Physics, Grade 11

Unit 1: Unit 1: Waves

Waves as energy transfer: one-dimensional transverse and longitudinal waves, the wave equation, superposition; two-dimensional wavefronts, reflection, refraction (Snell's Law), diffraction, and interference; and sound — its production, resonance, speed, the Doppler effect, and musical tones.

• A wave as a transfer of energy
• Transverse and longitudinal waves
• Frequency and period
• The wave equation
• Transmission and reflection of 1D waves
• Superposition and standing waves
• Communications technology using waves

• Two-dimensional waves
• Wavefronts and wave rays
• Reflection of plane and circular waves
• Refraction of plane waves
• Deriving Snell's Law
• Demonstrating Snell's Law
• Diffraction of water waves
• Two-source interference pattern
• Path difference in interference

• How sound is produced and detected
• Analyzing a noise issue
• Designing a sound-control device
• Sound interference and beats
• Resonance
• Measuring the speed of sound
• Speed of sound in different media
• The Doppler effect
• The decibel scale
• Sound in medical technology
• Pitch, intensity, and quality of tones
• The octave and the diatonic scale

Unit 2: Unit 2: The Nature of Light

How models, laws, and theories are built and evaluated, then the competing particle and wave models of light: Newton's particle model and its evidence, the speed of light, discrepant phenomena, the wave model, Young's double-slit experiment, light as an electromagnetic wave, the photoelectric effect, and complementarity.

• Observations, inferences, models, and laws
• Finding a pattern as a law
• Knowledge claims and evidence
• The tentative nature of theories
• Characteristics of a good theory

• Historical models of light
• Evidence for Newton's particle model
• Particle model prediction of light's velocity
• History of measuring the speed of light
• Phenomena discrepant to the particle model
• Evidence for the wave model
• Comparing the models' velocity predictions
• Geometry of a two-source interference pattern
• Young's double-slit experiment
• Light as an electromagnetic wave
• The photoelectric effect
• Complementarity and the modern view

Unit 3: Unit 3: Mechanics

Kinematics — scalars and vectors, position, displacement and distance, motion graphs, average and instantaneous velocity, and the equations of uniformly accelerated motion; and dynamics — the fundamental forces, Newton's Second Law, the newton, net force, free-body diagrams, and solving force problems.

• Scalars and vectors
• Position, displacement, and distance
• An instant and an interval of time
• Motion graphs of accelerated motion
• Average and instantaneous velocity
• Displacement from velocity-time graphs
• Solving with the kinematics equations

• The four fundamental forces
• Investigating Newton's Second Law
• The newton
• Net force
• Free-body diagrams
• Solving problems with Newton's Second Law

Unit 4: Unit 4: Fields

The field concept applied to gravity (gravitational field, free fall, g, terminal velocity, friction), electricity (electric field, field diagrams, force per charge, Millikan's experiment, elementary charge), magnetism (magnetic field, poles, domain theory, Earth's field), and electromagnetism (the field around currents and solenoids, electromagnets, and the force on a current-carrying conductor).

• Gravitational field (qualitative)
• Diagramming Earth's gravitational field
• Gravitational field (quantitative)
• Mass and weight
• Apparent weight in accelerating systems
• Acceleration due to gravity
• Measuring g near Earth's surface
• Solving free-fall problems
• Terminal velocity
• The coefficient of friction
• Static and kinetic friction
• Factors affecting friction
• Solving friction problems

• Electric field (qualitative)
• Diagramming electric fields
• Electric field (quantitative)
• Motion of charges between plates
• Millikan's experiment
• The elementary charge

• Defining the magnetic field
• Diagramming magnetic fields
• Magnetic poles
• Domain theory of magnetism
• Earth's magnetic field

• The phenomenon of electromagnetism
• Magnetic field around a current-carrying wire
• Magnetic field of a solenoid
• The electromagnet
• Investigating electromagnet strength
• Force on a current-carrying conductor
• Magnetic field (quantitative)
• Solving conductor-force problems