SPH4U, Grade 12, Physics
SPH4U COURSE OUTLINE
Course Title: Physics
Grade: 12
Ministry Course Code: SPH4U
Course Type: University
Credit Value: 1.00
Course Hours: 110
Department: Science
Revision Date: N/A
Policy Document: Physics, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12, 2008 (Revised)
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/2009science11_12.pdf
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course enables students to deepen their understanding of physics concepts and theories. Students will continue their exploration of energy transformations and the forces that affect motion, and will investigate electrical, gravitational, and magnetic fields and electromagnetic radiation. Students will also explore the wave nature of light, quantum mechanics, and special relativity. They will further develop their scientific investigation skills, learning, for example, how to analyse, qualitatively and quantitatively, data related to a variety of physics concepts and principles. Students will also consider the impact of technological applications of physics on society and the environment.
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
Scientific Investigation Skills & Career Exploration
By the end of this course, students will:
A1. demonstrate scientific investigation skills (related to both inquiry and research) in the four areas of skills (initiating and planning, performing and recording, analysing and interpreting, and communicating);
A2. identify and describe careers related to the fields of science under study, and describe the contributions of scientists, including Canadians, to those fields.
Dynamics
By the end of this course, students will:
B1. analyse technological devices that apply the principles of the dynamics of motion, and assess the technologies’ social and environmental impact;
B2. investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, forces involved in uniform circular motion and motion in a plane, and solve related problems;
B3. demonstrateanunderstandingoftheforcesinvolvedinuniformcircularmotionandmotioninaplane.
Energy & Momentum
By the end of this course, students will:
c1. analyse, and propose ways to improve, technologies or procedures that apply principles related to energy and momentum, and assess the social and environmental impact of these technologies or procedures;
c2. investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, through laboratory inquiry or computer simulation, the relationship between the laws of conservation of energy and conservation of momentum, and solve related problems;
c3. Demonstrate an understanding of work, energy, momentum, and the laws of conservation of energy and conservation of momentum, in one and two dimensions.
Gravitational, Electric & Magnetic Fields
By the end of this course, students will:
d1. analyse the operation of technologies that use gravitational, electric, or magnetic fields, and assess the technologies’ social and environmental impact;
d2. investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields, and solve related problems;
d3. demonstrate an understanding of the concepts, properties, principles, and laws related to gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields and their interactions with matter.
The Wave Nature of Light:
By the end of this course, students will:
e1. analyse technologies that use the wave nature of light, and assess their impact on society and the environment;
e2. investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, the properties of waves and light, and solve related problems;
e3. demonstrate an understanding of the properties of waves and light in relation to diffraction, refraction, interference, and polarization.
OUTLINE OF COURSE CONTENT

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EVALUATION SCHEME
A final grade (percentage mark) is calculated at the end of the course and reflects the quality of the student’s achievement of the overall expectations of the course, in accordance with the provincial curriculum.
The final grade will be determined as follows:
Seventy percent (70%) of the grade will be based on evaluation conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade should reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration should be given to more recent evidence of achievement.
Thirty percent (30%) of the grade will be based on a final evaluation administered at or towards the end of the course. This evaluation will be based on evidence from one or a combination of the following: an examination, a performance, an essay, and/or another method of evaluation suitable to the course content. The final evaluation allows the student an opportunity to demonstrate comprehensive achievement of the overall expectations for the course.





