P4

STANDARD P4: FORMS OF ENERGY AND ENERGY TRANSFORMATIONS Energy is a useful conceptual system for explaining how the universe works and accounting for changes in matter. Energy is not a “thing.” Students develop several energy-related ideas: First, they keep track of energy during transfers and transformations, and account for changes using energy conservation. Second, they identify places where energy is apparently lost during a transformation process, but is actually spread around to the environment as thermal energy and therefore not easily recoverable. Third, they identify the means of energy transfers: collisions between particles, or waves.
P4.1 Energy Transfer	Physics Lab - Students will compete in lab activities in the areas of work, energy and power. Sounds of Music - Prior to the competition each team will build two types of musical instruments based on a 12 tone tempered scale, prepare to describe the principles behind their operation and be able to perform a major scale, a required melody and a chosen melody.
P4.2 Energy Transformation	Physics Lab - Students will compete in lab activities in the areas of work, energy and power.
P4.3 Kinetic and Potential Energy	Electric Vehicle - Contestants will construct a "vehicle" which uses electrical energy as its sole means of propulsion. They should be able to adjust the vehicle to travel a distance specified by the judges and to predict the time it will take to travel that distance. Physics Lab - Students will compete in lab activities in the areas of work, energy and power. Robot Ramble - The object of this event is to design and build a robot capable of performing certain tasks on a prescribed playing field. Wright Stuff - Teams will construct and test up to two rubber-powered model monoplanes to achieve maximum flight times.
P4.4 Wave Characteristics	Sounds of Music - Prior to the competition each team will build two types of musical instruments based on a 12 tone tempered scale, prepare to describe the principles behind their operation and be able to perform a major scale, a required melody and a chosen melody.
P4.5 Mechanical Wave Propagation	Sounds of Music - Prior to the competition each team will build two types of musical instruments based on a 12 tone tempered scale, prepare to describe the principles behind their operation and be able to perform a major scale, a required melody and a chosen melody.
P4.6 Electromagnetic Waves	Astronomy - Students will demonstrate an understanding of the basic concepts relating to variable star astronomy. Remote Sensing - Participants will use satellite imagery of Mars and other resources to identify and interpret geologic features, answer questions, or solve problems.
P4.8 Wave Behavior — Reflection and Refraction	Forensics - Given a scenario and some possible suspects, students will perform a series of tests. These tests, along with other evidence or test results will be used to solve a crime.
P4.9 Nature of Light
P4.10 Current Electricity — Circuits	Circuit Lab - Students will compete in activities involving knowledge of direct current (DC) Electrical Circuits. The event may include hands-on experimentation and/or problem solving. A typical event will consist of both a theoretical portion (e.g., questions requiring knowledge in circuit analysis techniques such as Ohm's Law) and a practical portion (e.g., questions requiring knowledge in the use of equipment such as a multimeter). Electric Vehicle - Contestants will construct a "vehicle" which uses electrical energy as its sole means of propulsion. They should be able to adjust the vehicle to travel a distance specified by the judges and to predict the time it will take to travel that distance. Physics Lab - Students will compete in lab activities in the areas of work, energy and power. Robot Ramble - The object of this event is to design and build a robot capable of performing certain tasks on a prescribed playing field.
P4.12 Nuclear Reactions	Astronomy - Students will demonstrate an understanding of the basic concepts relating to variable star astronomy.