Courses

Ontario · Grade 11

Physics, Grade 11, University Preparation

  • SPH3U

Ontario’s Grade 11 science course, from Investigation Skills and Careers to Electricity and Magnetism.

Learn thisPractice test
Units
6
Lessons
12
Skills
90
Provincial exam
None
Official curriculum
Ontario Ministry of Education

Unit by unit

Every skill in the course, with its official code.

Unit 1 · 2 skills

Investigation Skills and Careers

Careers in Physics

Scientists and Their Contributions

  • Scientists who contributed to physics

    I can describe the contributions of scientists, including Canadians, to physics.

    A2.2

    Learn itPractice testActivities
The official wording · 2 outcomes
A2.1
identify and describe a variety of careers related to the fields of science under study (e.g., theoretical physicist; communications, networks, and control systems professional; engineer; metallurgist) and the education and training necessary for these careers
A2.2
describe the contributions of scientists, including Canadians (e.g., Richard E. Taylor, Leonard T. Bruton, Willard S. Boyle, Martha Salcudean, Harriet Brooks, Louis Slotin), to the fields under study

Key ideas

  1. Physics connects to many careers — theoretical physicist, engineer, metallurgist, control-systems professional.

  2. Scientists from many places, including Canadians such as Willard S. Boyle and Harriet Brooks, advanced physics.

  3. Each career needs particular education and training, usually a university or college program.

  4. A contribution can be a discovery, an invention, or a new theory.

Watch out for

  • Thinking physics careers are only 'scientist in a lab'.
  • Thinking all major scientists are from long ago or far away.
  • Not knowing a career needs specific education and training.

Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit

Unit 2 · 14 skills

Kinematics

Kinematics Technology and Society

Investigating Motion

The official wording · 14 outcomes
B1.1
analyse, on the basis of research, a technology that applies concepts related to kinematics (e.g., devices used to measure speed in sports; rocket accelerators; motion-detecting sensors for security systems; speedometers in automobiles) [IP, PR, AI, C]
B1.2
assess the impact on society and the environ- ment of a technology that applies concepts related to kinematics (e.g., photo radar helps prevent vehicular accidents and reduces fuel consumption associated with excessive speeding) [AI, C]
B2.1
use appropriate terminology related to kinematics, including, but not limited to: time, distance, position, displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration [C]
B2.2
analyse and interpret position–time, velocity– time, and acceleration–time graphs of motion in one dimension (e.g., use tangent slopes to create velocity–time graphs from position–time graphs and acceleration–time graphs from velocity–time graphs; use the area under the curve to create position–time graphs from velocity–time graphs and velocity–time graphs from acceleration–time graphs) [AI, C]
B2.3
use a velocity–time graph for constant accel- eration to derive the equation for average velocity [e.g., v av = (v 1 + v 2 )/2] and the equations for displacement [e.g., Δd = ((v 1 + v 2 )/2) Δt, Δd = v 1 Δt + ½ a (Δt2)], and solve simple problems in one dimension using these equations [AI]
B2.4
conduct an inquiry into the uniform and non-uniform linear motion of an object (e.g., use probeware to record the motion of a cart moving at a constant velocity or a constant acceleration; view a computer simulation of an object attaining terminal velocity; observe a video of a bouncing ball or a skydiver; observe the motion of a balloon with a small mass suspended from it) [PR]
B2.5
solve problems involving distance, position, and displacement (e.g., find total displacement using a scale vector diagram and vector com- ponents, and compare it to total distance travelled) [AI, C]
B2.6
plan and conduct an inquiry into the motion of objects in one dimension, using vector diagrams and uniform acceleration equations [IP, PR, C]
B2.7
solve problems involving uniform and non-uniform linear motion in one and two dimensions, using graphical analysis and algebraic equations [AI, C]
B2.8
use kinematic equations to solve problems related to the horizontal and vertical components of the motion of a projectile (e.g., a cannon ball shot horizontally off a cliff, a ball rolling off a table, a golf ball launched at a 45º angle to the horizontal) [AI, C]
B2.9
conduct an inquiry into the projectile motion of an object, and analyse, in qualitative and quantitative terms, the relationship between the horizontal and vertical components (e.g., airborne time, range, maximum height, horizontal velocity, vertical velocity) [PR, AI]
B3.1
distinguish between the terms constant, instantaneous, and average with reference to speed, velocity, and acceleration, and provide examples to illustrate each term
B3.2
distinguish between, and provide examples of, scalar and vector quantities as they relate to the description of uniform and non-uniform linear motion (e.g., time, distance, position, velocity, acceleration)
B3.3
describe the characteristics and give examples of a projectile’s motion in vertical and horizontal planes

Key ideas

  1. Technologies such as speedometers, rocket accelerators, and motion-detecting sensors apply kinematics.

  2. Key terms include time, distance, position, displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration.

  3. Analysing one means explaining which motion concepts (speed, acceleration) it uses and how.

  4. Distance and speed are scalars; position, displacement, velocity, and acceleration are vectors.

  5. A kinematics technology (e.g. photo radar) has effects on society and the environment.

Watch out for

  • Describing a device without naming the kinematics concept it uses.
  • Confusing distance with displacement.
  • Confusing speed with acceleration in the device's operation.

Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit

Unit 3 · 13 skills

Forces

Force Technology and Society

Investigating Forces

The official wording · 13 outcomes
C1.1
analyse, with reference to Newton’s laws, a technology that applies these laws
C1.1
propose ways to improve its performance
C1.2
evaluate the impact on society and the environment of technologies that use the princi- ples of force (e.g., prosthetics, plastic car bodies) [AI, C]
C2.1
use appropriate terminology related to forces, including, but not limited to: mass, time, speed, velocity, acceleration, friction, gravity, normal force, and free-body diagrams [C]
C2.2
conduct an inquiry that applies Newton’s laws to analyse, in qualitative and quantitative terms, the forces acting on an object, and use free-body diagrams to determine the net force and the acceleration of the object [PR, AI, C]
C2.3
conduct an inquiry into the relationship between the acceleration of an object and its net force and mass (e.g., view a computer simulation of an object attaining terminal velocity; observe the motion of an object subject to friction; use electronic probes to observe the motion of an object being pulled across the floor), and analyse the resulting data [PR, AI]
C2.4
analyse the relationships between acceleration and applied forces such as the force of gravity, normal force, force of friction, coefficient of static friction, and coefficient of kinetic friction, and solve related problems involving forces in one dimension, using free-body diagrams and algebraic equations (e.g., use a drag sled to find the coefficient of friction between two surfaces) [AI, C]
C2.5
plan and conduct an inquiry to analyse the effect of forces acting on objects in one dimen- sion, using vector diagrams, free-body diagrams, and Newton’s laws [IP, PR, AI, C]
C2.6
analyse and solve problems involving the relationship between the force of gravity and acceleration for objects in free fall [AI]
C3.1
distinguish between, and provide examples of, different forces (e.g., friction, gravity, normal force), and describe the effect of each type of force on the velocity of an object
C3.2
explain how the theories and discoveries of Galileo and Newton advanced knowledge of the effects of forces on the motion of objects
C3.3
state Newton’s laws, and apply them, in qualitative terms, to explain the effect of forces acting on objects
C3.4
describe, in qualitative and quantitative terms, the relationships between mass, gravitational field strength, and force of gravity

Key ideas

  1. Technologies such as low-friction bearings, athletic shoes, and roller coasters apply Newton's laws.

  2. Key terms include mass, speed, velocity, acceleration, friction, gravity, normal force, and free-body diagrams.

  3. Analysing one means identifying which law it uses and how the forces act.

  4. A free-body diagram shows all forces acting on one object.

  5. Once a technology's forces are analysed, its performance can be improved by reducing friction or redistributing force.

Watch out for

  • Describing a device without referencing a specific Newton's law.
  • Confusing mass with weight (force of gravity).
  • Confusing which law governs the device's behaviour.

Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit

Unit 4 · 25 skills

Energy and Society

Energy Technology and Society

  • Analysing a thermal-energy technology

    I can analyse a technology using the principles of energy transformation.

    D1.1

    Learn itPractice testActivities

  • Impact of nuclear and thermal energy technologies

    I can assess how a nuclear, thermal, or geothermal technology affects society and the environment.

    D1.2

    Learn itPractice testActivities

Investigating Energy and Heat

The official wording · 25 outcomes
D1.1
analyse, using the principles of energy transformations, a technology that involves the transfer and transformation of thermal energy (e.g., a power station, an air conditioner, a fuel cell, a laser printer) [AI, C]
D1.2
assess, on the basis of research, how technol- ogies related to nuclear, thermal, or geothermal energy affect society and the environment (e.g., thermal regulating units, radiopharmaceuticals, dry-steam power plants, ground-source heat pumps) [IP, PR, AI, C]
D2.1
use appropriate terminology related to energy transformations, including, but not limited to: mechanical energy, gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, work, power, fission, fusion, heat, heat capacity, temperature, and latent heat [C]
D2.2
solve problems relating to work, force, and displacement along the line of force [AI]
D2.3
use the law of conservation of energy to solve problems in simple situations involving work, gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, and thermal energy and its transfer (heat) [AI]
D2.4
plan and conduct inquiries involving transformations between gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy (e.g., using a pendu- lum, a falling ball, an object rolling down a ramp) to test the law of conservation of energy [IP, PR]
D2.5
solve problems involving the relationship between power, energy, and time [AI]
D2.6
conduct inquiries and solve problems involving the relationship between power and work (e.g., the power of a student using different types of fitness equipment) [PR, AI]
D2.7
compare and contrast the input energy, useful output energy, and per cent efficiency of selected energy generation methods (e.g., hydroelectric, thermal, geothermal, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, wind, solar) [AI, C]
D2.8
investigate the relationship between the con- cepts of conservation of mass and conservation of energy, and solve problems using the mass– energy equivalence [PR, AI]
D2.9
conduct an inquiry to determine the specific heat capacity of a single substance (e.g., alum- inum, iron, brass) and of two substances when they are mixed together (e.g., the heat lost by a sample of hot water and the heat gained by a sample of cold water when the two samples are mixed together) [PR]
D2.10
solve problems involving changes in tem- perature and changes of state, using algebraic equations (e.g., Q = mcΔT, Q = mL f , Q = mL v ) [AI, C]
D2.11
draw and analyse heating and cooling curves that show temperature changes and changes of state for various substances [AI, C]
D3.1
describe a variety of energy transfers and transformations, and explain them using the law of conservation of energy
D3.2
explain the concepts of and interrelationships between energy, work, and power, and identify and describe their related units
D3.3
explain the following concepts, giving examples of each, and identify their related units: thermal energy, kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, heat, specific heat capacity, spe- cific latent heat, power, and efficiency
D3.4
identify, qualitatively, the relationship between efficiency and thermal energy transfer
D3.5
describe, with reference to force and dis- placement along the line of force, the conditions that are required for work to be done
D3.6
describe and compare nuclear fission and nuclear fusion
D3.7
explain, using the kinetic molecular theory, the energy transfer that occurs during changes of state
D3.8
distinguish between and provide examples of conduction, convection, and radiation
D3.9
identify and describe the structure of com- mon nuclear isotopes (e.g., hydrogen, deuterium, tritium)
D3.10
compare the characteristics of (e.g., mass, charge, speed, penetrating power, ionizing abil- ity) and safety precautions related to alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays
D3.11
explain radioactive half-life for a given radioisotope, and describe its applications and their consequences
D3.12
explain the energy transformations that occur within a nuclear power plant, with refer- ence to the laws of thermodynamics (e.g., nuclear fission results in the liberation of en- ergy, which is converted into thermal energy; the thermal energy is converted into electrical energy and waste heat, using a steam turbine)

Key ideas

  1. Technologies (a power station, air conditioner, fuel cell) transfer and transform thermal energy.

  2. Key terms include mechanical, gravitational potential, and kinetic energy, work, power, fission, fusion, heat, heat capacity, and latent heat.

  3. Analysing one traces the energy from its source through each transformation.

  4. Precise terms let you describe how energy changes form and transfers.

  5. Technologies such as radiopharmaceuticals, dry-steam power plants, and ground-source heat pumps have real impacts.

Watch out for

  • Thinking energy is 'used up' rather than transformed.
  • Confusing heat with temperature.
  • Not tracing each transformation step.

Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit

Unit 5 · 16 skills

Waves and Sound

Waves, Sound, and Society

  • Waves in the design of structures and devices

    I can analyse how wave and sound properties influence design.

    E1.1

    Learn itPractice testActivities

  • Analysing the negative impact of waves and sound

    I can analyse the negative impact of mechanical waves and sound.

    E1.2

    Learn itPractice testActivities

  • Assessing a noise-reduction technology

    I can assess the effectiveness of a noise-reduction technology.

    E1.2

    Learn itPractice testActivities

Investigating Waves and Sound

The official wording · 16 outcomes
E1.1
analyse how properties of mechanical waves and sound influence the design of structures and technological devices (e.g., the acoustical design of a concert hall; the design of head- phones, hearing aids, musical instruments, wave pools) [AI, C]
E1.2
analyse the negative impact that mechanical waves and/or sound can have on society and the environment
E1.2
assess the effectiveness of a technology intended to reduce this impact
E2.1
use appropriate terminology related to mechanical waves and sound, including, but not limited to: longitudinal wave, transverse wave, frequency, period, cycle, amplitude, phase, wavelength, velocity, superposition, constructive interference, destructive interference, standing waves, and resonance [C]
E2.2
conduct laboratory inquiries or computer simulations involving mechanical waves and their interference (e.g., using a mass oscillating on a spring, a mass oscillating on a pendulum, the oscillation in a string instrument) [PR]
E2.3
plan and conduct inquiries to determine the speed of waves in a medium (e.g., a vibrating air column, an oscillating string of a musical in- strument), compare theoretical and empirical values, and account for discrepancies [IP, PR,AI, C]
E2.4
investigate the relationship between the wavelength, frequency, and speed of a wave, and solve related problems [PR, AI]
E2.5
analyse the relationship between a moving source of sound and the change in frequency perceived by a stationary observer (i.e., the Doppler effect) [AI]
E2.6
predict the conditions needed to produce resonance in vibrating objects or air columns (e.g., in a wind instrument, a string instrument, a tuning fork), and test their predictions through inquiry [IP, PR, AI]
E2.7
analyse the conditions required to produce resonance in vibrating objects and/or in air col- umns (e.g., in a string instrument, a tuning fork, a wind instrument), and explain how resonance is used in a variety of situations (e.g., to produce different notes in musical instruments; to limit undesirable vibrations in suspension bridges; to design buildings so that they do not resonate at the frequencies produced by earthquakes) [AI, C]
E3.1
distinguish between longitudinal and transverse waves in different media, and provide examples of both types of waves
E3.2
explain the components of resonance, and identify the conditions required for resonance to occur in vibrating objects and in various media (e.g., with reference to a musical instrument, a child on a swing, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge)
E3.3
explain and graphically illustrate the principle of superposition with respect to standing waves and beat frequencies
E3.4
identify the properties of standing waves, and, for both mechanical and sound waves, explain the conditions required for standing waves to occur
E3.5
explain the relationship between the speed of sound in various media and the particle nature of the media (e.g., the speed of sound in solids, liquids, and gases; the speed of sound in warm and cold air)
E3.6
explain selected natural phenomena (e.g., echo location, or organisms that produce or receive infrasonic, audible, or ultrasonic sound) with reference to the characteristics and proper- ties of waves

Key ideas

  1. Wave properties (reflection, interference, resonance) shape the design of concert halls and devices.

  2. Key terms include longitudinal and transverse wave, frequency, period, amplitude, wavelength, superposition, interference, standing waves, and resonance.

  3. Analysing a design links a wave property to a design choice.

  4. Precise terms let you describe how waves behave and interact.

  5. Loud or persistent sound (noise pollution, vibration) harms health and the environment.

Watch out for

  • Describing a device without linking it to a wave property.
  • Confusing frequency with wavelength.
  • Confusing which wave property a design exploits.

Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit

Unit 6 · 20 skills

Electricity and Magnetism

Electrical Energy and Society

  • Impact of electromagnetism technologies

    I can analyse the social and economic impact of an electromagnetism technology.

    F1.1

    Learn itPractice testActivities

  • Analysing electrical energy production

    I can analyse the efficiency and environmental impact of an electrical energy source.

    F1.2

    Learn itPractice testActivities

  • Improving the sustainability of electrical energy production

    I can propose ways to improve the sustainability of electrical energy production.

    F1.2

    Learn itPractice testActivities

Investigating Electricity and Magnetism

The official wording · 20 outcomes
F1.1
analyse the social and economic impact of technologies related to electromagnetism (e.g., particle accelerators, mass spectrometers, magnetic levitation [maglev] trains, magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], electromagnetic pulses after nuclear explosions) [AI, C]
F1.2
analyse the efficiency and the environmental impact of one type of electrical energy production
F1.2
propose ways to improve the sustainability of electrical energy production
F2.1
use appropriate terminology related to electri- city and magnetism, including, but not limited to: direct current, alternating current, conventional current, electron flow, electrical potential difference, electrical resistance, power, energy, step-up trans- former, and step-down transformer [C]
F2.2
analyse diagrams of series, parallel, and mixed circuits with reference to Ohm’s law (V = IR) and Kirchhoff’s laws [AI]
F2.3
design and build real or computer-simulated mixed direct current (DC) circuits, and explain the circuits with reference to direct current, potential difference, and resistance [PR, C]
F2.4
conduct an inquiry to identify the character- istics and properties of magnetic fields (e.g., using magnetic compasses, iron filings, and electric and magnetic field sensors) [PR]
F2.5
investigate, through laboratory inquiry or computer simulation, the magnetic fields produced by an electric current flowing through a long straight conductor and a solenoid (e.g., use sensors to map the magnetic field around a solenoid) [PR]
F2.6
solve problems involving energy, power, potential difference, current, and the number of turns in the primary and secondary coils of a transformer [AI]
F2.7
investigate electromagnetic induction, and, using Lenz’s law, the law of conservation of energy, and the right-hand rule, explain and illustrate the direction of the electric current induced by a changing magnetic field [PR, AI, C]
F2.8
construct a prototype of a device that uses the principles of electromagnetism (e.g., an electric bell, loudspeaker, ammeter, electric motor, electric generator), and test and refine their device [PR, AI]
F3.1
describe the properties of magnetic fields in permanent magnets and electromagnets (e.g., the three-dimensional nature of fields, continuous field lines, fields around current- carrying conductors and coils)
F3.2
explain, by applying the right-hand rule, the direction of the magnetic field produced when electric current flows through a long straight conductor and through a solenoid
F3.3
distinguish between conventional current and electron flow in relation to the left- and right-hand rules
F3.4
explain Ohm’s law, Kirchhoff’s laws, Oersted’s principle, the motor principle, Faraday’s law, and Lenz’s law in relation to electricity and magnetism
F3.5
describe the production and interaction of magnetic fields, using diagrams and the principles of electromagnetism (e.g., Oersted’s principle, the motor principle, Faraday’s law, Lenz’s law)
F3.6
explain the operation of an electric motor and a generator, including the roles of their respective components
F3.7
distinguish between alternating current (AC) and direct current, and explain why alternating current is presently used in the transmission of electrical energy
F3.8
describe the components of step-up and step-down transformers, and, using concepts and principles related to electric current and magnetic fields, explain the operation of these transformers
F3.9
describe and explain safety precautions (e.g., “call before you dig”, current-limiting outlets in bathrooms) related to electrical circuits and higher transmission voltages (e.g., with reference to transformer substations, buried cables, over- head power lines)

Key ideas

  1. Technologies (particle accelerators, MRI, maglev trains) apply electromagnetism and affect society and the economy.

  2. Key terms include direct and alternating current, conventional current, electron flow, potential difference, resistance, power, and step-up and step-down transformers.

  3. Analysing one weighs its social and economic effects.

  4. Precise terms let you describe circuits and electromagnetic devices.

  5. Electrical energy production (hydroelectric, fossil-fuel, wind, solar, nuclear) varies in efficiency and environmental impact.

Watch out for

  • Considering only social or only economic effects.
  • Confusing potential difference with current.
  • Not connecting the technology to electromagnetism.

Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit

Which course?

Ontario has 5 science courses for Grade 11. Here they are side by side.

What a university, college or program asks for is theirs to say: check its admission page, and your school’s course guide.

The official curriculum

This page follows Ontario’s own curriculum for Physics, Grade 11, University Preparation.

The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: ScienceOntario Ministry of Education · edu.gov.on.ca · Read July 31, 2026

Textbooks

The textbooks Ontario Ministry of Education lists for Physics, Grade 11, University Preparation:

  • Nelson Physics 11 University PreparationNelson Education Ltd. · 2011
  • Pearson Investigating Science PhysicsSource 11Pearson Education Canada · 2011

From the Trillium List, read October 27, 2026. ontario.ca

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Geography of Canada, Grade 9 in the MapleMind app on a tablet: its units, Unit 2 open, and the skills done so far with their starsGeography of Canada, Grade 9 in the MapleMind app on a phone: its units, Unit 2 open, and the skills done so far with their stars
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Questions about Physics, Grade 11, University Preparation

What is Physics, Grade 11, University Preparation?

Ontario’s Grade 11 science course: 6 units and 90 skills, from Investigation Skills and Careers to Electricity and Magnetism.

What units are in Physics, Grade 11, University Preparation?

1. Investigation Skills and Careers, 2. Kinematics, 3. Forces, 4. Energy and Society, 5. Waves and Sound and 6. Electricity and Magnetism.

Is there a provincial exam for Physics, Grade 11, University Preparation?

No. Ontario gives no provincial exam for Physics, Grade 11, University Preparation.

What textbook does Physics, Grade 11, University Preparation use?

The textbooks Ontario Ministry of Education lists for Physics, Grade 11, University Preparation: Nelson Physics 11 University Preparation, Nelson Education Ltd. and Pearson Investigating Science PhysicsSource 11, Pearson Education Canada.

What comes after Physics, Grade 11, University Preparation?

Biology, Grade 12, University Preparation, Chemistry, Grade 12, University Preparation, Chemistry, Grade 12, College Preparation, Physics, Grade 12, University Preparation, Physics, Grade 12, College Preparation and Earth and Space Science, Grade 12, University Preparation.

Can MapleMind help with Physics, Grade 11, University Preparation?

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