Physics program

Form 3 term 1
Errors

Measurement and Units a. Significant figures

b. Sources of errors
1. Fundamental quantities and c. Types of errors
derived Quantities d. Eliminating errors
e. Sensitivity, accuracy, precision
Fundamental quantities and units and range

a. SI quantities and symbols

b. Base units and symbols
c. Need and importance of
standard units

Prefixes

a. Expressing standard units using

prefixes & symbols
b. Combining prefixes
c. Converting from 1 prefix to
another

Scientific notation

a. Express numbers in standard

form
b. Convert standard form to whole
numbers
c. Express prefixes in standard
form
d. Converting units including area
and volume

Derived Units

a. Derive units for formula

b. Use table: fundamental
quantities and base units
c. State special names for some
derived units
d. Express derived units using
index notation

2. Measurement

Scales Physics program

a. Linear & non linear scales Form 3 term 2

b. Analogue & digital scales
1. Statics
Force

a. Effects of forces
b. Types of force
c. Free fall & air resistance
d. Calculating weight
e. Gravitational force

Moment of force, T

a. Calculating moment
b. Principle of moment
c. Levers and common tools
d. Centre of gravity
e. Stability & COG

Deformation

a. Investigating Hookes Law

2. Vectors
a. Vectors & scalars
b. Finding resultant of
i. Parallel systems
ii. Anti parallel systems
iii. Perpendicular systems
c. Scale drawings to find resultant

Motion in a straight line

a. Understanding distance,
displacement, speed, velocity
and acceleration
b. Draw & interpret velocity time
graphs
c. Acceleration due to gravity
i. Experiment to calculate
acceleration due to
gravity

Physics program

Form 3 term 3

3. Dynamics
a. Aristotle & his views on
motion
 b. Newtons laws of motion a. Define & calculate pressure
(essay) using p = F/A
c. Calculations involving b. Pressure, density & depth
Newtons 2nd law c. Manometer & excess pressure
calculation
Momentum d. Total pressure calculation (P
=Pat + gh)
a. Conservation of linear e. Pascals law
momentum
b. Use law to solve problems Archimedes principle
c. Circular motion
a. State & apply Archimedes
4. Energy principle
Forms of energy Floating & sinking
a. Listing forms of energy
b. Defining joule
c. Work done
d. Energy transformation
e. Alternative sources of energy

Conservation

a. Law of conservation
b. Solving problems

Mechanical energy

a. Kinetic energy
b. Potential energy
c. Energy calculations &
experiments

Power

a. Define power
b. Solve problems

Machines

a. Force and distance multipliers

b. Efficiency of machines
c. Calculating efficiency
d. Saving energy
Physics program

Hydrostatics Form 4 term 1

Optical physics
Pressure
 1. Reflection and refraction of light a. Properties of converging and
a. Properties of light diverging lens
b. Laws of reflection b. Discuss
c. Applying laws of reflection i. Principal axis
d. Verifying laws of reflection ii. Principal focus
(experiment) iii. Focal length
iv. Focal length
Images in a plane mirror v. Focal plane
vi. Magnification
a. Formation
b. Characteristics of image formed Image formation
c. Comparing image and object
a. Real and virtual images
Refraction b. Magnification
c. Lens formula
a. Experiment to show refraction d. Focal length experiment
b. Refraction in different media
c. Effects of refraction Optical instruments
d. Laws of refraction
i. State and apply laws of a. Draw raw diagrams to show
refraction i. Magnifying glass
ii. Snells law in action ii. Projector
iii. Experiment to verify iii. Lens camera
refraction and calculate b. Describe how the human eye
refractive index forms an image

Critical angle and total internal

reflection

a. Diagrams showing critical angle

& total internal reflection
b. Calculating critical angle &
relating to total internal
reflection
c. Applications of total internal
reflection

Dispersion

a. Using prisms to separate white

light into component colors Physics program
b. Using prisms to calculate
Form 4 term 2
refractive index

Waves
a. Types of waves
2. Lenses b. Wave parameters
1. Wave phenomena
Action of lens
 a. Reflection, refraction iii. Induction
& diffraction b. Electric fields
b. Wave calculations i. Definition of E fields
c. Superposition ii. Hazard & useful
2. Sound waves application of static
a. Production and propagation electricity
b. Speed of sound
c. Audio frequencies
3. Electromagnetic spectrum
a. Properties of EM waves
b. Source and uses of EM
waves
4. Light waves (project)
a. Compare the rival theories of
Pr
light
oj
b. Describe Youngs double slit
ec
experiment
c. Rays of light
i. Explain why the
diffraction of light is
not normally observed
ii. Experiments to verify
the straight line
motion of light

5. Electrostatics/static Physics program

electricity
a. Electric charge Form 4 term 3
i. Charging objects
ii. Electric forces Temperature
 a. Temperature and energy
transfer
b. Types of thermometers
c. Properties of thermometers
d. Fixed points on Celsius scale
e. Temperature n kinetic energy
Expansion
Specific latent heat
a. Definition & description
b. Use formula to solve problems
c. Experiment to determine
specific latent heat of
vaporization & fusion
d. Evaporation & boiling

a. Expansion of solids & liquids Transfer of thermal energy

Gas laws Conduction

a. Investigating pressure, volume a. Conduction in solids

and temperature b. Convection
b. Convert Celsius to Kelvin and
vice versa Radiation
c. State and apply
i. Charles law a. Transfer through radiation
ii. Pressure law b. Absorption & emission
iii. Boyles law c. Good & poor absorbers
iv. General gas law d. Good & poor emitters
d. Kinetic theory of matter e. Energy transfer in a thermo
flask (provide diagrams)
Brownian motion f. Energy transfer in green house
(provide diagrams)
a. Demonstration of Brownian g. Solar water heater (provide
motion diagrams)

Nature of heat

a. Kinetic and caloric theories of Pr

heat oj
b. Joules experiment ec

Thermal calculations

a. Specific heat capacity

b. Heat capacity
c. Methods of mixtures

Phases of matter

a. Solids, liquids and gases

b. Kinetic theory incorporation
 Physics program

Form 5 term 1
5. Electronics
1. Current electricity a. diodes and rectification
a. Conductors & insulators
b. testing a defecting diode
b. Describe the movement of
c. Logic gates
negative and positive
charges in metals and in
6. Magnetism
other conducting media
c. Electron flow & conventional a. Permanent & Temporary magnetic
flow b. magnetic forces
d. Discuss the relationship Q = 7. Electromagnetism
It a. electromagnetic fields
e. Alternating current b. Electromagnetic
i. DC & AC forces
ii. Current & voltage
time graphs and
deduce calculations
2. Electrical quantities Physics program
a. Power & energy
Form 5 term 2
b. Ohms law
c. Electrical cost (billing) Continue magnetism
d. Reducing electrical power in
the home Electromagnetic forces
3. Circuit and components b. motors
c. loudspeakers
4. Cells d. induced emf
a. types of cells e. transformers
b. diagram of dry cell
c. circuit for recharging a car battery Atomic physics
d. I V Relationships
e. Resistance & Calculation a. model of the atom
f. Series & Parallel circuits b. structure of the atom
g. electricity in the home c. Radioactivity
i. radioactive emissions
ii. Half life
iii. Radioisotopes
B. Nuclear Energy
a. Einsteins Equation
b. nuclear calculation
c. cite arguments for and against the
utilization of nuclear energy (essay)