Physical Science - the class seems somewhat divided on unit conversion so we will go ahead and divide the class tomorrow. Those who are good to go will start working on significant figures and scientific notation. Those who need a bit more work will get a chance for more conversion practice. Conversions shouldn't fluster you, but you should be able to do them and explain why your answer is correct. Remember, one reason to follow through your unit conversions is to check that you have set up the relationship correctly. Write the starting value/unit. Set up the appropriate conversion factor so that the starting unit cancels. Perform a second step, as necessary. Perform the mathematical operations. Follow the steps each time until they are second nature to you. As we encounter the concept of dimensional consistency (the unit for the answer to a problem must have worked out to be the unit that you want for the answer), this technique will be especially valuable.
Physics - Tomorrow's Graph Matching lab will give you some solid practice with position/time and velocity/time graphs. Interpreting these graphs can sometimes be tricky and this lab provides good hands-on practice. On Wednesday, we will discuss the lab and move on to acceleration. By Thursday, we should be squarely in Kinematics Land - a happy place filled with wonder.
Honors Physics - Despite the assembly during C block, both classes received the same lecture material, so no one is behind in the game. Tomorrow, we will add acceleration and the basic kinematics equations to the pot. The lab on Wednesday will use photogates to measure free fall motion. This lab will also involve the use of laser pointers, so we can expand the gap-size for the photogates. Now, already I can feel the wheels turning in your brains about how you can turn the lasers into WMD's, blind your lab partners, see if a laser beam can travel through one ear and out the other, etc. I have one word for you - REFRAIN! No playing around with the laser pointers - use them for their intended purpose and nothing else. We will use them for other experiments involving photogates and for work with diffraction of light and I'd rather not have to appoint a Laser Monitor in each group to make sure that basic safety is being upheld (though I could make a cool badge for them and perhaps sew a little cap...)
Read the following Q&A on Joseph Mallozzi's blog and think that this woman must have
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