Headline: What can North Penn do for you: Physics
Are you an underclassmen at North Penn High School? Are you interested in pursuing a degree or career in physics? Don’t know how to move forward? North Penn’s course and club offerings are available to you!
The Knight Crier is running a recurring feature on specific classes, clubs, and people to reach out to help students achieve their career goals after high school. In this installment, we will cover what opportunities North Penn has to offer for students interested in the various fields of physics.
AP Classes
AP Physics 1, This algebra-based course provides a systematic introduction to the main principles of physics and emphasizes the development of conceptual understanding and problem-solving ability using algebra and trigonometry. The AP Physics 1 course provides a foundation in physics for students in the life sciences, pre-medicine, and some applied sciences, as well as other fields not directly related to science.
AP Physics C: Mechanics, This calculus-based course is designed to be the equivalent to a general physics course taken during the first year of post-secondary education. The course focuses on introductory physics concepts including kinematics, dynamics, energy, torque and other areas of Mechanics. The course prepares students for the AP Mech Physics C exam and is presented from a calculus perspective.
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism This calculus-based course is designed to be the equivalent to a general physics course taken as a second course in physics in a post-secondary education setting. This course provides for advanced studies in Electricity and Magnetism using the foundations developed in their Physics’ course on Mechanics with the intent of preparing for the “AP Electricity and Magnetism Physics C exam” and is presented from a calculus perspective.
AP Calculus AB + BC, are both year long Calculus-based courses that dive deep into the realm of limits, differentiation and integration of algebraic and transcendental functions with applications and techniques of integration. Calculus is the basis of advanced physics, and students interested in pursuing a degree in physics are encouraged to take calculus.
Electives
Principles of Engineering is a broad-based survey course designed to help students understand the field of engineering and engineering technology and its unlimited and diverse career opportunities. Students continue the development of problem-solving and critical- thinking skills required in their post-secondary pursuits and engineering careers. In exploring various and numerous engineering systems and manufacturing processes, the students also learn how engineers address concerns about the social and political consequences of technological changes. Through theory, guest speakers, field trips, and hands-on problem-solving activities, students experience firsthand what engineering is all about and are able to answer this question: “Is a career in engineering or engineering technology for me?”
Astronomy Honors: This course explores the scope, scale and structure of the universe. Topics of study include the motion of celestial objects, the earth-moon system, the physics of light, a survey of our solar system, the origin of the solar system, the evolution, life and death of the sun and other stars. In addition, students will learn to identify stars, constellations, and other objects that can be viewed in the night sky.
Clubs
EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service) is a service-learning club that teaches students about engineering, computing and technology related fields while civically engaging them in their local communities.
Science Olympiad is a competition-oriented club dedicated to promoting science education for students in the form of competitions in various fields of science such as chemistry, among others.