Physics is taught by Mrs. Chase, and covers the AP curriculum. We use both algebra and calculus methods to solve problems on topics like dynamics, centripetal motion, and gravitational forces. In addition, we design and conduct lab experiments to help our understanding of the topics.
Our first lab was about acceleration on an inclined plane. We used sensors to take the velocity of a cart at different distances and used this data to find the acceleration of the cart. The lab report for this experiment incorporated how the data was collected and then used in various calculations and graphs, as well as error analysis that explained how the experimental results deviated from the theoretical results.
For our dynamics unit, Dylan, Palak, and I investigated the relationship between the angle of an incline and the mass needed to hang off the incline in order to keep another object of constant mass from moving. The final product was a one-page lab report detailing the processes and equations derived and how they were used to come to a conclusion. Since the report was at most one page, there was a focus on keeping it concise but detailed enough to cover the most important parts of the experiment.