanes

Rube Goldberg InventionRube Goldberg Invention

                                                          

         

Any Questions?Any Questions?