Welcome to AP Physics 1



Welcome to AP Physics 1!

The written portions of this assignment (number 1, 2, 3, and 4) are due the first day of class, and will constitute part of the first quarter’s grade. You will be quizzed on numbers 4 and 5 (significant figures and right triangles) during the first week.

1. Go to the College Board website to read the course description of the AP Physics 1 course. You can do a simple search, or go to this site: Answer these questions:

a. What are the major content areas included in the course?

b. What is the structure of the exam (how many parts of what kind of questions?, how many questions?, how much time?),

c. Give an example of one multiple choice question,

d. Give an example of one free response question.

2. Go to the University of Colorado’s PhET Interactive Simulations. You can do a simple

search, or go to this site: Choose six of the following simulations, open the simulation (you can either download it, or run it on-line), play around with it—try all the control aspects and tabs—and answer the following questions (about ½ page) for each: a. What basically is happening?, b. What aspects of the simulation do you control, and what are the resultant effects (what changes)? c. What things can be learned from this simulation? Answer the questions (about 2 per page) for six of these simulations (you can find them alphabetically under Index View): Wave on a String, The Ramp, Projectile Motion, Maze Game, Masses and Springs, Moving Man, Ladybug Revolution, Gas Properties, Faraday’s Electromagnetic Lab, Electric Field Hockey, Circuit Construction Kit (DC), Lunar Lander, Forces and Motions: Basics, Balancing Act

3. Watch the following youtube videos – summarize each video (about 3 per page)

Veritasium – 5 Fun Physics Phenomena

Khan Academy – Introduction to Vectors and Scalars

Doc Physics – The Kinematics Equations – Key to Memorization

Smarter Every Day - The Archer's Paradox in SLOW MOTION - Smarter Every Day 136

Flipping Physics – Weight and Mass are Not the Same

MinutePhysics - Immovable Object vs. Unstoppable Force - Which Wins?

+find three other interesting physics videos and summarize them.

4. Review trigonometry for right triangles. Specifically, you should be able to solve for any side or angle of a right triangle. Practice the problems on the back of this sheet.

Right Triangle Review Video

5. Understanding the concepts of accuracy and precision is crucial when performing calculations

in physics. If you never fully understood counting significant figures when taking chemistry,

now is the time to learn it. First, access a website that explains the concept of significant

figures. You can search for one you feel comfortable with, or try this one: Next open this website: Drill and practice until you reach mastery. That means that you should be able to get all of them correct, consistently (which is both accurate and precise). You will be quizzed on this during the first week of class.

Solve each triangle (determine each side and angle). Triangles are not drawn to scale.

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|15 in. |75 m |

| |34 m |

|30° | |

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|2.2 m | |

| |1.1cm |

|24° |1.9 cm |

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| |6 ft |

|90.2 cm | |

| |40° |

|59° | |

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|0.052 mm |4.12 km |

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|75° |49° |

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| |12 in |

| |16 in |

|19° 81 cm | |

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