People

1
Peoples Physics Book

• James H. Dann
• James J. Dann
• Kim Knestrick

2
Why We Started This Project

• We need a coherent theme for the course that
  brings out universality
• US texts too thick and unreadable
• US texts far too costly
• US texts have too many subtopics for each chapter
• Solved problems counter-productive
• Need more problems at the AP B level
• Need to refer text to lab problems

3
What We Did

• The five Conservation Laws are the basis for the
  book
• Energy is a measure of the amount of, or
  potential for, dynamical activity in something.
  The total amount of energy in the universe is
  always the same. This symmetry is called a
  conservation law. Physicists have identified
  five conservation laws that govern our universe.
  

4
What We Did

• Our book is a similar size to texts in other
  countries
• Giancoli has 1020 pages
• French text Physique(2-year course) has 350
  pages typical of Europe
• Ours is comparable to international texts

5
What We Did

• Our text goes for just copying cost between 15
  and 20
• Compare with 120
• Beautiful, original art work by Jason P. Murphy

6
What We Did

• Kept each chapter to the essentials
• Momentum/Giancoli 9 subtopics and 20 pages
• Momentum/PPB 1 1/2 pages all on topic
• Students get more understanding and less
  confusion

7
What We Did

• We count on teachers to model problem solving
• Solved problems in the text cant substitute for
  good teaching

8
What We Did

• Variety of problems conceptual, plug and chug,
  graphical analysis, multi-step AP style

9
Conceptual Problem

• Below are images from a race between Ashaan
  (above) and Beatrice (below), two daring racecar
  drivers. High speed cameras took four pictures in
  rapid succession. The first picture shows the
  positions of the cars at t 0.0. Each car image
  to the right represents times 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3
  seconds later.
• a. Who is ahead at t 0.2 s? Explain.
• b. Who is accelerating? Explain.
• c. Who is going fastest at t 0.3 s? Explain.
• d. Which car has a constant velocity throughout?
  Explain.

10
AP Style Problem

• A positron (same mass, opposite charge as an
  electron) is accelerated through 35,000 volts and
  enters the center of a 1.00 cm long and 1.00 mm
  wide capacitor, which is charged to 400 volts. A
  magnetic filed is applied to keep the positron in
  a straight line in the capacitor. The same field
  is applied to the region (region II) the positron
  enters after the capacitor.
• a. What is the speed of the positron as it
  enters the capacitor?
• b. Show all forces on the positron. c.
  Prove that the force of gravity can be safely
  ignored in this problem. d. Calculate the
  magnitude and direction of the magnetic field
  necessary.
• e. Show the path and calculate the radius
  of the positron in region II. f. Now the
  magnetic field is removed calculate the
  acceleration of the positron away from the
  center.
• g. Calculate the angle away from the
  center with which it would enter region II if
  the magnetic field were to be removed.

11
What We Did

• There are problems that refer to experiments,
  including design your own

12
Lab Problem
13
Design your own Experiment
You are to design an experiment to measure the
average force an archer exerts on the bow as she
pulls it back prior to releasing the arrow. The
mass of the arrow is known. The only lab
equipment you can use is a meter stick. a. Give
the procedure of the experiment and include a
diagram with the quantities to be measured
shown. b. Give sample calculations using
realistic numbers. c. What is the single most
important inherent error in the
experiment? d. Explain if this error would tend
to make the force that it measured greater or
lesser than the actual force and why.
14
Our Experience

• Used successfully with a variety of students at
  both private and public schools

15
How to Use the PPB

• Big Idea
• Key Concepts
• Key Equations
• Key Applications
• Problem Set
• Selected Answers

16
You Can

• Copy the PPB in whole or in part and
• Use it as a text
• Use it as a supplement
• Use selected parts and/or problems

17
You Can

• Contribute your own problems, text,
  equations,etc.
• Special Needs
• Calculus-based physics
• Lab problems
• Graphing and graphical analysis

18
You Can

• Correct our mistakes
• Check our answers
• Send us criticisms, suggestions, comments
• Website http//nova.menloschool.org/jdann/PPBweb
  /PPBhomepage.htm