Heinemann Queensland Science Project
Work program in senior physics
Work Program in
Senior Physics
Extended Trial Pilot Senior Physics Syllabus
Course Overview
(h) / KEY CONCEPTS / ASSESSMENT
F / E / M / Time /
Description
/ Task type / ConditionsMedical physics I—Sight / 20 / 3, 4 / Term 1 / 1. Design an optical instrument (e.g. microscope, binoculars, camera, magnifying glass, telescope) / EEI / Developed from a series of simple investigations
Sem 1 / Cars—Speed and safety / 35 / 1, 3, 4 / 2, 3, 4 / 1, 2 / Mid term 2 / 2. Research assignment: Comparing cars / ERT / 4 weeks
(55 h) / Term 2 / 3. End of unit examination / WT / 90 min, exam conditions
Sport / 25 / 1, 2, 3, 4 / 1, 2, 3, 4 / 1, 2 / Term 3 / 4. Using physics to advantage in sport / EEI / 5 weeks
Sem 2 / Discovering the Solar System / 30 / 1, 2, 3, 4 / 1, 2 / Term 4 / 5. Research assignment: Galileo to Newton / ERT / 3 weeks
(55 h) / End term 4 / 6. End of unit examination / WT / 120 min, exam conditions
Physics in the home / 25 / 1, 2, 3, 4 / 1, 2, 3, 4 / 1, 4 / Term 5 / 7. Efficiency of household electrical appliances / EEI / Developed from a series of simple experiments
Sem 3 / The sounds of music / 15 / 1, 2 / 1, 2, 3 / 1, 2 / Mid term 6 / 8. End of unit examination / WT / 120 min, exam conditions
(55 h) / The search for understanding / 15 / 2 / 1, 2, 3, 4 / 3, 4 / Term 6 / 9. Research assignment: Scientific plausibility in science fiction / ERT / 4 weeks
Medical physics II—Radiation: Uses and safety / 35 / 1, 2 / 1, 2, 3, 4 / 3, 4 / Term 7 / 10. Nuclear radiation and risks to human health / ERT / 4 weeks
Sem 4 / End term 7 / 11. End of unit examination / WT / 90 min, exam conditions
(55 h) / Electronic devices / 20 / 4 / 4 / Term 8 / 12. Design, construct and test a useful electronic device / EEI / Full term class time
F force; E energy; M motion. EEI extended experimental investigation; ERT extended response task; WT written task.
Physics: A Contextual Approach 1
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Heinemann Queensland Science Project
Context summaries
Medical Physics
Overview: The body employs physics principles in many of its functions. This context investigates these principles and considers the medical techniques used in the diagnosis and therapy of disease. The context finishes with a look at how these medical techniques employ what has been learned from modern physics.
Key concepts: F1, F2, F3, F4, E1, E2, E3, E4, M1, M3, M4
Focus / Key ideas / Possible learning experiencesPhysics principles of the body:
Ø Moving / · Mass and weight
· Rotational motion
· Simple machines / · Research the effects of being in space on the body.
· Practical activity 74: Forces in a cantilever.
· Practical activity 76: Seesaws.
Ø Sending messages / · Electric fields and potential
· Electrical nerve impulses* / · Research the effect on the body of AC and DC electricity.
Ø Viewing light / · Waves and refraction
· Lenses
· Eye defects and corrective lenses* / · Practical activity 17: Convex lenses.
· Have an optometrist visit the class.
· Research the benefits of contact lenses.
Ø The pump / · Pressure
· Fluid flow
· Bernoulli’s principle / · Teacher exposition and questioning.
· Research defibrillation.
· Investigate methods employed to measure pressure.
Using physics in medicine:
Ø Diagnosis / · Waves and refraction
· Electromagnetic spectrum
· Photoelectric effect
· Mass–energy equivalence
· Quantum theory
· Optical fibres and endoscopy*
· Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle* / · Visit an optics laboratory at a university.
· Teacher exposition and questioning.
· Library research into further diagnostic techniques.
· Practical activity 111: Ultrasound interactions: Attenuation of sound.
· Practical activity113: Diagnostic X-rays.
Ø Therapy / · Wave–particle duality
· Nuclear radiation
· The Compton effect* / · Compare and contrast radiation therapy techniques.
· Teacher exposition and questioning.
Ø Producing what is needed / · Atomic structure
· Nuclear fission
· Electric fields and potential
· Magnetic fields
· Magnetic forces
· Relativity
· Transducers*
· Particle accelerators* / · Have a radiologist visit the class to discuss their profession.
· Research into other diagnostic and therapeutic techniques used in medicine.
· Investigate the shielding of radiation
· Teacher exposition and questioning
Ø Research instruments / · Electron and optical microscopes*
· Kinetic energy
· Wave–particle duality / · Research the operation of a scanning tunnelling electron microscope.
*These key ideas are developed within this context.
Cars—Speed and safety
Overview: Isaac Newton is often seen as the founder of physics as we know it. This unit allows students to explore many of the concepts developed from Newton’s laws of motion in the familiar context of the motion of motor vehicles. It also provides a variety of opportunities to develop basic skills in measurement, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and research. As many year 11 students are of an age when they are learning to drive, this context should provide a motivating platform for the study of physics.
Key concepts: F1, F3, F4, E2, E3, E4, M1, M2
Focus / Key ideas / Possible learning experiencesMathematical tool kit / · Measurements and calculations
· Graphs and tables
· Mathematical skills
· Units
· Writing scientific reports / · Teacher exposition and questioning.
· Graphing exercises.
· Simple measurement exercises.
Acceleration / · Acceleration
· Equations of motion / · Calculate acceleration of cars from performance data.
· Library research into vehicle performance.
Stopping / · Equations of motion
· Units
· Velocity / · Reaction time investigation.
· Investigate factors affecting stopping distances.
Braking and friction / · Friction
· Newton’s first law of motion
· Newton’s second law of motion / · Calculate deceleration of cars from various data.
Safety / · Momentum and impulse
· Pressure / · Video analysis of a crash test.
· Teacher exposition and questioning.
Safe cornering / · Circular motion
· Bernoulli’s principle
· Centre of mass
· Rotational motion: torque
· Newton’s third law of motion / · Teacher exposition and questioning.
· Compare road corner radii to speed limits.
Collisions / · Momentum and impulse
· Collisions: one and two dimensions / · Data logging: elastic and inelastic collisions.
· Investigate reduction of speed limits.
Resources: Heinemann Queensland Science Project—Physics: A Contextual Approach
Sport
Overview: Physical laws underpin the dynamics of many games, sports and toys. In particular, concepts such as conservation of momentum, friction, energy transfer, projectile motion and elasticity can be used to give participants a greater understanding of the games/sports they play. In some cases, this understanding can be converted into an advantage through improved equipment design, technique or strategy. Some toys, such as paper aeroplanes, lend themselves to the study of particular physics concepts. Others, like radio-controlled cars, incorporate a large number of physical phenomena.
Key Concepts: F1, F2, F3, F4, E1, E2, E3, E4, M1, M2
Focus / Key ideas / Possible learning experiencesOn your mark / · Measurement and calculations
· Average speed*
· Units / · Reaction time investigation.
· Set up an electronic timing system.
The fastest person on Earth / · Acceleration
· Graphs and tables / · Average speed calculations.
Balls / · Kinetic energy
· Potential energy
· Hooke’s law
· Coefficient of restitution*
· Centre of mass
· Rotational motion
· Friction
· Units
· Density
· Terminal velocity
· Bernoulli’s principle / · Energy transfer calculations.
· Measure the coefficient of restitution of a variety of balls.
· Create a swinging tennis ball.
· Research the use of spin in various sports.
· Rotational motion calculations.
Batter up / · Momentum and impulse
· Centre of mass
· Rotational motion
· Mirrors
· Collisions / · Locate the sweet spot of a bat or racquet.
Balls in two dimensions / · Vectors
· Vertical and projectile motion
· Equations of motion
· Gravity
· Mathematical skills
· Terminal velocity / · Investigate the range of a golf ball.
· Projectile motion calculations.
*These key ideas are developed within this context.
Resources: Heinemann Queensland Science Project—Physics: A Contextual Approach
Discovering the Solar System
Overview: This context allows students to synthesise many of the physics concepts explored in Amusement park physics, Car audio and Cars—Speed and safety. Historically, it covers the combined efforts of scientists from Copernicus to Newton in bringing about the heliocentric revolution in human consciousness. It draws on students understanding of optics, circular motion and Newton’s laws of motion.
This context allows for a wide examination of phenomena at both the macroscopic (that is, the Universe) and everyday scales. Topics include Kepler’s laws, Newton’s law of universal gravitation, and the motion of satellites and planets.
Key concepts: F1, F2, F3, F4, M1, M2
Focus / Key ideas / Possible learning experiencesDifferent models of the Universe / · Geocentric model of the Universe*
· Heliocentric model of the Universe*
· Pendulum
· Vectors
· Kepler’s laws of planetary motion*
· Graphs and tables / · Mock debate comparing different models of the Universe.
· Investigate the period of a simple pendulum.
· Investigate the acceleration of falling objects.
· Observe the moons of Jupiter and the Earth’s Moon.
· Construct/investigate ellipses.
· Calculations using Kepler’s third law.
Newton’s contribution / · Gravity
· Universal gravitation*
· Circular motion*
· Gravitational fields
· Relativity / · Calculations using universal gravitation.
Telescopes
/ · Lenses· Mirrors
· Waves in two dimensions
· Electromagnetic spectrum / · Measure the focal lengths of mirrors/lenses.
· Construct a simple telescope.
· Review the film entitled, The Dish.
· Calculations of telescope magnification and resolution.
*These key ideas are developed within this context.
Resources: Heinemann Queensland Science Project—Physics: A Contextual Approach
Physics in the Home
Overview: Everything that happens in the home in terms of making our lives comfortable and enjoyable is reliant directly or indirectly on physics. This context looks at how electricity and water are brought to our homes. It then goes on to consider how the issue of heat is dealt with in the home. The context ends with a look at how light is created and how electromagnetic radiation generally is employed within the home.
Key concepts: F1, F2, F3, F4, E1, E2, E3, E4, M1, M4
Focus / Key ideas /Possible learning experiences
From the power station:Ø Generators / · Power—electrical
· Magnetism and electromagnetic induction
· The operation of generators* / · Teacher exposition and questioning.
· Compare and contrast DC and AC generators.
Ø Transmission lines / · Electricity
· Resistivity and power loss* / · Experimentally determine the resistivity of materials.
Ø Transformers / · Magnetic fields
· Magnetism and electromagnetic induction / · Create a transformer that can act as a step-up or step-down transformer.
· Practical activity 92: Transformer operation.
Ø Distribution / · Electricity
· Household electricity* / · Investigate the meaning of ‘three-phase’ in terms of energy supply.
· Research other means of generating electricity.
From the dam:
Ø Moving water / · Pressure
· Energy and work
· Bernoulli’s principle / · Teacher exposition and questioning.
· Describe the operation of a siphon.
Ø Water distribution / · Pascal’s principle / · Investigate Pascal’s principle.
The thermal house:
Ø Heat transfer in the home / · Heat and its effects
· Heat and temperature
· Thermal conductivity*
· Radiation and Stefan–Boltzmann’s law* / · Investigate the cooking time of potatoes with and without the use of skewers.
· Investigate the efficiency of heat transfer from a bar heater to the air in a room and compare with that of other heating devices.
Ø Heat appliances / · Heat and its effects
· The refrigeration process* / · Teacher exposition and questioning.
· Research the physics of wood stoves.
Electromagnetic radiation:
Ø Creating visible light / · Electromagnetic spectrum
· Atomic structure
· The incandescent bulb*
· The fluorescent tube* / · Teacher exposition and questioning.
Ø Transmitting electromagnetic radiation / · Capacitors and inductors
· Waves in one dimension
· Carrier waves and resonant RC circuits* / · Set up and investigate LCR circuits.
· Practical activity 29: RC circuits.
· Research the advantages and disadvantages of FM over AM transmission of electromagnetic waves.
*These key ideas are developed within this context.
Focus / Key ideas /Possible learning experiences
Ø The microwave oven / · Magnetic forces· Waves in one dimension
· The generation of electromagnetic waves* / · Investigate the claim that microwaves cannot melt ice.
*These key ideas are developed within this context.
Resources: Heinemann Queensland Science Project—Physics: A Contextual Approach
The Sounds of Music
Overview: This context is about music and sound generally. It looks at how instruments create their sound and how the properties of sound are considered in the design of concert halls. The context goes on to look at how the properties of sound are put to use in such things as ultrasound. For those into the reproduction of sound, the context concludes with a look at the physics that dictates the design of loudspeakers.
Key concepts: F1, F2, E1, E2, E3, M1, M2
Focus / Key ideas / Possible learning experiencesThe elements of music:
Ø Volume / · Waves and their speed
· Intensity and decibels* / o Practical activity 40: Pitch, loudness and quality.
o Qualitatively investigate the sound generated when air is blown over the mouth of bottles with varying amounts of water in them.
Ø Pitch / · Sonic spectra* / o Research the effects of low level but prolonged sound from things such as computers and air conditioners.
o Research the purpose of a graphic equaliser.
Generating sound:
Ø String instruments / · Waves in one dimension
· Mersenne’s law of strings* / o Investigate qualitatively the size and sound produced by a variety of instruments.
o Quantitatively determine Mersenne’s law of strings.
Ø Brass and the didgeridoo / · Waves and their speed
· Waves in one dimension / o Teacher exposition and questioning.
Ø Woodwinds / · Edge and reed instruments*
Ø Harmonic spectra / · Fourier analysis* / o Use a CRO to investigate the harmonic spectra produced by a variety of instruments.
Ø The voice
Acoustics:
Ø Reflections / · Waves in two dimensions
· Reverberation* / o Teacher exposition and questioning.
o Research how bats use the Doppler effect in echolocation.
Ø Interference / · Nodal and anti-nodal points* / o Practical activity 44: Interference of sound.
o Investigate the interference of sound from two speakers, in a hall and outside.
Ø Absorption / · Absorption and reverberation time* / o Approximate the calculation of the reverberation time for sound produced in a hall and compare the result with a measurement of it.
*These key ideas are developed within this context.