11–12Physics 11–12 Syllabus (2025)

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Implementation from 2027

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Year 11

Year 12

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Examples

Advanced mechanics

PY-12-01
analyses circular and projectile motion in gravitational fields

Related Life Skills content for Stage 6

Motion

Advanced mechanics

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.

Projectile motion

Explain why projectiles in a uniform gravitational field experience constant vertical acceleration and zero horizontal acceleration when gravity is the only force acting
Resolve the instantaneous velocity of a projectile into horizontal and vertical components
Calculate the time of flight, maximum height, range and final velocity of a projectile using $\vec{s} = \vec{u} t + \frac{1}{2} \vec{a} t^{2}$ , $\vec{v} = \vec{u} + \vec{a} t$ and ${\vec{v}}^{2} = {\vec{u}}^{2} + 2 \vec{a} \vec{s}$
Solve problems involving projectiles to analyse the relationships between launch angle, initial velocity, launch height, maximum height, time of flight, final velocity and horizontal range
Analyse the motion of projectiles used by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples
Conduct a practical investigation to analyse the motion of a projectile

Circular motion

Account for forces that cause an object to move in uniform circular motion
Explain why a constant net force acting perpendicular to a body’s velocity causes uniform circular motion
Use vector diagrams to show the relationships between instantaneous velocity, change in velocity, force and centripetal acceleration for an object moving in uniform circular motion
Analyse the relationship between period and frequency for an object moving in uniform circular motion
Explain why the speed of an object in circular motion is $v = \frac{2 πr}{T}$
Describe the motion of an object that was in uniform circular motion after the forces providing the centripetal acceleration are removed
Analyse the relationships between speed, period, radius, centripetal force and acceleration in uniform circular motion using $v = \frac{2 πr}{T}$ , $a_{c} = \frac{v^{2}}{r}$ and $F_{c} = \frac{m v^{2}}{r}$
Analyse the forces acting on a vehicle moving at constant speed around a horizontal uniform circular bend
Analyse the forces acting on a mass suspended by a string moving in horizontal uniform circular motion
Conduct a laboratory experiment of an object in uniform circular motion to analyse the relationships between mass, radius, instantaneous velocity and centripetal force
Solve quantitative problems involving uniform circular motion
Analyse the factors that affect the gravitational potential energy of an object above a planet’s surface using $U = - \frac{GMm}{r}$
Analyse graphs of the changes in gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy and work done for an object launched vertically to escape a planet’s gravitational field
Derive the formula for escape velocity $v_{esc} = \sqrt{\frac{2 GM}{r}}$ using the law of conservation of mechanical energy
Solve problems involving gravitational potential energy and escape velocity
Analyse the relationships between gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy and total energy for a satellite in orbit using $U + K = - \frac{GMm}{2 r}$
Solve problems involving the energy of satellites in orbit
Analyse how moving to a different circular orbit affects a satellite’s gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy and total mechanical energy

Motion in gravitational fields

Analyse the factors that affect the force of gravity with reference to Newton’s law of universal gravitation and $F = \frac{GMm}{r^{2}}$ and ${\vec{F}}_{w} = m \vec{g}$
Analyse the factors that affect a planet’s gravitational field strength with reference to $g = \frac{GM}{r^{2}}$
Solve problems involving Newton’s law of universal gravitation and gravitational field strength at any point in a gravitational field
Explain why a planet’s radial gravitational field approximates a uniform field close to its surface
Account for the use of circular motion as an approximation for the orbital motion of satellites and planets
Derive the orbital velocity of a satellite $v_{orb} = \sqrt{\frac{GM}{r}}$ by applying the law of universal gravitation
Apply the law of ellipses and the law of equal areas to explain the motion of orbiting bodies
Derive the law of periods $\frac{r^{3}}{T^{2}} = \frac{GM}{4 π^{2}}$ using Newton’s law of universal gravitation
Compare the motion of 2 satellites orbiting the same central mass using the law of orbital periods and $\frac{r^{3}}{T^{2}} = \frac{GM}{4 π^{2}}$
Analyse the relationships between acceleration, radius, mass, orbital velocity and period of an orbiting body using $a_{c} = \frac{v^{2}}{r}$ , $v = \frac{2 πr}{T}$ , $v_{orb} = \sqrt{\frac{GM}{r}}$ and $\frac{r^{3}}{T^{2}} = \frac{GM}{4 π^{2}}$
Conduct a secondary-source investigation to describe the uses of low Earth orbit satellites and geostationary satellites and relate these to their orbital features
Discuss the convention of assigning zero gravitational potential energy to masses at an infinite distance from a planet
Explain why the convention of assigning zero gravitational potential energy to masses at an infinite distance from a planet results in negative gravitational potential energy for a mass in a radial field around the planet

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11–12Physics 11–12 Syllabus (2025)

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