Inquiry-based Physics

In this year-long course, students explore the fundamentals of physics through experimentation and discussion guided by the instructor. Through this engaging process, the instructor poses questions and counterexamples until the students reach a consensus in their experimentation, after which concepts are formally summarized. This course provides a strong foundation for work in more advanced science courses by introducing a number of basic skills, including significant figures, interpretation of graphs, problem solving, and the basics of laboratory work. Concepts covered include: fundamentals and nature of science, measurement, kinematics, Newtonian dynamics, conservation of energy and momentum.