VCE Units 3 & 4 - Physics
VCE Units 3 & 4 - Physics
Overview
While much scientific understanding in physics has stood the test of time, many other areas continue to evolve. In undertaking this study, students develop their understanding of the roles of careful and systematic experimentation and modelling in the development of theories and laws. They undertake practical activities and apply physics principles to explain and quantify both natural and constructed phenomena.
Unit 3 – How do fields explain motion and electricity?
Students use Newton’s laws of motion to analyse linear motion, circular motion and projectile motion. Newton’s laws of motion give important insights into a range of motion both on Earth and beyond through the investigations of objects on land and in orbit. They explore the motion of objects under the influence of a gravitational field on the surface of Earth, close to Earth and above Earth. They explore the relationships between force, energy, and mass.
Areas of Study:
- How do physicists explain motion in two dimensions? – Investigate motion and related energy transformations experimentally and analyse motion using Newton’s laws of motion in one and two dimensions.
- How do things move without contact? – Analyse gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields, and apply these to explain the operation of motors and particle accelerators, and the orbits of satellites.
- How are fields used in electricity generation? – Analyse and evaluate an electricity generation and distribution system.
Unit 4 – How have creative ideas and investigation revolutionised thinking in physics?
In this unit, students explore some monumental changes in thinking in Physics that have changed the course of how physicists understand and investigate the Universe. They examine the limitations of the wave model in describing light behaviour and use a particle model to better explain some observations of light.
Areas of Study:
- How has understanding about the physical world changed? – Analyse and apply models that explain the nature of light and matter and use special relativity to explain observations made when objects are moving at speeds approaching the speed of light.
- How is scientific inquiry used to investigate fields, motion, or light? – Design and conduct a scientific investigation related to fields, motion, or light, and present an aim, methodology and method, results, discussion, and a conclusion in a scientific poster.
Forms of Assessment
Each topic will be assessed using a Test, a data analysis, a report, or a scientific poster.
Prerequisites and Corequisites
Students would be expected to have satisfied the work requirements of Physics Units 1 & 2.