COURSE OUTLINE

PHYSICS
ATAR YEAR 12
 1
Course outline
Physics – ATAR Year 12

Unit 3 and Unit 4

This outline shows the progress through the course in terms of the science understanding syllabus points and
the scheduled assessment items.

Timings may not match this document exactly.

For a full elaboration of content, including different applicable contexts and SHE statements please refer to the
SCSA Syllabus document:

https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/1067892/Physics-Y12-Syllabus-ATAR-
minor-syllabus-changes-for-teaching-2024.PDF

Week Key teaching points

Gravity and motion

• the movement of free-falling bodies in Earth’s gravitational field is predictable

• the vector nature of the gravitational force can be used to analyse motion on inclined planes by
considering the components of the gravitational force (that is, weight) parallel and
perpendicular to the plane

• projectile motion can be analysed quantitatively by treating the horizontal and vertical
5-8
(Term 4 components of the motion independently. This includes applying the relationships
2024)
s v-u
vav = , a= ,
t t
v = u + at , s = ut + 1 2 at 2 , v 2 = u 2 + 2as , Ek = 1
2 m v2

Task 1: Investigation of vectors and projectile motion (Validated 2025)

• when an object experiences a net force of constant magnitude perpendicular to its

velocity, it will undergo uniform circular motion, including circular motion on a
horizontal plane and around a banked track; and vertical circular motion
This includes applying the relationships
2𝜋𝑟 𝑣2 𝑚𝑣 2
𝑣= , 𝑎𝑐 = , resultant 𝐹𝑐 = 𝑚𝑎𝑐 =
1-3 𝑇 𝑟 𝑟
(Term 1 • all objects with mass attract one another with a gravitational force; the magnitude of
2025)
this force can be calculated using Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation
This includes applying the relationship
m1 m2
Fg = G
r2
• objects with mass produce a gravitational field in the space that surrounds them; field
theory attributes the gravitational force on an object to the presence of a gravitational

Course outline | Physics | ATAR Year 12

2

Week Key teaching points

field
This includes applying the relationship

Fweight = m g

• when a mass moves or is moved from one point to another in a gravitational field and
its potential energy changes, work is done on the mass by the field
This includes applying the relationships

Ep = m g h , W =Fs, W = E , Ek = 1
2 m v2

• gravitational field strength is defined as the net force per unit mass at a particular
point in the field
This includes applying the relationships:
Fg M
g = = G 2
m r

• Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation is used to explain Kepler’s laws of planetary

motion and to describe the motion of planets and other satellites, modelled as
uniform circular motion
This includes deriving and applying the relationship
T2 4 2
=
r3 GM

• when an object experiences a net force at a distance from a pivot and at an angle to
the lever arm, it will experience a torque or moment about that point
This includes applying the relationship:

 = rF sin where  = angle between the force F and the lever arm.

• for a rigid body to be in equilibrium, the sum of the forces and the sum of the
4-7 moments must be zero
This includes applying the relationships

F = 0,  = r Fsinθ ,  = 0

Course outline | Physics | ATAR Year 12

 Week Key teaching points

Electromagnetism
• electrostatically charged objects exert a force upon one another; the magnitude of this
force can be calculated using Coulomb’s Law
This includes applying the relationship:

1 q1 q2
F =
4 0 r2

• point charges and charged objects produce an electric field in the space that surrounds
them; field theory attributes the electrostatic force on a point charge or charged body
to the presence of an electric field
• a positively charged body placed in an electric field will experience a force in the
direction of the field; the strength of the electric field is defined as the force per unit
8
charge
This includes applying the relationship
𝐹 𝑉
𝐸=𝑞=𝑑

• when a charged body moves or is moved from one point to another in an electric field
and its potential energy changes, work is done on the charge by the field

This includes applying the relationship

W
V =
q

• the direction of conventional current is that in which the flow of positive charges takes place,
while the electron flow is in the opposite direction

• current-carrying wires are surrounded by magnetic fields; these fields are utilised in solenoids
and electromagnets

• the strength of the magnetic field produced by a current is a measure of the magnetic flux
density
9-10
This includes applying the relationship
1
(Term 2)
0 I
B=
2π r
• magnets, magnetic materials, moving charges and current-carrying wires experience a force in
a magnetic field when they cut flux lines; this force is utilised in DC electric motors and particle
accelerators

This includes applying the relationships:

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Week Key teaching points

F = qvB sin where  = angle between the field B and the velocity v

F = IℓB sin where  = angle between the field B and the conductor length ℓ
• the force due to a current in a magnetic field in a DC electric motor produces a torque on the
coil in the motor

This includes applying the relationship

 = rF sin where  = angle between the force F and the lever arm.
Task 2: Motion and electromagnetism A test

• an induced emf is produced by the relative motion of a straight conductor in a magnetic field
when the conductor cuts flux lines

This includes applying the relationship

induced emf: 𝜀 = ℓ𝑣𝐵sin𝜃 where  = angle between the field B and the
conductor length ℓ
• magnetic flux is defined in terms of magnetic flux density and area

This includes applying the relationship

 = B A⊥ where A = area perpendicular to the field B

• a changing magnetic flux induces a potential difference; this process of electromagnetic

induction is used in step-up and step-down transformers, DC and AC generators

2-5 This includes applying the relationships

(2 − 1 )   ( B A⊥ )
induced emf = - N = -N = -N
t t t
where A = area perpendicular to the field B

𝑒𝑚𝑓𝑚𝑎𝑥
AC generator emfmax = 2𝑁ℓ𝑣𝐵 = 2𝜋𝑁𝐵𝐴⊥ 𝑓 , emfrms =
√2

Vp Np
=
Vs Ns

V2
P = V I = I2 R =
R
conservation of energy, expressed as Lenz’s Law of electromagnetic induction, is used to determine
the direction of induced current

Task 3: Semester 1 Exam (May not include transformers and transmission)

Course outline | Physics | ATAR Year 12

Semester 2 – Unit 4 – Revolutions in modern physics

Week Key teaching points

Wave particle duality and the quantum theory

• light exhibits many wave properties; however, it cannot only be modelled as a
mechanical wave because it can travel through a vacuum
Task 4 Experiment – Laser interferometry

• a wave model explains a wide range of light-related phenomena, including reflection,

refraction, dispersion, diffraction and interference, such as in Young’s double-slit
experiment. A transverse wave model is required to explain polarisation

• electromagnetic waves are transverse waves made up of mutually perpendicular,

oscillating electric and magnetic fields
• oscillating charges produce electromagnetic waves of the same frequency as the
oscillation; electromagnetic waves cause charges to oscillate at the frequency of the
wave
6-8
• atomic phenomena and the interaction of light with matter indicate that states of
matter and energy are quantised into discrete values
• on the atomic level, electromagnetic radiation is emitted or absorbed in discrete
packets called photons. The energy of a photon is proportional to its frequency. The
constant of proportionality, Planck’s constant, can be determined experimentally using
the photoelectric effect and the threshold voltage of coloured LEDs
This includes applying the relationships
ℎ𝑐
𝑐 = 𝑓𝜆 𝐸 = ℎ𝑓 = 𝜆
𝐸𝑘 = ℎ 𝑓 − 𝑊

• a wide range of phenomena, including black body radiation and the photoelectric
effect, are explained using the concept of light quanta

• atoms of an element emit and absorb specific wavelengths of light that are unique to that
element; this is the basis of spectral analysis
9-10
This includes applying the relationships
1-2
E = hf , E2 − E1 = hf
(Term 3)
• the Bohr model of the hydrogen atom integrates light quanta and atomic energy states to
explain the specific wavelengths in the hydrogen spectrum and in the spectra of other simple
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Week Key teaching points

atoms; the Bohr model enables line spectra to be correlated with atomic energy-level diagrams
and explains the phenomenon of fluorescence and phosphorescence

• on the atomic level, energy and matter exhibit the characteristics of both waves and particles.
Young’s double slit experiment is explained with a wave model but produces the same
interference and diffraction patterns when one photon at a time or one electron at a time are
passed through the slits

This includes applying the relationship:

ℎ
𝜆=
𝑝

Task 5: Evaluation and analysis – Particle nature of light

Task 6: Electromagnetism B ,light and quanta test

Special relativity
• observations of objects travelling at very high speeds cannot be explained by Newtonian
physics. These include the dilated half-life of high-speed muons created in the upper
atmosphere, and the momentum of high-speed particles in particle accelerators

• Einstein’s special theory of relativity predicts significantly different results to those of

Newtonian physics for velocities approaching the speed of light

• the special theory of relativity is based on two postulates: that the speed of light in a vacuum is
an absolute constant, and that all inertial reference frames are equivalent

• motion can only be measured relative to an observer; length and time are relative quantities
that depend on the observer’s frame of reference
This includes applying the relationships

 v2  t0
= 0 1 - 2  t =
 c   v2 
 1 - 
3-5
 c 2 
v + u u -v
u = u =
v u uv
1+ 2 1- 2
c c
• relativistic momentum increases at high relative speed and prevents an object from reaching
the speed of light
This includes applying the relationship

mv
pv =
 v2 
1 - 2 
 c 

• the concept of mass-energy equivalence emerged from the special theory of relativity and
explains the source of the energy produced in nuclear reactions
This includes applying the relationship

Course outline | Physics | ATAR Year 12

Week Key teaching points

m c2
E =
v2
1−
c2
• The total energy of a moving object is the sum of the energy due to its mass at rest and
kinetic energy
This includes applying the relationships:

𝐸𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡 = 𝑚𝑐 2 𝐸𝑡 = 𝐸𝑘 + 𝐸𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡

The Standard Model

• the Big Bang theory explains the expansion of space, which is measured by redshift
and is supported by Hubble’s law
This includes applying the relationship:
𝑣 = 𝐻0 𝑑
• the Standard Model is used to describe the evolution of forces and the creation of
matter in the Big Bang theory
• high-energy particle accelerators use electric and magnetic fields to accelerate
particles
This includes deriving, understanding and applying the relationship:

m v2
=qvB
r
6-8 • mass-energy equivalence and the motion of high energy particles in accelerators can
be used to test theories of particle physics, including the Standard Model
• baryons and mesons are hadrons, which are composite particles made up of quarks

• the Standard Model is based on the premise that all matter in the universe is made up
from elementary matter particles called quarks and leptons and their corresponding
antiparticles. Fundamental particles interact via the four fundamental forces
• the Standard Model explains three of the four fundamental forces (strong, weak and
electromagnetic forces) in terms of an exchange of force-carrying particles called
gauge bosons; each force is mediated by a different type of gauge boson

• lepton number, baryon number and electric charge are quantities that are conserved
in all interactions between particles; these conservation laws can be used to support
or invalidate proposed reactions

Task 7: Special relativity, the Standard Model test

9-10 Task 8: Semester 2 Examination