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| Topic 1 | Physics and Physical Measurement | SL | |
| Topic 2 | Mechanics | SL | |
| Topic 3 | Thermal Physics | SL | |
| Topic 4 | Oscillations and Waves | SL | |
| Topic 5 | Electric Circuits | SL | |
| Topic 6 | Fields and Forces | SL | |
| Topic 7 | Atomic and Nuclear Physics | SL | |
| Topic 8 | Energy, Power, and Climate Change | SL | |
| Topic 9 | Motion in Fields | HL | |
| Topic 10 | Thermal Physics | HL | |
| Topic 11 | Wave Phenomena | HL | |
| Topic 12 | Electromagnetic Induction | HL | |
| Topic 13 Option B | Quantum Physics and Nuclear Physics |
HL--required SL--option |
|
| Topic 14 | Digital Technology | HL | |
| Option E | Astrophysics | SL | HL |
| Option J | Particle Physics | SL (opt. D) | HL |
| Option H | Relativity | HL | |
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Topic 1: Physics and Physical Measurement
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
| Order of Magnitude | A brief discussion of the purpose of using orders of magnitude, and a table of examples | 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.4 |
| More on Orders of Magnitude - Wikipedia entry with examples - Powers of Ten |
1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.4 | |
|
- Fundamental and base units--definitions - Fundamental and Derived units--examples
- conversions-factor-label rules and
examples: - Rules-- be aware of and use these! |
Information on the definitions, standards, uses, and conversions of metric units. If you have trouble with conversions, refer to these pages! There are examples on many of them.
- the last link takes you to a table of derived units--all are listed in the format that you are expected to use. Get used to the format! It's a little different than what you've probably used in the past! |
1.2.1, 1.2.2, 1.2.3 |
|
Uncertainty in measurements |
|
1.2.6 |
| Scientific Notation - Instructions - Practice exercises #1 - Practice exercises #2 |
Instructions and several sites for practice. Use these if you need more practice, since you will be required to use sci. notation fairly often this year. | 1.2.5 |
| Significant Figures - Instructions and Practice - Rules - Practice #2 |
Rules reminders and practice pages--use these pages often if you have problems with sig. figs! | 1.2.9, 1.1.4 |
| Uncertainties:
Use in calculations - Absolute, Fractional, and Percentage uncertainty calculations - More info and some practice |
1.2.10 | |
|
Accuracy vs. Precision Random errors |
basic definitions of both
accuracy and precision - more information on how these relate to random and systematic errors |
1.2.7, 1.2.8 |
| Vectors - Vector vs. Scalar quantities - |
1.3.1 | |
|
- more practice with the Vernier caliper - simulation of reading Vernier caliper (note: this is for practice...the calipers we use are more precise than this simulation, but it'll still get you used to it.) - simulation of reading a micrometer
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Topic 2: Mechanics back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
| Graphical analysis of motion: - Position vs. Time graphs - velocity vs. time graphs |
Each of these links will give you information and practice with the interpretation of motion graphs. Being able to understand how to interpret graphs correctly is an essential skill for understanding and describing motion | 2.1.7, 2.1.8 |
| Graphing motion--animated example | a good animation showing how displacement-time, velocity-time, and acceleration-time graphs are related to each other for various types of motion | 2.1.7, 2.1.8 |
| Graphing motion--tutorial with answers | good review of interpreting graphs | 2.1.7, 2.1.8 |
| Derivation of Kinematic Equations | Review of how the kinematic equations were derived and how they can be used | 2.1.3, 2.1.5 |
| Accelerated motion | a definition of acceleration and examples/equations | 2.1.1-2.1.5 |
| Accelerated motion of falling objects | Some basic background information and some history on Aristotle's and Galileo's contributions to the study of falling objects | 2.1.6 |
|
A NASA site
related to air resistance Another site explaining air resistance |
Understand the effects of air
resistance on falling objects
|
2.1.6 |
| Relative velocity - Site #1 - Site #2 - Site #3 |
Understand the vector nature of velocity and determine the velocity relative to various observers | 2.1.9 |
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Weight vs. Mass How much would you weigh on other planets? |
Weight and mass are different quantities--make sure you understand what that difference is! | 2.2.1 |
| Drawing Free-body diagrams | free-body diagrams are an essential tool for determining net forces acting on an object. This is a great slide presentation walking you through the steps and several example problems | 2.2.2 |
| Newton's 3 laws of motion | good information/review/examples | 2.2.4-2.2.5, 2.2.8, 2.2.14, 2.2.15 |
| Newton's laws of motion--tutorial | good source of information, review examples, applications, etc. | 2.2.4-2.2.5, 2.2.8, 2.2.14, 2.2.15 |
| Newton's 2nd Law and Net Force | Good practice problems for net force and for accelerations due to the presence of a net force | 2.2.8, 2.2.9 |
| -
Translational
Equilibrium - - |
During equilibrium, the net force acting on an object will always equal zero. These examples will give you information on solving problems involving forces in equilibrium | 2.2.6, 2.2.7 |
| Linear Momentum:
(1)
(2) conservation of momentum: (1) (2) impulse: (1) |
Impulse indicates the change in momentum for a single object; momentum of all objects in a system will be conserved. These are two fundamental concepts needed to understand all types of collisions | 2.2.10, 2.2.12, 2.2.13 |
| Impulse-Momentum theorem | 2.2.10, 2.2.11 | |
| inelastic and elastic collisions | applet useful for looking at the conservation of momentum through collisions | 2.2.12 |
| inelastic and elastic collisions--problems | information for solving problems involving various collisions | 2.2.12, 2.2.13 |
|
Work Work-Energy theorem |
definition of work, examples of the work-kinetic energy theorem | 2.3 |
|
Uniform circular motion More on uniform circular motion |
- SparkNotes information on
uniform circular motion, including derivation of some of the equations - more information, including the misconception of the term "centrifugal" |
2.4 |
| Mathematics of circular motion, including sample problems | good information related to the equations for circular motion; also works through multiple sample problems | 2.4.2, 2.4.4 |
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Topic 3: Thermal Physics back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
Topic 10: Thermal Physics (HL) back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
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Topic 4: Oscillations and Waves back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
Topic 11: Wave Phenomena (HL) back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
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Topic 5: Electric Circuits back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
| -
Electric potential difference--definition - VIDEO: overview of electric potential |
- Good information related to the basics of
electric potential difference - Video from HowStuffWorks.com giving an intro to the concept of electric potential energy |
5.1.1 |
| - VIDEO: voltage and how electricity flows | - video from google videos that gives a basic overview of the concept of voltage and how voltage is necessary for an electric circuit to carry charge | 5.1 |
|
Electron-Volt Electron-volt #2 |
definition and examples of orders of magnitude | 5.1.3 |
| Electric circuits | an animated tutorial on the basics of electric circuits--simple, but fun | 5.2.4 |
| Electric circuits, resistance, voltage, current, etc. | Good information about the concepts of electricity and electric circuits | 5.1, 5.2 |
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Ohm's Law Sample problems interactive example |
5.1.8 | |
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Resistivity and Resistance Calculating effective resistance Resistivity and Resistance (#2) |
5.1.6, 5.1.7 | |
| interactive applets (#1) (resistivity equation) (#2) Resistors in combination--voltage and current (#3) Using a voltmeter and an ammeter in a circuit |
good interactive applets to help with some of the mathematical concepts for this unit | 5.1.7, 5.2.3, 5.2.5 |
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Resistor color
codes - interactive tutorial #1 - interactive tutorial #2 |
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drawing circuit diagrams |
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| Potential divider interactive use of circuit diagrams to determined voltage across one resistor |
Topic 12: Electromagnetic Induction (HL) back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
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Topic 6: Fields and Forces back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
| Earth's Gravitational Field | brief description and a zoom in/zoom out animation to show the pattern | 6.1 |
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Topic 7: Atomic and Nuclear Physics back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
Topic 13: Quantum and Nuclear Physics (HL) [SL Option B] back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
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Topic 8: Energy, Power and Climate Change back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
| http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/ science/physics/energy_transfer_2.shtml | Sankey diagrams (energy flow diagrams) | 8.1.2 |
| http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/non-renewable/naturalgas.html | Natural gas information--source, uses, environmental considerations | |
| http://www.globalissues.org/article/408/sustainable-development-introduction | Sustainable development of energy sources | |
| http://hypertextbook.com/physics/matter/energy-chemical/ | Data table of energy densities of various fuels |
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Topic 9: Motion in Fields (HL) back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
| "Physics of Projectile Motion" (Thinkquest) | A brief history of how the study of projectile motion has evolved, and how values are calculated--good review, ending with a water balloon game! | 9.1.1, 9.1.2 |
| "What is Projectile Motion?" | a great summary of the concept, including animated examples (monkey and banana) | 9.1.1, 9.1.2 |
| Java Applet--projectile motion | a very nice applet that allows you to change several different variables and study the resulting change on the trajectory of a projectile. | 9.1.1, 9.1.2 |
| PhET Applet for projectile motion | A GREAT quantitative applet--you can change angles, launch velocities, air resistance, and the mass and diameter of object. You can also change the altitude when you are looking at air resistance | 9.1.1, 9.1.2, 9.1.3 |
| Help for calculating projectile
motion quantities--the following links may help you if you need more
assistance with projectile calculations: -
"Projectile motion, general solution" |
if you need another source for help with calculations involving projectile motion, these sites may help with the process | 9.1.4 |
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| Gravitational potential and gravitational potential energy--SparkNotes | This site has some information on the difference between gravitational potential and gravitational potential energy. HOWEVER, it is calculus-based...so when you get to the calculations/equations, they are used in a different way than we'll deal with in class, but they should look familiar. :) | 9.2.1, 9.2.2 |
| Gravitational potential and potential energy--calculation help | in case you forgot about the energy calculation from last year. :) (and new information on calculating gravitational potential | 9.2.9 |
|
Escape speeds - link 1 - link 2--includes calculation examples |
these sites should give you a little more information on how escape speeds are calculated (and what the term means) | 9.2.7, 9.2.8 |
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| Kepler's laws of orbital motion | basic definitions, but there are also animations that help make them clearer! | 9.4.2 |
| Orbital motion - kinetic energy and potential energy or orbiting bodies - |
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Topic 14: Digital Technology (HL) back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
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Option E: Astrophysics (SL/HL) back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
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Option J: Particle Physics (HL) back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |
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Option H: Relativity (HL) back to top
| Website Link | Description | Assessment Statements Covered |