Modern Physics

Demonstrate understanding of modern physics (AS91525)

This assessment typically includes:

• Nuclear Binding Energy

  • qualitative description of the effects of the strong interaction and Coulombic repulsion;

  • binding energy and mass deficit;  

  • Conservation of Mass-Energy for nuclear reactions.

• The Photoelectric Effect

  • Wave-Particle Duality

• The Bohr Model of the Hydrogen Atom:

  • the photon; the quantisation of energy; the discrete atomic energy level;

  • electron transition between energy levels; atomic line spectra; ionisation;

  • the electron volt.

• Standard Model: qualitative treatment of quarks and leptons

• Relativity: qualitative treatment of special and general relativity

This achievement standard is internal and is worth 3 credits. 

Modern Physics is a guided student-research topic in high school. We hope you will find this website is enjoyable and helpful for you to prepare the assessment. 

• A physicist’s guide to ice cream: the complex science behind one of the world’s most popular desserts (15 Jan 2025, Hamish Johnston)