AP Physics 2 Unit Plan – Thermal Physics

Teacher: <Teacher> Time Frame: 15 days

Grade: 10, 11, 12 School: <School>

Subject: PSI AP Physics 2

 HS-PS3-1. Create a computational model to calculate the change in

the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy
of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system
are known.
NGSS DCI:  HS-PS3-4. Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence
that the transfer of thermal energy when two components of different
temperature are combined within a closed system results in a more
uniform energy distribution among the components in the system
(second law of thermodynamics).

AP Physics 1 and 2 Standards:

 Essential Knowledge 4.C.3: Energy is transferred spontaneously
from a higher temperature system to a lower temperature system.
This process of transferring energy is called heating. The amount of
energy transferred is called heat.
a. Conduction, convection, and radiation are mechanisms for this
energy transfer.
b. At a microscopic scale the mechanism of conduction is the transfer
of kinetic energy between particles.
c. During average collisions between molecules, kinetic energy is
transferred from faster molecules to slower molecules.
 Learning Objective 4.C.3.1: The student is able to make predictions
about the direction of energytransfer due to temperature differences
based on interactions at the microscopic level.
 Essential Knowledge 5.B.2: A system with internal structure can
have internal energy, and changes in a system’s internal structure
can result in changes in internal energy. [Physics 1: includes mass-
spring oscillators and simple pendulums. Physics 2: includes charged
object in electric fields and examining changes in internal energy with
changes in configuration.]
 Learning Objective 5.B.2.1: The student is able to calculate the
expected behavior of a system using the object model (i.e., by
ignoring changes in internal structure) to analyze a situation. Then,
when the model fails, the student can justify the use of conservation
of energy principles to calculate the change in internal energy due to
changes in internal structure because the object is actually a system.
 Essential Knowledge 5.B.4: The internal energy of a system
includes the kinetic energy of the objects that make up the system
and the potential energy of the configuration of the objects that make
up the system.
a. Since energy is constant in a closed system, changes in a
system’s potential energy can result in changes to the system’s
kinetic energy.
b. The changes in potential and kinetic energies in a system may be
further constrained by the construction of the system.
 Learning Objective 5.B.4.1: The student is able to describe and
Note that this exact Smart Notebook presentation has not been used in the classroom, although all of the
material has. The pacing below is approximate based on a 40-45 minute class period. Feel free to adjust as
necessary and please provide your feedback!

make predictions about the internal energy of systems.

 Learning Objective 5.B.4.2: The student is able to calculate
changes in kinetic energy and potential energy of a system using
information from representations of that system.
 Essential Knowledge 5.B.5: Energy can be transferred by an
external force exerted on an object or system that moves the object
or system through a distance. This process is called doing work on a
system. The amount of energy transferred by this mechanical
process is called work. Energy transfer in mechanical or electrical
systems may occur at different rates. Power is defined as the rate of
energy transfer into, out of, or within a system.
 Learning Objective 5.B.5.1: The student is able to design an
experiment and analyze data to examine how a force exerted on an
object or system does work on the object or system as it moves
through a distance.
 Learning Objective 5.B.5.4: The student is able to make claims
about the interaction between a system and its environment in which
the environment exerts a force on the system, thus doing work on the
system and changing the energy of the system (kinetic energy plus
potential energy).
 Learning Objective 5.B.5.5: The student is able to predict and
calculate the energy transfer to (i.e., the work done on) an object or
system from information about a force exerted on the object or
system through a distance.
 Learning Objective 5.B.5.6: The student is able to design an
experiment and analyze graphical data in which interpretations of the
area under a pressure-volume curve are needed to determine the
work done on or by the object or system.
 Essential Knowledge 5.B.6: Energy can be transferred by thermal
processes involving differences in temperature; the amount of energy
transferred in this process of transfer is called heat.
 Learning Objective 5.B.6.1: The student is able to describe the
models that represent processes by which energy can be transferred
between a system and its environment because of differences in
temperature: conduction, convection, and radiation.
 Essential Knowledge 5.B.7: The first law of thermodynamics is a
specific case of the law of conservation of energy involving the
internal energy of a system and the possible transfer of energy
through work and/or heat. Examples should include P-V diagrams —
isovolumetric processes, isothermal processes, isobaric processes,
and adiabatic processes. No calculations of internal energy change
from temperature change are required; in this course, examples of
these relationships are qualitative and/or semiquantitative.
 Learning Objective 5.B.7.1: The student is able to predict qualitative
changes in the internal energy of a thermodynamic system involving
transfer of energy due to heat or work done and justify those
predictions in terms of conservation of energy principles.
 Learning Objective 5.B.7.2: The student is able to create a plot of
pressure versus volume for a thermodynamic process from given
data.

 Learning Objective 5.B.7.3: The student is able to use a plot of

pressure versus volume for a thermodynamic process to make
 calculations of internal energy changes, heat, or work, based upon
conservation of energy principles (i.e., the first law of
thermodynamics).

Essential Questions
(What questions will the student be able to answer as a result of the instruction?)

1. How are thermal energy and temperature related?

2. How is thermal energy transferred between systems?
3. How are heat and work related to internal energy?
4. How are temperature, pressure, and volume of an ideal gas related?

Knowledge & Skills

(What skills are needed to achieve the desired results?)

By the end of this unit, students will know: By the end of this unit, students will be able to solve
 The concept of temperature and thermal problems using the following equations:
equilibrium
 Phase transitions ∆ L=α Lo ∆ T
 The ideal gas law ∆ V =β V 0 ∆ T
 Kinetic theory
 The laws of thermodynamics Q=mc ∆ T
 Entropy and disorder ∆ Q kA
= ( T 2−T 1 )
∆t L
PV =nRT
PV =nkT
3
KE= nkT
2
3
U = nRT
2
W =−P ∆ V
∆ U =Q+W '

Assessment
(What is acceptable evidence to show desired results (rubrics, exam, etc.)? Attach Copy

During the Smart Notebook lesson designed to introduce concepts, students will be continually questioned on these
concepts using a combination of class work/homework questions and the SMART Response system. Classwork and
Homework questions will be discussed as a class and misconceptions will be addressed by the teacher prior to the
formal evaluations listed below.

 Thermal Physics Quiz

 Thermal Physics Test

Other assessments on the NJCTL website are optional and can be used as needed.

www.njctl.org
 Note that this exact Smart Notebook presentation has not been used in the classroom, although all of the
material has. The pacing below is approximate based on a 40-45 minute class period. Feel free to adjust as
necessary and please provide your feedback!

(What is the sequence of activities, learning experiences, etc, that will lead to desired results (the plan)?

Topic Classwork Homework**

Day

Thermodynamic Systems,
1 Presentation slides 1-27 MC 29-47
Gas Laws

Kinetic Theory, Maxwell-

2 Presentation slides 28-59 MC 48-54
Boltzmann Distribution

3 PV – Diagrams Presentation slides 60-74 MC 19-25

Temperature, Thermal
4 Presentation slides 75-86 MC 1-12
Expansion

5 Heat Transfer Presentation slides 87-109 MC 13-28

Lab Conservation of
6 Lab Finish Lab
Thermal Energy

7 Thermal Physics Quiz Quiz MC

Internal Energy, Work in Presentation Slides 110- FR

8
Thermodynamics 129 MC 55-62

Presentation slides 130- FR 1, 2, 3

9 1st Law of Thermodynamics
148 MC 63-79

2nd Law of FR 4, 5, 6
10 Presentation sides 149-161
Thermodynamics MC 80-87

11 Lab Specific Heat Lab Finish Lab

Review Free Response

12 Review FR FR 7, 8, 9
and Multiple Choice

Review Free Response

13 Review FR 10, 11, 12
and Multiple Choice
 Review Free Response
14 Review Study for test
and Multiple Choice

15 Thermal Physics Test Test Review next unit

* It may not be possible to complete labs in the order stated due to lab schedules. Other labs on the
NJCTL website are option and can be used as needed.

**HW Problems are currently not scaffolded from least to most difficult, but are instead listed in order of
topic. Teacher should pay special attention at the end of each class period when assigning HW so that
only problems related to the topic that was taught are being assigned.

www.njctl.org