Friday, March 30, 2012

3/30

Objective:  SWBAT understand what the photoelectric effect  is and why Einstein's explanation of it was an important advancement of science.


Warm Up:  What is a Blackbody?  What is Planck's constant and how does it relate to Blackbody radiation?

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

3/28

Objective:  SWBAT review for tomorrow's test on Diffraction and Interference of waves


Warm Up:  What are the four phenomena that waves undergo?  Briefly describe each.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

3/27

Pulling out my hair in the name of science.... ;-)


Objective:  SWBAT use diffraction to determine the width of a human hair.


Warm Up:  Pick up a laser pointer and a diffraction grating.  Determine the wavelength of your laser using what you've learned about diffraction.


Note:  4th Q extra credit is posted at the bottom of the blog.  It is due in early May.

Friday, March 23, 2012

3/23

Objective:  SWBAT virtually determine the diffraction pattern of water, sound and light.


Warm Up:  Pick up one lab handout.  Form a group of NO MORE THAN 3.  Open the PhET Diffraction and Interference Sim on a computer and begin the lab.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

3/22

Objective:  SWBAT calculate the interference of light waves.


Warm Up:  Why are soap bubbles multicolored?

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

3/21

Objective:  SWBAT calculate the wavelength of light given the interference pattern it produces.


Warm Up:  What is the superposition principal?  How can that be applied to light waves?

Monday, March 19, 2012

3/19

Objective:  SWBAT review for tomorrow's test on light, reflection and refraction.


Warm Up:  A magnifying glass is held 5 cm above a flower.  The image that forms is upside down.  What do you know about the lens in the magnifying glass?

Thursday, March 15, 2012

3/15

Et tu, Brute?


Objective:  SWBAT determine the critical angle of refraction for a substance.


Warm Up:  A light ray within a diamond (n=2.4)  cannot escape into air, but instead is totally internally refracted.  At what angle must the light ray have struck the surface for this to occur?

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

3/14

Objective:  SWBAT experimentally determine the index of refraction of a piece of glass.


Warm Up:  Pick up one copy of the lab and preread the instructions.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

3/13

Objective:  SWBAT use Snell's Law to calculate the refraction of a light ray.


Warm Up:  Get out your calculator, pencil and pick up a ruler.  Quiz Time.

Monday, March 12, 2012

3/12

Objective:  SWBAT calculate the magnification of a curved mirror.


Warm Up:  An object is places 12 cm in front of a mirror whose magnification is -5.   What is the focal length of the mirror?

Friday, March 9, 2012

3/9

Objective:  SWBAT calculate the image location and height in a mirror.


Warm Up:  An object is placed 10 cm in front of a concave mirror whose focal length is 8 cm.  Using a ray diagram, determine where the image will form, and its type ,size and orientation.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

3/7

Objective:  SWBAT explain how electromagnetic waves propogate and list the types of EM waves.


Warm Up:  Draw a diagram of the EM spectrum and label the 7 types of EM waves.

Monday, March 5, 2012

3/5

Objective:  SWBAT review to tomorrow's test on characteristics of waves and sound.


Warm Up:  A car moving 20 m/s away from you sounds it horn whose true frequency is 950 Hz.  What frequency do you hear?

Friday, March 2, 2012

3/2

Yesterday's Lab will be due next Wed.


Objective:  SWBAT calculate the harmonic frequencies of a wave.


Warm Up:  When all the keys on a flute are depressed the lowest note that it can play is middle C.  If the speed of sound in air is 343 m/s and assuming the flute is a cylindrical tube open at both ends, determine the length of the flue from the mouthpiece to the end of the tube.