Physics can seem like a complex subject, but it’s all about understanding the fundamental principles that govern the natural world. In this blog post, we’ll break down the scheme of work for Senior Secondary School 1 (SS1) Physics class into simpler terms for a better grasp of the topics covered in each term.
First Term: Unveiling the Basics
Week 1: Introduction to Physics and Measurement
Physics is all about studying the world around us. We’ll learn about its different branches and how scientists measure things. We’ll also explore terms like accuracy, precision, and significant figures, which help us express measurements properly.
Week 2: Scalar and Vector Quantities
Things can be described in two main ways: as scalars (like temperature) or vectors (like velocity, which has both speed and direction). We’ll see how these are different and how to add or subtract them.
Week 3: Getting to Know Motion
Motion is when things move from one place to another. We’ll dig into displacement (how far something moved), velocity (how fast it’s moving), and acceleration (how its speed changes). Graphs will help us understand these concepts better.
Week 4: Understanding Motion Deeper
We’ll explore how objects move with a constant speed-up or slow-down. We’ll also talk about free fall (like when something drops) and how things move when thrown, like a ball.
Week 5: Forces at Play
Forces are like pushes or pulls. They can be things we touch (contact forces) or things like magnets that work without touching (non-contact forces). When forces balance out, things stay still or keep moving at a steady pace.
Week 6: Newton’s Secrets Unveiled
Sir Isaac Newton had some cool ideas about forces. He talked about how things like to keep doing what they’re doing (inertia), and how force is related to an object’s mass. We’ll see how these ideas help us understand things like friction and tension.
Week 7-8: Work, Energy, and Power
When we move things, we do work. Energy is what makes things go, and we’ll learn about different types of energy. Power is about how fast we use energy. We’ll also explore the idea that energy can’t be created or destroyed, just changed from one form to another.
Week 9-10: Pressure and Properties of Matter
Pressure is like a push on an area. We’ll talk about pressure in liquids and gases and how it makes things float. We’ll also dive into how heavy something is compared to its size, and how tightly its particles are packed.
Second Term: Let There Be Light
Week 1: Light and Optics
Light is amazing! We’ll explore what it is and how it bounces off things (reflection) or bends when passing through them (refraction). We’ll also see how lenses help us see better and how we use these ideas in telescopes and microscopes.
Week 2: Sound and Waves
Sound is like a wave that travels through the air. We’ll learn about its different properties like pitch and amplitude. Waves are cool patterns that things like water and light make. We’ll also see how sound waves bounce around and why they’re important.
Week 3-4: Electricity and Circuits
Electricity powers a lot of things around us. We’ll talk about how it flows, how we measure it, and how we can control it. We’ll also look at how things like light bulbs work in circuits.
Week 5-6: Magnetism and Electromagnetism
Magnets are magical! We’ll learn how they attract or repel things, and how we can make temporary magnets using electricity. We’ll also see how moving magnets or changing electric fields can make more electricity.
Week 7-8: Heat and Thermodynamics
Heat makes things feel warm. We’ll see how it can change the size of things and how it moves around. We’ll also explore some rules about heat and how they affect things like engines and refrigerators.
Week 9-10: Atomic Structure and Radioactivity
Everything is made of tiny bits called atoms. We’ll find out what they’re made of and how they’re like tiny solar systems. Some atoms are a bit unstable and release energy in a process called radioactivity. We’ll see how this energy can be used.
Third Term: Exploring Beyond Earth
Week 1–2: Wave Optics
We’ll dive into how light waves can interfere with each other, creating beautiful patterns. We’ll also see how light bends around obstacles and how special filters can make light waves vibrate in a specific direction.
Week 3–4: Electricity and Magnetism
We’ll continue our exploration of electricity, focusing on how it flows in different paths. We’ll also talk about how capacitors store electrical energy and how magnets can move charged particles.
Week 5-6: Heat and Thermodynamics
Heat is like energy moving from hot to cold. We’ll see how things reach a balance and how we can use heat to do useful things like making engines run.
Week 7-8: Modern Physics
The world of tiny particles can be weird! We’ll learn about how light and matter sometimes act like waves and sometimes like tiny particles. We’ll also explore the heart of atoms and how they release energy.
Week 9–10: Space Physics and Astronomy
Let’s look up! We’ll explore our solar system and what’s beyond it. Stars, galaxies, and even the universe’s birth will be on our cosmic journey. We’ll also see how humans have ventured into space.
Physics might seem like a puzzle, but every piece fits together to create a fascinating picture of how our world works. So, grab your thinking caps and let’s dive into the amazing world of physics!