AP Physics B Objectives

Links:

College Board Topic III:
Electricity and Magnetism

Topics:

3. Electric circuits
   1. Current, resistance, power
   2. Steady-state direct current circuits with batteries and resistors only
   3. Capacitors in steady state circuits

Time Range:
3 weeks

Suggested Teaching Strategies:

• The core labs have students construct simple circuits and make measurements of voltage and current, discover Ohm's Law, etc. They use dry cells and small light bulbs or high power resistors to eliminate problems of electric shock.
• Complex circuits are namely series-parallel combinations of sources and users. Kirchoff's Laws are only briefly introduced, with students instead concentrating on simplifying a series-parallel combination as needed.
• After resistor circuits, I then introduce capacitors for the first time and include their circuit behaviors.

Aligned Resources:

• Core Lab 12: Ammeters and Voltage Meters; Ohm's Law Lab
• Core Lab 13: Resistors & Series Circuits Lab
• Core Lab 14: Parallel Circuits Properties
• Board with commercial resistors
• Variable resistors for demonstration and pass-around

Revision Date:
November 2001