Link to NESA Stage 6 Subject Syllabus 

Aim: Physics 11–12 aims to develop students’ understanding and appreciation of a wide range of phenomena, from the minute to the immense, in terms of matter, motion and energy. It enables students to apply Working scientifically and the scientific method to their understanding of principles, theories, laws and models and the development of scientific knowledge. 

Prerequisites:

● Satisfactory completion of Stage 5 Science 

● School report achievements of mostly A grades for Science.

●  Year 10 Mathematics Advanced Course

●  It is highly recommended that in Year 11/12 you are doing Advanced Mathematics or higher.

This course is focused towards entry to University Physics. 

Exclusions: Nil 

Cost: Excursion and fieldtrip expenses 

Course Description:

The Year 11 course develops student’s knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to the study of motion, how we describe it and what causes it. The course also examines energy in its different forms and how we describe and measure electricity and magnetism and their interrelated effects. The Year 12 course provides avenues for students to apply the concepts they were introduced to in Year 11 - motion in two dimensions, electromagnetism, theories of light, the atom, quantum mechanics and the Universe.

The course provides the foundation knowledge and skills required to study physics after completing school. 

Focus areas covered:

The Year 11 course consists of 3 focus areas.      

• Fundamentals of dynamics

• Waves

• Electricity and magnetism.

The Year 12 course consists of 4 focus areas.    

• Advanced mechanics

• Electromagnetism

• Nature of light 

• Matter, energy and the cosmos

Particular Course Requirements:

Students are provided with 10 hours of course time for Depth Studies in both Year 11 and Year 12. During this time students may undertake an investigation/activity that allows for the further development of one or more scientific concepts.

A Depth Study may be one investigation/activity or a series of investigations/activities. Depth Studies may be included in one module or across several modules.

Scientific investigations are an essential part of the Year 11 and Year 12 courses. Each focus area includes content points that contain scientific investigations. These content points include practical investigations and secondary-source investigations and can be conducted individually or collaboratively. The term ‘investigation’ can refer to any systematic process of inquiry, analysis or exploration aimed at discovering, understanding or solving a problem. Investigations may take various forms depending on the nature of the investigation including:

• scientific investigations

• practical investigations

• laboratory experiments

• secondary-source investigations 

 Assessment

Internal assessment throughout Year 11 and 12

External 3 hour examination Year 12

Employment / University Opportunities:

Engineering, astronomer, air traffic controller, medical physics, acoustics, teacher, radiographer, doctor, nuclear science