Physics
Physics is the most fundamental of the Sciences & studies how forces & energy interact.
It is one of the prerequisites for many of the Science degrees at university as well as being essential for studying virtually any form of engineering.
It is a course that requires a high degree of comfort with mathematics & as such assumes that you have studied AT LEAST Maths 5.2 or higher in Year 10.
However, it is NOT all maths but ideas that take time to accept & then understand e.g.
a bullet & its cartridge will hit the ground at the same time if shot from a gun on level ground
as you approach the speed of light, time slows down & length contracts as seen by a stationary observer (Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity)
A somewhat humorous look at what Physics is
Kinematics
You will study the following in this Module:
Motion in a Straight Line
Motion on a Plane
You will do the following:
Use mathematical equations to calculate time, distance, displacement, speed, velocity & acceleration of objects
Record and/or measure the speed & acceleration of the school's bus (photo)
Explain how running around an oval once can give you a non-zero average speed but your velocity will be zero
At night you are travelling faster through Space than during the day
Why throwing a ball on a moving bus can have two different speeds
Dynamics
You will study the following in this Module:
Forces
Forces, Acceleration & Energy
Momentum
You will do the following:
Use mathematical equations to calculate forces on objects using Newton's 1. & 3. Law
Explain why jumping off a light boat can lead to you ending up in the water
Determine your maximum jump height on different planets
Measure the power (in kW) of your legs
Waves & Thermodynamics
You will study the following in this Module:
Properties of Waves
Behaviour of Waves
Sound Waves
Ray Model of Light
Thermodynamics
You will do the following:
Use mathematical equations to calculate the wavelength, frequency & speed of a wave
Use mathematical equations to calculate the energy required to heat and/or melt substances
Explain why it is possible to break a glass using a human's voice
Explain why you get burnt twice from a steam burn
Electricity & Magnetism
You will study the following in this Module:
Electrostatics
Electric Circuits
Magnetism
You will do the following:
Use mathematical equations to calculate the strength of an electric field as well as voltages, currents & resistance in an electric circuit
Observe magnetic field lines
Explain why when filling a petrol container it needs to be on the ground
Explain how to get out of a car in winter without getting zapped
Explain how to behave when there is lightning nearby & why a car is a "safe" place when it gets struck by lightning
Depth Study - Preliminary Course (15 hours)
You will be provided with 15 hours of class time to work on your Preliminary Course Depth Study.
The Depth Study will include you carrying out an experiment of your own choosing that satisfies one or more of the Knowledge Outcomes of the Preliminary Physics course. Your mark for the Depth Study will be based on the experiment report you submit in Week 10, Term 1.
The 15 hours of class time will be the maximum you will be given to spend on your Depth Study - IN CLASS, the rest will have to be covered by you in your own time.
Advanced Mechanics
You will study the following in this Module:
Projectile Motion
Circular Motion
Motion in Gravitational Fields
You will do the following:
Use mathematical equations to calculate the time of flight, maximum altitude & range of a projectile
Use mathematical equations to calculate the radius, speed & mass of an object performing circular motion e.g. a car going around a corner
Explain why speed is your biggest problem when driving around a corner in a car
Explain the different types of orbits for satellites
Explain that astronauts experience weightlessness because they are falling
Electromagnetism
You will study the following in this Module:
Charged Particles, Conductors and Electric & Magnetic Fields
The Motor Effect
Electromagnetic Induction
Applications of the Motor Effect
You will do the following:
Use mathematical equations to calculate the motion variable of a charged object in an electric and/or magnetic field e.g. LHC
Explain how an electron gun works
Explain why it is a good idea to uncoil an extension cord before using it to power a device that draws a lot of current
Explain that an electric motor & a generator are the same thing that are used in opposite ways
The Nature of Light
You will study the following in this Module:
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Production & Propagation of Electromagnetic Waves
Determining the Speed of Light
Light: Wave Model
Light: Quantum Model
Light & Special Relativity
You will do the following:
Use mathematical equations to calculate the frequency & energy of a photon
Use mathematical equations to analyse the interference of light waves through a diffraction grating
Explain that light can be both a particle or a wave depending on the experiment YOU choose
Describe how an analysis of Black Body Radiation led to Quantum Theory
Explain the basics behind solar panels using the photoelectric effect
Explain how time slows down (as seen by an external observer) for somebody travelling at relativistic speeds
From the Universe to the Atom
You will study the following in this Module:
Origins of the Elements
Structure of the Atom
Quantum Mechanical Nature of the Atom
Properties of the Nucleus
Deep Inside the Atom
You will do the following:
Use mathematical equations to calculate the frequencies of emission & absorption spectra
Use the mathematical equation E = mc2 to calculate how much energy the splitting or fusing of atoms releases
Explain how the Big Bang led to the existence of Space & Time (the Universe)
Use a Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram to identify & predict the life cycle of a star
Explain how Bohr's quantum model of an atom explains how a LASER works
Explain the origins of radioactivity & why nuclear bomb are the most powerful bombs
Explain the Standard Model of Matter & how quarks fit into this model & our modern picture of an atom
Depth Study - HSC Course (15 hours)
You will be provided with 15 hours of class time to work on your HSC Course Depth Study.
The Depth Study will include you carrying out an experiment of your own choosing that satisfies one or more of the Knowledge Outcomes of the HSC Physics course. Your mark for the Depth Study will be based on the experiment report you submit in Week 4, Term 3.
The 15 hours of class time will be the maximum you will be given to spend on your Depth Study - IN CLASS, the rest will have to be covered by you in your own time.
This Depth Study & its report must be sufficiently different from your Preliminary Course Depth Study.