TGIF

Yahoo! Another Friday towards the end of the year. Life is good...

Sorry I didn't post last night, but I was engaged in a force-terminal conflict between my laptop and its Bluetooth software that had decided to "act up." After numerous uninstalls, registry washings, rebootings and system restores, I was not fit for much.

Physics and Honors Physics - Test day today was a good model for those to come. A mixture of concept and math-based questions, graphical analysis, multiple-choice, short asnwer, etc. Also, if you feel there is typo on the exam or that there is a general problem with a question - don't hesitate to ask. Next week we hit kinematics and start to pack on the formulas. The basic kinematics formulas and their derivatives (vertical motion, objects starting or ending at rest, etc.) are ones that we will use over and over in problem-solving. As they describe motion, we'll use them when we talk about forces, momentum, electromagnetism, etc.

Physical Science - Once we finish our math unit, we'll also be jumping into kinematics -albeit at a more introductory level. Basic motino and its descriptors will be our first "physics" unit. The skills that we are practicing now will be used extensively in that unit and in all the rest, so make sure that you nail the current concepts down cold. It will make like much easier for you later on. Note: the Substitution Challenge question on your worksheet is sort of a stinker. It does not require any high-level skills, but it does require that you put on your critical-thinking hat. Never be afraid to start over when necessary and cover lots of paper with lots of writing. That is the way it goes. In class, when you have time to work on things, don't be afraid to ask if you can use the whiteboard in the back of the room for working out problems.