Physics (Grades 9–12) Subtest 1

Subarea III. Simple Harmonic and Wave Motion

0008

Understand simple harmonic motion.

demonstrating knowledge of the amplitude, period, frequency, and energy of an object in simple harmonic motion
describing oscillating systems and their properties (e.g., damping, resonance) using words, force diagrams, energy diagrams or graphs, motion graphs, and mathematical relationships
predicting how changing the intrinsic characteristics of an oscillator (e.g., mass, spring constant) affects the motion of the oscillator
analyzing the motion of an oscillator when an external force is applied to the oscillator, and when the oscillator loses energy to its surroundings

0009

Understand waves and wave propagation.

demonstrating knowledge of the wavelength, amplitude, period, frequency, and energy of a wave
describing characteristics of a traveling wave or a standing wave in a given medium (e.g., string with both ends fixed, pipe with one end open)
applying the wave equation and the superposition principle to explain and predict changes in a traveling wave interacting with a boundary
applying the wave equation and the superposition principle to explain and predict the result of two interacting traveling waves
applying principles of wave propagation to predict the effects of wave sources and wave detectors moving relative to each other