Ontario Grade 11 Physics (SPH3U) lessons and practice

Motion graphs, constant acceleration, vectors, and projectiles.

Free-body diagrams, Newton’s laws, friction, gravity, and free fall.

Work, power, conservation, thermal energy, efficiency, and nuclear energy.

Wave speed, interference, standing waves, resonance, sound, and the Doppler effect.

Circuits, magnetic fields, induction, motors, generators, transformers, and electrical safety.

Plan, perform, analyse, and communicate physics investigations safely, and explore related careers.

• A1.1 · Form scientific questions, predictions, and testable hypotheses (published written lesson)
• A1.2 · Choose suitable equipment, materials, methods, and procedures (published written lesson)
• A1.3 · Find appropriate print and electronic research sources (published written lesson)
• A1.4 · Plan investigations using safe laboratory practices and WHMIS (published written lesson)
• A1.5 · Conduct inquiries safely while controlling relevant variables (published written lesson)
• A1.6 · Record and organize accurate data in suitable formats (published written lesson)
• A1.7 · Organize research information and document sources (published written lesson)
• A1.8 · Analyse evidence, solve quantitative problems, and evaluate error (published written lesson)
• A1.9 · Evaluate research sources for accuracy, reliability, and bias (published written lesson)
• A1.10 · Draw and justify conclusions from inquiry and research evidence (published written lesson)
• A1.11 · Communicate physics procedures, results, and conclusions clearly (published written lesson)
• A1.12 · Use numeric, symbolic, graphical, and diagram representations (published written lesson)
• A1.13 · Report calculations with suitable precision and significant figures (published written lesson)
• A2.1 · Explore physics-related careers and required education (published written lesson)
• A2.2 · Describe contributions of physicists, including Canadians (published written lesson)

Describe and analyse uniform and accelerated motion in one and two dimensions.

• B1.1 · Analyse a technology that applies kinematics (published written lesson)
• B1.2 · Assess social and environmental impacts of a kinematics technology (published written lesson)
• B2.1 · Use position, displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration terminology (published written lesson)
• B2.2 · Interpret position-time, velocity-time, and acceleration-time graphs (published written lesson)
• B2.3 · Derive and use constant-acceleration relationships in one dimension (published written lesson)
• B2.4 · Investigate uniform and non-uniform linear motion (published written lesson)
• B2.5 · Solve distance, position, and displacement problems with vectors (published written lesson)
• B2.6 · Plan an inquiry into one-dimensional motion (published written lesson)
• B2.7 · Solve uniform and accelerated motion problems graphically and algebraically (published written lesson)
• B2.8 · Solve projectile-motion problems using horizontal and vertical components (published written lesson)
• B2.9 · Investigate and analyse projectile motion (published written lesson)
• B3.1 · Distinguish constant, instantaneous, and average motion quantities (published written lesson)
• B3.2 · Distinguish scalar and vector quantities in motion (published written lesson)
• B3.3 · Describe horizontal and vertical characteristics of projectile motion (published written lesson)

Use free-body diagrams and Newton’s laws to connect forces, mass, and acceleration.

• C1.1 · Analyse and improve a technology using Newton’s laws (published written lesson)
• C1.2 · Evaluate impacts of technologies that apply forces (published written lesson)
• C2.1 · Use force, mass, acceleration, friction, gravity, and normal-force terminology (published written lesson)
• C2.2 · Investigate forces with free-body diagrams and Newton’s laws (published written lesson)
• C2.3 · Investigate the relationship among net force, mass, and acceleration (published written lesson)
• C2.4 · Solve one-dimensional problems with gravity, normal force, and friction (published written lesson)
• C2.5 · Plan an inquiry into one-dimensional forces (published written lesson)
• C2.6 · Solve free-fall problems involving gravity and acceleration (published written lesson)
• C3.1 · Distinguish forces and describe how they change velocity (published written lesson)
• C3.2 · Explain how Galileo and Newton advanced the study of motion (published written lesson)
• C3.3 · State and apply Newton’s laws qualitatively (published written lesson)
• C3.4 · Relate mass, gravitational field strength, and force of gravity (published written lesson)

Investigate work, power, energy transformations, thermal processes, efficiency, and nuclear energy.

• D1.1 · Analyse a technology that transfers or transforms thermal energy (published written lesson)
• D1.2 · Assess societal and environmental impacts of energy technologies (published written lesson)
• D2.1 · Use work, power, mechanical, thermal, and nuclear energy terminology (published written lesson)
• D2.2 · Solve work, force, and displacement problems (published written lesson)
• D2.3 · Solve problems using conservation of energy (published written lesson)
• D2.4 · Investigate transformations between gravitational and kinetic energy (published written lesson)
• D2.5 · Solve power, energy, and time problems (published written lesson)
• D2.6 · Investigate and solve power and work relationships (published written lesson)
• D2.7 · Compare input, useful output, and efficiency of energy systems (published written lesson)
• D2.8 · Investigate conservation of mass and energy using mass-energy equivalence (published written lesson)
• D2.9 · Determine specific heat capacity through inquiry (published written lesson)
• D2.10 · Solve heat, temperature-change, and phase-change problems (published written lesson)
• D2.11 · Draw and analyse heating and cooling curves (published written lesson)
• D3.1 · Describe energy transfers using conservation of energy (published written lesson)
• D3.2 · Explain relationships among energy, work, power, and their units (published written lesson)
• D3.3 · Explain thermal, kinetic, potential, heat, power, and efficiency quantities (published written lesson)
• D3.4 · Relate efficiency to thermal energy transfer (published written lesson)
• D3.5 · Describe when a force does mechanical work (published written lesson)
• D3.6 · Compare nuclear fission and fusion (published written lesson)
• D3.7 · Explain phase-change energy transfer with kinetic molecular theory (published written lesson)
• D3.8 · Distinguish conduction, convection, and radiation (published written lesson)
• D3.9 · Describe the structure of common nuclear isotopes (published written lesson)
• D3.10 · Compare alpha, beta, and gamma radiation and safety precautions (published written lesson)
• D3.11 · Explain radioactive half-life, applications, and consequences (published written lesson)
• D3.12 · Explain energy transformations in a nuclear power plant (published written lesson)

Investigate mechanical waves, sound, interference, standing waves, resonance, and the Doppler effect.

• E1.1 · Analyse how wave properties influence structures and devices (published written lesson)
• E1.2 · Assess wave and noise impacts and technologies that reduce them (published written lesson)
• E2.1 · Use terminology for waves, interference, standing waves, and resonance (published written lesson)
• E2.2 · Investigate mechanical waves and interference (published written lesson)
• E2.3 · Measure wave speed and compare theoretical and experimental values (published written lesson)
• E2.4 · Relate wave speed, wavelength, and frequency (published written lesson)
• E2.5 · Analyse the Doppler effect for a moving sound source (published written lesson)
• E2.6 · Predict and test conditions for resonance (published written lesson)
• E2.7 · Analyse resonance conditions and applications (published written lesson)
• E3.1 · Distinguish longitudinal and transverse waves (published written lesson)
• E3.2 · Explain the components and conditions of resonance (published written lesson)
• E3.3 · Illustrate superposition, standing waves, and beat frequencies (published written lesson)
• E3.4 · Explain properties and formation of standing waves (published written lesson)
• E3.5 · Relate sound speed to the particle nature of a medium (published written lesson)
• E3.6 · Explain natural phenomena using wave properties (published written lesson)

Analyse circuits, magnetic fields, induction, motors, generators, transformers, and electrical energy systems.

• F1.1 · Analyse social and economic impacts of electromagnetic technologies (published written lesson)
• F1.2 · Assess electrical generation efficiency and sustainability (published written lesson)
• F2.1 · Use terminology for current, voltage, resistance, power, and transformers (published written lesson)
• F2.2 · Analyse series, parallel, and mixed circuits with Ohm’s and Kirchhoff’s laws (published written lesson)
• F2.3 · Design and explain mixed direct-current circuits (published written lesson)
• F2.4 · Investigate properties of magnetic fields (published written lesson)
• F2.5 · Investigate magnetic fields around conductors and solenoids (published written lesson)
• F2.6 · Solve transformer voltage, current, power, energy, and turns problems (published written lesson)
• F2.7 · Investigate induction using Lenz’s law and the right-hand rule (published written lesson)
• F2.8 · Build and refine a device that uses electromagnetism (published written lesson)
• F3.1 · Describe fields of permanent magnets and electromagnets (published written lesson)
• F3.2 · Use the right-hand rule for conductors and solenoids (published written lesson)
• F3.3 · Distinguish conventional current and electron flow (published written lesson)
• F3.4 · Explain major laws and principles of electricity and magnetism (published written lesson)
• F3.5 · Diagram the production and interaction of magnetic fields (published written lesson)
• F3.6 · Explain how motors and generators operate (published written lesson)
• F3.7 · Compare AC and DC and explain AC power transmission (published written lesson)
• F3.8 · Explain step-up and step-down transformer operation (published written lesson)
• F3.9 · Explain safety precautions for circuits and high-voltage transmission (published written lesson)

A cyclist starts from rest and accelerates at 2.5 m/s² for 4.0 s. Find the final velocity and displacement.

Worked method: Choose forward as positive. v = v₁ + aΔt = 10 m/s. Δd = v₁Δt + ½a(Δt)² = 20 m. Both positive signs agree with forward motion.

A 12 kg cart has a net horizontal force of 18 N east. Find its acceleration.

Worked method: Draw one net-force arrow east. From Fnet = ma, a = 18 N ÷ 12 kg = 1.5 m/s² east.

A 440 Hz sound wave travels through air at 343 m/s. Find its wavelength.

Worked method: Use v = fλ, so λ = v/f = 343/440 = 0.780 m to three significant figures.

A 5.0 kg object is lifted 2.0 m near Earth. Find its gain in gravitational potential energy using g = 9.8 N/kg.

A 9.0 V battery is connected across a 3.0 Ω resistor. Find the current.