Rotational Motion Test

You had some study time for the first 45 minutes of class, then took your rotational motion unit test.

Next up: momentum!

Science for Seniors

We used this last day before Thanksgiving break to go over your options for a science class senior year. Remember that only three years of lab science are are required, but that means every student in Arizona will have three years. If you really want to stand out for competitive admissions and scholarships, you want at least four years of lab science. Heck, I had five when I graduated high school and I went to college for free.

Ms. Hamilton came in to talk to you about AP Biology and AP Environmental Science, then Ms. Tautz came in to talk to you about AP Physics C and Advanced Research Methods. If you missed this day but are interested in any of those classes, please talk to me or either of those teachers.

Next Thursday the counseling department will have a presentation on course selections for next year and give you some paperwork. You will be registering for classes right when you get back from Winter break.

Your rotational motion test is the day you get back from Thanksgiving break, so remember to do the practice test from yesterday.

Wrapping Up the Unit & Practice Exam

First we combined the Law of Universal Gravitation and circular motion to derive an interesting equation relating the radius of an orbit to period (period T = time for one cycle).

Then we talked briefly about tides and passed out the practice exam:

Rotational Motion Test Practice

Answers

Solutions videos:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#6
#7
#8
#9

Tomorrow we will be talking about science classes available for your senior year and the importance of taking a fourth year of science. Your test will be the last hour of your modular day when we get back from Thanksgiving Break, so the first 45 minutes will be work time. There will be no additional homework tonight; I would rather that you focus on the practice exam.

Universal Gravitation

Today we used some fake data to derive the Law of Universal Gravitation. It ended up on the board:

Here is the fake data activity: Universal Gravitation Pseudo Lab

Homework was printed out on little strips. Here is an electronic copy: Homework 11/23. Don't forget to do the back.

Centripetal Force Practice

Today we took a little break and only worked on some centripetal force practice problems. These are homework if you don't finish in class.

Ch7 (p. 232) #65, 74, 75

Please remember to email your lab to miss.volkening@gmail.com if you have not already.

Banked Curves

Today we derived the equation for the ideal speed of a car navigating a banked curve:

Banked Curves

Later we worked on Ch. 7 (p. 231) #52 & 62 which became homework if not finished in class. We will also have a little work time in class tomorrow if you still need help finishing.

Centrifugal Force

Today we talked about centrifugal force, which isn't a real force but rather a result of a rotating reference frame. This topic won't be tested, but it's pretty fun to think about and demonstrate.

Any leftover time was spent working on tonight's homework: Chapter 7 (p. 228) #20, 25, 26

Lab: Finding g with Centripetal Force

Today you worked on the lab Finding g With Centripetal Force.

Homework is to finish the lab.

Centripetal Acceleration and Force

Today we introduced centripetal acceleration and centripetal force. We'll be doing a lot more with these next week.

Notes: Centripetal Acceleration and Force

Homework is Chapter 7 (p. 228) #17, 18, 22

You were also given an FRQ to work on which you will be correcting yourself on Monday/Tuesday (email miss.volkening@gmail.com for a copy). You'll be actually doing the lab described in that FRQ, so try to think of a procedure for getting the type of data they used. More details on the lab are here: Finding g With Centripetal Force.

Below is the work for an example problem in the notes.

Relationships Between Linear and Angular Quantities

Today we talked about how to go between linear and angular quantities.

Relationships Between Linear and Angular Quantities

We completed Rotational Motion TIPERs #1 in class (email miss.volkening@gmail.com for a copy). Or, if you didn't finish, it is homework and due tomorrow.

Homework is Ch. 7 (p. 227) #8 & 11. For #8 you will have to do a free fall kinematics problem just to find the launch velocity of the water droplets, which will give you the linear velocity on the outside of the wheel.

Energy Test and Angular Quantities

We spent the first 65 minutes taking our energy test, then we introduced circular motion:

Angular Quantities

There was also a bit on the board to further explain radians; I'll try to get a picture of that up.

Homework is Chapter 7 (p. 227) #1, 2, 4

Energy Practice Test

Today you were given a practice test for this unit. Your test is first thing next week.

Energy Practice Test

Here are the solutions:

Power

Our last topic for the unit is power.

Notes: Power!

Here is the solution to the last example problem:

Homework p. 162 #50 (use Watts instead of horsepower) & 56

Work Due to a Variable Force

Today we found the work due to a variable force with graphs and used that to find velocity at a given position.

Notes: Work Due to a Variable Force (remember to download and run as a slideshow)

We practiced in class with Energy TIPERs #7 (email miss.volkening@gmail.com for a copy).

We also peer-graded/edited Energy TIPERs #6. We did not turn those in for a grade.

Homework tonight is Chapter 5 (p. 163) #59, 60, 61