CASTEEL HIGH SCHOOL

AP Physics 1 Syllabus
2021 – 2022
Course Description
TEACHER
The AP Physics 1 class is
Shivam designed to introduce What is Physics?
students to the algebra
ROOM based physics learned at
the college level.
A26
At the end of the course,
PHONE
students will take the AP
480-424-8152 Test, which will test
students’ knowledge of
EMAIL both the conceptual and
mathematical formulations It was a warm summer’s
[email protected] of the requisite concepts. evening in ancient Greece…
OFFICE HOURS Expectations
2 : 3 0 T O 3 : 30
Monday through Thursday
This is NOT a math class, this is NOT a science class, … This is a
mixture of math, science and philosophy. Physics is challenging
because the math is the easy part. You will need to observe,
identify, think and then apply concepts to solve problems. The
biggest expectation I have is that you will complete the
problems to the best of your ability. You will struggle but the
more you practice the better you will become. It is extremely
important that you stay on top of the material as it will build and
be used throughout the year. Finally, have fun!

Required Material
 Textbook: College Physics for the AP Physics 1 Course 2 nd edition
Stewart, Freedman, Ruskell, Kesten

 Graphing Calculator
 Notebook
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Grading Categories
Methods of Assessment:
Each Semester, grades will be based on the following: Assessed through the
production of:
Classwork/Homework 10%  Written work
Regular worksheets/
textbook problems Grades are calculated based  Tasks
on these categories prior to
Labs/Quizzes 40% the final  Laboratory reports
Notebook/Reports
 Practicums
Tests 50%  Oral presentations

 Projects

 Quizzes
Semester Exams 20%
Required at the end of each Calculated by:  Tests
Semester. Second semester Quarter 1 Grade: 40%
may be project-based Quarter 2 Grade: 40%
Semester Exam Grade: 20%

Classwork/ Homework Labs Quizzes/ Tests

(Important in college level science class)
 Many of the problems we will  Most units will have activities and labs to  Can be a mixture of
work on in class in groups and test theories and concepts. multiple choice, free
as a whole… It is imperative response and anything
 Lab groups create their own procedures
that you participate, ask in between. Most
and run experiments collecting data and
questions, make mistakes, quizzes and tests are
developing models for the phenomenon.
and work to understand based off of previous
Each lab partner will do their own
each concept AP Exam questions.
conclusion or perspective
Depending on how the
 Homework will be assigned
It is good scientific practice to have: school year goes they
each class. It will be graded
can be timed or not.
on a completion score…  Lab Notebooks: Notes for personal
however, the quizzes and reflection on all phases of the lab (Pre-  Quizzes: 1 per week
tests are based on the lab, data collection, post-lab) unless having a test
homework, make mistakes that week.
and struggle on the  Lab Reports: Each student is responsible
for creating their own formal lab report  Tests: End of each unit
homework, not the quiz/test
using the appropriate format
 There will be
 You will want to keep your
opportunities to fix
homework after it has been
tests and/or quizzes
graded. It is a useful way to
study for tests and exams. with more problems
involving that concept.
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Units of Study (AP test Units 1-7)

Unit 1: Kinematics Unit 6: Unit Simple Harmonic Motion
Reference Frames and Displacement Simple Harmonic Motion
Average Velocity and Instantaneous Velocity SHM Graphs: position, velocity, acceleration, energy
Motion at Constant Acceleration Energy in SHM
Falling Objects Mass-Spring Systems
Adding Vectors by Components Simple Pendulum
Projectile Motion: projectiles fired horizontally and at an Textual Readings: College Physics: Chapter 12
angle
Graphical Analysis of Motion Unit 7: Torque & Rotational Motion
Textual Readings: College Physics: Chapter 1, 2, 3 Torque
Center of Mass (qualitative)
Unit 2: Dynamics Rotational Kinematics
Forces Rotational Dynamics and Rotational Inertia
Free-Body-Diagrams Rolling Motion (without slipping)
Newton’s Laws of Motion Rotational Kinetic Energy
Mass and Weight Angular Momentum and its Conservation
Applications Involving Friction, Inclines Textual Readings: College Physics: Chapter 10, 11
Textual Readings: College Physics: Chapter 4, 5
Unit 8: Mechanical Waves & Sound
Unit 3: Circular Motion & Gravitation Wave Motion
Kinematics of Uniform Circular Motion Types of Waves: Transverse and Longitudinal
Dynamics of Uniform Circular Motion Energy Transmitted by Waves: relationship of energy and
Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation wave amplitude
Gravity Near the Earth’s Surface Reflection and Interference of Waves
Satellites and “Weightlessness” Standing Waves
Kepler’s Laws Sources of Sound:
Textual Readings: Chapter 6 Standing waves for stringed instruments
Standing waves for a tube open at both ends and for a
Unit 4: Energy tube closed at one end
Work Beats
Kinetic Energy and the Work-Energy Theorem Doppler Effect (qualitative)
Potential Energy: Gravitational and Elastic Textual Readings: College Physics: Chapter 13
Mechanical Energy and its Conservation
Power Unit 9: Electric Charge & Electric Force
Textual Readings: College Physics: Chapter 7, 8 Static Electricity; Electric Charge and its Conservation
Electric Charge in the Atom
Unit 5: Momentum Charging Processes
Impulse and Change in Momentum Coulomb’s Law
Conservation of Momentum Textual Readings: College Physics: Chapter 14
Conservation of Energy and Momentum in Collisions (1
dimension) Unit 10: DC Circuits
Conservation of Momentum in Collisions (2 dimensions: Electric Current
qualitative Ohms Law: Resistance and Resistors
and semi-quantitative only) Resistivity
Textual Readings: College Physics: Chapter 9 Electric Power
DC Circuits
Resistors in Series and Parallel
Kirchhoff’s Rules (circuits with one battery only)
Internal Resistance is NOT covered in AP Physics 1
Textual Readings: College Physics: Chapter 15
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Contents of Physics 1 Based on 6 Big Ideas

Big Idea 1: Objects and systems have properties such as mass and
charge. Systems may have internal structure.

Big Idea 2: Fields existing in space can be used to explain interactions.

Big Idea 3: The interactions of an object with other objects can be

described by forces.

Big Idea 4: Interactions between systems can result in changes in those

systems.

Big Idea 5: Changes that occurs as a result of interactions are

constrained by conservation laws.

Big Idea 6: Waves can transfer energy and momentum from one
location to another without the permanent transfer of mass and serve
as a mathematical model for the description of other phenomenon.
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Laboratory Activities
The Physics course devotes over 25% of the time to laboratory investigations [CR5]. The laboratory component of the
course allows the students to demonstrate the seven science practices through a variety of investigations in all of the
foundational principles.

The students use guided inquiry (GI) or open inquiry (OI) in the design of their laboratory investigations. Some labs focus
on investigating a physical phenomenon without having expectations of its outcomes. In other experiments, the
student has an expectation of its outcome based on concepts constructed from prior experiences. In application
experiments, the students use acquired physics principles to address practical problems.

All investigations are reported in a laboratory journal. Students are expected to record their observations, data, and
data analyses. Data analyses include identification of the sources and effects of experimental uncertainty,
calculations, results and conclusions, and suggestions for further refinement of the experiment as appropriate. [CR7]
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Digital Citizenship- Google Classroom and Google Meet

Posts in Google Classroom and Google Meet will only be used to discuss school related content only. Students are
expected to have a respectful tone of voice when posting and all school rules and consequences related to harassment
and bullying apply. Students will use appropriate grammar instead of texting language and posts will not be used to
promote personal websites or chat rooms. Sarcasm will be limited in order avoid misinterpretations. No personal
information will be shared (including telephone numbers, addresses, e-mails etc.). Lastly, students will not post
photos or videos showing themselves or classmates without permission. If any of these rules are not followed,
students will be given a conduct referral.

Photos and Videos inside the Classroom and through Google Classroom/Meet
Students may not video record, sound record, or take pictures of the teacher or students without permission.