AP Physics Lesson Plans

 

UNIT 3: THERMODYNAMICS

TOPIC 9.1: KINETIC THEORY OF TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE

9.1A Describe the pressure a gas exerts on its container in terms of atomic motion within that gas.

9.1B Describe the temperature of a system in terms of the atomic motion within that system.

 

TOPIC 9.2: THE IDEAL GAS LAW

9.2A Describe the properties of an ideal gas.

 

TOPIC 9.3: THERMAL ENERGY TRANSFER AND EQUILIBRIUM

9.3A Describe the transfer of energy between two systems in thermal contact due to temperature differences of those two systems.

 

TOPIC 9.4: THE FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

9.4A Describe the internal energy of a system.

9.4B Describe the behavior of a system using thermodynamic processes.

 

TOPIC 9.5: SPECIFIC HEAT AND THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY

9.5A Describe the energy required to change the temperature of an object by a certain amount.

9.5B Describe the rate at which energy is transferred by conduction through a given material.

 

TOPIC 9.6: ENTROPY AND THE SECOND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

9.6A Describe the change in entropy for a given system over time.

 

Thursday, January 29:

  •     Notes – heat, temperature, thermal energy, heat transfer by conduction, convection, and radiation, specific heat
  •     Positive Physics 3.1 – 3.7

Friday, January 30:

  •     Pivot Interactive – Investigating Thermal Energy
  •     Troubleshoot Positive Physics 3.1-3.7
  •     Mastering Physics – Dynamic Study Module Temperature and Heat

Monday, February 2:

  •     Notes – ideal gases, KE, PE, rms speed
  •     Positive Physics 3.8 to 3.10

Tuesday, February 3:

  •     Guided practice on thermo practice problems with solutions
  •     Mastering Thermodynamics Practice 3

Wednesday, February 4:

  •     Notes on Thermodynamic processes
  •     Positive Physics 3.11 to 3.13
  •     DSM Module 20 (First law of thermodynamics)

Thursday, February 5:

  •     Class group work on Positive Physics and Mastering practice
  •     Students may work together, and the teacher will assist them.

Friday, February 6:

  •     Notes on heat engines
  •     Positive Physics 3.14 to 3.16

Monday, February 9:

  •     Super soaker lab activity

Tuesday, February 10:

  •     Notes on entropy and the 2nd law of thermodynamics
  •     Mastering DSM 21 and22
  •     Mastering Practice Problems Thermodynamics 4

Wednesday, February 11:

  •     Independent work on finishing assignments from Positive Physics and Mastering
  •     Students may work together, and the teacher will assist students individually

Thursday, February 12:

  •     Guided review of thermodynamic concepts with application to problem solving as a class.

Friday, February 13:

  •     Test on Thermodynamics

 

 

 

 

AP Physics Unit 2 Lesson Plans – Fluids

Objectives:

Topic 1: INTERNAL STRUCTURE AND DENSITY

1A Describe the properties of a fluid.

 

Topic 2: PRESSURE

2A Describe the pressure exerted on a surface by a given force.

2B Describe the pressure exerted by a fluid.

 

Topic 3: FLUIDS AND NEWTON’S LAWS

3A Describe the conditions under which fluid's velocity changes.

3B Describe the buoyant force exerted on an object interacting with a fluid.

 

Topic 4: FLUIDS AND CONSERVATION LAWS

8.4A Describe the flow of an incompressible fluid through across-sectional area by using mass conservation.

8.4B Describe the flow of a fluid as a result of a difference in energy between two locations within the fluid–

Earth system.

 

Tuesday, January 13:

  •     Go over OAIM structure for writing lab procedures
  •     Lab – Determining the value of g: students must decide on a process to determine the value of the acceleration of gravity in our classroom/lab. They can use tape measures, video, and other common lab equipment. They must produce a short write-up utilizing OAIM in the procedures.

Wednesday, January 14:

  •     Notes – Hydrostatic pressure, Pascal’s Principle, and the nature of fluids
  •     Guided practice in the notes
  •     Positive Physics 2.1 – 2.5

Thursday, January 15:

  •     Notes – Buoyant force and Archimedes Principle
  •     Guided practice in the notes
  •     Positive Physics 2.6
  •     Mastering Physics Fluids practice 2

Friday, January 16:

  •     Troubleshoot Positive Physics
  •     Mastering Fluids 2 practice problems

Tuesday, January 20:

  •     Troubleshoot Mastering Fluids Practice 2
  •     Notes – Fluid dynamics (flow rate, continuity, Bernoulli)
  •     Positive Physics 2.7 – 2.11

Wednesday, January 21:

  •     Pivot activities – Buoyancy and Anchor problem (do earlier next time)
  •     Work on Positive Physics

Thursday, January 22:

  •     Pivot – Conservation of Energy in Fluids
  •     Begin Mastering Fluids Practice 6

Friday, January 23:

  •     Finish Mastering Fluids Practice 6
  •     Review for test on Fluids

Monday, January 26:

  •     Test on Fluids

 

 

 

 

AP Physics 1 Lesson Plans                             Week 1

Objective: The student will be able to perform experimental data analysis.

  1.      Describe types of measurement errors
  2.      Determine and calculate errors, or uncertainties (including significant digits, measurement distribution, mean, standard deviations, precision, standard error, confidence, and percent difference)
  3.      Best practices for graphing, data linearization, and linear fits used to determine unknown quantities.

Tuesday, January 6:

  •      Introduction to AP Physics 1, class expectations and procedures
  •      Review – students will complete a quick review of handling numbers in science: significant digits, scientific notation, solving equations, graphing, and basic trigonometry. Students may work together and the teacher will assist students individually
  •      Go over and correct the math review

Wednesday, January 7:

  •      Lecture/Discuss – Types of measurement errors, significant digits, measurement distribution, mean, standard deviation, precision, standard error, confidence, and percent difference.
  •      Guided practice – students will use a provided set of data to calculate the above quantities. The teacher will assist students individually and students will assist each other.

Thursday, January 8:

  •      Lecture/Discuss – best practices for graphing, data linearization, and linear fits used to determine unknown quantities
  •      Guided Practice – students will use a provided data set to graph and analyze. The teacher will assist students individually and students will assist each other.

Friday, January 9:

  •      Students will work independently to perform error/uncertainty calculations and graph analysis.
  •      The students work will be graded and answers discussed.

Monday, January 12:

  •      Students will work independently to complete the calculation of a regular volume using 5 measurements of each dimension with propagation of error throughout the calculation. The teacher will assist students individually.
  •      Students will work independently to cover a review of graph interpretation and answer questions requiring the interpretation of kinematic graphs. The teacher will assist students independently. Students will complete the analysis for homework
AP Physics