Physics
We are unable to hold the Physics workshop during the
summer of 2012. Sorry!
Advanced Placement Physics B (Algebra Based)
High School Teacher Workshop
July 9 to July 13, 2007
Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana
Instructor: Dr. Dan W. Kosik, Associate Professor of Physics
& Astronomy
Dr. Kosik has been with Butler University for the last fourteen
years and has taught numerous courses ranging from Introductory
Physics through Quantum, Nuclear, and Particle Physics. Areas of
current research are computational in nature and deal with
obtaining numerical calculations for Nuclear Pair Production and
Bremsstrahlung Processes in the Intermediate Energy Range and
Elastic and Anelastic Wave Propagation through Inhomogeneous
Materials. Prior to Dr. Kosik's tenure at Butler, he was employed
by Mission Research Corporation (California) working on SDI (Star
Wars) projects. Originally, Dr. Kosik was working on the Adaptive
Optics phase of the Excimer Laser program, later he worked on a
project concerning the development of a simulation code for High
Energy Deposition of particles and radiation in materials. Prior to
Mission Research Corporation, Dr. Kosik was employed by Amoco
Production Company (Texas) as a Petroleum Geophysicist. Dr. Kosik
received his Ph.D. in Physics from Ohio University in (1980) and
his B.S. in Astrophysics from Michigan State University in
(1973).
Purpose of Workshop
The advanced placement workshop has three principal objectives.
First, to improve the problem solving skill of the participants and
familiarize them with the type of problems to be found on an
Advanced Placement Exam by working through many problems from
previous years examinations. Second, to re-acquaint the
participants with the subject material, laboratory, and structure
of an introductory algebra based college level physics course by
briefly dealing with selected topics from mechanics,
thermodynamics, electromagnetism, waves and optics, and modern
physics. Third, to discuss methods by which such subject material
can be taught in an advanced placement course in the High School
environment. If participants desire, some additional calculus based
physics (Physics C) can be developed along with the algebra based
(Physics B) material. The problems that we will deal with from
previous years Advanced Placement Exams will also include many
Physics C type problems, since most of these do not require
calculus to solve, but only algebra, the distinguishing difference
between Physics C and B type problems is essentially the level of
complexity and difficulty. This workshop will go a long way in
helping teachers prepare and establish an advanced placement course
in their curriculum.
Workshop Materials
A suggested textbook for an Advanced Placement course is
Giancoli, Douglas C., Physics: Principles with Applications, 5th
Ed. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, (1998). This textbook is well
written although a bit brief in the development of principles and
has excellent and difficult problems. A good laboratory manual at
this course level is Wilson, Jerry D., Physics Laboratory
Experiments, 3rd Ed., Massachusetts: D.C. Heath and Company,
(1990). Materials concerning the topics covered in lectures and
laboratories are included in the following pages. Other textbooks
commonly used for an algebra based physics course that can serve as
a reference for the workshop are in order of difficulty from easier
to harder:
- Bueche & Jerde, Principles of Physics, 6th Ed., New York:
McGraw-Hill, Inc., (1995) [Brief text, good examples and
problems.]
- Sears, Francis W., Mark W. Zemansky, and Hugh D. Young, College
Physics, 7th Ed., Mass.: Addison-Wesley, (1991) [Good text and
problems, adequate diagrams.]
- Serway & Faughn, College Physics, 4th Ed., Philadelphia:
Saunders College Publishing, (1995) [Well written text, good
examples and problems.]
- Tipler, Paul A., College Physics, 1st Ed., New York: Worth,
(1987)
- Urone, Paul P., College Physics, 1st Ed., California:
Brooks/Cole Pub. Co., (1998) [Good examples and problems with
applications emphasized.]
A bound notebook will be provided to all participants for
keeping a log of all the problems and laboratories done during the
workshop. Participants should bring a calculator, paper, pencil,
etc to the workshop. The use of PC's for producing graphs of
laboratory data is strongly encouraged. A short tutorial for
producing graphs from PC's using Excel software will be given
during a laboratory session. Participants should feel free to bring
their own PC to the workshop if they so desire.
Homework and Laboratory Assignments
There will be from 1 to 3 problems assigned as homework over the
entire period of the workshop. A laboratory write up should be
completed within the time allotted for the laboratory experiment,
however, if necessary a laboratory write up can be completed
overnight as homework.
Course Credit
College undergraduate or graduate course credit is available to
those who wish to obtain it. A grade will be assigned based upon
the work recorded in the bound notebook, the number of homework
assignments completed and the completion of the laboratory
notebook.
Workshop Content and Schedule
Monday
Kinematics, Newton's Laws, and Energy
Lab: I. Constant Acceleration
Tuesday
Systems of Particles, Rotation, and Oscillations
Lab: II. Frictional Force
Wednesday
Electrical conductors, circuits, and Electromagnetism
Lab: III. Capacitance
Thursday
Thermodynamics, Waves & Optics
Lab: IV. Transmission Diffraction Grating
Friday
Modern Physics