Unit 1 Description
In this unit, students will explore the forces that cause motion and how they influence the movement of objects. Building on concepts from Grade 11 Physics, students will deepen their understanding of Newton's Laws of Motion, the relationship between force and acceleration, and the analysis of motion in two dimensions, including inclined planes and circular motion.
Students will use free-body diagrams and vector analysis to solve problems involving friction, tension, and normal forces in both static and dynamic systems. Real-world applications such as vehicle safety, athletic performance, and engineering design will be used to show how dynamics plays a key role in understanding and predicting motion in our everyday lives.
Big Ideas:
- Forces can change the motion of objects and are responsible for acceleration.
- Newton's Laws of Motion describe how objects interact with their environment.
- Understanding dynamics allows us to predict and analyze motion in complex systems.
Key Topics:
- Newton's Laws of Motion
- Free-body diagrams
- Friction and tension forces
- Equilibrium and net force
- Dynamics on inclined planes
- Uniform circular motion
Skilled Developed:
- Problem-solving using vector analysis
- Applying Newton's Laws to real-world scenarios
- Drawing and interpreting free-body diagrams
- Communicating physics concepts using scientific language