Course Description
Physics is designed to provide students with an overview of traditional physics and the latest research in the field. Beginning with Newtonian mechanics, students learn that every object is acted upon by multiple predictable forces. The course moves on to investigate the laws of thermodynamics, covering fluid mechanics and the relationship between matter and energy. The course also explores the various models used to explain and apply the universal forces of electricity and magnetism. Students learn the characteristics of waves and the basics of optics before the final set of lessons on atomic physics. Here, students review the characteristics of the atom and its elemental particles and apply their knowledge to modern physics. Topics in this course will be reinforced through interactive, online lab assignments.
Course Breakdown
Electrostatics
Units and movement of charges
Coulomb’s law
Electric and electromotive forces
Ohm’s law
DC and AC voltage current
Energy costs
Magnetic force
Magnetic fields
Magnetic flux
Lenz’s law
Faraday’s law Waves and wave motion
The wave equation
Applications of sound
The Doppler effect
Types of interference in waves
Two-slit experiment
Mirrors and magnification
Snell’s law
Total internal reflection
Law of reflection
Law of refraction
Proper time and length
Speed of light
The emission spectrum
Quantum numbers
Course Goals
Describe the properties of electrical charges and their motions as influenced by electric fields and forces.
Analyze a circuit schematic to determine the circuit’s properties and quantities.
Extend knowledge of electrostatic and electromotive systems to usage of energy.
Determine the properties of magnetic systems and apply them to electromagnetic induction. Describe the properties of different waves and the relationships between them.
Analyze interactions of waves with each other and with matter.
Describe the principles of reflection and refraction as applied to mirrors and lenses.
Analyze the principles of relativity as applied to motion close to the speed of light.
Describe the methods used to determine the properties of subatomic particles.