Q: A charged species traveling at a constant velocity ( v ) through a magnetic field ( B ) will experience a force if the direction of motion is at a 900 angle with the B-field. How can trigonometry be used to quantify this phenomena? A: The magnetic force ( Fm ) on the chargedContinue reading “AP PHYSICS: Trigonometry and Vector Components”
Category Archives: AP Physics
AP PHYSICS: The Unit Circle and Basic Trigonometric Functions
Imagine a bat hitting a baseball head on. The ball-to-bat force pair created upon impact is unbalanced; thus, after impact, the ball will sail outward in the opposite direction. What if, however, the bat-to-ball collision occurred at an angle? How would the magnitude of force imparted to the ball change? Answers to these types ofContinue reading “AP PHYSICS: The Unit Circle and Basic Trigonometric Functions”
AP PHYSICS: Accuracy and Precision
Oftentimes, the terms “ accuracy “ and “ precision “ are used interchangeably, but their meanings are anything but similar. Precision references the repeatability of a desired outcome, while accuracy defines how close an outcome or measurement is in reference to a standard value. Consider the diagrams below: Low Accuracy / Low Precision The bullseyeContinue reading “AP PHYSICS: Accuracy and Precision”
AP PHYSICS: Conversion Fractions
If we multiply the number 1 by a unit A, we end up with one unit of A: 1 x A = A We are at liberty to substitute A with any quantity we wish: 1 x 5kg = 5kg 1 x 6s = 6s 1 x 100m = 100m Furthermore, 1 x A =Continue reading “AP PHYSICS: Conversion Fractions”
AP PHYSICS: Power of Ten Prefixes
The phrases “ several dozen “ and “ several hundred “ have meanings that are dependent upon suffixes that have been assigned to a numeral grouping of items. It is most practical, however, to have an internationally agreed upon method of assigning prefixes that denote numerical meanings to words. The Systeme International ( SI )Continue reading “AP PHYSICS: Power of Ten Prefixes”
AP PHYSICS: Scientific Notation
It would be extremely inconvenient, inefficient, cumbersome, and annoying ( if even possible ) to make measurements of submicroscopic life forms and cross-continental terrain with the same instruments. Scientific notation provides us with a condensed method of expressing both large and small quantities alike. In addition to convenience and practicality, scientific notation reduces the chancesContinue reading “AP PHYSICS: Scientific Notation”
AP PHYSICS: Significant Figures
Significant digits address the issue of uncertainty in measurements. When carrying out mathematical exercises, the term with the least number of significant digits will determine how many “ sig figs “ the answer must contain. A quick summary of the rules regarding significant figures follows: All non-zero digits are significant. All digits between non-zero digitsContinue reading “AP PHYSICS: Significant Figures”
RENAISSANCE PHYSICS 