Canada · Ontario Curriculum Expectations
Grade 11 Physics
This course explores the fundamental principles governing the physical world through rigorous mathematical modeling and laboratory investigation. Students investigate the relationships between force, energy, and fields to understand how physical laws shape our technological and natural environment.
Kinematics and the Geometry of Motion
Students analyze the motion of objects in one and two dimensions using vector analysis and graphical representations. The unit focuses on describing how objects move without considering the forces that cause the motion.
Introduction to vector components and the mathematical tools required to describe position and displacement in a coordinate system.
Investigation of velocity and acceleration through the derivation and application of the equations of motion.
Analyzing the independent horizontal and vertical components of motion for objects launched into the air.
Dynamics and the Laws of Interaction
Students examine the relationship between forces and motion using Newton's Laws and the concept of universal gravitation. This unit transitions from describing motion to explaining its causes.
Exploring the three laws of motion and the application of free-body diagrams to solve complex force problems.
Differentiating between static and kinetic friction and calculating their effects on mechanical systems.
Examining the fundamental force of gravity and its role in planetary motion and satellite orbits.
Energy, Work, and Power
An investigation into the transformation of energy and the law of conservation. Students analyze mechanical systems to determine efficiency and the relationship between work and power.
Defining work as a transfer of energy and exploring the work-energy theorem in linear systems.
Analyzing the exchange between potential and kinetic energy in isolated and non-isolated systems.
Calculating the rate of energy transfer and the practical limits of mechanical efficiency in real world machines.
Waves and Sound Mechanics
Students study the properties of mechanical waves and the physics of sound, focusing on interference, resonance, and the Doppler effect.
Introduction to transverse and longitudinal waves, frequency, wavelength, and wave speed.
Investigating sound production, intensity levels, and the phenomenon of standing waves in air columns.
Analyzing the shift in frequency caused by the relative motion of a source and an observer.
Electricity and Magnetism
An exploration of electric circuits and magnetic fields. Students build and analyze circuits while investigating the electromagnetic force.
Studying the behavior of stationary charges and the concept of field lines and electric potential.
Applying Ohm's Law and Kirchhoff's Laws to series, parallel, and combination circuits.
Investigating how electric currents create magnetic fields and how changing magnetic fields induce currents.
Nuclear and Modern Physics
Students investigate the transition from classical to modern physics, focusing on radioactivity, nuclear energy, and the dual nature of light.
Examining the types of nuclear decay and the mathematical modeling of radioactive decay over time.
Analyzing the energy changes in nuclear reactions and the practical applications of nuclear power.
Introduction to the photoelectric effect and the concept of the photon as a packet of energy.