PHYSICS

No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess.


Isaac Newton

Grades

Kindergarten – 12th

11th Grade

Curriculum

One-Dimensional Motion

Lesson #
1

5.0

Physics foundations
Distance, displacement, and coordinate systems
Average velocity and average speed
Velocity and speed from graphs
Average and instantaneous acceleration
Motion with constant acceleration
Objects in freefall

Forces and Newton’s Laws of Motion

Lesson #
2

5.0

Introduction to forces and free body diagrams
Forces and Newton’s laws of motion
Newton’s first law
Mass and inertia
Forces and Newton’s laws of motion
Newton’s second law

Two-dimensional motion

Lesson #
3

5.0

Introduction to vectors and two-dimensional motion
Two Dimensional Motion
Analyzing vectors using trigonometry
Graphs of projectile motion
Horizontally launched projectiles
Projectiles launched at an angle
Angled Forces
Inclined Planes
Friction

Uniform Circular Motion and Gravitation

Lesson #
4

5.0

Uniform circular motion introduction
Centripetal acceleration
Centripetal forces
Newton’s law of gravitation

Uniform Circular Motion and Gravitation

Lesson #
5

5.0

Introduction to work
Kinetic energy
Work-energy theorem
Spring potential energy and Hooke’s Law
Gravitational potential energy and conservative forces
Conservation of energy
Power
Explore simple machines

Linear Momentum and Collisions

Lesson #
6

5.0

Introduction to linear momentum and impulse
Elastic collisions and conservation of momentum
Inelastic collisions
Center of mass and two-dimensional collisions

Torque and Angular Momentum

Lesson #
7

5.0

Introduction to rotational motion
Angular kinematics
Torque and equilibrium
Rotational inertia and angular second law
Rotational kinetic energy
Angular momentum and angular impulse
Conservation of angular momentum
Gravitational potential energy at large distances

Simple Harmonic Motion

Lesson #
8

5.0

Introduction to simple harmonic motion
Simple harmonic motion in spring-mass systems
Simple pendulums
Energy in simple harmonic oscillators

Waves

Lesson #
9

5.0

Introduction to waves
Wave characteristics
Standing waves
Wave interference

Sound

Lesson #
10

5.0

Introduction to sound
Standing sound waves
Beats and interference of sound waves
Doppler effect

Static Electricity

Lesson #
11

5.0

Electric charge
Conservation of charge
Coulomb’s law and electric force
Explore electrostatics

DC Circuits

Lesson #
12

5.0

Electric current, resistivity, and Ohm’s law
Electric power and DC circuits
Series and parallel resistors
DC Ammeters and voltmeters
Discovery of resistors
Explore electric motors

12th Grade

Curriculum

Physical Quantities and Units

Lesson #
1

5.0

Understand that all physical quantities consist of a numerical magnitude and a unit
Make reasonable estimates of physical quantities included within the syllabus
Use SI base units to check the homogeneity of physical equations
Add and subtract coplanar vectors
Represent a vector as two perpendicular components

Measuring Techniques

Lesson #
2

5.0

Use techniques for the measurement of length, volume, angle, mass, time, temperature and electrical quantities appropriate to the ranges of magnitude
Use both analogue scales and digital displays
Use calibration curves
Understand and explain the effects of systematic errors (including zero errors) and random errors in measurements
Understand the distinction between precision and accuracy
assess the uncertainty in a derived quantity by simple addition of absolute, fractional or percentage uncertainties

Kinematics

Lesson #
3

5.0

Define and use distance, displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration.
Derive, from the definitions of velocity and acceleration, equations that represent uniformly accelerated motion in a straight line.
Solve problems using equations that represent uniformly accelerated motion in a straight line, including the motion of bodies falling in a uniform gravitational field without air resistance.
Describe an experiment to determine the acceleration of free fall using a falling body
Describe and explain motion due to a uniform velocity in one direction and a uniform acceleration in a perpendicular direction.

Dynamics

Lesson #
4

5.0

Define and use linear momentum as the product of mass and velocity.
Define and use force as the rate of change of momentum.
State and apply each of Newton’s laws of motion.
Describe qualitatively the motion of bodies falling in a uniform gravitational field with air resistance.
Apply the principle of conservation of momentum to solve simple problems, including elastic and inelastic interactions between bodies in both one and two dimensions (knowledge of the concept of coefficient of restitution is not required).
recognize that, for a perfectly elastic collision, the relative speed of approach is equal to the relative speed of separation.
understand that, while the momentum of a system is always conserved in interactions between bodies, some change in kinetic energy may take place.

Forces, Density and Pressure

Lesson #
5

5.0

Understand that a couple is a pair of forces that tends to produce rotation only c) define and apply the torque of a couple.
derive and use from the definitions of pressure and density, the equation Δp = ρgΔh.
Use a vector triangle to represent coplanar forces in equilibrium.

Work, Energy, Power

Lesson #
6

5.0

understand the concept of work in terms of the product of a force and displacement in the direction of the force.
calculate the work done in a number of situations including the work done by a gas that is expanding against a constant external pressure: W = pΔV.
derive, from the defining equation W = Fs, the formula ΔEp = mgΔh for potential energy changes near the Earth’s surface.
solve problems using the relationships W= Pt and P = Fv.

Deformation of Solids

Lesson #
7

5.0

Distinguish between elastic and plastic deformation of a material.
Understand that the area under the force-extension graph represents the work done.
Deduce the strain energy in a deformed material from the area under the force-extension graph.

Waves

Lesson #
8

5.0

Understand that energy is transferred by a progressive wave.
Recall and use the relationship intensity (amplitude)2
Analyze and interpret graphical representations of transverse and longitudinal waves.
Determine the wavelength of sound using stationary waves.
Appreciate that the Doppler shift is observed with all waves, including sound and light.
State that all electromagnetic waves travel with the same speed in free space and recall the orders of magnitude of the wavelengths of the principal radiations from radio waves to γ-rays.
Explain the meaning of the term diffraction.
Understand the terms interference and coherence.
Describe the use of a diffraction grating to determine the wavelength of light (the structure and use of the spectrometer are not included).