2016+Trimester+1+Study+Guide

=__Study Guide for Trimester 1 Final__=

===This is a guide in the sense that you can use it to GUIDE your studying. It is not a list of practice problems or questions. If you want questions you should look over your notes, textbook, or previous quizzes.===

__ **Unit 1: Basic Physics Skill**s __

1) Check your understanding of the following concepts:


 * the metric system
 * scientific notation
 * scalar vs. vector quantities
 * precision in measurement
 * conversions
 * basic trigonometric functions

2) I did not follow the book much for this chapter because I feel like the book has a lot of stuff early on that isn't particularly useful, so be careful with your textbook studying because you might be studying something that we didn't cover. I still have my presentations on the Unit 1 link on my site.

3) The final doesn't require any calculation, but it's definitely important to know relative sizes of metric prefixes. Same with trigonometric functions. You don't need to find any angles or numbers, but you'd want to know what the equation would look like.

__** Unit 2: Projectile Motion **__

1) Check your understanding of the following concepts:


 * distance vs. displacement
 * speed vs. velocity
 * velocity and acceleration
 * positive vs. negative vector values.
 * When would we set two motion equations equal to each? What's the logic behind that?
 * X component vs. Y component equations. When do you use X and when do you use Y?
 * use of the full distance formula
 * how the distance formula reduces to simpler formulas for certain situations
 * use of the quadratic formule
 * when will the quadratic formula give you one real root and when will it provide two real roots? (a "root" is a solution to the QF)
 * steps for solving advanced projectile problems (shooting something at an angle off a cliff)

2) Textbook review is very useful for this unit. It will help conceptual understanding if you struggled in this chapter. I still have my presentations on my website if you click on the Unit 2 link.

3) This unit had a lot of calculation in it and lots of use of the quadratic formula. You won't be calculating any final answers on the final but you'll want to know which steps to do, in which order, and what a final equation might look like. For example, you won't need to find the time it takes a ball to fall off a cliff but you WILL want to know the equation for that.

__** Unit 3: Newton's Laws **__

1) Check your understanding of the following concepts:


 * What are the three Newton's Laws?
 * What is inertia and how does it apply to everyday situations?
 * dimensional analysis of force (this goes for every variable from this point on)
 * understanding of 3rd law and force-pairs (also called action-reaction forces)
 * gravity and it's effect on various situations
 * when forces are in opposition to each other and calculating net force
 * forces involved in free-fall and terminal velocity
 * what are the implications of "constant velocity" in terms of opposing forces?
 * understanding of microwelds and surface area considerations
 * the four types of friction and example of each. Relative strengths of them. (excluding fluid friction).
 * coefficients of friction and how to calculate frictional forces
 * the forces involved in inclined plane problems and formulas for the different forces involved (think "triamgle" and "friction")
 * tension and the process for finding it (including why would want to limit our unknowns to 2 variables and substitute)

2) Again, the textbook is useful for this unit if you struggled with conceptual understanding. Also refer to my Unit 3 link on my website.

3) Have a deep understanding of forces, which direction they go, and whether or not you'd be adding the forces, subtracting them (adding a negative), or setting them equal. Think of situations where you'd do each.

4) You won't need to calculate anything for this section but you certainly need to know what the formulas are for certain things. If you can't figure out when to add two forces together or when to set them equal, that's a big problem. You won't need to solve for the force due to friction but you'll need to know the equation. That really goes for everything we've done this year. Know HOW you would solve it but you don't have to actually solve it.

__ **Unit 4: Momentum** __

1) Check your understanding of the following concepts:


 * What is momentum?
 * How do you calculate momentum?
 * What are the units of momentum?
 * What is impulse?
 * Explain the conservation of momentum.
 * Elastic and inelastic collisions
 * Conservation of Momentum in two dimensions

1) This was one of our last very mathematical units, so although you won't need to calculate anything, make sure you know what the equations look like and how you might use them. For example, know the Conservation of Momentum equation if it's solved for mass, etc.

2) Make sure you know about impulse and elastic/inelastic collisions. What are they? What are some examples?

3) Expect this section to have more equation/mathy questions than the others.