Course Description
Equations
science links
uncertainty calculator
Thursday, February 21
worked lens imaging problems;
discussed the lens-makers formula;
quiz on lens imaging;
discussed eye imaging and vision problems;
chapter 19 problems: p.536-538 #48, 52, 54, 58, 60 (due Tuesday)
test 18 & 19 next Wednesday
Wednesday, February 20
finished collecting data for the simple harmonic motion lab;
demonstrated the refraction characteristics of lenses;
worked sample problems from the homework set;
read: pp.524-531 (diffraction)
Tuesday, February 19
re-quiz on refraction;
collected data for the simple harmonic motion lab;
read: pp.500-503 (optical instruments)
Monday, February 18
worked problems from the problem set and sample problems;
quiz on refraction;
look over the SHM lab handout for tomorrow
Friday, February 15
pseudo-quiz on refraction;
played around with some convex lenses;
discussed lens imaging;
worked problems on lens imaging;
continue working on problems pp. 509-511 #68-74, 78, 82-86, 90, 94 even (due Wednesday)
Thursday, February 14
discussed/demonstrated total-internal reflection;
discussed/demonstrated fiber-optic cable;
problems pp. 509-511 #68-74, 78, 82-86, 90, 94 even (due Wednesday)
Wednesday, February 13
discussed test 16 & 17;
discussed/demonstrated refraction;
discussed Snell’s law;
read: pp. 485-492 (refraction)
Tuesday, February 12
test 16 & 17
Monday, February 11
reviewed chapters 16 & 17;
quiz on mirror imaging;
test 16 & 17 tomorrow
Friday, February 8
looked at various telescope designs;
worked a two-mirror problem;
test 16 & 17 on Tuesday
Thursday, February 7
worked a problem or two from the problem set;
discussed mirror imaging sign conventions;
worked many scenarios of imaging with a concave mirror
Wednesday, February 6
worked a problem or two from the problem set;
discussed plane mirrors and the virtual images they form;
played around with curved mirrors;
began discussing mirror imaging;
read: pp. 464-475 (curved mirrors)
problems: pp. 479-480 #56, 57, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 69, 70, 72 (due Tuesday)
Tuesday, February 5
no class, due to meeting with Southern
Monday, February 4
discussed special relativity;
worked a problem or two from the problem set;
discussed polarized light;
played around with polarizers;
read: pp. 457-463 (plane mirrors)
Friday, January 25
most of class absent, due to Acrofest;
considered a couple of problems from the problem set
Thursday, January 24
discussed the electromagnetic spectrum;
discussed attributes of the visible spectrum;
contrasted additive primaries (RGB) & subtractive primaries (CMY);
looked at a website testing for colorblindness;
work on the problems
Wednesday, January 23
discussed the history of light theory;
watched an explanation of the dilemma with light theory/quantum theory;
briefly discussed illumination and luminosity;
briefly discussed the visible spectrum;
problems pp.453 #54-62 even, 63, 65, 66, 69 (due Tuesday after break)
Tuesday, January 22
discussed test 14 & 15;
briefly discussed some properties of light;
read: pp.439-447 (color, polarization, Doppler effect)
Monday, January 21
test 14 & 15;
read: pp.431-438 (light)
Friday, January 18
re-quiz on decibels;
discussed the mathematics behind frequencies of adjacent note on the piano;
discussed/demonstrated modern and medieval musical scales;
test 14 & 15 next Monday
Thursday, January 17
demonstrated the speed of a wave on a resonant wire;
went to Ponce Hall to measure/discuss equalization of P.A. systems;
test 14 & 15 next Monday
Wednesday, January 16
discussed problems from the problem set;
quiz over the Doppler effect;
discussed the speed of a wave on a wire;
test 14 & 15 next Monday
Tuesday, January 15
discussed resonance in a tube and on a string;
discussed problems from the problem set (due tomorrow)
Monday, January 14
discussed/contrasted objective and subjective audio terms;
worked a few problems on Doppler effect;
analyzed the harmonic content of voices;
problems: pp.425-427 #52, 54, 58, 61, 64, 66, 68, 72, 76, 78, 82 (due Wednesday)
Friday, January 11
no class, due to community service day
Thursday, January 10
quiz over calculations involving decibels;
discussed/demonstrated harmonic content of a complex tone;
analyzed the harmonic content of various instruments and compared with synthesized keyboard;
problems: pp.425-427 #52, 54, 58, 61, 64, 66, 68, 72, 76, 78, 82 (due Wednesday)
Wednesday, January 9
reviewed sound intensity and the decibel scale;
discussed/demonstrated Doppler effect;
worked a couple of examples of Doppler effect;
bring musical instruments tomorrow;
possibly a quiz tomorrow on decibels and/or Doppler effect
Tuesday, January 8
considered more problems from problem set 14;
further demonstrated the frequency range of human hearing;
defined/discussed sound intensity and the decibel scale;
problem set due tomorrow
Monday, January 7
considered problems from problem set 14;
reviewed standing waves;
discussed/demonstrated the frequency range of human hearing;
discussed sound intensity and the decibel scale;
began discussing the region of human hearing;
read: pp. 411-419 (sound)
Friday, January 4
reviewed wave types, wave anatomy, and terminology;
discussed reflection, refraction, diffraction, and interference;
discussed/demonstrated standing waves;
read: p.403-410 (sound);
problems: pp. 397-400 #70, 72, 74, 78, 80, 86, 90, 92, 100 (due Wednesday)
Thursday, January 3
reviewed simple harmonic motion;
discussed/demonstrated different wave types, wave anatomy, and terminology;
discussed a mathematical representation of waves;
read: p.381-391 (wave properties and behavior)
Wednesday, January 2
briefly discussed the semester exam;
discussed/demonstrated simple harmonic motion;
read: p.375-380 (simple harmonic motion)
Friday, December 14
discussed the recent test on chapters 12 & 13;
worked problems from earlier in the semester;
continue reviewing chapters 1-13 for the semester exam
Thursday, December 13
completed test on chapters 12 & 13;
worked problems from earlier in the semester
continue reviewing chapters 1-13 for the semester exam
Wednesday, December 12
test on chapters 12 & 13;
begin reviewing chapters 1-13 for the semester exam
Tuesday, December 11
discussed problems from chapter 12 & 13;
test 12 & 13 tomorrow
Monday, December 10
collected data for the specific heat lab;
discussed problems from the problem set;
test 12 & 13 on Wednesday
Friday, December 7
discussed problems from the problem set;
further discussed/demonstrated Bernoulli’s principle;
look over lab handout for the Specific Heat lab for Monday
Thursday, December 6
went and observed some pneumatic equipment in the woodshop;
discussed/demonstrated Bernoulli’s principle
Wednesday, December 5
discussed the gas laws;
reviewed pressure;
discussed Pascal’s principle and its applications
Tuesday, December 4
reviewed pressure and various pressure units;
worked a problem involving Archimedes’ principle;
quiz on Archimedes’ principal;
looked at a problem from the problem set
Monday, December 3
worked problems involving Archimedes’ principle;
defined/discussed pressure and various pressure units;
p. 369-371 #76, 77, 78, 80, 82, 88, 91, 96, 100;
read: pp. 359-363 (solids)
Friday, November 30
reviewed statistical probabilities governing the 2nd law of thermodynamics;
discussed density, buoyancy, and Archimedes’ principle;
start working on p. 369-371 #76, 77, 78, 80, 82, 88, 91, 96, 100;
read: pp. 359-363 (solids)
Thursday, November 29
reviewed heat engine animations;
discussed refrigeration and heat pumps;
discussed the statistical probabilities governing the 2nd law of thermodynamics;
read: pp. 341-348 (fluids)
Wednesday, November 28
finished collecting data for the Torque lab;
discussed heat engine animations;
Tuesday, November 27
worked problem on thermal conduction;
worked problem on thermal expansion;
collected data for the Torque lab
Monday, November 26
worked problems from the chapter 12 problem set (due tomorrow);
discussed/demonstrated thermal conduction;
discussed/demonstrated thermal expansion;
get started on chapter 13 problems: pp.369-371 #76, 77, 78, 80, 82, 88, 91, 96, 100 (due Friday):
look over the Torque lab handout for tomorrow
Thursday, November 15
worked more calorimetry problems;
quiz on calorimetry
Wednesday, November 14
worked more with calorimetry;
discussed the Forces Lab write-up;
discussed phase change, sensible heat, & latent heat;
chapter 12 problems: pp. 336-337 #52-64 even (due Tuesday, 11-27)
Tuesday, November 13
discussed/demonstrated calorimetry;
chapter 12 problems: pp. 336-337 #52-64 even (due Tuesday, 11-27)
Monday, November 12
discussed test 10 & 11;
discussed thermometry;
contrasted temperature with thermal energy;
discussed evaporative cooling;
read: pp.323-331 (phase change and thermodynamics)
Friday, November 9
no class, due Gymnix trip
Thursday, November 8
no class, due to OnToCollege ACT review
Wednesday, November 7
no class, due to OnToCollege ACT review
Tuesday, November 6
test 10 & 11;
read: pp.313-322 (temperature and thermal energy)
Monday, November 5
worked problems involving conservation of energy from the problem set;
finished Einstein’s Big Idea;
test 10 & 11 tomorrow
Friday, November 2
discussed/demonstrated conservation of energy with a pendulum;
worked problems involving conservation of energy;
watched the fifth segment (starting at 1:08:15) of Einstein’s Big Idea;
test 10 & 11 next Tuesday
Thursday, November 1
collected data for the Forces lab;
discussed simple machines;
worked problems involving conservation of energy;
test 10 & 11 next Tuesday
Wednesday, October 31
discussed test 8 & 9;
worked some problems from the problem set;
watched the fourth segment (^2; 55:25 to 1:08:15) of Einstein’s Big Idea;
problem set 11: p.307-309 #54, 60, 62, 64, 70, 72, 74, 78, 80, 82
Tuesday, October 30
worked some problems from the problem set;
defined/discussed conservation of energy;
briefly discussed the Forces lab;
briefly discussed simple machines;
watched the third segment (c; 42:40 to 55:25) of Einstein’s Big Idea;
start on problem set 11: p.307-309 #54, 60, 62, 64, 70, 72, 74, 78, 80, 82
Monday, October 29
defined/discussed power;
did horsepower activity on the stairs;
watched the second segment (m; from 23:55 to 42:40) of Einstein’s Big Idea;
read: 285-292 (forms of energy)
Friday, October 26
reviewed work, kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, & elastic potential energy;
briefly discussed simple machines;
watched the first segment (E; up to 23:55) of Einstein’s Big Idea;
read: 266-273 (simple machines);
problem set 10: p.278-281 #52, 56, 58, 64, 66, 70, 74, 82, 86 (due Wednesday)
Thursday, October 25
discussed work, kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, & elastic potential energy;
if you haven’t already, read: 257-265 (work, energy, & power)
Wednesday, October 24
test 8 & 9;
read: 257-265 (work, energy, & power)
Tuesday, October 23
quiz on conservation of linear momentum;
worked problems from chapter 9;
test 8 & 9 tomorrow
Monday, October 22
reviewed chapters 8 & 9;
quiz tomorrow on conservation of momentum;
test 8 & 9 on Wednesday
Tuesday, October 16
no class, due to senior class trip
Monday, October 15
no class, due to senior class trip
Friday, October 12
discussed problems from the problem set;
analyzed a 2-D collision
Thursday, October 11
no class, due to the college fair
Wednesday, October 10
discussed conservation of angular momentum;
played around with gyroscopes and the bicycle wheel
watched The Mechanical Universe on Conservation of Angular Momentum;
keep working on chapter 9 problems;
test 8 & 9 will not occur this Friday, due to the college fair tomorrow
Tuesday, October 9
quiz on rotational inertia;
watched/discussed The Mechanical Universe on conservation of momentum;
test 8 & 9 on Friday
Monday, October 8
discussed chapter 8 problems;
defined/discussed linear momentum and impulse;
defined/discussed angular momentum and angular impulse;
chapter 9 problems: pp.251-253 #56, 59, 62, 66, 67, 74, 77, 79 (due Friday)
quiz tomorrow on rotational inertia
Friday, October 5
worked statics problems;
discussed a problem from the problem set;
read: pp. 229-235 (impulse and momentum)
Thursday, October 4
defined/discussed torque, vector cross products, and the right hand rule;
discussed problems from the problem set;
read 211-217 (equilibrium)
Wednesday, October 3
quiz over rotational acceleration;
discussed/demonstrated rotational inertia;
problems pp.223-225 #72-78 even, 82, 84, 87, 88
Tuesday, October 2
discussed equations for rotational motion along side those for linear motion;
worked a few problems involving rotational motion;
read: pp.201-210 (rotational dynamics)
Monday, October 1
discussed test 6 & 7;
read: pp.196-200 (describing rotational motion)
Friday, September 28
no class, due seniors being gone to assist hurricane victims
Thursday, September 27
no class, due seniors being gone to assist hurricane victims
Wednesday, September 26
no class, due seniors being gone to assist hurricane victims
Tuesday, September 25
no class, due seniors being gone to assist hurricane victims
Monday, September 24
no class, due to View Southern
Friday, September 21
test 6 & 7
Thursday, September 20
worked problems from the problems set;
quiz over orbiting satellites/moons;
test 6 & 7 tomorrow
Wednesday, September 19
collected data for the Sliding Friction Lab;
keep working on problem set 7: pp.191-193 #54, 58, 62, 70, 76, 82, 84, 86 (due tomorrow);
test 6 & 7 on Friday
Tuesday, September 18
quiz over centripetal force;
discussed the physics of orbiting bodies;
discussed the details of doing the Sliding Friction Lab (for tomorrow);
keep working on problem set 7: pp.191-193 #54, 58, 62, 70, 76, 82, 84, 86 (due Thursday)
Monday, September 17
watched the dropped/fired bullet thought experiment by Myth Busters;
discussed universal gravitation and centripetal force;
discussed Kepler’s 3 Laws of planetary motion;
read: pp.179-185 (using universal gravitation);
problem set 7: pp.191-193 #54, 58, 62, 70, 76, 82, 84, 86 (due Thursday)
Tuesday, September 11
worked problems from the chapter 6 problem set;
discussed universal gravitation;
read: pp.179-185 (using universal gravitation)
Monday, September 10
worked problems from the chapter 6 problem set;
read: 171-178 (universal gravitation)
Friday, September 7
quiz on projectile motion;
discussed circular motion and centripetal force;
worked problems involving centripetal force;
keep working on chapter 6 problems: pp. 165-167 #52, 56, 58, 60, 62, 66, 68, 74 (due Tuesday)
Thursday, September 6
pseudo-quiz on projectile motion;
worked problems involving projectiles;
demonstrated The Monkey and the Hunter;
chapter 6 problems: pp. 165-167 #52, 56, 58, 60, 62, 66, 68, 74 (due Tuesday)
Wednesday, September 5
discussed projectile motion;
worked problems involving projectiles;
if you haven’t already, read: 153-159 (circular motion)
Tuesday, September 4
discussed test 4 & 5
read: 153-159 (circular motion)
Monday, September 3
test 4 & 5
read: 147-152 (projectile motion)
Friday, August 31
quiz over sliding friction;
worked some more friction problems involving acceleration on a slope;
test 4 & 5 Monday
Thursday, August 30
considered problems from the homework set;
worked some more friction problems involving angles;
test 4 & 5 postponed till Monday;
HW 5 due on Friday
Wednesday, August 29
considered problems from the homework set;
worked some friction problems involving angles;
test 4 & 5 postponed till Friday;
HW 5 due on Thursday
Tuesday, August 28
worked with extracted data from the video;
considered problems from the homework set;
test 4 & 5 postponed till Friday;
HW 5 due on Thursday
Monday, August 27
extracted acceleration data from the video;
considered problems from the homework set;
test 4 & 5 on Thursday
Friday, August 24
quiz on analytical vector addition;
discussed sliding friction;
considered problems from the homework set
Thursday, August 23
pseudo-quiz on analytical vector addition;
worked more vector addition examples;
considered problems from the homework set;
problem set 5: pp. 141-143 #80, 82, 86, 90, 92, 96, 98, 104 (due Tuesday)
Wednesday, August 22
discussed graphical and analytical vector addition;
get started on problem set 5: pp. 141-143 #80, 82, 86, 90, 92, 96, 98, 104 (due Tuesday)
Tuesday, August 21
saw video of feather and bowling ball in a vacuum chamber;
discussed chapter 4 problems;
discussed Density lab write-up (due tomorrow);
shot video for acceleration due to gravity lab;
read: 126-135 (forces and friction)
Monday, August 20
discussed test 1-3;
discussed/demonstrated Newton’s laws;
discussed and worked on Density lab write-up (due Wednesday);
chapter 4 problems: p.113 #60, 64, 68, 70, 72, 76, & 80 (due Friday)
Friday, August 17
discussed test 1-3;
demonstrated Newton’s 1st law;
discussed and worked on Density lab write-up (due Wednesday);
read: pp. 96-107 (Newton’s 2nd and 3rd laws of motion)
Thursday, August 16
test 1-3;
read: pp. 87-95 (Newton’s first law of motion)
Wednesday, August 15
quiz on free-fall;
collected data for the Density Lab;
discussed some of the homework set problems;
test 1-3 on Thursday
Tuesday, August 14
quiz on acceleration;
discussed doing a Density Lab tomorrow;
discussed some of the homework set problems;
worked problems on acceleration and free-fall;
test 1-3 on Thursday
Monday, August 13
discussed some of the homework set problems;
worked problems on acceleration and free-fall;
test 1-3 on Thursday
Friday, August 10
further discussed velocity and acceleration, graphs and equations;
worked problems with acceleration;
Read pp. 65-75 (working with acceleration);
problems p. 81-84 #74, 78, 82, 84, 86, 88, 94, 100, 106, 110 (due Thursday)
Thursday, August 9
quiz over arithmetic with error terms;
discussed uncertainty worksheet (due tomorrow);
discussed some problems from problem set 1 (due tomorrow);
briefly discussed velocity and acceleration;
Read pp. 57-64 (acceleration)
Wednesday, August 8
worked examples of arithmetic using error terms from the worksheet;
discussed uncertainty when graphing;
discussed some problems from problem set 1;
continue working on the Uncertainty worksheet (due Friday)
Read pp. 43-47 (measuring speeds);
continue with problem set 1: pp.25-28 #54, 60, 68, 70, 72, 76, 90 (due Friday)
Tuesday, August 7
worked examples of arithmetic using error terms;
discussed uncertainty during measurement;
begin working on front side of the Uncertainty worksheet;
Read pp. 31-42 (1-D motion);
problem set 1: pp.25-28 #54, 60, 68, 70, 72, 76, 90 (due Friday)
Monday, August 6
passed out textbooks; explained course description;
discussed uncertainty during measurement;
Read pp. 3-14 (units & measurements)