Practical Physics for Senior Students HSC 12

Practical Physics is a two-book series that will help teachers meet the practical course requirements of the Board of Studies Stage 6 Physics syllabus by providing them with ready-made pracs using equipment they have readily available. Written by highly experienced Physics teachers, Practical Physics will assist students with performing, remembering, understanding and applying key concepts and formulae and will be an invaluable tool for achieving exam success. Practical Physics provides students with: Essential practical experience as mandated by the Board of Studies Opportunity to develop their thinking/problem solving skills Opportunity to improve their exam results with better understanding of content.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: SPACE Part 1: Syllabus Point 9.2.1 First Hand Investigations: Determining g using a simple pendulum. Secondary Information: The Physics of the gravity of different plane Solving Problems: Calculating the weight of objects on other planets Part 2: Syllabus Point 9.2.2 Solving Problems: Calculations of Projectile motion First Hand Investigations: Examining Projectile motions Secondary Information: The Early Rocket Scientists who made a contribution to Space flight Solving Problems: Centripetal force and circular motion; Keplers Third law Part 3: Syllabus Point 9.2.3 Secondary Information: Examining the factors that determine the size of gravitational forces Solving Problems: Newtons Universal Gravitation equation Part 4: Syllabus Point 9.2.4 First Hand Investigations: Inertial and non-inertial frames of reference Secondary Information: A search for the Aether Wind and the Michelson-Morley experiment; Einsteins Thought Experiments and the birth of Special Relativity Solving Problems: Einsteins equations of special relativity Chapter 2: MOTORS AND GENERATORS Part 1: Syllabus Point 9.3.1 Solving Problems: Amperes Law First Hand Investigations: The Motor effect and forces on a current carrying wire in a magnetic field Solving Problems: The force on current-carrying wires in a magnetic field Torque in a DC Motor Secondary Information: Application of the motor effect in the galvanometer and loudspeaker Part 2: Syllabus Point 9.3.2 First Hand Investigations: Faradays Discovery: Generating an electric current through the relative motion of a coil and magnet, and the factors affecting the induced voltage and resulting electric current Secondary Information: Application of induction in an electric cook top; Application of induced Eddy currents in electromagnetic braking Part 3: Syllabus Point 9.3.3 First Hand Investigations: Generating an alternating current Secondary Information: The advantage and disadvantages of AC and DC generators; The battle of the currents - AC vs DC; Features of the transmission wires used to supply electricity Part 4: Syllabus Point 9.3.4 First Hand Investigations: Examining a model transformer Solving Problems: Ideal transformers Secondary Information: Dealing with Eddy currents created in transformer components to improve efficiency; The role of the transformer to provide an efficient supply of electrical energy Part 5: Syllabus Point 9.3.5 First Hand Investigations: AC Induction Motor Secondary Information: The energy transformations in the conversion of electrical energy into other useful forms of energy Chapter 3: FROM IDEAS TO IMPLEMENTATIONS Part 1: Syllabus Point 9.4.1 First Hand Investigations: Striation patterns for different pressures in discharge tubes; Properties of cathode rays using discharge tubes Solving Problems: The force on electric charges in electric and magnetic fields Part 2: Syllabus Point 9.4.2 First Hand Investigations: Production and reception of radio waves Secondary Information: Einsteins use of Plancks ideas launches Quantum Theory; The role of the Photoelectric Effect in solar cells and photocells Solving Problems: Plancks Equation Secondary Information: Einstein and Planck Part 3: Syllabus Point 9.4.3 First Hand Investigations: Modelling the behaviour of semiconductors Secondary Information: Problems with communication technology that led to the development of solid state devices; The impact of the invention of the transistor and the development of the microprocessor on society Part 4: Syllabus Point 9.4.4 Secondary Information: Superconductors