Learning Outcomes for Vectors and Projectiles

 

Lesson Plans || Learning Outcomes and Activities || Teacher Notes || Labs

 

The list below displays sample learning objectives for the unit on Vectors and Projectiles. The various activities from the Lesson Plans have been organized by objective. This format of organizing The Physics Classroom's activities may be more useful to some teachers than the Lesson Plan format. It is worth noting that the activities identified below only include those activities included on the Lesson Plans and in the Pre-Built Task Tracker courses. Additional activities are referenced on the Teacher Notes page.

 

1. Vector Direction

Use a protractor to measure the angle a vector makes relative to the N/S and E/W axes and express the direction of that vector using the counter-clockwise from East convention.
 

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2. Head-to-Tail Vector Addition

Add two or more vectors using the head-to-tail method and a scaled vector addition diagram to determine the magnitude and direction of a vector.
 

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3. Adding Right Angle Vectors

Use Pythagorean theorem and SOH CAH TOA to add two or more vectors that are aligned along the N/S/E/W axes.
 

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4. Vector Resolution and Vector Components

Use a diagram and sine and cosine functions to determine the magnitude and direction of the N/S and E/W components of a vector.
 

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5. Analytical Method of Vector Addition

Add two or more non-perpendicular vectors using their components in order to determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant.
 

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6. Independence of Perpendicular Components of Motion

Express the meaning of the phrase "perpendicular components of motion are independent of each other" and use the concept to solve a riverboat problem involving boat and river velocities and distances.
 

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7. Characteristics of a Projectile

Explain what a projectile is; draw a free-body diagram for a projectile; use the concept of a projectile to describe the horizontal and vertical components of displacement, velocity, acceleration, and net force.
 

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8. Horizontally-Launched Projectile Problems

Use kinematic equations and projectile concepts to solve horizontally-launched projectile problems.
 

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9. Angle-Launched Projectile Problems

Use kinematic equations and projectile concepts to solve angle-launched projectile problems in which the projectile's initial and final heights are identical.
 

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Review Activities

 

Also Available ...

Physics teachers may find the following for-sale tools to be useful supplements to our Lesson Plan and Pacing Guide section:

 

1. Task Tracker Subscription (annual purchase)
   A subscription allows teachers to set up classes, add students, customize online assignments, view student progress/scores, and export student scores. Task Tracker accounts allow your students to begin assignments in class or at school and to finish them at home. View our Seat and Cost Calculator for pricing details.
    
2. The Solutions Guide
   We publish a free curriculum with >200 ready-to-use Think Sheets for developing physics concepts. The Solutions Guide is a download containing the source documents, PDFs of source documents, and answers/solutions in MS Word and PDF format. An expanded license agreement is included with the purchase. (Cost: $25 download)
    
3. Teacher Presentation Pack
   This is a large collection of downloadable content packed with nearly 190 Microsoft PowerPoint slide decks, the corresponding Lesson Notes (as PDF and fully-modifiable MS Word format), about 170 animations (in .gif, .png, and .mp4 file formats), a countless number of ready-to-use images (including the original source documents that would allow for easy modification of those images), and a license that allows teachers to modify and use all the content with their classes on password-protected sites (such as course management systems).  (Cost: $40 download)
    
4. Question Bank
   We distribute a Question Bank that includes more than 9300 questions neatly organized according to topic. The Question Bank is the perfect tool for busy teachers or new teachers. Even if you don't use the website with your classes, the Question Bank will assist you in quickly putting together quizzes, tests and other documents with high-quality questions that target student's conceptions of physics principles. And if you do use The Physics Classroom website, the Question Bank is the perfect complement to the materials found at the website. (Cost: $25 download)