A be used. Students tend to rely too much on mathematical representations. When solving a problem, they need to be able to describe the problem situation

in multiple ways, including picture representations, force diagrams, and so on, and then choose an appropriate mathematical representation, instead of irst choosing a formula whose variables match the givens in the problem. In addition, students should be able to work with the algebraic form of the equation before they substitute values. They also should be able to evaluate the equation(s) and the answer obtained in terms of units and limiting case analysis: Does the equation lead to results that can be predicted qualitatively if one of the quantities in the problem is zero or ininity? They should be able to translate between functional relations in equations (proportionalities, inverse proportionalities, etc.) and cause-and-effect relations in the physical world. They should also be able to evaluate the numerical result in terms of whether it makes sense. For example, obtaining

for the acceleration of a bus — about four times the acceleration of a freely falling object — should raise lags in students’ minds. In many physics situations, simple mathematical routines may

be needed to arrive at a result even though they are not the focus of a learning objective.

2.1 The student can justify the selection of a mathematical routine to solve problems.

2.2 The student can apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe natural phenomena.

2.3 The student can estimate numerically quantities that describe natural phenomena.

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Table of Contents

Science Practices for AP Physics 1 and 2

Science Practice 3: The student can engage in scientiic questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations within the context of the AP course. Research scientists pose and answer meaningful questions. Students may easily

miss this point since, depending on how a science class is taught, it may seem

that science is about compiling and passing down a large body of known facts

(e.g., the acceleration of free-falling objects is

). At the opposite

end of the spectrum, some students may believe that science can solve every

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important societal problem. Thus, helping students learn how to pose, reine,

and evaluate scientiic questions is an important instructional and cognitive goal, albeit a dificult skill to learn. Even within a simple physics topic, posing

a scientiic question can be dificult. When asked what they might want to ind out about a simple pendulum, some students may ask, “How high does it swing?” Although this is a starting point from which a teacher may build, students need to be guided toward reining “fuzzy” questions and relating questions to relevant models and theories. As a irst step to reining this question, students might irst consider in what ways one can measure physical quantities relevant to the pendulum’s motion, leading to a discussion of time, angle (amplitude), and mass. Follow-up discussions can lead to how one goes about evaluating questions such as, “Upon what does the period of a simple pendulum depend?” by designing and carrying out experiments, and then evaluating data and indings.

3.1 The student can pose scientiic questions.

3.2 The student can reine scientiic questions.

3.3 The student can evaluate scientiic questions.

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Appendix A

Science Practice 4: The student can plan and implement data-collection strategies in relation to a particular scientiic question.

[ NOTE : Data can be collected from many different sources, e.g., investigations,

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scientiic observations, the indings of others, historic reconstruction, and/or

D archived data.]

E PP

Scientiic questions can range in scope from broad to narrow, as well as in

A be used. Students tend to rely too much on mathematical representations. When solving a problem, they need to be able to describe the problem situation