Waru Mātai Ahupūngao | 8 Physics

Course aims / learning outcomes

• This course prepares you for entry into a range of university courses, but more importantly prepares you for tough mental challenges. We'll teach you how to think about problems, their parts and how systems work together.

Course content

• 8 Physics continues from 7 Physics and uses a lot of the same skills. Therefore level 7 Mechanics as minimum is strongly advised prior learning. Having said that, if you've done that, and understood kinematic equations, Level 8 is almost easier to grasp than Level 7. The course changes from being about two dimensional motion (okay there's still a bit of 2D momentum - but it's no harder than last year) to rotational motion, and things can only rotate one of two ways - so get the concept of clockwise and anticlockwise in your head; and you're ready to make a start.

   

Assessment statement

• We'll begin the year with the Modern Physics. This is everything that happened since about 1895 through to about 1935. As I said: Modern Physics. We'll cover Photoelectric Effect, Wave Particle Duality, and Nuclear Energy. We could also look at Relativity if you like.

  This is a 3 credit internal, AS91525 with literacy credits.

  Half way through the term we'll switch to Mechanics - Looking at Momentum in 2D, Gravity and Kepler's Laws, Rotational Motion and Simple Harmonic Motion

  This is a 6 credit external, AS91524 with literacy credits.

  As part of the above learning we'll also look at the Movie Gravity and attempt explaining the Physics or lack of it in the movie.

  This is a 3 credit internal report, AS91522 with literacy credits.

  Waves is the study of harmonics in pipes and strings and fits well with music, as this is the principal by which all musical instruments play. We also cover Beats, Doppler Effect and Young's Experiment.

  This is a 4 credit external, AS91523 with literacy credits.

  You'll be offered the opportunity to do the Socio-scientfic standard. This has UE reading credits attached to it. We normally use a nuclear energy context.

  This is a 3 credit internal, AS91527 with literacy credits.

  Every year students 'make' me teach the third external: Electricity. This deals with Kirchoff's Loop and Junction Laws, Capacitors and Inductors in DC and Inductor, Resistor, Capacitor circuits in AC. I'll help where I can, but you shouldn't expect this standard to be taught in a normal classroom way. It will require a lot of independent learning.

  This is a 6 credit external, AS91526 with literacy credits

  Total credits: 16 credits: Modern, Mechanics, Applied (Gravity), Waves

  Up to 25 credits if you're brave/brilliant enough to do it all. I'm yet to meet this student!

Authenticity

• Assignments that take place over time will be produced in an online system such as Google Docs. Learning Advisors will monitor student work by accessing document history. A portion of work will need to be completed during class time under Learning Advisor supervision. 
• Class tests will take place under supervised test conditions within class.
• Students may be required to sign an authenticity statement, perform certain parts of assessment tasks under close supervision, or show through interview and the existence of notes and supporting material that the work submitted by the student is genuinely his/her own work.

Appeal Procedures

• Students have the right to appeal the mark they have been awarded. If a student wishes to appeal a grade, they should initially talk to the subject learning advisor about the marking process immediately after the marked assessment task is shown to them. If still dissatisfied the student should make an appointment and discuss grades with the Principal’s Nominee who will check that the correct procedures have been followed as outlined in the school and subject policies taking into account any special circumstances.

Table of Assessments