Cp physics
Course syllabus and objectives (print version)

Text – Holt Physics, Serway/Faugn, Holt 1999, ISBN# 0-03-050597-6
Physics Principles and Applications, Glencoe 2005, ISBN# 0-07-845813-7

Chapter 1 – Units, Scientific Notation, Significant Figures
Chapter 2 – Linear Motion

Chapter 3 – Two-dimensional Motion

how to resolve two-dimensional vectors into their components and calculate the magnitude and direction of a vector from its components

Chapter 4 – Forces and the Laws of Motion

when forces are balanced, no acceleration occurs; thus an object continues to move at a constant speed or stays at rest (Newton’s first law)
one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object always exerts a force of equal magnitude and in the opposite direction (Newton’s third law)
to apply the law F=ma to solve one-dimensional motion problems that involve constant forces
Newton’s laws are not exact but provide very good approximations unless an object is moving close to the speed of light or is small enough that quantum effects are important
how to solve two-dimensional trajectory problems

Chapter 5 – Work and Energy

how to calculate kinetic energy by using the formula E=(1/2)mv2.
how to calculate changes in gravitational potential energy near Earth by using the formula (change in potential energy) = mgh (h is the change in the elevation)
solve problems involving conservation of energy in simple systems, such as falling objects

Chapter 6 – Momentum

calculate momentum as the product mv
momentum is a separately conserved quantity different from energy.
unbalanced force on an object produces a change in its momentum.
solve problems involving elastic and inelastic collisions in one dimension by using the principles of conservation of momentum and energy
solve problems involving conservation of energy in simple systems with various sources of potential energy, such as capacitors and springs

Chapter 7 – Rotation and Gravity

relationship between the universal law of gravitation and the effect of gravity on an object at the surface of Earth
applying a force to an object perpendicular to the direction of its motion causes the object to change direction but not speed
circular motion requires the application of a constant force directed toward the center of the circle
how to solve problems in circular motion by using the formula for centripetal acceleration in the following form: a = v2/r

Chapter 8 – Rotational Equilibrium
Chapter 9 – Fluid Mechanics
Chapter 10 – Heat

heat flow and work are two forms of energy transfer between systems.
internal energy of an object includes the energy of random motion of the object’s atoms and molecules, often referred to as thermal energy. The greater the temperature of the object, the greater the energy of motion of the atoms and molecules that make up the object.

Chapter 11 – Thermodynamics

work done by a heat engine that is working in a cycle is the difference between the heat flow into the engine at high temperature and the heat flow out at a lower temperature (first law of thermodynamics) and that this is an example of the law of conservation of energy.
most processes tend to decrease the order of a system over time and that energy levels are eventually distributed uniformly
entropy is a quantity that measures the order or disorder of a system and that this quantity is larger for a more disordered system.
to solve problems involving heat flow, work, and efficiency in a heat engine and know that all real engines lose some heat to their surroundings

Chapter 12 – Vibrations and Waves

waves carry energy from one place to another
to identify transverse and longitudinal waves in mechanical media, such as springs and ropes, and on the earth (seismic waves).
solve problems involving wavelength, frequency, and wave speed.

Chapter 13 – Sound

sound is a longitudinal wave whose speed depends on the properties of the medium in which it propagates.
identify the characteristic properties of waves: interference (beats), diffraction, refraction, Doppler effect, and polarization

Chapter 14 – Light

know radio waves, light, and X-rays are different wavelength bands in the spectrum of electromagnetic waves whose speed in a vacuum is approximately 3 x 108 m/s (186,000 miles/second).

Chapter 15 – Refraction
Chapter 16 – Interference and Diffraction
Chapter 17 – Electric Forces and Fields

know how to solve problems involving the forces between two electric charges at a distance (Coulomb’s law) or the forces between two masses at a distance (universal gravitation).
charged particles are sources of electric fields and are subject to the forces of the electric fields from other charges
the force on a charged particle in an electric field is qE, where E is the electric field at the position of the particle and q is the charge of the particle.
calculate the electric field resulting from a point charge.
know static electric fields have as their source some arrangement of electric charges
apply the concepts of electrical and gravitational potential energy to solve problems involving conservation of energy.

Chapter 18 – Electrical Energy
Chapter 19 – Current and Resistance

solve problems involving Ohm’s law.
know plasmas, the fourth state of matter, contain ions or free electrons or both and conduct electricity

Chapter 20 – Circuits

predict the voltage or current in simple direct current (DC) electric circuits constructed from batteries, wires, resistors, and capacitors.
resistive element in a DC circuit dissipates energy, which heats the resistor. Students can calculate the power (rate of energy dissipation) in any resistive circuit element by using the formula Power = IR (potential difference) x I (current) = I2R.
properties of transistors and the role of transistors in electric circuits.

Chapter 21 – Magnetism

electric and magnetic fields contain energy and act as vector force fields
magnitude of the force on a moving particle (with charge q) in a magnetic field is qvB sin(a), where a is the angle between v and B (v and B are the magnitudes of vectors v and B, respectively), and students use the right-hand rule to find the direction of this force.

Chapter 22 – Induction

know magnetic materials and electric currents (moving electric charges) are sources of magnetic fields and are subject to forces arising from the magnetic fields of other sources
to determine the direction of a magnetic field produced by a current flowing in a straight wire or in a coil
know changing magnetic fields produce electric fields, thereby inducing currents in nearby conductors