Honors Physics
Syllabus
Text: Physics. Serway & Faughn. 7th edition.
Thomson publishing.
First
Semester:
I.
Linear
Motion [Chapter 2 in Text]
1.
Displacement/Distance
Traveled
2.
Velocity/Speed
3.
Acceleration
4.
Linear
Equations Developed
a. Time Independent Equation (Derived)
5.
Interpreting
Graphs
II.
Vectors
and Projectile Motion [Chapter 3 in Text]
1.
Vectors/Scalars
2.
Vectors
a.
Notation
b.
Diagrams
c.
Solving
Graphically
d.
Properties
Of
3.
Combining
Vectors
a.
Parallel
and Antiparallel
b.
Pythagorean
Theorem
c.
Resolving
Components
d.
Combining
Components that are not Perpendicular
4.
Projectile
Motion Equations
a.
Range
Equation (Derived)
III.
Forces
[Chapter 4 in Text]
1.
What
is a force?
2.
3.
Equilibrium
4.
5.
6.
Mass/weight/inertia
7.
Everyday
forces
a.
Weight
b.
c.
Friction!
1. Critical Angle for Object to
Slide (Derived)
IV.
Work
and Energy [Chapter 5 in Text]
1.
Work
2.
Energy
a.
Kinetic
b.
Gravitational
Potential
c.
Elastic
Potential
d.
Mechanical/Non-mechanical
3.
Conservation
of Energy
4.
Work-Kinetic
Energy Theorem
5.
Power
6.
The
Six Simple Machines
V.
Momentum
[Chapter 6 in Text]
1.
Momentum
2.
Impulse
is Change in Momentum
a.
Impulse-Momentum
Theorem
3.
Practical
Examples
4.
Conservation
of Momentum
5.
Collisions
a.
Elastic
b.
Inelastic
c.
Perfectly
Inelastic
6.
Momentum
in Two Dimensions
VI.
Circular
Motion [Chapter 7 in Text]
1.
Rotational
Speed
2.
Definitions
and Conversions
3.
Equations
of Rotational Motion
a.
Similarity
to Equations of Linear Motion
4.
Centripetal
Acceleration
5.
Centripetal
Force
a. Banked Turns
VII.
Universal
Gravitation [Chapter 7 in Text]
1.
a.
Acceleration
due to Gravity
b.
Tides
2.
Kepler’s Laws
3.
Planetary
Motion is “Circular”
a.
Velocity
of Orbiting Body
b.
c.
Escape
Speed (Derived)
4.
General
Relativity**
5.
Cosmology**
a.
Gravity
as one of Four Fundamental Forces
b.
Grand
Unified Theory
6.
Fate
of Stars**
a.
Black
Dwarfs
b.
Neutron
Stars
c.
Black
Holes
7.
Astronomy**
a.
Stellar
Objects
8.
Planets**
a.
Definition
b.
Exoplanets
VIII.
Rotational
Mechanics [Chapter 8 in Text]
1.
Center
of Gravity
2.
Definition
of Torque
a.
Torque
vs. Work
3.
Rotational
Inertia (
a.
Mass
and Distribution of Mass
4.
5.
Rotational
Kinetic Energy
6.
Conservation
of Angular Momentum
a. Neutron Star
b. Spinning Figure Skater
IX.
Relativity
[Chapter 26 in Text]
1.
Define:
Relativity
a.
Special
and General
2.
Intro:
Space-Time
a.
Time
as 4th Dimension
3.
Einstein’s
Postulates of Special Relativity
4.
Recall
Motion is Relative
a.
Simultaneity
5.
Intro:
Lorentz Factor (γ)
6.
Time
Dilation
7.
Length
Contraction
8.
Consequences
a.
Time
Travel?
b.
Two
Paradoxes
c.
The
Correspondence Principle
9.
Relativistic
Addition of Velocities
10.
Relativistic
Momentum
11.
Relativistic
Kinetic Energy
12.
Energy
and Rest Energy
13.
General
Relativity
2007 Semester 2 Outline
I.
Solids
and Fluids [Chapter 9]
A.
States
of Matter
B.
Deformation
of Solids
1.
Young’s
Modulus
2.
Bulk
Modulus
C.
Density
D.
Buoyant
Force
E.
Archimedes
Principle
1.
Floating
Objects
2.
Submerged
Objects
F.
Pressure
1.
Solids
2.
Fluids
3.
Pascal’s
Principle
G.
Fluids
in Motion
1.
Bernoulli’s
Equation
2.
Ideal
Fluids and Flow Rate
H.
Surface
Tension
II.
Heat
and Temperature [Chapter 10-11]
A.
Temperature
B.
Changes
in Temperature
1.
Calorimetry
C.
Changes
in Phase
1.
Latent
Heat
D.
Thermal
Expansion
1.
Water’s
Behavior
E.
Heat
Transfer
1.
Conduction
2.
Convection
3.
Radiation
F.
Global
Warming and An Inconvenient Truth
III.
Simple
Harmonic Motion and Waves [Chapter 13]
A.
The
Pendulum
B.
Wave
Motion Definitions
C.
Wave
Speed
D.
Wave
Interactions
1.
Interference
2.
Reflection
3.
Standing
Waves
E.
De
Broglie Waves
IV.
Sound
[Chapter 14]
A.
Production
of Sound Waves
B.
Perception
of Sound Waves
1.
Pitch
2.
Speed
3.
Doppler
Effect
4.
Intensity
a)
dB
scale
C.
Resonance
1.
D.
Harmonics
1.
Stringed
Instruments
2.
Pipes
(Air Column)
a)
Open
b)
Closed
3.
Timbre
V.
Light
and Reflection [Chapter 21,23,27]
A.
Electromagnetic
Spectrum
1.
Regions
of Light
2.
Visible
Light
3.
Speed
of Light
a)
Michelson
4.
Brightness
5.
Doppler
Effect
a)
Big
Bang
6.
Resonance
B.
Light
as a Particle
1.
Photoelectric
Effect
2.
3.
UV
Catastrophe
C.
Reflection
1.
Mirrors
a)
Flat
b)
Converging
c)
Diverging
2.
Ray
Diagrams
3.
Mirror
Equation
D.
Color
1.
Combining
Color
a)
Light
b)
Paint
2.
Three
Basic Questions
a)
Why
is the sky blue?
b)
Why
are sunsets yellow, orange and red?
c)
Why
is the ocean cyan?
VI.
Light
and Refraction [Chapter 22-23]
A.
Law
of Refraction
B.
Snell’s
Law
1.
Total
Internal Reflection
a)
Critical
Angle
C.
Dispersion
1.
Rainbows
D.
Atmospheric
Refraction
1.
Mirages
E.
Lenses
1.
Characteristics
2.
Thin
Lens Equation
3.
Contacts,
Eyeglasses, Microscopes, Telescopes, etc.
VII.
Electricity
A.
Electrostatics
1.
Charge
2.
Conductors
and Insulators
3.
Lightning
4.
Van
de Graaff Generator
B.
Household
Electricity
C.
War
of Currents
D.
Circuits
1.
What
is a circuit?
a) Schematic Diagrams
2.
What
is charge?
3.
What
makes charge move?
4.
Types
of circuits
a)
Series
b)
Parallel
VIII.
A
Briefer History of Time (Hawking)
A.
Politics
B.
Scientific
Theory
C.
Religion/Creator
D.
Hawking’s Paradox (video)