Unit 3: How do fields explain motion and electricity?

Area of Study 3: How fast can things go?

Outcome 3

On completion of this unit the student should be able to investigate motion and related energy transformations experimentally, analyse motion using
Newton’s laws of motion in one and two dimensions, and explain the motion of objects moving at very large speeds using Einstein’s theory of special
relativity.

To achieve this outcome the student will draw on key knowledge outlined in Area of Study 3 and the related key science skills on pages 11 and 12 of the
study design.

Topic 7 Force, energy and mass in collisions and other interactions

Key knowledge

Newton’s laws of motion

• investigate and apply theoretically and practically Newton’s three laws of motion in situations where two or more coplanar forces act along a
straight line and in two dimensions
• investigate and analyse theoretically and practically the uniform circular motion of an object moving in a

• horizontal plane: , including:

o a vehicle moving around a circular road
o a vehicle moving around a banked track
o an object on the end of a string
• model natural and artificial satellite motion as uniform circular motion
• investigate and apply theoretically Newton’s second law to circular motion in a vertical plane (forces at the highest and lowest positions only)
• investigate and analyse theoretically and practically the motion of projectiles near Earth’s surface, including a qualitative description of the
effects of air resistance
• investigate and apply theoretically and practically the laws of energy and momentum conservation in isolated systems in one dimension.

Einstein’s theory of special relativity

• describe Einstein’s two postulates for his theory of special relativity that:
o the laws of physics are the same in all inertial (non-accelerated) frames of reference
 Jacaranda VCE Physics 2 Topic 7 Work program

o the speed of light has a constant value for all observers regardless of their motion or the motion of the source
• compare Einstein’s theory of special relativity with the principles of classical physics
• describe proper time as the time interval between two events in a reference frame where the two events occur at the same point in space
• describe proper length as the length that is measured in the frame of reference in which objects are at rest

• model mathematically time dilation and length contraction at speeds approaching c using the equations: and where

• explain why muons can reach Earth even though their half-lives would suggest that they should decay in the outer atmosphere.

Relationships between force, energy and mass

• investigate and analyse theoretically and practically impulse in an isolated system for collisions between objects
• moving in a straight line:
• investigate and apply theoretically and practically the concept of work done by a constant force using:
o work done = constant force × distance moved in direction of net force
o work done = area under force-distance graph
• analyse transformations of energy between kinetic energy, strain potential energy, gravitational potential energy and energy dissipated to the
environment (considered as a combination of heat, sound and deformation of material):

o kinetic energy at low speeds: ; elastic and inelastic collisions with reference to conservation of kinetic energy

o strain potential energy: area under force-distance graph including ideal springs obeying Hooke’s Law:
o gravitational potential energy: or from area under a force-distance graph and area under a field distance graph multiplied by
mass
• interpret Einstein’s prediction by showing that the total ‘mass-energy’ of an object is given by: where and where
kinetic energy can be calculated by:
• describe how matter is converted to energy by nuclear fusion in the Sun, which leads to its mass decreasing and the emission of electromagnetic
radiation.

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 Jacaranda VCE Physics 2 Topic 7 Work program

Term (or Week

Semester) Content Key concept Teaching/learning activities

7.1 Overview

7.1.1 Introduction TOPIC INTRODUCTION ONRESOURCES:

• investigate and analyse
7.1.2 What you will learn theoretically and practically Digital doc: Key science skills —
impulse in an isolated system for VCE Physics Units1– 4 (doc-
collisions between objects 32112)
• moving in a straight line: Digital doc: Key terms glossary
(doc-32263)
• investigate and apply theoretically Digital doc: Practical investigation
and practically the concept of work logbook (doc-32294)
done by a constant force using:
o work done = constant STUDYON:
force × distance moved
in direction of net force studyON: Revision and practice
o work done = area under exam question booklet (sonr-0056).
force-distance graph
• analyse transformations of energy
between kinetic energy, strain
potential energy, gravitational
potential energy and energy
dissipated to the environment
(considered as a combination of
heat, sound and deformation of
material):
o kinetic energy at low

speeds: ;
elastic and inelastic
collisions with reference to
conservation of kinetic
energy
o strain potential energy:

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 Jacaranda VCE Physics 2 Topic 7 Work program

area under force-distance

graph including ideal
springs obeying Hooke’s

Law:
o gravitational potential
energy:

7.2 Momentum and impulse

7.2.1 Momentum and impulse in a KEY CONCEPTS ONRESOURCES:

collision
• Investigate and apply theoretically Digital doc: Investigation 7.1 -
7.2.2 Conservation of momentum and practically the laws of energy Who’s pulling whom? (doc-31602)
and momentum conservation in Digital doc: Investigation 7.2 - The
7.2.3 Modelling a collision isolated systems in one dimension properties of a coil spring (doc-
• Investigate and analyse 31603)
AS A MATTER OF FACT theoretically and practically
impulse in an isolated system for
collisions between objects moving
in a straight line:

7.3 Work done

7.3.1 Calculating work done by a KEY CONCEPTS STUDYON:

constant force
• Investigate and apply theoretically studyON: Revision and practice
7.3.2 Calculating work done using a and practically the concept of work exam question booklet (sonr-0056).
force–distance graph done by a constant force using:
o work done = constant force
× distance moved in
direction of net force
o work done = area under
force – distance graph.

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 Jacaranda VCE Physics 2 Topic 7 Work program

7.4 Kinetic and potential energy

7.4.1 Law of Conservation of Energy KEY CONCEPTS ONRESOURCES:

7.4.2 Kinetic energy • analyse transformations of energy Interactivity: Colliding dodgems

between kinetic energy, strain (int-6610)
7.4.3 Strain potential energy potential energy, gravitational Digital doc: Investigation 7.3 -
potential energy and energy Elastic and inelastic interactions
7.4.4 Gravitational potential energy dissipated to the environment (doc-31604)
(considered as a combination of Teacher-led video: Investigation
7.4.5 Energy transformations in heat, sound and deformation of 7.3 - Elastic and inelastic
collisions material): interactions (tlvd-0241)
o kinetic energy at low Weblink: Car safety systems
AS A MATTER OF FACT
speeds: ;
elastic and inelastic
collisions with reference to
conservation of kinetic
energy
o strain potential energy:
area under force-distance
graph including ideal
springs obeying Hooke’s

Law:
o gravitational potential
energy:

7.5 Review

7.5.1 Summary TOPIC REVIEW ONRESOURCES:

7.5.2 Key terms Digital doc: Key terms glossary

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 Jacaranda VCE Physics 2 Topic 7 Work program

(doc-32263)
7.5.3 Practical work and investigations Digital doc: Investigation 7.1 -
Who’s pulling whom? (doc-31602)
Digital doc: Investigation 7.2 - The
properties of a coil spring (doc-
31603)
Digital doc: Investigation 7.3 -
Elastic and inelastic interactions
(doc-31604)
Teacher-led video: Investigation
7.3 - Elastic and inelastic
interactions (tlvd-0241)

STUDYON SIT TOPIC TEST:

Unit 3 | AOS 3 | Topic 7

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