Physics Standard List

Preamble

Obtain, evaluate, and communicate ideas about kinematics, including scalar quantities (distance and speed) and vector quantities (position, displacement, velocity, and acceleration).

Analyze data to create and interpret graphs of position, velocity, and acceleration versus time for one-dimensional motion.

Analyze free fall motion using one-dimensional kinematics to determine the acceleration due to gravity (g).

Analyze and interpret data to explain changes in the vector quantities of position, velocity, and acceleration in two-dimensional projectile motion, including projectiles launched horizontally and at an angle.

Use mathematics and computational thinking to solve problems, using kinematics equations in both one- and two-dimensional motion.

Construct explanations of dynamics from evidence, using Newton’s laws of motion.

Evaluate the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on an object’s motion.

Use mathematical, graphical, and narrative methods to explain the relationships among net force, mass, and acceleration of a single object.

Create free and fixed body diagrams to model all the forces acting on a single object.

Create an explanation of the nature of forces and the interactions among them, including tension, friction, gravitation, and normal forces, using free-body diagrams.

Analyze data to identify the pair of equal and opposite forces between two interacting bodies and relate their magnitudes and directions using Newton’s third law.

Design and carry out experiments to verify that energy and momentum are conserved in closed systems.

Use mathematical and computational thinking to explain the relationships among work, power, and time.

Create mathematical and graphical representations to depict the transformation of energy from one form to another, including kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, elastic potential energy, and work due to friction.

Use models to illustrate the relationship between the work performed on an object and the object’s total mechanical energy. Example: energy bar chart

Qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the relationship among the force acting on an object, the time of interaction, and the change in linear momentum (impulse) of the object.

Obtain, evaluate, and interpret data related to collisions (both elastic and inelastic) and their effects on both linear momentum and energy conservation.

Use mathematics and computational thinking to analyze the effects of pressure changes and buoyant forces in fluid systems.

Plan and carry out experiments to determine the density of objects.

Use and solve algebraic formulas to determine the relationships between pressure, force, area, and density. Examples: P=F/A; P=?gh

Design solutions to determine the magnitude and direction of the buoyant force acting on an object and the effects of the buoyant forces on the object's motion.

Use the buoyant force acting on an object and free body diagrams to determine the acceleration of submerged objects.

Develop and use models to analyze the circular motion of objects.

Use mathematics and free-body diagrams to relate the tangential velocity, the radius of orbit, the centripetal acceleration, and force to each other for an object moving in a circle.

Develop and use a model to describe the mathematical relationship between mass, distance, and force as expressed by Newton’s law of universal gravitation.

Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information concerning static and current electricity.

Develop and use a model to describe the mathematical relationship among charge, distance, and force as expressed by Coulomb’s law.

Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information regarding the relationship among voltage, current, and power for direct current circuits.

Create models of series, parallel, and mixed direct current circuits.

Use mathematics and computational thinking to determine the voltage, current, and resistance for an entire circuit and at each resistor or load. Examples: use measurement devices and Ohm’s law

Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information regarding the propagation, properties, and applications of waves.

Use mathematics and computational thinking to describe the relationships among the velocity, frequency, and wavelength of a propagating wave.

Use results of investigations to explain the production and characteristics of sound waves including interferences, the Doppler effect, and standing waves. Examples: the relationship between amplitude and wave energy, the relationship between frequency and pitch

Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to explain the properties and behavior of electromagnetic waves.