Physics · Semester 2

Energy, Waves, Optics, and Electricity

Semester 2 moves from energy and momentum into oscillations, wave behavior, geometric optics, electrostatics, circuits, and magnetism.

Semester Themes

  • Work, energy, power, and thermodynamics
  • Momentum, impulse, and conservation laws
  • Springs, pendulums, and periodic motion
  • Sound, light, reflection, and refraction
  • Electrostatics, circuits, and magnetism

Module Range

  • Module 8 through Module 16
  • Includes experiments 8.1-16.2
  • Stronger emphasis on cumulative algebra application
  • Ends with electricity and magnetism capstone topics
17

Module 8

Work and Energy I

Topics: Definitions of work and energy, mathematical work, kinetic energy, and potential energy.

Lab / activity: Experiment 8.1: Energy in a Pendulum.

18

Module 8

Work and Energy II

Topics: First law of thermodynamics, friction and energy, and power.

Lab / activity: Experiment 8.2: Estimating the Work Done by Friction.

19

Module 9

Momentum I

Topics: Definition of momentum, impulse, and collision thinking.

Lab / activity: Experiment 9.1: Egg Drop.

20

Module 9

Momentum II

Topics: Conservation of momentum, mathematical treatment, and angular momentum.

Lab / activity: Experiment 9.2: Momentum and Energy Conservation.

21

Module 10

Periodic Motion I

Topics: Hooke's law, spring constants, and periodic motion as a repeating physical system.

Lab / activity: Experiment 10.1: Hooke's Law.

22

Module 10

Periodic Motion II

Topics: Mass-spring systems, spring-system math, and energy in oscillating systems.

Lab / activity: Experiment 10.2: Characteristics of a Mass/Spring System.

23

Module 10

Periodic Motion III

Topics: Further spring analysis, potential energy in a spring, and the simple pendulum.

Lab / activity: Pendulum modeling and cumulative periodic-motion problems.

24

Module 11

Waves I

Topics: Wave behavior, sound as a physical phenomenon, and wave frequency and amplitude.

Lab / activity: Experiment 11.1: Frequency and Volume of Sound Waves.

25

Module 11

Waves II

Topics: Doppler effect, sound in other media, and frequencies beyond normal hearing.

Lab / activity: Experiment 11.2: The Doppler Effect.

26

Module 11

Light, Waves, and Particles

Topics: Speed of light, light as a wave, light as a particle, and major historical physics contributions.

Lab / activity: Wave-model comparisons and concept synthesis.

27

Module 12

Geometric Optics I

Topics: Reflection, flat mirrors, and spherical mirrors.

Lab / activity: Experiment 12.1: The Law of Reflection.

28

Module 12

Geometric Optics II

Topics: Concave and convex mirror ray tracing, real and virtual images, and refraction.

Lab / activity: Experiments 12.2 and 12.3.

29

Module 12

Lenses and the Human Eye

Topics: Converging lenses, diverging lenses, and human-eye optics.

Lab / activity: Lens diagrams and image-formation practice.

30

Modules 13-14

Electric Field and Electric Potential

Topics: Electric charge, Coulomb's law, electric fields, electric potential, potential difference, and capacitors.

Lab / activity: Experiments 13.1, 13.2, and 14.1.

31

Module 15

Electric Circuits

Topics: Resistance, current, power, series and parallel circuits, circuit math, and more complex circuit analysis.

Lab / activity: Experiments 15.1, 15.2, and 15.3.

32

Module 16

Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction

Topics: Magnetic fields, Earth's magnetic field, current-carrying wires, Faraday's law, induction, and alternating current.

Lab / activity: Experiments 16.1 and 16.2 plus final cumulative assessment.

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