AP Physics instructor, Yong-Chan Kim is off to an explosive start. This week, he and his students utilized projectile launchers in the classroom to:

• Investigate the independence of horizontal and vertical motion.
• Predict the landing point when a ball is launched horizontally from a table top.
• Predict the landing point when a ball is launched at an angle on a lab table.

Students worked in small groups to achieve these tasks, proving their math by using mechanized projectile launchers to shoot small balls into cups set a distance away. Mr. Kim gave groups the option of using different sizes of cups – from Dixie to Cold Stone's "gotta have it" – based on their confidence levels. There were lots of laughs, plenty of trial-and-error, and an impressive amount of teamwork to be observed as students successfully learned something new.

"I am very excited to get rolling with this year's AP students. In the short time, they have displayed great work ethic and a strong desire to learn. They do not falter when faced with an obstacle; instead, they keep working on the topic until they fully understand the material. This is what separates good students from great ones; those who know vs. those who understand. This year's AP students have shown tremendous potential to master the subject as well as to becoming life-long learners. It is a challenging class, but I have great optimism tackling this year with this group of students."

- Yong-Chan Kim, High School Physics and AP Physics Instructor

AP Physics C: Mechanics studies physical phenomena, from forces and energy through rotational and circular motion. This course introduces college-level physics using advanced algebra and trigonometry along with basic calculus. Students study motion, dynamics, energy, momentum, gravitation, and rotational motion. The scientific understanding and problem-solving skills build on each other throughout the year as students work to understand mathematical relationships between various physical quantities and use sophisticated techniques to solve challenging problems. Students complete college-level labs independently and in small groups and use a lab notebook to record their activities and findings. Along with content knowledge, students develop a deeper appreciation for science and how it is a part of everyday life while preparing to take the AP Physics C Exam in May.

Yong-Chan Kim is excited to be teaching in his old stomping grounds, having graduated from Gunn High School in Palo Alto. Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea until the age of 13 before moving to California, he always had a passion for physics, specifically flight. He received his pilot's license in a Cessna 152 a year before his driver's license. He believes in instilling an unrelenting work ethic to all his students, as well as showing them how physics is integral in everything they do on a daily basis.

After graduating from UC San Diego with a B.S. in Physics, Mr. Kim attended Stanford University and received his M.Ed. in Physics. Throughout his career, in addition to teaching Physics in San Jose and Utah, Mr. Kim has also coached high school girls basketball. "It's basically another physics class, just with less paper and more running. Can't help but get really good at projectile motion."

Yong-Chan Kim | ykim@pinewood.edu