Course Catalog - North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics

SCIENCES / physicsCH442* Research in Chemistry IOne trimester (1 unit of credit)Prerequisite: Trimester grade of B or higher in an NCSSMchemistry course, or exemption from NCSSM corechemistry requirement, and permission of the Dean ofScience.Meeting pattern: 8 periods per week including 3 labsThis is an advanced course for second or third trimester juniorstudents with the maturity, independence, and motivation necessaryto conduct their own research project. Students learn scientificmethodology and experimental design before conducting a trialexperiment on a small scale. Students then write their own researchproposals on a problem of interest to them. Throughout the semesterstudents read from the primary scientific literature and participatein discussion groups on current issues in scientific research. Basedon the outcomes of the semester’s work, students may be given anopportunity to participate in summer research programs on campusor in the Triangle area. Students with a final grade of B or higher areencouraged to continue in CH444* Research in Chemistry II.CH444* Research in Chemistry IIOne trimester (1 unit of credit)Prerequisite: Final grade of B or higher in CH442* Researchin Chemistry I, or successful participation in a summerresearch program, and permission of the Dean of Science.Meeting pattern: 8 periods per week including 3 labsIn this course, students continue to gather and analyze experimentaldata based on their previous semester and/or summer work. Timeis devoted to the completion of the research project and a writtenpaper. Students are required to present their results at the NCSSMResearch Symposium and at the NC Student Academy of Sciencecompetition. Students may, at their option, also enter their work inthe fall national competitions, where appropriate.CH446* Research in Chemistry IIIOne trimester (1 unit of credit)Prerequisite: Final grade of B or higher in CH444* Researchin Chemistry II, and permission of the Dean of Science.Meeting pattern: 8 periods per week including 3 labsIn this course, students continue work on their previous research toproduce additional data and analysis, as needed, or to researchextension questions based on their original work. Students in thiscourse have a leadership role in working with the junior studentsenrolled in CH442* Research in Chemistry I.CH448* Research in Chemistry IVOne trimester (1 unit of credit)Prerequisite: Final grade of B or higher in CH446* Researchin Chemistry III, and permission of the Dean of Science.Meeting pattern: 8 periods per week including 3 labsIn this course, students continue work on their previous research toproduce additional data and analysis, as needed, or to researchextension questions based on their original work. Students in thiscourse have a leadership role in working with the junior studentsenrolled in CH442* Research in Chemistry I and may serve as teachingassistants.COURSE OFFERINGS: PhysicsGraduation Requirement in PhysicsThe graduation requirement in physics may be fulfilled byone of these NCSSM physics courses or course sequences:PH305 Physics by Inquiry, PH306/308 Physics I/II, PH352/354Physics with Advanced Topics I/II, PH403 AP Physics B(Web), or PH405 AP Physics C: Mechanics.PlacementJunior students’ physics placement is based on scoreson the NCSSM physical science placement test andNCSSM mathematics placement, and, for PH405 APPhysics C: Mechanics, on an NCSSM physics placementtest. Senior students’ physics placement is based on theirperformance in NCSSM science and math courses in thejunior year, their senior year math placement, and, forcertain courses, on a placement test. Students who havecompleted, or are taking, MA428 Calculus (AdvancedTopics) or MA430 AP Calculus BC (Advanced Topics I)or higher mathematics are placed in PH352 Physics withAdvanced Topics I. PH305 Physics by Inquiry, PH306/308Physics I/II and PH352/354 Physics with Advanced Topics I/II are introductory physics courses and require no previousexperience in physics. Students who have completed aprecalculus course, and who have an adequate scoreon the NCSSM physical science placement test, mayapply to be considered for PH403 AP Physics B (Web). Ifselected, the student may use this course to meet theirphysics graduation requirement.PH305 Physics by InquiryOne year (3 units of credit)Meeting pattern: 4 periods per week including labThis course provides a foundation in the processes of physics.Laboratory activities, which are a large component of the course,are inquiry-based and students design some of their own experimentsin order to answer scientific questions. The course draws from thecontent areas of mechanics, wave motion, electricity, magnetism,and modern physics. The level of mathematics is algebra, with anemphasis on developing conceptual reasoning skills and on usingphysics to explain how everyday phenomena work.PH306 Physics IOne trimester (1 unit of credit)Meeting pattern: 5 periods per week including labThis course provides an algebra-based foundation in the principlesof classical physics. The course covers the laws of mechanics andtheir applications. Students learn the techniques of laboratoryinvestigation, qualitative reasoning and quantitative analysis asapplied to physics. Emphasis is also given to how physics relates toeveryday life and to the historical, cultural and philosophical basison which physics is constructed.PH308 Physics IIOne trimester (1 unit of credit)Prerequisite: Successful completion of PH306 Physics I orpermission of the Dean of Science.Meeting pattern: 5 periods per week including labThis course continues the algebra-based foundation in the principlesof physics begun in PH306. The course covers the laws of electricityand magnetism. Additional topics including wave motion, topicsNCSSM 2008-0928COURSE CATALOG