The Syllabus explains the class policies, and the quarter’s timeline is below. In order to display the detailed week plan, click on the number of the week in the lefthand column.
See Direct Links to Videos if you like
We study material in a “parallel” fashion, whereby concepts of kinematics, dynamics, energy, and momentum are developed simultaneously for increasingly more complex systems. As an example, please see an introductory video: 4 kinds of physics questions.
See YouTube direct links if you wish to watch a video but don’t want to answer questions or register with Educanon
See Student Videos if you’d like to see the videos that the students made
Link back to Pete’s Introductory Mechanics
Communication to Students:Reflection on Quarter, Between Now and the Final Exam, Response from week 8, 9, Response from Week 7 Response from week 6 Response from Week 5, Response from Week 4, response to Week 3, Response from Week 2
Practice problems!! Here is a list of all the questions I asked all quarter in Fall 2011:F11 total quizzes with answers
Solutions for PS #10 :
Documents: Solutions for PS10, Q1, 2, 3, Solutions for PS#10, Q#4, Solutions for PS#10, Q5
Videos: Ladder Slipping, Hanging Mass From Wheel, Bicycle Transmission, Flywheel Rolling Down Inclined Plane
SuperQuiz 3 Solutions, SuperQuiz 2 Solutions,Super Quiz 1 solutions on gravitation and potential energy, PS #9 Solutions PS #9 ,PS#8 Solutions, PS #8, PS#7 extra credit solutions, PS#7 solutions, PS #7, MT2 make-up questions: Q1, Q3, Q4, Q5; Solutions: Q1, Q3, Q4, Q5, MT2 Solutions, Final Velocity last problem, MT2 with answers, PS#6 Solutions PS #6 with answers, PS6 Excel Spreadsheet, PS5 Solutions, PS #5, MT1 Solutions, Midterm 1 with answers, PS#4_Solutions, PS#4, PS#3, PS#2, PS#1
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| Week page | Topic | Learning Objectives | |
| 1
(5 Day) |
Introduction to class format. 4 kinds of physics questions Time Derivatives |
1. Our Learning Model 2. Intro to 4-Concepts: qualitative approach to looking at phenomena 3. Units and formulas – learning to be careful with units 4. Rate of change. speed, acceleration |
|
| 2
(5 Day) |
1. Plan outing, introduce vectors 2. Track Field Trip/ Project 1 3. Analyze outing 4. Time derivatives and Power and Force |
Acceleration, velocity, etc. Beginning to put formulas on the concepts.
1. Solve different problems like distance, velocity, acceleration using all 4 concepts and test them out. 2. What is your power, force? |
|
| 3
(5 Day) |
Forces and Vectors 1.What is an equal and opposite force? 2. Role of force in “Four Questions.” 3. Trigonometry: How do we take components of a force? 4. Springs: Force and Energy |
Using vectors.
1. How do we distinguish displacement, velocity, and acceleration from the scalar analogues? 2. Introduce FBD’s 3. what affect does this have on: a. energy problems (e.g. pendulum swinging has max potential energy when it is at its maximum in the y-direction, max kinetic energy when at minimum y-direction) |
|
| 4 (5 day) |
Vectors and trig Midterm 1 on Day 2 1. Friction 2. The inclined Plane |
What affect does friction have on:
1. energy problems? (e.g. energy lost to heat) |
|
| 5
(5 Day) |
Universal Gravity Energy Diagrams Kinematics |
1. Understand the scaling of gravity with distance (the “ubiquitous inverse square law”) 2. Use energy conservation with universal gravitational potential energy 3. The two remaining kinematics equations: identify when you can and can’t use them. |
|
| 6
(5 Day) |
Projectile Motion Systems – pulleys, etc. Changing Reference Frames Elastic Collisions |
Systems: Ask students how they can make complicated problems easier to manage. Then introduce techniques on how to solve these concepts as systems. How does changing Reference Frames help us solve problems? |
|
| 7
(5 Day) |
Midterm 2 on Day 2 Circular Motion 4 kinds rotational questions |
After students have mastered both the quantitative and qualitative components of the 4-concepts. Reintroduce these concepts to them in the lens of circular motion. Place importance on the fact that they already know these concepts, this is just another situation. | |
| 8 (4 Day MWRF) |
Circular Motion problems | Distinguish angular acceleration from centripetal acceleration Sattelites |
|
| 9
(5 Day) |
Centripetal acceleration Rotational Collisions Precession | Please see the week timeline for detailed concepts | |
| 10
(2 Day, MT) |
Bicycles | ||
| 11
(5 Day) |
Presentations and Student Projects | Students will prepare and share their videos. Review for final exam: Provide students with lots of practice problems and work through them in class. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, extra office hours in 38-121 with free food at noon. (free food is there from noon – 4:00, but I’m just there until noon). | |
| Exam week | Do it! | The 10:00 AM class has their exam at 10:00 AM The 1:00 PM class has their exam at 1:00 PM |
As I try to improve the class, I am keeping Notes to Self