Physics: Motion, Gravity, and Light Course

Lesson 1 • Measurement Uncertainty and Error

Covers systematic and random errors, uncertainty propagation, and data reporting standards. Ensures students evaluate experimental results critically.

Lesson 2 • Units and Physical Quantities

Introduces SI units and dimensional analysis as the basis for all physical measurement. Connects precise unit usage to error-free problem solving.

Lesson 3 • Scalars and Vectors

Distinguishes scalar from vector quantities and introduces graphical and algebraic vector operations. Builds the spatial reasoning needed for motion analysis.

Lesson 1 • Position, Displacement, and Distance

Defines position, displacement, and distance and distinguishes their scalar and vector natures. Anchors all motion descriptions to a reference frame.

Lesson 2 • Acceleration and Its Effects

Defines acceleration as the rate of velocity change and explores uniform and non-uniform cases. Connects acceleration to velocity-time graph slopes.

Lesson 3 • Kinematic Equations in One Dimension

Derives and applies the four kinematic equations for constant acceleration in one dimension. Students solve displacement, velocity, and time problems systematically.

Lesson 4 • Projectile Motion in Two Dimensions

Extends kinematics to two dimensions by treating horizontal and vertical motion independently. Students predict trajectories of launched objects.

Lesson 1 • Friction and Inclined Plane Problems

Introduces static and kinetic friction coefficients and applies them to inclined surfaces. Builds problem-solving fluency for real-world force scenarios.

Lesson 2 • Newton's First and Second Laws

States the law of inertia and derives F = ma for constant and variable net forces. Connects acceleration direction to net force direction.

Lesson 3 • Newton's Third Law and Interaction Pairs

Identifies action-reaction pairs and explains why they do not cancel. Applies the third law to collisions and contact scenarios.

Lesson 4 • Free-Body Diagrams and Equilibrium

Teaches systematic free-body diagram construction and static equilibrium conditions. Students resolve forces into components to find unknown quantities.

Lesson 1 • Power and Efficiency

Defines power as the rate of energy transfer and calculates efficiency for real machines. Connects power to force and velocity for moving systems.

Lesson 2 • Work Done by a Force

Defines work as the dot product of force and displacement and calculates work for constant and variable forces. Introduces the joule as the unit of energy.

Lesson 3 • Conservation of Mechanical Energy

States the conservation law for isolated systems and applies it to pendulums, projectiles, and springs. Identifies when non-conservative forces violate conservation.

Lesson 1 • Conservation of Linear Momentum

States the conservation law for closed systems and applies it to explosions and collisions. Identifies internal vs. external forces in a system.

Lesson 2 • Two-Dimensional Collision Analysis

Applies vector momentum conservation to oblique collisions in two dimensions. Students use component equations to find post-collision velocities.

Lesson 3 • Elastic and Inelastic Collisions

Classifies collisions by kinetic energy conservation and solves one-dimensional collision problems. Extends analysis to perfectly inelastic cases.

Lesson 1 • Circular Orbits and Satellite Motion

Derives orbital speed and period for circular orbits using centripetal force. Analyzes geostationary and low-orbit satellite conditions.

Lesson 2 • Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion

States and derives Kepler's three laws from gravitational principles. Applies the laws to calculate orbital periods and semi-major axes.

Lesson 3 • Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation

States the inverse-square law and calculates gravitational force between masses. Introduces the gravitational constant and its measurement.

Lesson 4 • Gravitational Fields and Potential

Defines gravitational field strength and gravitational potential energy for extended systems. Connects field lines to force direction and magnitude.

Lesson 1 • Reflection and Mirrors

States the law of reflection and applies it to plane, concave, and convex mirrors. Uses ray diagrams and the mirror equation to locate images.

Lesson 2 • Refraction and Snell's Law

Derives Snell's law from wave speed change at an interface and applies it to lenses and prisms. Introduces total internal reflection and its applications.

Lesson 3 • Wave Optics: Interference and Diffraction

Explains constructive and destructive interference using path difference and applies it to double-slit and diffraction grating patterns.

Lesson 4 • Electromagnetic Waves and the Spectrum

Describes light as a transverse electromagnetic wave and maps the full spectrum by frequency and wavelength. Connects wave speed, frequency, and wavelength via c = fλ.

Lesson 1 • Time Dilation and Length Contraction

Derives time dilation and length contraction from the Lorentz factor and applies them to moving clocks and rods. Resolves the twin paradox conceptually.

Lesson 2 • Einstein's Postulates of Special Relativity

States the two postulates and explains why they require revising classical mechanics. Establishes the invariance of the speed of light as a foundational constraint.

Lesson 3 • Atomic Models and Quantum Transitions

Traces atomic models from Rutherford to Bohr and explains spectral lines as quantized energy transitions. Introduces de Broglie wavelength for matter waves.

Lesson 4 • Relativistic Momentum and Energy

Extends momentum and energy to relativistic speeds and derives E = mc². Applies mass-energy equivalence to nuclear reactions.