Quiz on analytic addition of vectors
Showed set-up for Hit-the-Bar Lab
Went through sample calculations for all three competitions of the Hit-the-Bar Lab.
Quiz on Monday on projectile motion
Rocket Lab 2 due on Tuesday
Hit-the-Bar Lab on Tuesday.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Thursday, Feb 28, 2008
Rocket Day!! Rocket Lab 2.
Handed out lab sheet and assessment sheet.
Went over lab and what is expected in write-up.
Students shot rockets in practice field. Great job, lots of enthusiasm.
Keith, Ryan, Bryce, and Garrett won the closest to the box contest.
Students came back to lab and exchanged data in the groups. Lab is due next Tuesday.
Handed out lab sheet and assessment sheet.
Went over lab and what is expected in write-up.
Students shot rockets in practice field. Great job, lots of enthusiasm.
Keith, Ryan, Bryce, and Garrett won the closest to the box contest.
Students came back to lab and exchanged data in the groups. Lab is due next Tuesday.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Wed, Feb 27, 2008
Quiz on graphical addition of vectors.
Asked if there were any questions on Vector Worksheet 3 (resolution of vectors).
Handed out Problem Solving Strategy for adding vectors analytically.
Went over strategy. Used strategy to solve a problem.
Handed out Vector Worksheet 4 - Analytic addition of vectors. Students did the worksheet problems. I answered questions as needed.
Students checked answers against answer sheet.
Handed out Vector Worksheet 5 on i,j,k notation. Students did the worksheet and used the 3-D Pythagorean Theorem to find the magnitude of a vector with components in 3 dimensions.
Handed out combined problem sheet for all types of problems in this chapter.
Asked if there were any questions on Vector Worksheet 3 (resolution of vectors).
Handed out Problem Solving Strategy for adding vectors analytically.
Went over strategy. Used strategy to solve a problem.
Handed out Vector Worksheet 4 - Analytic addition of vectors. Students did the worksheet problems. I answered questions as needed.
Students checked answers against answer sheet.
Handed out Vector Worksheet 5 on i,j,k notation. Students did the worksheet and used the 3-D Pythagorean Theorem to find the magnitude of a vector with components in 3 dimensions.
Handed out combined problem sheet for all types of problems in this chapter.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Tues, Feb 26, 2008
Gave students time to finish Vector Worksheet 2. Students took a lot of time to finish it.
Handed out Vector Worksheet 3. Introduced trig functions and showed how to use them to resolve vectors into components analytically. Students worked on Vector Worksheet 3.
I collected CD 3.2 for those students who had completed it.
Handed out Vector Worksheet 3. Introduced trig functions and showed how to use them to resolve vectors into components analytically. Students worked on Vector Worksheet 3.
I collected CD 3.2 for those students who had completed it.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Monday, Feb 25, 2008
Demonstrated how to set up Ball Roll Projectile Lab
Ball Roll Projectile Lab - Congratulations to team 5: Chris B., Hend, Matt, Trenton
Went over lab calculation
Handed back Rocket 2 Hypotheses sheets - these MUST be included in lab report.
Handed back RA 3.1 - Went over sheet
Handed out CD 3.1 - must be done neatly with a ruler. Due for the last time on Friday
Handed out Vector Worksheet 1 - Students worked on it, went over it
Handed out Vector Worksheet 2 - Students started to work on it.
Ball Roll Projectile Lab - Congratulations to team 5: Chris B., Hend, Matt, Trenton
Went over lab calculation
Handed back Rocket 2 Hypotheses sheets - these MUST be included in lab report.
Handed back RA 3.1 - Went over sheet
Handed out CD 3.1 - must be done neatly with a ruler. Due for the last time on Friday
Handed out Vector Worksheet 1 - Students worked on it, went over it
Handed out Vector Worksheet 2 - Students started to work on it.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Friday, Feb 22, 2008
Handed back and went over Linear motion test.
Students wrote up hypotheses for Rocket 2 Lab. Weather permitting, we will do this lab next Tuesday or Wednesday.
Started Hewitt video on Chapter 3 - Vectors and Projectile Motion.
Stopped video a lot to discuss major points.
Talked about lab on Monday - roll ball off table and predict where it will land by having it land inside tape roll.
No homework over the weekend.
Students wrote up hypotheses for Rocket 2 Lab. Weather permitting, we will do this lab next Tuesday or Wednesday.
Started Hewitt video on Chapter 3 - Vectors and Projectile Motion.
Stopped video a lot to discuss major points.
Talked about lab on Monday - roll ball off table and predict where it will land by having it land inside tape roll.
No homework over the weekend.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Thursday, Feb 21, 2008
Linear Motion test.
When done, students picked up and worked on RA 3.1 due tomorrow.
When done, students picked up and worked on RA 3.1 due tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Wednesday, Feb 20, 2008
Test tomorrow on Linear Motion.
Test will include multiple choice, short answer, and problems. Equations will be given on the test. One of the problems will be a rocket problem.
Gave practice rocket problem including graphing of d, v, and a vs time.
Went over questions from end of chapter 2. Each answering student nominated next student to answer a question.
Answered questions from problem sets and solved a couple of the problems on the board.
Gave students time to study on their own or in small groups - went around and talked to students individually about any questions.
Test will include multiple choice, short answer, and problems. Equations will be given on the test. One of the problems will be a rocket problem.
Gave practice rocket problem including graphing of d, v, and a vs time.
Went over questions from end of chapter 2. Each answering student nominated next student to answer a question.
Answered questions from problem sets and solved a couple of the problems on the board.
Gave students time to study on their own or in small groups - went around and talked to students individually about any questions.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008
Handed back Rocket Lab 1, RA 2.5, Abstract Reasoning Extra Credit Worksheet, Reaction Time Lab
Asked if students made money from showing Reaction Time Lab to parents.
Went over Sunken Track, Straight Track problem. Demonstrated analogy with running around a track. The one with the higher average speed wins even though they have the same final speed.
Went over acceleration down slope problem. Sketched v vs t curves and showed that for the same area (same displacement) it takes less time for the curve with a greater initial slope.
Handed out practice problem worksheet and let students work on it. Showed demo of problem 3 using track and fan glider.
Test on Thursday.
Asked if students made money from showing Reaction Time Lab to parents.
Went over Sunken Track, Straight Track problem. Demonstrated analogy with running around a track. The one with the higher average speed wins even though they have the same final speed.
Went over acceleration down slope problem. Sketched v vs t curves and showed that for the same area (same displacement) it takes less time for the curve with a greater initial slope.
Handed out practice problem worksheet and let students work on it. Showed demo of problem 3 using track and fan glider.
Test on Thursday.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Friday, Feb 15, 2008
Collected RA 2.5
Handed back CD 2.2
Reaction time lab
Students plot graph, drop meter stick, go from distance to graph and down to reaction time. Use the elements of a good graph. Graph is a parabola since d~t^2.
Homework, try out reaction time lab on parent with dollar bill. See if they can make money.
Picket Fence Lab - Introduction to using computers. Students did lab, found slope of straight line on velocity vs time graph. slope = acceleration of gravity.
These are two examples of shapes of graphs of linear motion. d vs t shows a parabola, v vs t shows a straight line.
Did some examples of v vs t graphs: Dropping ball, throwing ball up, bouncing ball.
Collected CD 2.2 for last time.
Homework: Look over problem sheet on linear motion.
Test on Thursday of next week. No school on Monday - President's Day
Handed back CD 2.2
Reaction time lab
Students plot graph, drop meter stick, go from distance to graph and down to reaction time. Use the elements of a good graph. Graph is a parabola since d~t^2.
Homework, try out reaction time lab on parent with dollar bill. See if they can make money.
Picket Fence Lab - Introduction to using computers. Students did lab, found slope of straight line on velocity vs time graph. slope = acceleration of gravity.
These are two examples of shapes of graphs of linear motion. d vs t shows a parabola, v vs t shows a straight line.
Did some examples of v vs t graphs: Dropping ball, throwing ball up, bouncing ball.
Collected CD 2.2 for last time.
Homework: Look over problem sheet on linear motion.
Test on Thursday of next week. No school on Monday - President's Day
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Thursday, Feb 14, 2008 - Valentine's Day
Handed back graded rocket quiz
Solved problems using equations of motion for constant acceleration.
a. Given a distance, find how long and how fast a dropped object is falling.
b. Shoot an object straight up into the air. It is in the air for 2.7 sec. At what time(s) is the object 7 m above the ground?
Answered questions on yesterday's problem worksheet. Solved rock falling by window problem.
Lectured on graphical approach to linear motion problems.
In a velocity vs time graph, the area under the curve gives the displacement.
In a velocity vs time graph, the slope of the curve gives the instantaneous acceleration.
Handed out RA 2.5, due on Friday
WebAssign Chapter 2 part 2 is due tonight
Friday is the last day to hand in CD 2.2
Plan for a test on chapter 2 next Thursday.
No school on Monday - President's Day Holiday.
Solved problems using equations of motion for constant acceleration.
a. Given a distance, find how long and how fast a dropped object is falling.
b. Shoot an object straight up into the air. It is in the air for 2.7 sec. At what time(s) is the object 7 m above the ground?
Answered questions on yesterday's problem worksheet. Solved rock falling by window problem.
Lectured on graphical approach to linear motion problems.
In a velocity vs time graph, the area under the curve gives the displacement.
In a velocity vs time graph, the slope of the curve gives the instantaneous acceleration.
Handed out RA 2.5, due on Friday
WebAssign Chapter 2 part 2 is due tonight
Friday is the last day to hand in CD 2.2
Plan for a test on chapter 2 next Thursday.
No school on Monday - President's Day Holiday.
Wednesday, Feb 13, 2008
Collected Rocket Lab 1
Handed back RA 2.3, RA 2.4
Went over problem areas on worksheets.
Reviewed "Sus It Out" method.
Rocket quiz using "Sus It Out" method.
Went over quiz
Bike and Bee problem. Usually there is more than one way to solve a problem. Life is too short, choose the easy way.
Gave example of a problem not easily solved using "Sus It Out" method.
Derived equations of motion for constant acceleration:
d = vi * t + (1/2)* a * t^2
vf^2 = vi^2 + 2 * a * d
Handed out problem worksheet on linear motion problems.
Students had some class time to work on problems.
Went around class answering questions.
Handed back RA 2.3, RA 2.4
Went over problem areas on worksheets.
Reviewed "Sus It Out" method.
Rocket quiz using "Sus It Out" method.
Went over quiz
Bike and Bee problem. Usually there is more than one way to solve a problem. Life is too short, choose the easy way.
Gave example of a problem not easily solved using "Sus It Out" method.
Derived equations of motion for constant acceleration:
d = vi * t + (1/2)* a * t^2
vf^2 = vi^2 + 2 * a * d
Handed out problem worksheet on linear motion problems.
Students had some class time to work on problems.
Went around class answering questions.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Tuesday, Feb 12, 2008
Today's class was designed to make students experts in using the "Sus it out" method for solving linear motion problems.
Reviewed the "Sus it out" method.
Students worked on worksheets in class:
RA 2.3 (how fast)
RA 2.4 (how far)
CD 2.2
Collected RA 2.3, 2.4
Collected CD 2.2 for those students who completed it. Students get 3 tries to get the Concept Development sheets completely correct.
Homework: Rocket Lab 1 lab report due Wednesday (tomorrow)
WebAssign Chapter 2 Hewitt Part 2 due Thursday
CD 2.2 due for last time on Friday.
Reviewed the "Sus it out" method.
Students worked on worksheets in class:
RA 2.3 (how fast)
RA 2.4 (how far)
CD 2.2
Collected RA 2.3, 2.4
Collected CD 2.2 for those students who completed it. Students get 3 tries to get the Concept Development sheets completely correct.
Homework: Rocket Lab 1 lab report due Wednesday (tomorrow)
WebAssign Chapter 2 Hewitt Part 2 due Thursday
CD 2.2 due for last time on Friday.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Monday, Feb 11, 2008
Return RA 2.2
Students did really well on WebAssign assignment Chapter 2 part 1. I was very pleased.
Quick review of last lesson on acceleration, how far, how fast
Introduce Rocket Lab 1
Went outside and shot off rockets for Rocket Lab 1
Lab writeup is due on Wednesday, Feb 13.
Students did really well on WebAssign assignment Chapter 2 part 1. I was very pleased.
Quick review of last lesson on acceleration, how far, how fast
Introduce Rocket Lab 1
Went outside and shot off rockets for Rocket Lab 1
Lab writeup is due on Wednesday, Feb 13.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Friday, Feb 8, 2008
Collected Abstract Reasoning Problem set. I will grade on the first 5 correct, additional correct problems will earn extra credit.
Showed video of objects dropped in vacuum (remove air from tube, and also dropped on the airless Moon). If no air, they fall at the same rate.
Discussed a model of air resistance - knocking aside molecules of air. Air resistance depends on speed and cross-sectional area - increasing either of these increases the number of air molecules you knock aside in a given time. If you drop a book and a piece of paper, the book reaches the ground first but it also has the greater force of air resistance acting on it (even though the EFFECT of air resistance is more noticeable with the paper) since the book knocks aside more air molecules in the same amount of time. Galileo was able to separate air resistance from the effects of gravity.
Worked some examples with average speed = total distance/total time interval. You have to use the equation.
Talked about rates, how some quantity changes with time. Speed is the rate at which distance is covered. Worked examples of v = d/t. Introduced Seattle example.
Showed using the example of hourly wage and pay raises that the two are different.
A person earns $9/hr. If every year he gets a raise of $3/hr, after 1 year he is earning $12/hr. This is the pay rate. The rate at which the pay rate increased was $9/hr/year - a rate of a rate.
Acceleration is a rate of a rate. It is the rate at which velocity changes.
a = (vf -vi)/t or vf = vi + a*t
Note that final amount = initial amount + rate * time
Worked some examples of changing speed while driving. Answers had units of miles/hr/min. There are two units of time since acceleration is a rate of a rate.
If the acceleration is in the direction of the velocity, the object speeds up.
If the acceleration is opposite the direction of the velocity, the object slows down.
Showed example of tossing ball into air. It slows down on the way up and speeds up on the way down.
Near the surface of the Earth, the acceleration of gravity is about 10 m/s/s (approx to 9.8 m/s/s). This means that for every second of fall (neglecting air resistance) the object picks up 10 m/s of speed every second on the way down and loses 10 m/s of speed for every second on the way up.
Worked examples of how fast an object is falling after a given time when dropped.
Worked examples of how fast an object is moving after a given time if thrown into the air.
IF THE ACCELERATION IS CONSTANT (as it is near the surface of the Earth), then we can write d = vavg * time where the average velocity is just, vavg = (vi + vf)/t
Used this "sus it out" technique to calculate how far an object falls in a given time.
Finished by showing that the "d" in that equation is actually displacement (distance from starting point and in what direction) and NOT actual distance traveled. If you throw a ball up into the air, you can use d = vavg * t to find how far above or below the starting point the ball is after a given time, which is not always the same as the total distance traveled.
Homework due Monday - do WebAssign assignment WA Chapter 2 part 1. The cutoff time is Sunday night at 10 pm.
If Monday is warm (above 50 deg F), and sunny, we will shoot rockets. Be prepared to go outside to do the Rocket Lab 1.
Showed video of objects dropped in vacuum (remove air from tube, and also dropped on the airless Moon). If no air, they fall at the same rate.
Discussed a model of air resistance - knocking aside molecules of air. Air resistance depends on speed and cross-sectional area - increasing either of these increases the number of air molecules you knock aside in a given time. If you drop a book and a piece of paper, the book reaches the ground first but it also has the greater force of air resistance acting on it (even though the EFFECT of air resistance is more noticeable with the paper) since the book knocks aside more air molecules in the same amount of time. Galileo was able to separate air resistance from the effects of gravity.
Worked some examples with average speed = total distance/total time interval. You have to use the equation.
Talked about rates, how some quantity changes with time. Speed is the rate at which distance is covered. Worked examples of v = d/t. Introduced Seattle example.
Showed using the example of hourly wage and pay raises that the two are different.
A person earns $9/hr. If every year he gets a raise of $3/hr, after 1 year he is earning $12/hr. This is the pay rate. The rate at which the pay rate increased was $9/hr/year - a rate of a rate.
Acceleration is a rate of a rate. It is the rate at which velocity changes.
a = (vf -vi)/t or vf = vi + a*t
Note that final amount = initial amount + rate * time
Worked some examples of changing speed while driving. Answers had units of miles/hr/min. There are two units of time since acceleration is a rate of a rate.
If the acceleration is in the direction of the velocity, the object speeds up.
If the acceleration is opposite the direction of the velocity, the object slows down.
Showed example of tossing ball into air. It slows down on the way up and speeds up on the way down.
Near the surface of the Earth, the acceleration of gravity is about 10 m/s/s (approx to 9.8 m/s/s). This means that for every second of fall (neglecting air resistance) the object picks up 10 m/s of speed every second on the way down and loses 10 m/s of speed for every second on the way up.
Worked examples of how fast an object is falling after a given time when dropped.
Worked examples of how fast an object is moving after a given time if thrown into the air.
IF THE ACCELERATION IS CONSTANT (as it is near the surface of the Earth), then we can write d = vavg * time where the average velocity is just, vavg = (vi + vf)/t
Used this "sus it out" technique to calculate how far an object falls in a given time.
Finished by showing that the "d" in that equation is actually displacement (distance from starting point and in what direction) and NOT actual distance traveled. If you throw a ball up into the air, you can use d = vavg * t to find how far above or below the starting point the ball is after a given time, which is not always the same as the total distance traveled.
Homework due Monday - do WebAssign assignment WA Chapter 2 part 1. The cutoff time is Sunday night at 10 pm.
If Monday is warm (above 50 deg F), and sunny, we will shoot rockets. Be prepared to go outside to do the Rocket Lab 1.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Thursday, Feb 7, 2008
Went over Math Skills Worksheet
Went over RA 1
Eratosthenes hired someone to walk the distance from Alexandria to Syene counting steps. Possibly done with knotted rope like British spies in India. A step is about 2.5 ft, a pace is a double step = 5 ft. Mille comes from Roman for 1000 paces = 5000 ft. Meter from French revolution in 1789.
Upcoming lunar eclipse on Feb 20, 6 months after previous lunar eclipse. Talked about eclipse seasons caused by tilt of Moon's orbit around Earth.
Motion - Introduction
Aristotle and four essences Earth, Water, Fire, Air and their natural states
Violet and Natural motion
Fifth essence, quintessence - perfection in heavens, natural motion of planets, Sun, and stars is to move in circles.
Heavier object has more Earth and wants to get to ground (natural state) faster than lighter object. Aristotle was correct, heavier objects do fall faster through medium - demo with soap and ball bearings.
Aside - add fire to earth (lead) to get gold -> alchemy -> chemistry
Galileo
Able to visualize world without friction, air resistance
Thought experiments for falling object (light object tied to heavy) and inertia (ball in bowl)
Vocabulary:
distance: what you pay gas for
displacement: how far from some starting point and in what direction
speed: how fast
instantaneous speed: how fast at some instant in time (speedometer reading)
average speed = total distance traveled/ total time of trip
velocity: how fast and in what direction
instantaneous velocity: velocity at some instant in time
average velocity = change in displacement/time interval
Assigned RA 2.2 due Friday
Assigned WA Chapter 2 part 1 due Sunday 10 pm for discussion on Monday
If it is sunny and warm on Friday, we will do rocket lab.
Went over RA 1
Eratosthenes hired someone to walk the distance from Alexandria to Syene counting steps. Possibly done with knotted rope like British spies in India. A step is about 2.5 ft, a pace is a double step = 5 ft. Mille comes from Roman for 1000 paces = 5000 ft. Meter from French revolution in 1789.
Upcoming lunar eclipse on Feb 20, 6 months after previous lunar eclipse. Talked about eclipse seasons caused by tilt of Moon's orbit around Earth.
Motion - Introduction
Aristotle and four essences Earth, Water, Fire, Air and their natural states
Violet and Natural motion
Fifth essence, quintessence - perfection in heavens, natural motion of planets, Sun, and stars is to move in circles.
Heavier object has more Earth and wants to get to ground (natural state) faster than lighter object. Aristotle was correct, heavier objects do fall faster through medium - demo with soap and ball bearings.
Aside - add fire to earth (lead) to get gold -> alchemy -> chemistry
Galileo
Able to visualize world without friction, air resistance
Thought experiments for falling object (light object tied to heavy) and inertia (ball in bowl)
Vocabulary:
distance: what you pay gas for
displacement: how far from some starting point and in what direction
speed: how fast
instantaneous speed: how fast at some instant in time (speedometer reading)
average speed = total distance traveled/ total time of trip
velocity: how fast and in what direction
instantaneous velocity: velocity at some instant in time
average velocity = change in displacement/time interval
Assigned RA 2.2 due Friday
Assigned WA Chapter 2 part 1 due Sunday 10 pm for discussion on Monday
If it is sunny and warm on Friday, we will do rocket lab.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Wednesday, Feb 6, 2008
Answered questions on RA Chapter 1, collected RA.1
Handed out RA 2.1 - due Thursday
Students did Excel Spreadsheet Lab in Library Computer Lab
Handed out RA 2.1 - due Thursday
Students did Excel Spreadsheet Lab in Library Computer Lab
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Tuesday, Feb 5, 2008
Collected HW on scientific notation and algebra
Handed back Graphing Labs
Discussed some problem areas
With a straight line graph, you get a relationship between variables given by the slope. The equation for a straight line through the origin is y = m*x, or in the case of this lab with the circumference plotted on the y-axis, C = slope * diameter. By finding the slope, you have determined the value of pi.
Used the method of max and min slope to determine the uncertainty in the slope.
Lectured on uncertainties:
1. If you have multiple measurements:
Find the average by: (M1 + M2 + ... + Mn)/n
Find the uncertainty by: (abs(M1-avg) + abs(M2-avg) + ... + abs(Mn-avg))/n
2. If you have one measurement of each quantity:
2a. Max Min method
Example of area of a rectangle
Max area = (L + uncL)*(W + uncW)
Min area = (L - uncL)*(W - uncW)
Avg area = (Max area + Min area)/ 2
Unc Area = (Max area - Min area)/ 2
2b. Method of Relative Uncertainty
This method cannot be used if the terms are added or subtracted but otherwise is powerful and easy to use
Used example of area of a rectangle
Area = L * W
Unc Area = A * (uncL/L + uncW/W)
If you have a complicated expression like: Z = (A^1/2) * (B^3)/(C^5)
you can use this method taking the absolute values of the exponents as coefficients in the relative uncertainty equation: uncZ = Z*((1/2)*uncA/A + 3*uncB/B + 5*uncC/C)
Handed out practice sheet on uncertainties with summary of class notes - will post answers in answer folder.
Showed Cosmos video of Eratosthenes finding circumference of Earth (including Beethoven's 7th symphony).
Handed out RA Chapter 1, due Wednesday.
Handed back Graphing Labs
Discussed some problem areas
With a straight line graph, you get a relationship between variables given by the slope. The equation for a straight line through the origin is y = m*x, or in the case of this lab with the circumference plotted on the y-axis, C = slope * diameter. By finding the slope, you have determined the value of pi.
Used the method of max and min slope to determine the uncertainty in the slope.
Lectured on uncertainties:
1. If you have multiple measurements:
Find the average by: (M1 + M2 + ... + Mn)/n
Find the uncertainty by: (abs(M1-avg) + abs(M2-avg) + ... + abs(Mn-avg))/n
2. If you have one measurement of each quantity:
2a. Max Min method
Example of area of a rectangle
Max area = (L + uncL)*(W + uncW)
Min area = (L - uncL)*(W - uncW)
Avg area = (Max area + Min area)/ 2
Unc Area = (Max area - Min area)/ 2
2b. Method of Relative Uncertainty
This method cannot be used if the terms are added or subtracted but otherwise is powerful and easy to use
Used example of area of a rectangle
Area = L * W
Unc Area = A * (uncL/L + uncW/W)
If you have a complicated expression like: Z = (A^1/2) * (B^3)/(C^5)
you can use this method taking the absolute values of the exponents as coefficients in the relative uncertainty equation: uncZ = Z*((1/2)*uncA/A + 3*uncB/B + 5*uncC/C)
Handed out practice sheet on uncertainties with summary of class notes - will post answers in answer folder.
Showed Cosmos video of Eratosthenes finding circumference of Earth (including Beethoven's 7th symphony).
Handed out RA Chapter 1, due Wednesday.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Monday, Feb 4, 2008
Collected Graphs and Data Tables for Measurement of Round Objects Lab
Covered "Skills Needed In Physics":
Dealing with BIG and small numbers
Scientific notation and using your calculator: Use the EXP or EE key, 2 x 10^2 is NOT the same as 2^2 so be careful with notation and don't take shortcuts.
Be careful when entering numbers into your calculator: 10^5 = 1 EE 5 and not 10 EE 5
Went over prefixes - students must memorize the basic ones (nano, micro, milli, centi, kilo, mega, giga). Did prefix worksheet in class.
Watched "Powers of 10" video
Went over unit conversion explanation sheet. Students worked on unit conversion worksheet in class - just getting the correct answer is not sufficient - students MUST show the proper strategy. Students checked answers against answer sheet.
Homework due Tuesday: handed out worksheet on scientific notation and algebraic manipulations.
Also handed out Abstract Reasoning worksheet. I will expect students to get at least 5 of these correct. Five correctly answered problems will earn full credit, more than five correct will earn extra credit. I will collect this sheet on Friday - no late work will be accepted for this sheet.
Covered "Skills Needed In Physics":
Dealing with BIG and small numbers
Scientific notation and using your calculator: Use the EXP or EE key, 2 x 10^2 is NOT the same as 2^2 so be careful with notation and don't take shortcuts.
Be careful when entering numbers into your calculator: 10^5 = 1 EE 5 and not 10 EE 5
Went over prefixes - students must memorize the basic ones (nano, micro, milli, centi, kilo, mega, giga). Did prefix worksheet in class.
Watched "Powers of 10" video
Went over unit conversion explanation sheet. Students worked on unit conversion worksheet in class - just getting the correct answer is not sufficient - students MUST show the proper strategy. Students checked answers against answer sheet.
Homework due Tuesday: handed out worksheet on scientific notation and algebraic manipulations.
Also handed out Abstract Reasoning worksheet. I will expect students to get at least 5 of these correct. Five correctly answered problems will earn full credit, more than five correct will earn extra credit. I will collect this sheet on Friday - no late work will be accepted for this sheet.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Friday, Feb 1, 2008
Went around room asking what students told parents about Textbook Scavenger Hunt.
Demo with slinky modeling light as a transverse wave:
High frequency = high energy = short wavelength
Low frequency = low energy = long lazy wavelength
Spectrum of visible light given by ROY G BIV
Purple tie days are high energy days => Violet light photons are higher energy than red photons.
Fermi number calculation of number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy assuming galaxy is a rectangular slab 100,000 LY x 100,000 LY x 1000 LY and stars are evenly spaced at 4 LY apart (distance from our Sun to nearest star).
What is Physics? brainstorm
You Can't Say the Rule
Elements of a good graph handout
Measurement and Graphing of Round Objects Lab
HW: Students finish calculations and make graph using all the elements of a good graph.
Demo with slinky modeling light as a transverse wave:
High frequency = high energy = short wavelength
Low frequency = low energy = long lazy wavelength
Spectrum of visible light given by ROY G BIV
Purple tie days are high energy days => Violet light photons are higher energy than red photons.
Fermi number calculation of number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy assuming galaxy is a rectangular slab 100,000 LY x 100,000 LY x 1000 LY and stars are evenly spaced at 4 LY apart (distance from our Sun to nearest star).
What is Physics? brainstorm
You Can't Say the Rule
Elements of a good graph handout
Measurement and Graphing of Round Objects Lab
HW: Students finish calculations and make graph using all the elements of a good graph.
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