Physics

A. INQUIRY SKILLS

Students will design and conduct scientific investigations Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations Use appropriate tools, technology, and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data Organize and maintain a journal showing all phases of investigations Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence and logic Use mathematics to explain, interpret, and improve investigations and communications Construct logical relationships between evidence and explanations Identify and analyze alternative explanations, models, and predictions Demonstrate understanding about scientific inquiry Use fair test procedures
Students will communicate scientific procedures and explanations Demonstrate effective methods to organize and display scientific concepts Present investigative procedures and results to others verbally, graphically, and in writing Communicate science concepts accurately and clearly, using scientific vocabulary

B. PHYSICAL SCIENCE CONTENT

Students will apply the principles of motions and forces Investigate interactions portraying Newton's Laws and quantitatively describe objects in motion Derive numerical relationships described by the Law of Universal Gravitation Explain the phenomena associated with the inverse square relationship Describe phenomena which are two aspects of a single force (example: electricity and magnetism)
Students will apply principles related to the conservation of energy and describe the associated increase in disorder Predict and analyze the energy interaction of systems (example: mathematically describe impulse and momentum) Apply the principles of work, energy, and power to mechanical and electrical systems (examples: principles of work, fluid movements, pressure, causality) Synthesize the concepts of conservation of mass and energy into one general conservation law Identify events and occurrences that contribute to global entropy Demonstrate energy as potential, kinetic, or energy in a field Infer that heat consists of random motion and the vibrations of atoms, molecules, and ions
Students will explain the interactions between matter and energy Explain that all waves have energy and can transfer energy when they interact with matter Demonstrate that accelerated charges produce electromagnetic radiation, including all waves Explain the concept of photon emission and absorption within the framework of quantized energy levels in nuclei, atoms, and molecules Explain that the energy of electromagnetic waves is proportional to the frequency of the associated wave Investigate the applications of the principles of conductivity, including semiconductors and insulators

C. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Students will demonstrate abilities of technological design Design and construct a solution to an identified problem Evaluate outcomes based on selected criteria and possible consequences Communicate the nature of the problem, processes used, and solutions

Student will understand about science and technology Document a scientific investigation that requires coordination and interaction among several different disciplines Summarize how new technologies often extend the dimensions of what can be done (miniaturization, temperature tolerance, precision instruments) Evaluate the impact of new technologies Determine that new technologies often result from a combination of creativity, imagination, and scientific knowledge
Students will integrate science and technology in local, national, and global challenge Assess risks, costs, and benefits when evaluating scientific technologies Describe areas of current research in physics and the associated social, economic, and political impact of this research

D. SCIENCE IN PERSONAL AND SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES

The student will practice safety and understand the importance of personal and community health Model appropriate laboratory techniques, procedures, and behaviors Apply the laws of dynamics to a personal or community problem (example: transportation safety) Investigate current safety issues related to physics (example: extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields, lasers)
The student will develop an understanding of population growth Analyze factors regarding population growth patterns and the application of appropriate technology (example: pump designs for the third world) Determine the limitations of technology in sustaining continued population growth
Students will develop an understanding of human induced hazards Evaluate the benefits and potential risks associated with technology (examples: heat pollution, radiation, and radioactive waste)

E. HISTORY AND NATURE OF SCIENCE   Students will know that the human dimensions of science provides a context for scientific knowledge Compare examples of physics projects that are conducted by individuals and those conducted by teams of scientists across physical, cultural, and language barriers Explore the dynamics of classroom investigations conducted individually compared with small teams Examine the ethical considerations in scientific research and the application of new technologies Practice peer reviews and accurate reporting of investigations Investigate careers related to physics, technology, and engineering

Students will understand that science offers tentative explanations of the natural world through the use of empirical observations Compare knowledge derived from scientific investigations with other ways of knowing about the natural world (examples: myths and superstitions) Validate that scientific knowledge is subject to change as new evidence becomes available

Students will understand how science concepts build on previous knowledge Investigate contributions to physics from diverse cultures Document the development of a science concept over time to illustrate how the theory has changed