Jones - Course Guide - Ap Physics 2 - 2015-2016

AP PHYSICS 2: ALGEBRA-BASED
COURSE GUIDE
Hello and welcome to level 2 of AP Physics! In this course you will continue learning about forces, energy, and matter -- the
things that make up and control our universe, our world, and ourselves. We will build on these basic principles as we
investigate more advanced topics. This class is the equivalent to a second-semester college course in algebra-based physics.
The course explores topics of fluid statics and dynamics; thermodynamics with kinetic theory; PV diagrams and probability;
electrostatics; electrical circuits with capacitors; magnetic fields; electromagnetism; physical and geometric optics; and
quantum, atomic, and nuclear physics.
If you are in this course you must think Physics is fun, and you must believe that it is useful; many disciplines of study (as well
as professions) depend on physics as a foundation of knowledge. Who knows where a physics course may eventually lead you?
While I hope this class captures your interest and keeps it, I know that you decide ultimately whether or not to take anything
from the class. This course description is about expectations -- what I expect of you and what you can expect of me.
2015 2016
JONES
Course Website: http://jonesphysics.weebly.com/
Teacher Email: [email protected]
I. TEXT:
College Physics: A Strategic Approach, 2nd Ed., Knight, Jones, Field. Pearson Education,
Inc. (2012)
II. MATERIALS NEEDED:

1
A. NOTEBOOK: one 1 /2 loose-leaf binder (dividers recommended)
B. PAPER (notebook paper and graph paper)
C. PENCIL (All hand-written assignments must be done in pencil.)
D. RULER (or straight edge)
E. PROTRACTOR --transparent recommended
F. CALCULATOR -- TI-83 or TI-84 graphing calculator recommended
G. LAB FEE -- $10.00, payable to Providence High School
III. GRADES:
Your numerical grade may be determined at any time by the following point-system calculation:
Your Grade
YOUR TOTAL POINTS EARNED

100
TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE
Your grade will be rounded to the nearest whole number, and letter grades will be assigned according to the following
scale:
90 - 100 A;
80 - 89 B;
70 - 79 C;
60 - 69 D;
below 60 F
Points may be earned under the following categories:

Hand-Written Homework and Online Homework ~ 30 % of each quarter grade
Five to ten problems, along with conceptual questions, will be assigned several times per week. Hand-written HW will
be checked by me in class and sometimes by you in class. To receive full credit, it must be on time and all problems
must be written out so that the method of solution is evident. Please write in pencil. The solution does not necessarily
have to be correct to receive full credit. Usually one online homework set will be assigned each week with a strict
deadline date and time. Our online homework site is MasteringPhysics (by Pearson) which features an electronic
version of our textbook.
In-class Activities & Quizzes ~ 15 % of quarter grade

Group activities, computer quizzes, and hand-written quizzes will regularly take place during class time. Expect a short
quiz to follow any homework assignment.
Lab Exercises ~ 15 % of quarter grade
There will be several lab exercises during the year. The point value will be determined by the amount of work required
in performing and reporting the lab. Lab reports are graded on neatness and the quality of your data analysis. Lab
reports are always due exactly one week after performing the lab.
Unit Tests ~ 40 % of quarter grade
Each unit of study will end with an exam. Tests will usually be comprised of two parts--a multiple choice section and a
free response section, both parts to be completed within the 90 minute class period. The format is just like the real AP
exam regarding calculator use and an equation sheet. Free response solutions are graded on correctness, but partial
credit will be given when appropriate. Test material will be cumulative beginning the first day of class.
Midterm Exam -- 20% of semester grade
Eighteen weeks into the course you will take a cumulative exam over the material covered that far. Because the midterm
exam (as well as the AP exam) is comprehensive, it is advisable to keep an organized notebook -- with orderly notes,
handouts, homework assignments, objectives, and lab reports -- to make studying easier in the long run. No student is
exempt from the midterm exam.
End-of-Year Project & Presentation % of grade to be announced, but no greater than 25% of 4th Quarter
In late May after the two weeks of AP exams, each student will create a physics demonstration and present it to the class
with a formal speech of 4 to 6 minutes. The demonstration idea must be approved in advance by Mr. Jones. The
demonstration/presentation must convey one or more physics concepts in a teaching spirit, and it may involve things
such as a video, a skit, a song written & performed, a physics rap, a PowerPoint presentation, a homemade gadget, or
some kind of working model constructed by the student.
IV. LATE ASSIGNMENTS / MAKING UP WORK

Any assignment turned in after the due date receives no more than 50% credit and will have 10% deducted for each
week late thereafter. Late assignments which I have already graded and returned to your classmates will not be
accepted. In the event of multiple absences, alternative (and often more difficult) makeup assignments may substitute
for those missed. If you are absent on a due date, homework is still due the day you return. For missed quizzes, tests,
and labs the due date for you will be extended five days beyond your return to class. Due dates for all assignments are
posted at my course website: http://jonesphysics.weebly.com/.
It is your responsibility to contact me to arrange for a make-up quiz, test, or lab. If you are present on the day of a
test, you must take the test unless you have missed the previous two or more days in a row. You have five days upon
your return to make-up a quiz, test, or lab. Failure to do so will result in a score of zero on the missed work.
V. TUTORING / GETTING HELP

The best time to meet with me individually is before school each morning. I am usually available in my room from 6:15
to 7:00, Monday - Friday. I am available after school most days; just check with me to make sure Ill be around. Please
come for help. Do not be shy. You may work in my room and ask me all the questions you desire.
VI. TARDINESS AND ATTENDANCE

If you are not in your seat when the bell rings, you are late to class. If this happens to you, report to SMC. Upon
returning to class, quietly hand me your admit slip. Do not interrupt class! I must have the admit slip to change your
attendance record from an absence to a tardy. The consequences for excessive tardies are administered by the SMC; I
support those consequences. A 45 minute tardy or an early dismissal of 45 minutes or more counts as an absence.
Because this course is double-blocked, 20 absences are allowed for the year. (I believe more than 10 absences is
ridiculous, even for a double-blocked class.) Twenty-one or more absences for the year results in no credit - F for the
course.
VII. CHEATING
All tests will be closed book, closed notes. On test day, all cell phones will be sequestered in a safe storage bin and
returned at the end of the block. Calculator use is permitted on tests, but calculators may not be shared between
students. Homework and labs are not to be copied! It is fine to work with others on homework and labs, but in the end
it should be your own work that is turned in. Any student caught cheating will be subject to a grade of zero, parent
notification, and permanent documentation.
VIiI. BEHAVIOR
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools clearly outlines the policies for student behavior in the CMS Rights and Responsibilities
handbook. That document applies to you in every class you attend at Providence, including mine. I trust that at this
stage in your education you know what is right and wrong. Above all else, I expect you to be respectful -- to your fellow
students, to school property, and of course, to me. I also expect you to be honest, courteous, tolerant, and responsible.
The following is my short list of specific classroom rules.
1. Do not bring hats, drinks, or food into the classroom. I will confiscate these items without questions.
2. Cell phones and other handheld electronic devices must be concealed and silenced during class time unless
authorized for our academic purposes. No texting is permitted, clandestine (sneaky) or otherwise. If I see or hear
one of these handheld devices, I will confiscate it without questions.
3. Do not talk while I am talking.
4. Do not sleep in class.
5. Do not use profanity.
IX. AP PHYSICS EXAM in May

The Physics 2 Examination is three hours long, divided equally between a 50-question multiple-choice section and a
free-response section. The free-response section contains only 4 problems. The two sections are weighted equally, and
a single grade is reported.
The calculus-based Physics C Examination (recommended for students of extraordinary ability) may be taken in addition
to the Physics B exam, but on a different day from the Physics 2 exam. The C exam consists of two parts, each 90
minutes long; part I is Mechanics, and part II is Electricity and Magnetism.
For extensive information on all of the AP courses and exams refer to:
https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse
What if you forget all this stuff?

You probably will forget parts of this course guide. I will not. And I will continue to follow these policies.
I have tried to anticipate most situations and questions in preparing this description. However, I know some
circumstances may arise that are impossible to foresee. Please do not hesitate to contact me if special conditions
develop. I am easy to approach, and I am willing to be flexible if the cause is sufficient. Also, please seek me outside of
class if you are having difficulties. I care. I want to help you have the best educational experience possible. I hope we
have a fun and productive year.
Mr. Jones
____________________________________
Student Signature
____________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature

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AP PHYSICS 2: ALGEBRA-BASED

II. MATERIALS NEEDED:

YOUR TOTAL POINTS EARNED

Points may be earned under the following categories:

In-class Activities & Quizzes ~ 15 % of quarter grade

IV. LATE ASSIGNMENTS / MAKING UP WORK

V. TUTORING / GETTING HELP

VI. TARDINESS AND ATTENDANCE

IX. AP PHYSICS EXAM in May

What if you forget all this stuff?

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