Course info

Learn about the world around you with the physics of our everyday lives -- including motion, gravity, temperature, heat, vibrations, sound, light, electric currents, and more -- to develop your critical thinking and problem-solving skills with dynamic science.

How to get the most out of Physics with Thomas Frederick:

• First, read the course materials below before the first class meeting.

• Then have a notebook, pencil, and calculator ready and available for class notes each live session.

• Read the chapter (and take notes) before each class meeting.

• Watch each week’s recording if you need to revisit information from our live session.

• Review the Resources Section for each week (helpful links, videos, etc...)

• Do the book work, web interactives, written assignments, quizzes, and any other work assigned for that week.

• Participate in weekly discussion forums.

• Once the course is completed to the parent's and professor’s satisfaction, there is a Certificate of Completion at the end to be filled in for your records.

Special notes: This is Part Two of a 2-part course. Students are welcome to join midyear if there is room and they meet all of the prerequisites.

Total classes: 14

Class Dates: Thursdays, January 11 to April 25, 2024.

Starting Time:  5:30 PM Eastern (4:30 Central; 3:30 Mountain; 2:30 Pacific)

Duration: 75 minutes

Prerequisite: Algebra I and Physics, Part 1 or equivalent are recommended.  Geometry is beneficial.

Suggested grade level: 9^th to 12^th grade

Suggested credit: 1 full semester 

Instructor: Thomas Frederick, MS

Instructor Email:  tomfrederick42@gmail.com

Course description:

This 14-week course is the second course in a two-part series in introductory Physics concepts. The class does not rely too heavily on advanced mathematical calculations but algebraic understanding is required. Instead, we will stick to principles, overarching concepts, and major theories and how they apply to our everyday lives. Students will have live instruction once a week, as well as frequent online interactives and simulations that will assist them in understanding and applying knowledge. The course is a survey of topics in physics with the goal of leading toward further study (Advanced Placement or College Prep Physics). Students will build on their natural intuition—and break some commonly held misconceptions. Students will learn how the cosmos that God created works and apply the laws of physics to everyday examples in their lives. Students will learn that physics is phun!

Course Outline:

Week 1 - Circular Motion
Week 2 - Center of Gravity
Week 3 - Rotational Mechanics
Week 4 - Special Relativity - Space & Time
Week 5 - Special Relativity - Length, Energy, & Momentum
Week 6 - Temperature, Heat, and Thermal Expansion
Week 7 - Heat Transfer
Week 8 - Vibrations and Waves
Week 9 - Sound
Week 10 - Light
Week 11 - Electrostatics
Week 12 - Electric Fields & Potential
Week 13 - Electric Current
Week 14 - Electric Circuits

In order to ensure student success, students will be expected to read ahead in the textbook, interact with online resources, complete weekly homework assignments, and take weekly quizzes.  There will be five Unit Tests that each student will take.

Course materials: (We suggest buying used to save considerable money!)

Conceptual Physics, Paul Hewitt (2002) ISBN: 0-13-054254-7

Some students have purchased the following text which seems to be identical inside.
Conceptual Physics, Paul Hewitt (2004) ISBN: 0-13-166301-1

We will also reference The Physics Classroom (online)

Homework & Grading: Weekly reading from the textbook as well as online resources will be assigned. Homework questions will be assigned from the textbook (along with solutions for students to self-check progress). Students will also be assigned interactive online activities that will help them to better understand and apply concepts learned in class. Each unit will have a quiz or test at the end, which will be graded by the instructor.  

Grades are based on the following weights:
Homework - 25%
Quizzes - 30%
Tests - 35%
Participation - 10%