Year 11 Physics

In Year 11 physics, students study motion and use their understanding to explain ideas within the world. The students investigate:

• forces acting on objects and their role in the movement of the object using Newton’s laws of motions;
• relationships between distance, speed, velocity and acceleration;
• momentum and how the change in momentum is related to the force applied. 

As part of the unit, students complete a range of theoretical, practical, and fieldwork. During one experiment, the students used the dynamics track, which has minimal friction, to observe and record the changes in momentum when one car collides with another. The cars on the track connect to the computers allowing the distance/ velocity and forces to be measured automatically.

The students went go-karting to observe how velocity, momentum and acceleration are applied in a real-world scenario. The students heard from the workshop about the impact of the forces on the karts and how the karts were designed for safety and frequent use. The students were then able to put their knowledge to the test on the course, completing their laps with an average time of 52 seconds. 

Lisa Thomson

Science Teacher