High School Physics—a Physical Approach

with an Emphasis on the Scientific Method

Thermodynamics I

Most introductory physics courses do not begin with thermodynamics but rather mechanics. Mechanics is a good introductory choice because it naturally introduces topics that provide unifying themes for all of physics. I choose to begin with thermodynamics because the first concepts are intuitive and the relaxed nature of the topics allows time to explore the scientific method. It also allows time for the students to become used to a different style of teaching where they are responsible for exploring the concept, creating experiments, evaluating the quality of the experiment and the data, discovering ways to improve the experiment and finally generating a hypothesis to explain the observed phenomena. The sequence of topics outlined below does not dwell on thermodynamics for long. It quits just before the introduction of energy and entropy and then moves quickly to mechanics and the more traditional order of topics. Then, later in the course, the sequence of topics returns to thermodynamics for a treatment of more advanced topics.

Temperature Measurement and Phase Change

Introduction to temperature, measurement, record keeping, scientific method, water phase change.

Simple Mixing of Water of Different Temperatures

Scientific method—hypothesis, experiment, record keeping,revision of hypothesis, experimental technique

Mixing Water of Different Masses and Temperatures

Scientific method—extension of hypothesis, experimental technique, record keeping, experimental error

Mixing Water and Metal of Different Temperatures—Specific Heat

Scientific method—failure of hypothesis and new hypothesis, technique, record keeping, experimental error

Melting Ice, Boiling Water—Latent Heat

Relationship of mathematics and science, scientific method, major hypothesis failure, major hypothesis revision, record keeping.

Sub-freezing temperature—Ice Cream

Obtaining sub-freezing temperature using only ice. Hypothesis construction, experimental design, latent heat, record keeping.

Conduction, Convection, Radiation—Heat Transport

Techniques in hypothesis construction, designing experiments, mathematics of heat transport (primarily conduction and some radiation), errors

Heat Conduction

Hypothesis construction, experimental design, experiments, errors, mathematics of conduction.