I worked with Anna to show her how charges can be redistributed in the presence of an electric field. We followed a non-numerical estimation of how charges should be placed to reach neutrality between other charges. I then instructed her to view a ten minute video of calculations of electric fields. I instructed her to read an exercise to draw free body diagrams for charged spheres in the presence of other charged spheres before our next class.

I led Anna through three scenarios including harmonic motion due to expanding and contracting springs and pendulum motion. I showed her how the motion of the horizontally mounted spring on a cart would generate a position vs time chart that was sinusoidal. We then analyzed position, velocity, force, and acceleration over time. Then, we studied how measurement of the spring constant would not be time dependent. I also discussed with her how pendulum motion is dependent on the length of the pendulum arm. I briefly introduced the topic of electic charge and electric force. There was no assignment.

I started the lesson by instructing Anna to view two videos on projecting harmonic motion onto a sine or cosine wave. After she watched the videos, we examined a scenario of a mass attached to an ideal spring on an incline. Anna's job was to predict the amount of gravitational or elastic potential energy or kinetic energy for each stage of a spring being streched and released. There was no assignment.

I used some time to understand why Anna is taking AP Physics and to understand why she felt that she didn't want to take the AP exam. Then, we started to look at the workbook examples of harmonic motion of a cart on a horizontal track with a spring attached to a fixed point. I felt that she was not totally following the example so I brought up the motion of a roller coaster moving under the combination of gravity and kinetic energy. I then showed her how the cart on a horizontal track attached by a spring is acting under elastic potential energy instead of gravitatinal potential energy. I reminded her of mechanical energy which has the same total energy at all times. There was no assignment.

Our initial session was difficult because I was trying to help Savannah with challenging problems with no real idea what type of problems would be given. I was able to show her examples of conversion of km/h to m/s and to explain the basic approaches to the problems. Unfortunately, I got the incorrect answers for both problems that we attempted. I apologized for that, but explained that it would be better if I had some idea of what topic we would be studying during the next session so that I could give her better help in the future. There was no homework.

We discussed different areas of Physics.

We are working through review topics to close out the semester.

Vlad continued to work through practice problems independently.

We are continuing to work through these practice problems. Vlad is practicing independent analysis of these problems.
I want him to think through these problems, ask himself questions, and analyze the situation. This will help in his understanding and will help solidify concepts.

I want Vlad to get used to working independently. He is working on multiple net force problems dealing with objects in equilibrium and in motion.