The Forces of the Universe
In this Self-Paced club, students will learn about the four fundamental forces of the Universe and some of the attempts that have been made to unify them. This is primarily a physics class that incorporates astronomy topics.
Mr. Ferko - B.S. Astronomy
Average rating:
4.8
Number of reviews:(30)
What's included
5 pre-recorded lessons
5 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentHomework
1 hour per week. After each class, there will be an accompanying quiz to test student comprehension. Students will be expected to complete these individually. The amount of time the worksheets take for completion will vary (there is no time limit) but generally, they should take around 10-30 minutes each. There is also a cumulative final exam after the last video lecture which is 20 questions long and should take around 15-45 minutes.Assessment
Students will receive a passing grade if they can complete the 4 quizzes and a final exam with an average score of at least 60%. A 10% penalty will be deducted for each new attempt beyond the first to encourage students to try their best on the first go.Grading
includedClass Experience
US Grade 9 - 12
Advanced Level
The forces of the Universe govern our lives. Thanks to gravity, electromagnetism, the strong nuclear force, and the weak nuclear force, we have a Universe that is capable of supporting life. Without these forces, nothing interesting would exist! In this self-paced class, we will discuss the four fundamental forces and their interactions. We will also learn about grand unification and mention a few of the theories of everything (there are many proposed theories of everything). Along the way, we will learn about the Standard Model of particle physics, the inverse square law, the nuclear fusion process in the Sun, what virtual particles are, and how to read Feynman diagrams. All of the questions asked in the syllabus will be addressed in this club along with many more! There will also be the opportunity for class discussions on the message board. This is a place where the students can ask questions and share their curiosities. Every week there will be a ~15-20 minute PowerPoint style lecture with video and demonstrations that can be replayed as many times as desired/necessary to grasp the material. There is also a quiz for each of the first four classes which should take approximately 10-30 minutes each to complete which will be graded. For the last week, There will be a cumulative final exam consisting of 20 questions to test for student comprehension. The final exam should take around 15-45 minutes to complete which will also be graded. Students should have an interest in physics and/or astronomy before joining this club. It is not advisable to sign up a learner who is not interested in this material as it can be challenging. Only basic algebra skills and an understanding of scientific notation are required.
Learning Goals
Students will learn about the four fundamental forces of the Universe and some of the attempts at unification. Students will also learn about the Standard Model of particle physics, the nuclear fusion process in the Sun, and how to read Feynman diagrams.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum5 Lessons
over 5 WeeksLesson 1:
Gravity
What keeps your feet firmly planted on the Earth? How does the International Space Station stay in orbit? How does gravity work? How strong is the force of gravity? Is there zero gravity in space? 1 assignment
Lesson 2:
Electromagnetism
What is a magnet? How do magnets form? How is magnetism related to electricity? Why is electromagnetism responsible for our modern-day society? Is there a range to the electromagnetic force? 1 assignment
Lesson 3:
Strong Nuclear Force
What is the strong nuclear force? Why is it called the strong nuclear force? How does the strong nuclear force impact our daily lives? What is nuclear fusion? How does fusion occur in the Sun? Is there a range to the strong nuclear force? 1 assignment
Lesson 4:
Weak Nuclear Force
What is the weak nuclear force? Why is it called weak? How does the weak nuclear force impact our daily lives? What is nuclear fission? How can we determine the age of fossils and the Earth itself? What does half-life mean? How do Geiger counters work? 1 assignment
Other Details
Language of Instruction
English
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined July, 2022
4.8
30reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in Science from The Pennsylvania State University
I have a bachelor of science degree in astronomy & astrophysics from Penn State University with 3 years of experience as a planetarium presenter where I taught primarily high school groups in my live presentations. I am a scientific content partner with the Africa Space Institute where I create and present online classes for high school students in Africa. I have also been an astronomy tutor for high school students since 2019. Reviews
Self-Paced Class
$7
weekly or $35 for all content5 pre-recorded lessons
5 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content
Completed by 6 learners
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Ages: 13-18
