Friday, May 26, 2017

End of the Year Computational Physics Modeling Project

To get us over the line the last few days, you'll be completing these tasks using Glowscript and sharing them back to me.  Each task counts as half a lab, 5/5 points lab category, for a total of 20 points.  I'd appreciate your feedback as to similarities between glowscript and other programming you've done.  You are beta testing these modules for our use in AP next year.  Ideally, we can start to dive into some of that air resistance that you so dearly love in an attempt to use computational methods to solve more realistic problem scenarios!  Credit for the authorship of these modules goes to Jim Deane.

Module 0

Module 1

Module 2

Module 3

 Module 4

Bonus (+3 test points)
Make a copy of this code and complete the questions and tasks, then share it back to me.

Bonus Bonus (+10 HW points)
Create a program with eight cubes placed at the corners of a cube which is centered on the origin.  The side length of the cube should be 5 units.  Use different colors for every cube!  Add an arrow that extends from one corner of the cube to the opposite corner.

Bonus Bonus Bonus (+2 test points)
Feedback Survey.  I want to implement this glowscript stuff early in the year when we're not doing much webassign (that doesn't really kick off until BFPM), so we can do some more complex computational modeling projects later on in the year.  I'm also trying to incorporate more programming, based on feedback that I'm getting from alumni, and examples I'm seeing from other AP physics courses on the twitter.


Negotiable Bonus Questions
Model the buggy problems from the CVPM.

Model different shapes rolling down an incline from the Rotational Dynamics Model.

Model a mass oscillating on the end of a spring.

Model a problem scenario of your own choosing.

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Applying Calculus Tools in Kinematics

One of the applications of Calc that you might need to call upon for the AP C Mech Exam will require the use of the power rule, or the power rule in reverse, for equations of motion...

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Intro to the OPM

Alright, check this out (skip ahead to the 1:20 mark)...

How the heck did they get that to work?  Must be pretty complex, right?

Thankfully, the future is now, thanks to science!  So go check out these sims to better understand the science behind it, it's actually pretty simple:

  1. Form groups of your own choosing
  2. Get a lap top
  3. Go to either of these links (USE EXPLORER!!! (write which one you're choosing up on the board, so we get an even split, please and thanks!))
By this point in the year, you should have a solid enough command of how to collect data that will allow you to graph two variables in order to establish whether or not a relationship exists between them.  Each member of the group should have their own graph, or their own variables.  Obvs, you're limited to the variables that the sim will allow you to test, but it'd be cool if you could demonstrate a variable that does not affect the motion of your system.

Monday, April 3, 2017

Plans for Tuesday, April 4 2017

Here are the notes for the "Snowman" problem.  If an object is not accelerating, it must satisfy the three conditions for equilibrium, Sum Fx=0, Sum Fy=0, and Sum Torque=0.



Use your time today to work on the torque problems on the worksheets, we'll have a webassign dealing with these topics that will be due on Sunday evening.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Four days... four days!!!!????

I apparently did a number on my karma by basing a problem on dear Mr. Kirpes' suffering.  Going on day four of a fever, long story short, when you can get a flu shot for free, you really should get that flu shot.  Sooooo, uh day four of not being at school, uh...   By now, you've seen a pattern a couple of places whereby the work aka working aka energy transfer can be found by determining the area of a force v. distance graph.  For the spring, that graph is a triangle, and the area equation shakes out to be Ee=1/2k*(x)^2.  If you think about it, when you went up the stairs yesterday, you applied an average force equal to your weight-ish (Fg=mg) over a vertical displacement of delta y.  That average force would be constantish (think about the elevator doing the same thing, little bit more than Fg at the beginning, equal to Fg for the CVPM part in the middle, and a little less than Fg at the end;  long story short, it'd average out to Fg.)  So let's say you want to determine the amount of energy transfer due to friction.  As you'll no doubt recall, friction force depends only on the coefficient of friction, and the Normal force.  It does not vary with velocity.  So consider a graph of Friction force v. delta x for an object sliding to rest.  The area under the graph would be equal to the energy transferred from Ek to Eth by friction.

So apply that idea to the puck in these videos (keep in mind that good suggestion to leave mass as a a variable 'm' when it's not given, because it just might cancel out).  Grab a laptop for your group (or use your own if it's fancy) and a whiteboard for your work.  See if you can determine the coefficient of friction.


If that doesn't work, try this link
If that doesn't work, just go to the dang page and click the links yourself until it does work

What must be true of the initial speed of the puck in this follow-up video based on the distance it slides?


After the presentation of the solutions to the above problems, have at the work and energy clicker questions (Max, can you please hook up the clickers set up for everyone to use? thanks!)


Student Instructions for Wednesday, March 8th

Hopefully you wore comfy shoes today.  You'll be collecting data in one of the stairwells at West High.  Use the measuring tapes to figure out the delta Y between the ground floor, and the top floor.  We'll be looking at how quickly you convert your Ee?Eg?Eth?Ech?Eo? into Eg, assuming you arrive at the top step with a velocity of more or less zero (no Ek at the top).  Power is the time rate of change of Energy Transfer, Delta Energy over Delta Time.  The units are therefore N*m/s or J/s which is commonly referred to as Watts.  746 Watts are equivalent to 1 Horsepower.  Once you've collected your data for walking safely up the stairs, and running briskly, yet safely, up the stairs, record your Hp value on this chart, and we'll see who is the Most Powerful Trojan!

Friday, March 3, 2017

How to find final velocity in a perfectly elastic (bouncy!) collision


Just a heads up, some of my YouTube videos aren't playable over district wifi, so you may have to watch this elsewhere...

Friday, February 10, 2017

Thank you for using Picture and Video Messaging by U.S. Cellular. See www.uscellular.com for info.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Determine the Coefficient of Static Friction

I mean, it doesn't take an Einstein....

Make measurements from the video in order to determine the coefficient of static friction between Einstein and the wall.  Think carefully about the free body diagram, and what must be true of the forces acting on Einstein at the moment just before he begins to slide down the wall.

Einstein on Graviton thumbnail

Friday, January 27, 2017

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Desmos FTW!!!

Desmos can do what I hoped it could do.  Here’s a screen cap of the command(?) that I had to throw into it. My data table has the period in the X1 column, and the Fuc in the Y1 column, but I want to plot Fuc v. angular velocity.   

I had to tell Desmos to plot (2*pi/X1,Y1)







So now on my graph I have this….

 










…pretty sick, I know. 

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Drake Physics Prize Exam Sign Up



Registration for the Drake Physics Prize is open.  Enter Nathan Frese as the name of your proctor, (his email address follows the standard lastname.firstname@iowacityschools.org format) and enter Iowa City West as your school.  


The exam at West will take place on Wednesday, February 1st in the West Wing Conference Room (9th grade center office), from 2:00-4:00.  You'll be excused from 6th and 7th period that day.  Please let me know when you have registered, as I have no other way of knowing in advance of the exam, and I need to arrange for sufficient laptops and calculators, etc.

CVPM and CAPM (with a new spin?)




Rotational CVPM
The wheel in this video becomes interesting once the hand loses contact with it.
Create quantitative graphs of Angular position v. time, angular velocity v. time, and angular acceleration v. time.
(if that link doesn't work, try this)


Rotational CAPM
Download this video and create quantitative angular velocity v. time, and angular acceleration v. time
graphs.
(If that link doesn't work, then I just give up)

Friday, January 6, 2017

Monday, January 2, 2017

Projectile Motion Particle Model

Here are a couple of videos describing how the Projectile Motion Particle Model is just an expansion on our previous models.

Part One

Part Two

 

Part Three