Learning Objectives for Physics 211 Fall 2016

By the first midterm, students will be able to

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Process/Problem Solving Objectives

read and interpret graphs and data
use proportional reasoning to analyze relationships
work with and convert units
critique proposed analyses of physical situations
differentiate and integrate polynomial functions
solve simultaneous linear equations

LOVec
LOVec01
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LOVec03

Vector Related Objectives

convert between magnitude-angle and component vector representations
graphically perform vector arithmetic
perform vector arithmetic using components

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Kinematics Related Objectives

translate descriptions of motion into motion diagrams
understand & differentiate between average and instantaneous quantities
distinguish & relate position, velocity and acceleration using slopes/derivatives and
areas/integrals of functions with respect to time
relate and create time dependent plots of kinematic variables
understand and be able to convert between different reference frames
distinguish & relate angular kinematic variables
relate angular and linear kinematic variables in circular motion
decompose multi-dimensional problems into multiple one dimensional ones

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By the second midterm, students additionally will be able to

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Dynamics Related Objectives

identify the object/system of interest and all contact/long range forces acting it.
apply the idea that net forces are related to acceleration, not velocity
draw and use force diagrams (free-body diagrams) to analyze static and dynamic systems
identify and make use of action-reaction force pairs
solve force problems with multiple interacting objects and constraints
differentiate and analyze the effects of kinetic and static friction
understand the effects of drag.

By the third midterm, students additionally will be able to

LOVec
LOVec04
LOVec05

Vector Related Objectives

perform and interpret the meaning of dot products
perform and interpret the meaning of cross products

LOMom
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Momentum Related Objectives

define and identify isolated systems
understand that external forces are required to change momentum
determine the impulse from given force or motion descriptions
analyze interactions between objects using momentum conservation
visualize & calculate the center of mass of an extended object or set of objects
understand motion in terms of the COM & use COM to determine motion of parts

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Energy Related Objectives

understand the meaning of and determine the kinetic energy of an object
relate potential energies and conservative forces & compute one from the other

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calculate the work done on an object or system of objects

understand work as a transference of energy from one object/system to another
define and identify closed systems, draw energy bar charts to account for energy change
analyze motion using (& knowing when you can use) energy conservation
interpret and extract information about motion from potential energy diagrams
differentiate and relate power and work/energy
understand and use rotational kinetic energy

LODyn
LODyn07
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Dynamics Related Objectives

understand and use Hookes law for spring force.
extend dynamics ideas to rigid body (torque/moment of inertia) (for midterm 3, emphasis is on
static only with no angular acceleration.

By the fourth (Final) midterm, students additionally will be able to

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Process/Problem Solving Objectives

understand phase constants and the trigonometry of oscillations

LODyn
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Dynamics Related Objectives

extend dynamics ideas to rotating rigid bodies (torque, rolling motion).
understand and use the universal law of gravity, relating g & G
analyze the properties of simple harmonic oscillator and determine the frequency of
oscillations
Relate the velocity, wavelength, frequency, phase difference, and/or wave number of a wave
and apply this to the special case of a transverse wave on a string.

LODyn12

LOMom
LOMom06

Momentum Related Objectives

extend momentum ideas to rotating systems (torque/angular momentum)

In addition to content objectives, we have lab objectives. By working in the laboratory, the students will
be able to
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Critical Thinking: Observing Experiment

identify the phenomenon to be investigated
design and perform a reliable experiment that investigates the phenomenon
describe what is observed in an experiment without trying to explain
identify shortcomings of the experiment and suggest improvements
identify patterns in the data
devise an explanation for an observed pattern

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Critical Thinking: Testing experiment.

formulate an hypothesis to be tested
design and perform a reliable experiment that tests the hypothesis
make a reasonable prediction for a given experimental design based on a hypothesis
identify assumptions made in making the prediction and how they may affect the prediction
decide whether prediction and outcome agree/disagree
make a reasonable judgment about the hypothesis