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Survey of Physical Science Course Calendar - Fall 2003
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WEEK |
Topics, activities, and assignments for this week |
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Sept. 8 The Scientific Method Newton's First Law of Motion-Inertia |
Review of the metric system; the scientific method; the difference between mass and weight, difference between speed and velocity, Newton's First Law of Motion - Inertia; the difference between speed and velocity; equilibrium, Motion according to Aristotle, Motion according to Galileo, Assignments: Read Chapters 1 and 2 Complete Assessment Activities 1 and 2 In-Class Activities: Learn to use a metric scale and balance, measuring the stretch of a spring |
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Sept. 15 Newton's Second Law of Motion - Force and Acceleration Newton's Third Law of Motion - Action and Reaction |
Major topics this week include an overview of Newton's 2nd and 3rd Laws of Motion; relation between force and acceleration; terminal velocity, how does a rocket work? Assignments: Read Chapters 3 and 4 Complete Assessment Activities 3 and 4. In-Class Activities: You will learn to measure the velocity and acceleration of objects using a motion sensor. You will learn to make graphs of the velocity and acceleration of objects using PASCO Scientific's DATA STUDIO. You will also make a model of objects moving at constant velocity and at constant acceleration using Interactive Physics. |
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Sept. 22 Momentum, Work, and Energy |
You will learn this week the meaning of momentum as well as two forms of mechanical energy - kinetic energy and potential energy. You will learn how the application of "conservation laws" helps to explain many phenomena in nature. You will learn the meaning of "mechanical work";"power"; and "efficiency". Assignments: Read Chapters 5 and 6 Complete Assessment Activities 5 and 6. In Class Activities Students measure the momentum and kinetic energy of an object moving at constant velocity. Students learn how the potential energy of an object is transformed into kinetic energy as it falls. |
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Sept. 29 |
You study this week the law of universal gravitation and how the gravitational force which one object exerts on another depends on the distance between the two objects. You will understand what causes tides and the distinction between "weight" and "weightlessness". You will study a type of motion called "projectile motion" which is essentially motion in two dimensions. You will use the software "Interactive Physics" to do this. You will learn the difference between "circular" and "elliptical" motion. The motion of satellites and the term "escape" speed will be studied.
Assignments: Read Chapters 7 and 8 Complete Assessment Activities 7 and 8. Lab Activities: Using the software, Interactive Physics, you will study projectile motion. You will discover the effect of changing the speed and angle at which a projectile is launched. You also look at circular motion and study the motion of our planets around the sun (elliptical motion) using this software. |
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October 6 |
We move away from our study of mechanics and motion and focus on thermal energy in the second part of this course. In Chapter 9, we will learn to distinguish between the "heat" contained in an object and the "temperature" of the object. The meaning of terms such as calorie, specific heat capacity, and thermal expansion will be studied. You will study the interesting behavior of water when it freezes. Assignments: Read Chapters 9 and 10 In Chapter 10, you will continue your study of thermal energy and explore how heat can be transferred from one place to another by convection, conduction, and radiation. You will study the phase changes of evaporation/condensation, melting and freezing, and the meaning of terms such as "heat of fusion" and "heat of vaporization". You will learn how a refrigerator and air conditioner work based on phase changes. In-Class Activities: You will do an experiment to measure how much a metal rod will expand when you change its temperature, the convection of heat in water, and study ice as it melts. |
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Oct. 13 |
This week we focus entirely on one subject - electricity. You will learn about the atomic structure of atoms, what causes static electricity, units of electricity such as the volt, ampere, and Ohm. You will learn the difference between series and parallel circuits, Ohm's Law, and electrical power. Assignments: Read Chapter 11 Complete Assessment Activity 11. In-Class Activities: You will build a simple series circuit and a simple parallel circuit and compare them. You will do some simple activities with static electricity. |
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Oct. 20 |
This week we again focus entirely on one subject - magnetism. You will study the effects of magnetism using a compass, how a wire carrying current produces magnetism , how to produce alternating current using a magnet, Faraday's Law of induction, and the difference between an electric generator and an electric motor. Assignments: Read Chapter 12 Complete Assessment Activity 12. In-Class Activities: You will build a simple electromagnet. You will do some simple activities that illustrate some of the properties of magnetism. |
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Oct. 27 |
This week we begin the third part of the course and study the properties of sound. Sound is a form of wave motion and we will learn some of the basic properties of waves such as frequency, wavelength, period, and amplitude. You will learn the difference between a sound wave and a water wave. You will see how sound waves can interfere with each other. You will study the interesting effect of resonance. Assignments: Read Chapter 13 Complete Assessment Activity 13 In Class Activities: You do some simple activities that demonstrate principles of sound and waves including beats, resonance. You will see how different musical instruments produce different "pictures" of sound. |
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Nov. 3 |
This week we begin the fourth part of the course and study the properties of light and color. We learn how light can reflect and refract. In Chapter 14, You will learn the atomic origin of light and the electromagnetic spectrum and how the light we see is only a small part of this total spectrum. You will learn why the sky is blue and what causes the reddish color of the sun as it sets. You will study what happens when you add colors together to produce new colors. In Chapter 15 study will see how light can be separated into individual colors and change direction due to reflection and refraction. Assignments: Read Chapters 14 and 15 Complete Assessment Activities 14 and 15. In-Class Activities: You do some simple activities that demonstrate principles of light and color as well as reflection and refraction. You will use a laser to reflect light from a mirror and refract light into a tank of water. You will use a "ray box" to see how a "convex" and "concave" lens bends light differently. |
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Nov. 10 |
We begin the fifth sectionof this course by studying the constituents of atoms and how the elements fall into certain groups which form the periodic table. In Chapter 17, you will learn the basic parts of an atom and study the periodic table. In Chapter 18, you will study atomic models. You will learn an atomic explanation of what causes the light that our eyes can see. The Bohr model of the hydrogen atom and energy levels in atoms are topics you will study. What is a photon atomic number, atomic mass, and valance electrons are among the terms you will learn. Assignments: Read Chapters 17 and 18 Complete Assessment Activities 17 and 18. In-Class Activities: You will observe the light emitted from glowing tubes of different hot gases and see how the "spectrum" of colors from each hot gas is different. |
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Nov. 17 |
This week you will that there are different forms of radiation such as alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. In Chapter 19, you will learn the meaning of terms such as isotope, alpha particle, beta particle, and half-life. In Chapter 20, you will learn the difference between nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. You will study how a nuclear power plant works and what is a "breader reactor". Assignments: Read Chapters 19 and 20 Complete Assessment Activities 19 and 20. In-Class Activities: You will observe how the thickness of a material determines how much radioactivity can pass through the material. |
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Nov. 24 |
Having studied the basic properties of atoms, we focus our attention on chemisttry. In Chapter 21, you will learn the meaning of terms such as molecules, compounds, and chemical reactions. In Chapter 22 on mixtures, you will learn terms such as solution, solute, solvent, and suspension. Assignments: Read Chapters 21 and 22 Complete Assessment Activities 21 and 22. In-Class Activities: You will do several activities that distinguish between a mixture and a suspension. |
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Dec. 1 |
Having studied the basic properties of atoms, we focus our attention on chemisttry. In Chapter 21, you will learn the meaning of terms such as molecules, compounds, and chemical reactions. In Chapter 22 on mixtures, you will learn terms such as solution, solute, solvent, and suspension. Assignments: Read Chapters 21 and 22 Complete Assessment Activities 21 and 22. In-Class Activities: You will do several activities that distinguish between a mixture and a suspension. |
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Dec. 8 |
We complete our short survey of physical science by looking at the properties of the solar system and stars. In some ways, the solar system is similar to the atomic world on a grand scale. You will study the central core of our solar system, the sun, and the planets which revolve in well-defined orbits around the sun. You will understand the difference between an asteroid and a comet, a meteor and a meteorite. You will study what causes the phases of the moon, a solar eclipse, and a lunar eclipse. In chapter 40 on stars, you will learn the difference between our sun and other stars. You will learn that stars are characterized by the brightness, color, and temperature.
Assignments: Read Chapters 39 and 40 Complete Assessment Activities 39 and 40. In-Class Activities: You will use the popular astronomy program, "Starry Night" to study the solar system and stars.. |
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Dec. 15 |
Final Exam |
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