This class offers an exciting hands-on introduction to the fascinating world of physics. Each session begins with a short lecture that introduces the mathematical tools and physics concepts that are relevant to the lab.
The 10-week curriculum is as follows:
- Uniform motion with a toy car – Best fit line
- Uniformly accelerated motion - Kinematics
- Acceleration due to gravity – The pendulum
- Simple Harmonic Motion – Sine function – wolfram alpha
- Conservation of energy – Kinetic energy vs potential energy
- Buoyancy lab – Archimedes principle
- Inverse square law of light
- Introduction to optics – lenses and mirrors
- Lemon battery – measuring voltage and current
- Radioactive decay – exponential decay
Each class is two hours, from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. every week for 10 weeks in the fall. A certificate will be provided at the end of the program for all students who have a perfect attendance.
Recommended supplies:
- Laptop with spreadsheet
- Calculator
Requirements:
- Interest in STEM
- Strong motivation
Cost:
- This course is funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation so there is no cost for students to participate.