looking for 9th grade science/ possible electrical engineering?

[mom@shiloh]

My ds did Physical science in 8th grade this year.  I was planning on biology for next year, but our co-op will be offering it the year after and I'd like him to take it there.   So, I need a science for 9th.  He really loved the sections on electricity in physical science.  He has also just finished helping rewire our entire, very old house.  Perhaps something that will feed those interests?  Recommendations appreciated.  

[3byzaz]

:lurk5:  :lurk5:  :lurk5:

[Kendall]

Something with micro controllers?  Some programming of some kind?  Electronics?  That is off the top of my head.  My son graduates with an EE degree in May.   I think our time would have been better spent in one of those ways than in the Advanced Physics we did his senior year.  Maybe a better book would have helped.  

[Kendall]

My son adds "I can't suggest curriculum or anything, of course.  But some kind of programming would be good.  The BasicStamp that I used[7 years ago] was good, but it's probably not the best now.  (also, it uses an awful programming language).  But there's probably been something put together for the arduino or something."

[MarkT]

Conceptual Physics or similar course to grow on what he has learned -  other classes mentioned would be great Technology electives but colleges etc are picky about what is called "Science"

[Arcadia]

. He has also just finished helping rewire our entire, very old house. Perhaps something that will feed those interests? Recommendations appreciated.

These books might help as hobby reading or enrichment. Hubby is from Electrical Engineering. I had three years of EE modules in civil engineering.

 

Schaum's Outline of Basic Circuit Analysis

Amazon link http://www.amazon.com/Schaums-Outline-Circuit-Analysis-Second/dp/0071756434/

Engineering Circuit Analysis by Hayt, Kemnerly, Durbin

publisher student page http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072283645/student_view0/network_analysis_tutorials.html

MIT OpenCourseWare Circuits and Electronics http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-002-circuits-and-electronics-spring-2007/index.htm

 

If he likes math, he may want to read up on Fourier series and Laplace Transforms

MIT OpenCourseWare link http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/mathematics/18-03sc-differential-equations-fall-2011/unit-iii-fourier-series-and-laplace-transform/

[mom@shiloh]

Thank you all!

[Sebastian (a lady)]

The AP Physics B course was recently split into a full year of mechanics and a full year of electricity. Physics B is supposed to be algebra based. You might want to take a look at the topics covered in a year of the physics electricity study and see if that is what you're looking for. It would probably cover not only electricity but also light, magnetism, and atomic structure.

 

The new course isn't in effect until the fall. There should be sample syllabi and a course description out soon. Until then you could look at the C level (which is calculus based ) just for an idea of what topics are covered. Then look at a high school physics text to match up the topics.

[Kendall]

How strongly do you feel you need to do Biology with the coop?  If you did Bio,Chem in 9th/10th then you would have 2 years to do the 2 AP Physics courses others have mentioned.  He would have stronger math skills by then.  

[daijobu]

Make: Electronics by Charles Platt.

[Elisabet1]

Chemistry then. I have been told it is better to have Chemistry before physics or biology, but our schools do chemistry after biology.

[regentrude]

The AP Physics B course was recently split into a full year of mechanics and a full year of electricity. Physics B is supposed to be algebra based. You might want to take a look at the topics covered in a year of the physics electricity study and see if that is what you're looking for. It would probably cover not only electricity but also light, magnetism, and atomic structure.

 

 

Just a heads up: you can not do the electromagnetism half of physics without having covered mechanics at least to some degree. Concepts like forces, kinematics and energy conservation that are introduced in mechanics will be needed in e&m.

 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

 

Just a heads up: you can not do the electromagnetism half of physics without having covered mechanics at least to some degree. Concepts like forces, kinematics and energy conservation that are introduced in mechanics will be needed in e&m.

 

 

Well there you go. Would that Lso be the case for a conceptual level study?

[regentrude]

 Would that aLso be the case for a conceptual level study?

 

In my opinion, yes. The treatment of electricity begins typically with the Coulomb force between charged particles, and the force created by electric fields on charged particles. For this, the student needs to have an understanding of forces and their relationship to acceleration (Newton's 2nd law), and needs to have a clear understanding of the distinction between velocity and acceleration, something that poses a big problem for many beginning students. While it is possible to introduce these concepts and the related kinematics in e&m, it is far easier for the student to understand them in mechanics which discusses the motion of objects the student can actually see and observe directly in everyday life - which is why every book starts with mechanics and then later transfers the concepts to e&m where they will be more abstract, since they are not accessible to direct observation.

The concept of electric potential (i.e. voltage) is closely linked to the concept of energy, which, again, is far easier to introduce in the treatment of mechanics.  It is certainly possible to get a student to analyze circuits, apply Ohm's law, and even calculate quantities - but the underlying principle of circuit analysis are the conservation of charge (current) and energy; without the concept of potential energies applying the circuit rules has to be done by rote drill, but without conceptual understanding.

There are many more examples.