Learning objectives are a driving force in the design of this class. We have created a list of overarching goals for the entire introductory sequence, goals for each course, goals for each topic, and goals for each granular piece of content in each topic. We intend to use the fine grain goals to close-the-loop on instructional decision making. We do this by coding every text, video, and homework problem to the measurable learning objectives. How well certain resources and practice help students learn specific objectives is used to inform positive iterative change; we see what works and get rid of what doesn't.

Course Level  |  By the end of this course, you will be able to...

    1. understand how to represent and analyze motion for objects that can be modeled as a point.

    2. apply Newton's laws and conservation laws (energy and momentum) to analyze the behavior of physical systems under certain conditions, and to understand when to apply these laws.

    3. make observations of physical systems and find explanations that are consistent with the observations, apply these explanations and established laws to make predictions about the outcomes of experiments, and test the explanations and laws through experimentation.

    4. represent information in multiple ways (diagrams, graphs, words, equations, etc.) and move from one representation to another, use these representations to set upsolutions to problems, predict the behaviors of physical systems, and to check the solutions to problems.

    5. use critical thinking skills as described below

 

 

Critical thinking is a fundamental part of science and at the heart of physics. In many ways, physics is the discipline of modeling and problem solving. In this course, you will look at new situations and make assumptions about them which allow you to make appropriate simplifications to apply physical models.

Critical thinking is being able to...

    1. analyze an open-ended, new physical system.

    2. consider what assumptions and simplifications can be made.

    3. breakdown the situation into manageable pieces.

    4. apply concepts to analyze each piece and combine them into a solution.

    5. evaluate if the solution makes sense.

We will use historical experiments and scientific development, contexts from other disciplines, and modern experiments at the frontiers of our knowledge to develop the ideas in the learning outcomes and for problem solving whenever possible. The learning outcomes and critical thinking will be developed through in class demonstrations, voting questions, peer-to-peer discussions, full-class discussions, in-lecture group work, and lab work. They will be formatively assessed through voting questions and lab work, and summatively assessed during exams.

Topic Breakdown  |  The first level are Topics (e.g. Kinematics). The second level are the Sub-Topic learning modules used to differentiate pedagogical boundaries (e.g. Average Quantities). The last level are the Lectures (e.g. Position and Displacement).

Review and Vectors

     General Review (GR): Dimensions, Units, Proportional Reasoning, Sig Figs, Trig, Algebra, Mathematization

         Lecture 1: Units, conversions, dimensions, estimates

     Vectors and Vector Operations (VO): Vector Operations

         Lecture 1: Vectors, scalars, vector algebra

Kinematics

     Average Quantities (AQ): Position, Displacement, Average Velocity, Average Acceleration

         Lecture 1: Position and Displacement

         Lecture 2: Average Velocity and Acceleration

     Graphical Analysis (GA): Position, Velocity, and Acceleration Graphs as a Function of Time

         Lecture 1: Graphical Analysis of Motion

     1-D Kinematics (K1): Mathematical Analysis of 1-D Kinematics

         Lecture 1: 1-D Kinematics Equations

         Lecture 2: 1-D Kinematics Problem Solving

     2-D Kinematics (K2): Mathematical Analysis of 2-D Kinematics

         Lecture 1: 2-D Kinematics

         Lecture 2: Projectile Motion

Mechanics

     Newton's Laws 1 (N1): 1st, 2nd, 3rd Law, FBD's, 2nd Law application

         Lecture 1: Forces Intro

         Lecture 2: Free Body Diagrams and Newton's 2nd Law

         Lecture 3: Application of Newton's 2nd Law

     Newton's Laws 2 (N2): Friction, Inclined planes, 2nd Law application

         Lecture 1: Friction

         Lecture 2: Snakes on an Inclined Plane

     Newton's Laws 3 (N3): Coupled systems, pulleys, forces in uniform circular motion (UCM)

         Lecture 1: Coupled Systems and Pulleys

         Lecture 2: Forces and Uniform Circular Motion (UCM)

Momentum

     Impulse and Momentum (IM): momentum, impulse-momentum theorem

         Lecture 1: Impulse and Momentum

     Conservation of Momentum (CM): 1D and 2D momentum conservation

         Lecture 1: 1-D Conservation of Momentum

         Lecture 2: 2-D Conservation of Momentum

Energy

     Work-Energy Theorem (WE): work, kinetic energy, work-energy theorem

         Lecture 1: Work and Kinetic Energy

     Conservation of Energy (CE): conservative forces, potential energy, conservation of energy

         Lecture 1: Potential Energy and Conservation of Energy

         Lecture 2: Conservation of Energy Application

         Lecture 3: Systems and Energy, Collisions

Students with Disabilities  |  Accommodations for students with disabilities are determined and approved by Disability Access Services (DAS). If you, as a student, believe you are eligible for accommodations but have not obtained approval please contact DAS immediately at 541-737-4098 or at http://ds.oregonstate.edu. DAS notifies students and faculty members of approved academic accommodations and coordinates implementation of hose accommodations. While not required, students and faculty members are encouraged to discuss details of the implementation of individual accommodations.

Students with documented disabilities who need special accommodations are suggested to make an appointment with the instructor as soon as possible to discuss the accommodations.

Academic Integrity  |  Students are encouraged to study and complete homework with classmates, other students, teaching and learning assistants, as well as faculty. However, you are expected to do this in a professional and responsible fashion. Each student is expected to turn in independently synthesized and written work for each submitted assignment. This applies as well to assignments completed and/or submitted with the aid of a computer. Ask questions and discuss, but never simply copy an answer without providing your own synthesis and interpretation. If you have discussed a homework problem with classmates, add the phrase "I thank for helpful discussions about this problem: ____, ____, and ____". When helping your peers, do so by discussing, questioning, and explaining, not simply providing an answer to be copied. Work in this course is given with the intent that you will learn from the process of completing it. Therefore, aside from being dishonest and against Oregon State University academic conduct policies, copying an answer from another person or resource will do very little to help you develop as a physicist. Lack of individual preparation will show when you are asked to produce independent work, such as you will be for exams in this course. Any incidence of academic dishonesty will be dealt with in accordance with OSU policies. For more information see the Student Conduct Expectations at http://studentlife.oregonstate.edu/code.

This course is part of the OSU Baccalaureate Core and fulfills the requirement for study related to Physical Science. The Baccalaureate Core Student Learning Outcomes for this category are: 1) recognize and apply concepts and theories of basic physical or biological sciences, 2) apply scientific methodology and demonstrate the ability to draw conclusions based on observation, analysis, and synthesis, and 3) demonstrate connections with other subject areas.

Baccalaureate Core Learning Outcomes

Baccalaureate Core Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcome	How does the course align with or meet this specific outcome?	What assignments, class activities, discussions are used to address this outcome?	How student achievement of this outcome is formally measured?
Recognize and apply concepts and theories of basic physical or biological sciences.	Students will learn to apply fundamental physical principles in the mathematical analysis of natural systems. Critical thinking skills will be used in choosing the appropriate physics framework to model the system. When formulating solutions, they will differentiate between quantitative problem solving and qualitative logical reasoning methods. Effective techniques for modeling systems will be developed using multiple representations, such as mathematical, physical, graphical, verbal, and experimental. Additionally, sensemaking strategies will be learned to analyze the viability and reasonableness of solutions and models. These skills will be developed and applied within the basic physical science concepts of kinematics, mechanics, momentum, and energy.	Students learn to apply basic physical science concepts and theories in a scaffolded progression of pre-, in-, and post-lecture problem solving. They are then challenged to synthesize these skills in weekly handwritten homework sets. Additionally, students explore physical phenomena during weekly laboratory experiments.	Summative assessment of students’ ability to apply these physical science concepts and theories to natural systems is provided by evaluation of the weekly homework sets and written solutions to exam questions. Weekly homework and exam questions are written to adequately assess the breadth and depth of theories and concepts addressed in this class.
Apply scientific methodology and demonstrate the ability to draw conclusions based on observation, analysis, and synthesis.	Students in this course will learn to identify the important mechanisms in the system, connecting theory to experiment. They will set up experiments to measure physical quantities and record data to test a hypothesis. In doing so, they will develop skills to analyze experimental results with a multitude of techniques including fitting data with appropriate mathematical formulae, quantifying uncertainty, comparing empirical results with theory, and evaluating success of the hypothesis. These skills will be built through examination of physical systems governed by the concepts of kinematics, mechanics, momentum, and energy.	Students will use and build scientific skills through a combination of prescribed, discovery, and inquiry based lab activities. The work is performed within a lab group. Individual lab notebooks are created that document the hypothesis, design, data collection, and results of the experiment. Guiding questions are posed and students write explanations through a combination of hypothesis, test, and conclusion. Experiments include a study of motion under gravity, application of forces and Newton’s 2nd Law, forces and uniform circular motion, momentum and collisions, and conservation of energy.	Student achievement of this outcome is measured through evaluation of lab notebooks. Specifically how well students’ written analysis conveys mastery of the techniques, methodology, and underlying physical principles of the phenomena explored. Complete synthesis from theory to observation to conclusion to reflection must be presented in their work. Grades are assigned based on the quality of the work presented in their lab notebooks.
Demonstrate connections with other subject areas.	Students will solve problems where the framework is based in physics but the context belongs to one of a diverse set of scientific fields. Specifically the distribution of context types is intended to match the distribution of majors in the course. Biology, chemistry, ecology, geology, medicine, and many other fields are found throughout the curriculum. Students are offered projects with the specific goals of connecting physics to their field of interest. Examples include: tracking migrating birds, movement of frogs and mantis shrimp, forces in the body, softball players and impulse, colliding football players, energy in archery, work and energy in the body.	Students write solutions to questions about physical systems from a wide varietyof scientific fields using multiple representations in lecture, homework and laboratories.	Student’s ability to make connections between physics and other subject areas will be assessed through evaluation of written solutions to homework assignments, lab reports, and exam questions. Questions contained in these assignments encourage students to apply the skills and concepts of physics to contexts from other sciences and real world physical phenomena.