11–12Physics 11–12 Syllabus (2025)

Record of changes

Implementation from 2027

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Overview Rationale Aim Outcomes Content Assessment Glossary Teaching and learning support

Content

Year 11

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Teaching advice

Examples

Waves

PY-11-02
explains the properties and behaviours of waves

Related Life Skills content for Stage 6

Sound

Light

Waves

Relevant Working scientifically outcomes and content must be integrated with each focus area. All the Working scientifically outcomes and content must be addressed by the end of Year 12.

Wave properties

Conduct a practical investigation to model the oscillation of particles in transverse waves and longitudinal waves and relate to the direction of energy transfer
Describe the wavelength, frequency, period, crest, trough and amplitude of transverse waves
Describe the wavelength, frequency, period, compression, rarefaction and amplitude of longitudinal waves
Solve problems using $f = \frac{1}{T}$ and $v = fλ$
Analyse displacement–time graphs for longitudinal and transverse waves
Analyse displacement–distance graphs for longitudinal and transverse waves
Describe how Aboriginal Peoples use the wave velocity and wavelength of water waves to approximate water depth

Light and sound

Identify that mechanical waves require a medium for propagation
Explain how sound waves transfer energy through a medium
Conduct a practical investigation, to relate wavelength to frequency, frequency to pitch, and amplitude to loudness
Conduct a practical investigation to demonstrate how frequency and amplitude relate to the energy of a sound wave
Identify light as an electromagnetic wave that does not require a medium for propagation and travels at $c$ , the speed of light, in a vacuum
Describe the production and transfer of energy of electromagnetic wave
Interpret diagrams of the electromagnetic spectrum to quantitatively demonstrate the relationship between frequency, wavelength and energy $E = hf$ and $c = fλ$
Describe practical applications for regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, linking properties to uses
Solve problems involving the inverse square law using $I α \frac{1}{r^{2}}$ and $I_{1} r_{1}^{2} = I_{2} r_{2}^{2}$ to compare the intensity of light at points $r_{1}$ and $r_{2}$
Explain the relationship between distance and radiation intensity from a point source
Conduct a laboratory experiment to analyse the relationship between light intensity and distance from a light source

Wave behaviours

Describe examples of the law of reflection
Use linear wavefront diagrams and ray diagrams to analyse the motion of a wave
Conduct a scientific investigation to demonstrate refraction between 2 media
Relate the velocity of light to the refractive index of a medium
Solve refractive index problems using $n_{x} = \frac{c}{v_{x}}$ , where $n_{x}$ is the refractive index of the medium and $v_{x}$ is the speed of light in the medium
Solve problems by applying the law of refraction of light using $n_{1} \sin θ_{1} = n_{2} \sin θ_{2}$
Solve total internal reflection and critical angle problems using $\sin θ_{c} = \frac{n_{2}}{n_{1}}$
Relate the change in velocity of a light wave crossing an interface to differences between refractive indices
Construct ray diagrams to show reflection from plane mirrors and refraction at a boundary
Conduct a laboratory experiment to determine the refractive index of a material and assess the accuracy of the measurement
Conduct a scientific investigation to discuss how spectacles assist people with vision impairment
Conduct a practical investigation to model how waves diffract through openings and around obstacles of different sizes
Model the principle of superposition
Use the principle of superposition to explain the constructive interference and destructive interference of waves
Explain how the superposition of waves produces interference patterns with observable maxima and minima
Demonstrate the formation of a standing wave
Explain the production of nodes and antinodes in a standing wave
Analyse the frequency and wavelength of standing waves in strings fixed at both ends using $v = fλ$
Explain the frequency shift phenomenon for sound waves and light waves (blueshift and redshift), as a source moves towards and away from an observer
Solve frequency shift phenomenon problems for sound using $f^{'} = f \frac{(v_{wave} + v_{observer})}{(v_{wave} - v_{source})}$

Related files

Year 12

Life Skills

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11–12Physics 11–12 Syllabus (2025)

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