Turkey Week!

Another short week and yes, that is something for which to be thankful...

Physics A and B used their lab work from last week to illustrate ideas associated with momentum and momentum change. We defined momentum and looked at how a change of an object's momentum can be linked to the combined effects of force and time. The product of those two is termed 'impulse' and this leads to the impulse-momentum theorem. We discussed how Newton's laws of motion stem from changes in momentum and the relationship to force and time, how stopping times and distances can be assessed using the impulse-momentum theorem and how areas such as sports and safety equipment use impulse-momentum to promote desired effect on objects or bodies. Tomorrow, we'll collect those labs and then take a look at conservation of momentum (made possible by good old Newton's 3^rd law of motion.

Honors Physics worked on a lab that linked centripetal force, orbital radius and orbital speed. Larger radii need higher orbital speeds to be maintained, given the same centripetal force and greater centripetal forces require greater orbital speeds to maintain a constant orbital radius. We'll discuss the lab tomorrow, along with the work on Kepler's laws of planetary motion, before moving on to torque - the rotational analogue of force.

Intro Physics began class by reviewing their force and momentum exam then turned attention to the action for forces in and on fluids. Pressure was defined as force/area and the generation of internal pressure by fluids was described. We looked at common events that are promoted by differences in fluid pressure between two areas (like breathing and drinking through a straw) and just dipped our toes into hydraulics before the bell cut our time short. We'll pick up there tomorrow and get some practice working with the math of pressure and hydraulic devices.