This Wednesday, May16th, at 7:30 a.m. is the VERY VERY VERY LAST MAKE-UP SESSION!

A very popular question right now!
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I’ve begun updating my flash cards again.

Physics: The updated flash cards start with the next unit.
Chemistry: I put all of the root words into a single flash card file.

Click the “Flash Cards” link on the sidebar of this page.

Congratulations to those of you who made over 100% on the Chapter 9 Test in physics! (Chemistry students might wish to read this post too!)

If you made less than an A or B, you’ve got some work to do! Why? All semester long I’ve been preaching that to be successful in physics relies on practice. The more you practice, the better you understand. Physics is not a spectator class. Just like sports, music and foreign language, if you don’t spend time practicing, you will find yourself behind - fast.

The method for practicing in science/physics is typically spending time solving word problems. That means you need to know your vocabulary, read critically (analyze sentence structures, look for verbs, nouns and measurements) and keep practicing your math. Most of the math we do in class is pre-algebra. (multiplication, division a square root or two…) And the math techniques are nearly the same all semester! If you can’t do equation transposing or dimensional analysis by now, you are behind and need to get help!

About the Chapter 9 Test:

• There were 35 total points.
• 14 of those points were word-for-word from the practice quiz
• The practice quiz was homework.
• The answers to the practice quiz were posted on the bulletin board in the back of the room.
• All the other HW worksheet answers were posted there too, as usual.
• 3 of the points on the test were from PE 6-1, #2. (The names were changed.)
• The other word problem on the test closely matches Solved Example #4.
• 49% of the test points came from homework.
• The bonus for the test was a series of questions asking about the method for solving word problems. I’ve been teaching this method since chapter 2.
• The bonus was worth 12%
• The test was open Homework!

Why did I make the test from homework and then allow the test to be open homework? To reward those who are doing their homework! If you weren’t part of that crowd, now you know what you must do!

Remember to study old tests for your Mid-Term Exam this week! Some old test questions will be on it!

I found a decent web site with help on binary covalent nomenclature:

http://preparatorychemistry.com/Bishop_binary_covalent_nomenclature_help.htm

Use this web site to simulate either of the Newton’s 2nd Laws labs:

http://www.walter-fendt.de/ph11e/n2law.htm

The masses that this simulation allows are different then what your lab directions specify. Modify your data table to match the simulations. (Choose your own masses)

Today in class we’re doing the “Race Track” lab. I printed a few example races for you to look over.

Click here to see/print the example I had in class.