Past Physics Announcements
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The following announcements from earlier in the semester may be of use to students attempting to catch up after missing class, etc.
Temperature & Heat Unit
Temperature & Heat HW
In this unit we began our study of Temperature and Heat. Click the link above for a copy of the homework sheet.
Crazy Mixed-up Heat Lab
On Tuesday (2008-08-26) we did a lab to study heat flow. Click the link above for a copy of the lab sheet. See the Laboratory Reports section of the syllabus to review my expectations for the lab report (draft due Monday 2008-09-08, final report due Monday 2008-10-27).
Temperature & Heat Test
On Friday (2008-09-05) we took our first unit test. Click the link above to download a copy of the test topics.
Phase Changes Unit
Phase Changes HW
In this unit, we're continuing our study of Heat by taking a look at changes of phase. Click the link above for a copy of the homework sheet.
Cold Fusion Lab
On Tuesday (2008-09-16) we did a lab to measure the heat of fusion for water. Click the link above for a copy of the lab sheet. See the Laboratory Reports section of the syllabus to review my expectations for the lab report (draft due Monday 2008-09-29, final report due Monday 2008-10-27).
Phase Changes Test
On Friday (2008-09-26) we took our second unit test. Click the link above to download a copy of the test topics.
Thermodynamics Unit
Thermodynamics HW
In this unit, we're continuing our study of Heat by taking a look at Thermodynamics, which is the study of how and why heat flows and how a portion of this flow can be converted to other forms of energy. Click the link above for a copy of the homework sheet.
Chaotic Lab
On Monday (2008-10-13) we did a lab to explore entropy. Click the link above for a copy of the lab sheet. See the Laboratory Reports section of the syllabus to review my expectations for the lab report (final report due Monday 2008-10-27).
Thermodynamics Test
On Wednesday (2008-10-15) we took our third unit test. Click the link above to download a copy of the test topics.
Finishing up Q1
Quarter 1 Exam
On Friday (2008-10-17) we took the quarter exam, covering all three Heat units. Click the link above to download a copy of the exam topics and formulae.
IMPORTANT!
Final Q1 Lab Reports were due on Monday (2008-10-27). Any lab reports that weren't turned in at the beginning of class that day will receive the grade from the first draft (zero if the first draft was not turned in). No exceptions will be made to this policy for absence or other emergency.
Linear & 2-D Motion Unit
Linear & 2-D Motion HW
In this unit, we begin our study of Mechanics by investigating Linear and 2-D Motion. Click the link above for a copy of the homework sheet.
Free Fall Lab
On Tuesday (2008-11-04) we did a lab to measure the acceleration of gravity. Click the link above for a copy of the lab sheet. See the Laboratory Reports section of the syllabus to review my expectations for the lab report (draft due Friday 2008-11-14, final lab report due Tuesday 2009-01-20).
Linear & 2-D Motion Test
On Thursday (2008-11-13) we took our fourth unit test. Click the link above to download a copy of the test topics.
Newton's Laws Unit
Newton's Laws HW
In this unit, we continued learning about Mechanics by studying Newton's Laws of Motion. Click the link above for a copy of the homework sheet.
When Worlds Collide Lab
On Tuesday (2008-12-02) we did a lab to study inelastic collisions in 2-D. Click the link above for a copy of the lab sheet. See the Laboratory Reports section of the syllabus to review my expectations for the lab report (draft due Monday 2008-12-08, final lab report due Tuesday 2009-01-20).
Newton's Laws Test
On Friday (2008-12-05) we took our fifth unit test. Click the link above to download a copy of the test topics.
Energy & Machines Unit
Energy & Machines HW
We're continuing our study of Mechanics by studying Energy and Machines. Click the link above for a copy of the homework sheet.
Very Little Work Lab
On Wednesday (2008-12-17) we did a lab to study how pulleys convert work done pulling in one direction into work done pulling in some other direction . Click the link above for a copy of the lab sheet. See the Laboratory Reports section of the syllabus to review my expectations for the lab report (final lab report due Tuesday 2009-01-20).
Energy & Machines Test
On Friday (2009-01-09) we took our last unit test of the semester. Click the link above to download a copy of the test topics.
Finishing up Q2
IMPORTANT!
On Monday (2009-01-12) students showed off their engineering projects. This was also the last day to receive credit on Engineering Project work, particularly the Engineering Project Report. See the Engineering Project page for a copy of the handouts describing these assignments. No exceptions will be made to this policy for absence or other emergency.
Quarter 2 Exam
On Friday (2009-01-16) we took the quarter exam, covering all three Mechanics units. Click the link above to download a copy of the exam topics and formulae.
IMPORTANT!
Final Q2 Lab Reports were due on Tuesday (2009-01-20). Any lab reports that weren't turned in at the beginning of class that day received the grade from the first draft (zero if the first draft was not turned in). No exceptions will be made to this policy for absence or other emergency.
Electrostatic Unit
Sticky Tape Lab
On Wednesday (2009-01-21) we did a lab to study electrical charges on strips of scotch tape. Click the link above for a copy of the lab sheet. See the Laboratory Reports section of the syllabus to review my expectations for the lab report (draft lab report due Thursday, 2009-02-05; final lab report due Monday 2009-03-23).
Electrostatic HW
We're beginning our study of Electricity and Magnetism by investigating Electrostatics. Click the link above for a copy of the homework sheet.
Electrostatic Test
On Wednesday (2009-02-04) we took our first unit test of the second semester. Click the link above to download a copy of the test topics.
Circuit Unit
Circuit HW
We're continuing our study of Electricity and Magnetism by investigating elementary circuit theory. Click the link above for a copy of the homework sheet.
Circuit Lab
On Monday (2009-02-09) we did a lab to study simple electrical circuits. Click the link above for a copy of the lab sheet. See the Laboratory Reports section of the syllabus to review my expectations for the lab report (draft lab report due Thursday, 2009-02-26; final lab report due Monday 2009-03-23).
Circuit Test
On Wednesday (2009-02-25) we took our second unit test of the semester. Click the link above to download a copy of the test topics.
Magnet Unit
Magnet HW
We're continuing our study of Electricity and Magnetism by investigating magnets which demonstrate seemingly magic action at a distance.
Magnet Lab
On Friday (2009-02-27) we did a lab to study the strange, invisible force fields surrounding magnets. Click the link above for a copy of the lab sheet. See the Laboratory Reports section of the syllabus to review my expectations for the lab report (final lab report due Monday 2009-03-23).
Electric Motor Activity
On Wednesday (2009-03-11) we tried to build simple electric motors in class. Click the link above for a copy of the activity sheet. There is no lab analysis or lab report homework associated with this activity - just pure fun!
Magnet Test
On Monday (2009-03-16) we took our last unit test of the third quarter. Click the link above to download a copy of the test topics.
Finishing up Q3
Quarter 3 Exam
On Wednesday (2009-03-18) we took the quarter exam, covering all three Electromagnetic units. Click the link above to download a copy of the exam topics and formulae.
IMPORTANT!
Final Q3 Lab Reports were due on Monday (2009-03-23). Any lab reports that weren't turned in at the beginning of class that day received the grade from the first draft (zero if the first draft was not turned in). No exceptions will be made to this policy for absence or other emergency.
Sound Wave Unit
Sound Wave HW
In this unit we study Sound Waves, periodic compressions and rarefactions of the air we breathe. If there weren't any sound waves, we'd all miss the subtle beauty and driving emotion of music. I've posted most of the handouts and other resources for this unit below.
Mach One Lab
On Tuesday (2009-03-31) we did a lab to measure the speed of sound through the air. See the Laboratory Reports section of the syllabus to review my expectations for the lab report (draft due Monday 2009-04-13, final lab report due Monday 2009-06-01).
Sound Wave Test
On Thursday (2009-04-02) we took our first unit test of the fourth quarter. Click the link above to download a copy of the test topics.
Six Flags Adventure
On Friday (2009-04-03) the class is taking a field trip to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, CA. We'll be riding roller coasters, collecting data and then doing math and physics analysis. Any students who dress like "Mr. Six" (and are deemed eligible for the $6 park admission) will receive their $25 discounts from Mr. Schneider at the gate - get your costume together now (but don't forget to study for the test!) Click the link above to download a copy of the handout.
Light Wave Unit
Light Wave HW
In this unit we study Light Waves, which James Clerk Maxwell first realized were simply self-propagating disturbances in the electromagnetic field. Such electromagnetic radiation (which includes visible light) has an almost unlimited number of fascinating properties, many of which we'll be studying over the course of our three week unit.
Color Identication Lab
NOTE: We skipped the Color Identification Lab for the 2008-2009 school year. Usually we do the Color Identification Lab to examine the spectrum of colors emitted from things we perceive as having a single color. The first draft of the Lab Report is usually due on the Monday immediately after the Light Wave Test.
Light Wave Test
On Friday (2009-05-01) we took our second unit test of the fourth quarter. Click the link above to download a copy of the test topics.
IMPORTANT!
On Monday (2009-05-11) students showed off their Energy Movies. This was also the last day to receive credit on anything having to do with the Energy Project (including the Energy Poster). See the Energy Project page for a copy of the handouts describing this assignment. No exceptions will be made to this policy for absence or other emergency.
Quantum Duality HW
In this unit we study Quantum Duality, a seemingly "magic" property of the natural world that neither our "wave" model nor our "particle" model adequately describes. We also learn that this dual nature isn't confined to light at all, but clearly applies to all very small things (and to a small extent, even large things like human beings).
Polarizing Shades Lab
On Friday (2009-05-15) we did a lab to investigate the polarization of light. See the Laboratory Reports section of the syllabus to review my expectations for the lab report (final lab report due Monday 2009-06-01).
Quantum Duality Test
On Friday (2009-05-29) we took our final unit test. Click the link above to download a copy of the test topics.
IMPORTANT!
Final Q4 Lab Reports were due on Monday (2009-06-01). Any lab reports that weren't turned in at the beginning of class that day received the grade from the first draft (zero if the first draft was not turned in). No exceptions will be made to this policy for absence or other emergency.
Quarter 4 Exam
On Thursday (2009-06-04) we took our final quarter exam, covering all three Wave units. Click the link above to download a copy of the exam topics and formulae.
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