• To have the student view the universe as God's creation.
  
• To have the student realize that there are ultimately no irreconcilable differences between God's word and God's world. Man's understanding of both is always incomplete (though knowledge unto salvation is certainly attainable by all).
  
• To point out the order and the predictability of many physical events in creation.
  
• To appreciate that in this predictability we see God being faithful to his own promises.
  
• To familiarize the student with the derivation and application of various physical laws (thinking God's thoughts after him) which help us to more precisely describe the order we see.
  
• To impress upon the student man's duty as steward to learn about the creation in order to benefit his neighbor and to bring glory to God
  

Specific Objectives

• To develop a basic knowledge of these concepts in physics: kinematics, dynamics, work, energy, circular motion, gravity, solids, liquids and gases, waves, light and sound.
  
• To develop basic mathematical skills.
  
• To develop analytical skills and critical thinking using laws and concepts in physics.
  
• To relate what goes on in class to the everyday experience of the typical student in the class.
  
• To stimulate interest in further study of the physical world.
  

Approaches

• Lecture
  
• Discussion
  
• Hands-on class participation
  
• Homework
  
• Tests/Quizzes
  
• Laboratory exercises
  
• Models
  
• Audio-Visuals
  
• Demonstration
  
• Optional projects
  
• Field Trip

Perspective

• In each of the phenomena taught, evidence of order and design is viewed as a revelation of God Himself--the Creator and Sustainer.
  
• The ability to predict the outcome of some future event is viewed as tangible evidence of God's promise to preserve the heavens and the earth until the end of time (II Peter 3:7). God is faithful to His own promises. He is always active in His creation.

FIRST SEMESTER

Introduction to physics

Two contrasting worldviews
True science

Motion in a straight line

Rates
Speed (instantaneous and average)
Acceleration
The acceleration of gravity and free fall

The Laws of Motion

Natural vs violent motion
The law of inertia
The second law of motion, Fnet = ma
The third law of motion & force pairs/force diagrams

Vectors

Addition and subtraction of vectors
Resolving vectors
Components of vectors

Momentum

Definition of momentum
Impulse
Changes in momentum and collisions

Energy

Doing work
KE and PE
Conservation of energy
Simple machines
Mechanical advantage and efficiency
The human body as a machine
Perpetual motion machines

Circular Motion

Centripetal force and centripetal acceleration
Fictitious forces
Artificial gravity

Rotational Mechanics

Torque
Angular momentum
Moments of inertia
Gymnastics and diving

Universal Gravitation

The law of gravity
Gravitational Interactions

Tides
Black Holes
Satellite motion

Going to the moon and back

SECOND SEMESTER

Solids

Density
Hooke's Law and elastic solids
Scaling
Scaling the human body/evolution or creation?

Liquids

Pressure in a liquid
Buoyant force and Archimedes' Principle
Floating like a boat/sinking like a stone/floating like a fish
Pascal's Principle

Gases

Air has mass and weight
Air has pressure - the barometer and the altimeter
Vacuums properly understood
Buoyancy of air & hot air balloons
Bernoulli's principle & airplanes and baseballs & shower curtains

Temperature, Heat and Expansion

Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales
Kelvin temperature scale
The calorie
Specific heat capacity
Expansion
Water's unique properties

Heat Transmission

Conduction
Convection
Radiation
Newton's Law of Cooling
Greenhouse Effect
Global Warming

Change of State

Evaporation & Condensation
Boiling
Freezing and melting and regelation
The operation of a refrigerator & an air conditioner

Vibrations & Waves

The parts and kinds of waves
Wave speed
Wave interference
The Doppler effect in sound (it's application in astronomy)
Bow and shock waves and Sonic Booms

Sound

Sound is a longitudinal mechanical wave
The speed of sound in air and in other substances
The decibel (dB) scale
Forced vibration
Natural frequency
Resonance
Interference of sound waves and beats
The Human Ear - beautifully designed

Light

Concepts of light
Speed of light
The wave nature of light, electromagnetic wave spectrum
Transparency and Opacity
Umbras and penumbras
Polarization of light, sunglasses are not all equal

Color

White and black
Color by reflection and transmission
Color addition--light--primary colors of light
Color subtraction--pigments--primary colors of pigments
Complementary colors
Color printing and lighting
The blue and the red sky and the green water
Elements and color

Reflection and Refraction

Diffuse and specular reflection, the law of reflection
The refraction of light (and sound)
The mirage
The prism and the rainbow
Total internal reflection
Lenses

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