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Conceptual Physics

Conceptual Physics is an advanced level course that is an elective designed for students who desire a physics course that will prepare them for technical careers. This course is an alternative to the traditional mathematical approach to physics. This approach covers the physics principles in a traditional sequence with an emphasis on conceptual understanding. While mathematics is de-emphasized, laboratory work will require traditional physics measurements to be made. Emphasis will be on the concepts that underlie the natural laws of the universe. Students will engage in active inquiries, investigations, and hands-on activities for a minimum of 50% of the instructional time to develop conceptual understanding and research/laboratory skills as they evaluate the academic requirements and prepare for occupational opportunities in biology, engineering and technology. Safety instruction is integrated into all activities. The West Virginia Standards for 21st Century Learning include the following components: 21st Century Content Standards and Objectives and 21st Century Learning Skills and Technology Tools. All West Virginia teachers are responsible for classroom instruction that integrates learning skills, technology tools and content standards and objectives.
SC.S.CP.1
Nature and Application of Science

Students will

·         demonstrate an understanding of history and nature of science as a human endeavor encompassing the contributions of diverse cultures and scientists.

·         demonstrate the ability to use the inquiry process to solve problems.

·         relate science-technology-societal issues while using a variety of sources to construct and defend their solutions

  • SC.PD.CP.1
    Distinguished Above Mastery Mastery Partial Mastery Novice
    Conceptual Physics students at the distinguished level in the nature and applications of science:

    implement safe practices as they design, conduct, and revise experiments to solve real world problems, analyze data for errors, and base conclusions on observations and experimental evidence, and

    relate science-technology-societal issues while using a variety of sources to construct solutions and defend their ideas to an authentic audience.

    		 Conceptual Physics students at the above mastery level in the nature and applications of science:

    implement safe practices as they design, conduct, and revise experiments, analyze data for errors, and base conclusions on observations and experimental evidence, and


    relate science-technology-societal issues while using a variety of sources to construct and defend their solutions.

    		 Conceptual Physics students at the mastery level in the nature and applications of science:

    implement safe practices as they design, conduct, and revise experiments and base conclusions on observations and experimental evidence, and



    relate science-technology-societal issues while using a variety of sources to construct and defend their solutions.

    		 Conceptual Physics students at the partial mastery level in the nature and applications of science:

    implement safe practices as they conduct and revise experiments, then base conclusions on observations and experimental evidence, and



    relate science-technology-societal issues while using a variety of sources to construct their solutions.

    		 Conceptual Physics students at the novice level in the nature and applications of science:

    implement safe practices as they conduct experiments and base conclusions on observations and experimental evidence, and




    relate science-technology-societal issues while using a variety of sources to construct their solutions.
    Number Objective
    SC.O.CP.1.1
    		implement safe procedures and practices when manipulating equipment, materials, organisms, and models.
    SC.O.CP.1.2
    		formulate scientific explanations based on historical observations and experimental evidence, accounting for variability in experimental results.
    SC.O.CP.1.3
    		conduct and/or design investigations that incorporate the skills and attitudes and/or values of scientific inquiry (e.g., established research protocol, accurate record keeping, replication of results and peer review, objectivity, openness, skepticism, fairness, or creativity and logic).
    SC.O.CP.1.4
    		design, conduct, evaluate and revise experiments (e.g., compose a question to be investigated, design a controlled investigation that produces numeric data, evaluate the data in the context of scientific laws and principles, construct a conclusion based on findings, propose revisions to investigations based on manipulation of variables and/or analysis of error, or communicate and defend the results and conclusions).
    SC.O.CP.1.5
    		draw conclusions from a variety of data sources to analyze and interpret systems and models (e.g., use graphs and equations to measure and apply variables such as rate and scale, evaluate changes in trends and cycles, or predict the influence of external variances such as potential sources of error, or interpret maps).
    SC.O.CP.1.6
    		investigate, compare and design scientific and technological solutions to address personal and societal problems.
    SC.O.CP.1.7
    		given current science-technology-societal issues, construct and defend potential solutions.
    SC.O.CP.1.8
    		relate societal, cultural and economic issues to key scientific innovations.
    SC.O.CP.1.9
    		synthesize concepts across various science disciplines to better understand the natural world (e.g., form and function, systems, or change over time).
    SC.S.CP.2
    Content of Science

    Students will

    ·         demonstrate knowledge, understanding and applications of scientific facts, concepts, principles, theories and models as delineated in the objectives.

    ·         demonstrate an understanding of the interrelationships among physics, chemistry, biology, earth/environmental science and astronomy.

    ·         apply knowledge, understanding and skills of science subject matter/concepts to daily lifeexperiences.

  • SC.PD.CP.2
    Distinguished Above Mastery Mastery Partial Mastery Novice
    Conceptual Physics students at the distinguished level:

    interpret graphs relating distance, velocity and acceleration to time;



    solve vector problems both graphically and algebraically; apply knowledge of projectile motion to determine horizontal and vertical velocities and/or distances;

    calculate the net force acting on a two body system and determine the net force acting on the system;



    mathematically verify that mechanical energy is conserved and experimentally determine mechanical advantage of a mechanical system;

    solve equations for Archimedes’ and/or Pascal’s principles and apply Bernoulli’s principle to everyday object (for example, paint sprayer or perfume bottle);

    interpret a phrase change diagram;





    appraise the role of heat transfer and the first law of thermodynamics involved in environmental and energy conservation issues and predict ways to eliminating the heat transfer;

    given wavelength calculate the energy of a wave, predict the effect of changing the frequency of a standing wave and calculate the apparent change in frequency that occurs with either a moving source or a moving detector;

    evaluate sound and light waves using the concepts of reflection, refraction, diffraction, and interference to predict, illustrate, and calculate image location involving plane and spherical mirrors, concave and convex lenses;

    analyze the applications of colored lights and pigments and relate the concept of polarization to three dimensional viewing, and

    calculate any variable in a complex circuit using Ohm’s Law and compare and contrast between the flow of electrons in AC and DC circuits.

    		 Conceptual Physics students at the above mastery level:

    draw graphs relating distance, velocity and acceleration to time;



    solve vector problems graphically or algebraically; determine the horizontal and vertical distances of projectile motion;


    illustrate forces acting on a two body system with a free body diagram and apply Newton’s Laws as a system to explain natural phenomena;

    calculate kinetic and potential energy and experimentally determine mechanical advantage of a mechanical system;


    test Archimede’s and Pascal’s principles involving floating systems and apply Bernoulli’s principle to everyday object (for example, paint sprayer or perfume bottle);

    experimentally determine the melting point of a substance and graph the results;



    examine the role of heat transfer and the first law of thermodynamics involved in environmental and energy conservation issues and predict ways of eliminating the heat transfer;

    given wavelength, calculate the energy of a wave, identify the nodes and antinodes of a standing wave and investigate the uses of Doppler shift in astronomy and cosmology;



    analyze sound and light waves using the concepts of reflection, refraction, diffraction and interference, calculating image location involving plane and spherical mirrors, concave and convex lenses;

    compare and contrast the applications of colored lights and pigments and analyze the concept of polarization, and

    calculate any variable in a simple circuit using Ohm’s Law and distinguish between the flow of electrons in AC and DC circuits.

    		 Conceptual Physics students at the mastery level:

    compare and contrast distance, velocity and acceleration of moving objects to describe accelerated and non-accelerated motions;

    solve right triangle vector problems both graphically and algebraically to analyze the motion of a projectile;



    illustrate forces acting on objects with free body diagrams and interpret Newton’s Laws in terms of natural phenomena;


    compare and contrast kinetic and potential energies, deduce work, energy, power and efficiency, and recognize situations where mechanical energy is conserved;

    analyze Archimedes’ and Pascal’s principles to solve problems involving floating systems and recognize the effects of Bernoulli’s principle on fluid motion;

    compare and contrast the common temperature scales, convert from one temperature scale to another and evaluate temperature in terms of kinetic energy;

    apply the mechanism of heat transfer and the first law of thermodynamics to environmental and energy conservation issues;



    perform calculations to determine the properties of sound and light waves, compare the Doppler shift effect for sound and light waves, and model the production of a standing wave, proposing the applications and examples of each;

    compare and contrast sound and light waves using the concepts of reflection, refraction, diffraction and interference and diagram image location involving plane and spherical mirrors, concave and convex lenses;

    illustrate the applications of colored lights and pigments and examine the concept of polarization, and


    analyze simple direct current circuits using Ohm’s Law and distinguish between AC and DC circuits, describing how AC is converted to DC.

    		 Conceptual Physics students at the partial mastery level:

    define the units distance, velocity and acceleration;



    solve right triangle vector problems graphically or algebraically and recognize a projectile moves in both horizontal and vertical direction;


    identify forces acting on an object and state Newton’s Laws;




    define and give examples of kinetic and potential energies, efficiency in a mechanical system and state the formulas for work, energy and power;

    demonstrate Archimede’s, Pascal’s, and Bernoulli’s principles;




    distinguish between heat and temperature;




    compare and contrast the three methods of heat transfer and state the first law of thermodynamics;




    label a transverse and longitudinal wave with the parts of the wave, construct a standing wave and identify examples of Doppler shift for either sound or light waves;



    compare sound and light waves using the concepts of reflection, refraction, diffraction and interference to find the image location involving plane and spherical mirrors, concave and convex lenses on an optical bench;

    compare primary and secondary colors of light and pigment and sketch the concept of polarization, and

    relate Ohm’s Law to simple circuits; distinguish between direct and alternating current.

    		 Conceptual Physics students at the novice level:

    define distance, velocity and acceleration;



    draw a right triangle and recognize projectile motion;




    identify force as a vector and state one of Newton’s Laws;




    define work, energy and power, stating that energy is conserved within a system;



    recognize that a floating object displaces fluid and state Bernoulli’s principle;



    identify the common temperature scales and their units;




    list the three methods of heat transfer and state the Law of Energy Conservation;




    label a transverse wave with the parts of the wave, define a standing wave, and define the Doppler shift;





    define reflection, refraction, diffraction and interference and find the image location involving plane and spherical mirrors on an optical bench;



    list primary and secondary colors of light and pigment and define polarization, and


    list and define the variables of Ohm’s Law.
    Number Objective
    SC.O.CP.2.1
    		solve right triangle vector problems both graphically and algebraically.
    SC.O.CP.2.2
    		compare and contrast distance, velocity and acceleration of moving objects to describe accelerated and non-accelerated motions of a particle from textbook or lab collected data.
    SC.O.CP.2.3
    		analyze the motion of a projectile.
    SC.O.CP.2.4
    		illustrate forces acting on objects with free body diagrams.
    SC.O.CP.2.5
    		interpret Newton’s Laws in terms of natural phenomena.
    SC.O.CP.2.6
    		compare and contrast kinetic and potential energies and recognize situations where mechanical energy is conserved.
    SC.O.CP.2.7
    		deduce work, energy, power and efficiency in mechanical systems.
    SC.O.CP.2.8
    		analyze Archimedes’ and Pascal’s principles to solve problems involving equilibrium and stability of floating systems.
    SC.O.CP.2.9
    		recognize the effects of Bernoulli’s principle on fluid motion.
    SC.O.CP.2.10
    		compare and contrast the common temperature scales, convert from one temperature scale to another and evaluate temperature in terms of kinetic energy.
    SC.O.CP.2.11
    		apply the mechanism of heat transfer and relate to environmental and energy conservation issues.
    SC.O.CP.2.12
    		relate the first law of thermodynamics to energy conservation.
    SC.O.CP.2.13
    		compare and contrast sound and light waves using the concepts of reflection, refraction, and interference.
    SC.O.CP.2.14
    		solve problems involving wave speed, frequency and wavelength; determine factors that affect the speed of sound; recognize that the speed of light is a constant.
    SC.O.CP.2.15
    		model the production of a standing wave and propose a practical application of such a wave.
    SC.O.CP.2.16
    		compare the Doppler shift effect for sound and light and point out examples of its occurrences and applications.
    SC.O.CP.2.17
    		diagram image location involving plane and spherical mirrors, concave and convex lenses.
    SC.O.CP.2.18
    		illustrate the applications of colored lights and pigments.
    SC.O.CP.2.19
    		examine the concept of polarization.
    SC.O.CP.2.20
    		analyze simple direct current circuits using Ohm’s Law.
    SC.O.CP.2.21
    		distinguish between direct current and alternating current circuits and describe how AC is converted to DC.

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