Physics

Accurately describe and analyze motion along a linear path in mathematical terms, including distance, velocity, and acceleration.

Mathematically describe and analyze motion along a curved path, using vectors as a mathematical tool in this process.

Explore and apply the laws of dynamics, relating forces and motion.

Use the concepts of energy, work, and momentum to analyze complex physical situations, including situations in which two or more bodies interact with each other.

Observe, analyze, and predict effects of periodic motion, including such everyday motions as a child swinging back and forth on a swing, an object bobbing up and down on a spring, or a planet traveling in an orbit around a star.

Explore and understand the relationship between temperature, heat, and energy, and understand the ways in which heat can be transferred from one body to another.

Learn about the behavior and special properties of waves, such as the ability to bend and to reflect the direction of waves as they travel.

Investigate electromagnetic radiation, including x-rays, visible light, and radio waves.

Explore electric charges and their interactions with each other.

Learn about simple electric circuits and be able to determine important values related to that circuit, including current, resistances, power, and energy.

Find out about the relationship between electricity and magnetism, and explore some of the special mathematical relationships and applications in which magnetic forces and electrical forces and charges interact.

Explore the “non-Newtonian” world of quantum physics, including the quantum interpretation of light and a modern understanding of matter, especially regarding nuclear forces and interactions.