Ontario Grade 11 Physics (SPH3U)

A1demonstrate 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)

• A1.1formulate relevant scientific questions about observed relationships, ideas, problems, or issues, make informed predictions, and/or formulate educated hypotheses to focus inquiries or researchTaught in: How physicists actually work
• A1.2select appropriate instruments (e.g., probeware, calorimeters, pendulums, solenoids) and materials (e.g., drag sleds, electric bells, balls, ramps), and identify appropriate methods, techniques, and procedures, for each inquiryTaught in: How physicists actually work
• A1.3identify and locate a variety of print and electronic sources that enable them to address research topics fully and appropriatelyTaught in: Sources, bias, and the people who do physics
• A1.4apply knowledge and understanding of safe laboratory practices and procedures when planning investigations by correctly interpreting Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) symbols; by using appropriate techniques for handling and storing laboratory equipment and materials and disposing of laboratory materials; and by using appropriate personal protectionTaught in: How physicists actually work
• A1.5conduct inquiries, controlling relevant variables, adapting or extending procedures as required, and using appropriate materials and equipment safely, accurately, and effectively, to collect observations and dataTaught in: How physicists actually work
• A1.6compile accurate data from laboratory and other sources, and organize and record the data, using appropriate formats, including tables, flow charts, graphs, and/or diagramsTaught in: How physicists actually work
• A1.7select, organize, and record relevant information on research topics from a variety of appropriate sources, including electronic, print, and/or human sources, using suitable formats and an accepted form of academic documentationTaught in: Sources, bias, and the people who do physics
• A1.8synthesize, analyse, interpret, and evaluate qualitative and/or quantitative data; solve problems involving quantitative data; determine whether the evidence supports or refutes the initial prediction or hypothesis and whether it is consistent with scientific theory; identify sources of bias and/or error; and suggest improvements to the inquiry to reduce the likelihood of errorTaught in: How physicists actually work
• A1.9analyse the information gathered from research sources for logic, accuracy, reliability, adequacy, and biasTaught in: Sources, bias, and the people who do physics
• A1.10draw conclusions based on inquiry results and research findings, and justify their conclusions with reference to scientific knowledgeTaught in: How physicists actually work
• A1.11communicate ideas, plans, procedures, results, and conclusions orally, in writing, and/or in electronic presentations, using appropriate language and a variety of formats (e.g., data tables, laboratory reports, presentations, debates, simulations, models)Taught in: Sources, bias, and the people who do physics
• A1.12use appropriate numeric (e.g., SI and imperial units), symbolic, and graphic modes of representation for qualitative and quantitative data (e.g., vector diagrams, free-body diagrams, algebraic equations)Taught in: How physicists actually work
• A1.13express the results of any calculations involving data accurately and precisely, to the appropriate number of decimal places or significant figuresTaught in: How physicists actually work

A2identify and describe careers related to the fields of science under study, and describe the contributions of scientists, including Canadians, to those fields

• A2.1identify and describe a variety of careers related to the fields of science under study (e.g., theoretical physicist; communications, networks, and control systems professional; engineer; metallurgist) and the education and training necessary for these careersTaught in: Sources, bias, and the people who do physics
• A2.2describe the contributions of scientists, including Canadians (e.g., Richard E. Taylor, Leonard T. Bruton, Willard S. Boyle, Martha Salcudean, Harriet Brooks, Louis Slotin), to the fields under studyTaught in: Sources, bias, and the people who do physics

B1analyse technologies that apply concepts related to kinematics, and assess the technologies’ social and environmental impact

• B1.1analyse, on the basis of research, a technology that applies concepts related to kinematics (e.g., devices used to measure speed in sports; rocket accelerators; motion-detecting sensors for security systems; speedometers in automobiles) [IP, PR, AI, C]Taught in: Graphs don't lie
• B1.2assess the impact on society and the environment of a technology that applies concepts related to kinematics (e.g., photo radar helps prevent vehicular accidents and reduces fuel consumption associated with excessive speeding) [AI, C]Taught in: Graphs don't lie

B2investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, uniform and non-uniform linear motion, and solve related problems

• B2.1use appropriate terminology related to kinematics, including, but not limited to: time, distance, position, displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration [C]Taught in: Where are you, exactly?
• B2.2analyse and interpret position–time, velocity–time, and acceleration–time graphs of motion in one dimension (e.g., use tangent slopes to create velocity–time graphs from position–time graphs and acceleration–time graphs from velocity–time graphs; use the area under the curve to create position–time graphs from velocity–time graphs and velocity–time graphs from acceleration–time graphs) [AI, C]Taught in: Graphs don't lie
• B2.3use a velocity–time graph for constant acceleration to derive the equation for average velocity [e.g., vav = (v1 + v2)/2] and the equations for displacement [e.g., Δd = ((v1 + v2)/2)Δt, Δd = vΔt + ½a (Δt2)], and solve simple problems in one dimension using these equations [AI]Taught in: Graphs don't lie
• B2.4conduct an inquiry into the uniform and non-uniform linear motion of an object (e.g., use probeware to record the motion of a cart moving at a constant velocity or a constant acceleration; view a computer simulation of an object attaining terminal velocity; observe a video of a bouncing ball or a skydiver; observe the motion of a balloon with a small mass suspended from it) [PR]Taught in: Graphs don't lie
• B2.5solve problems involving distance, position, and displacement (e.g., find total displacement using a scale vector diagram and vector components, and compare it to total distance travelled) [AI, C]Taught in: Solving motion, both ways
• B2.6plan and conduct an inquiry into the motion of objects in one dimension, using vector diagrams and uniform acceleration equations [IP, PR, C]Taught in: Graphs don't lie
• B2.7solve problems involving uniform and non-uniform linear motion in one and two dimensions, using graphical analysis and algebraic equations [AI, C]Taught in: Solving motion, both ways
• B2.8use kinematic equations to solve problems related to the horizontal and vertical components of the motion of a projectile (e.g., a cannon ball shot horizontally off a cliff, a ball rolling off a table, a golf ball launched at a 45º angle to the horizontal) [AI, C]Taught in: Two motions, one clock
• B2.9conduct an inquiry into the projectile motion of an object, and analyse, in qualitative and quantitative terms, the relationship between the horizontal and vertical components (e.g., airborne time, range, maximum height, horizontal velocity, vertical velocity) [PR, AI]Taught in: Two motions, one clock

B3demonstrate an understanding of uniform and non-uniform linear motion, in one and two dimensions

• B3.1distinguish between the terms constant, instantaneous, and average with reference to speed, velocity, and acceleration, and provide examples to illustrate each termTaught in: Where are you, exactly?
• B3.2distinguish between, and provide examples of, scalar and vector quantities as they relate to the description of uniform and non-uniform linear motion (e.g., time, distance, position, velocity, acceleration)Taught in: Where are you, exactly?
• B3.3describe the characteristics and give examples of a projectile’s motion in vertical and horizontal planesTaught in: Two motions, one clock

C1analyse and propose improvements to technologies that apply concepts related to dynamics and Newton’s laws, and assess the technologies’ social and environmental impact

• C1.1analyse, with reference to Newton’s laws, a technology that applies these laws (e.g., extremely low friction bearings, near frictionless carbon, different types of athletic shoes, roller coasters), and propose ways to improve its performance [AI, C]Taught in: Newton's three, applied
• C1.2evaluate the impact on society and the environment of technologies that use the principles of force (e.g., prosthetics, plastic car bodies) [AI, C]Taught in: Newton's three, applied

C2investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, net force, acceleration, and mass, and solve related problems

• C2.1use appropriate terminology related to forces, including, but not limited to: mass, time, speed, velocity, acceleration, friction, gravity, normal force, and free-body diagrams [C]Taught in: Why things move (or don’t)
• C2.2conduct an inquiry that applies Newton’s laws to analyse, in qualitative and quantitative terms, the forces acting on an object, and use free-body diagrams to determine the net force and the acceleration of the object [PR, AI, C]Taught in: Newton's three, applied
• C2.3conduct an inquiry into the relationship between the acceleration of an object and its net force and mass (e.g., view a computer simulation of an object attaining terminal velocity; observe the motion of an object subject to friction; use electronic probes to observe the motion of an object being pulled across the floor), and analyse the resulting data [PR, AI]Taught in: Friction, and the fall
• C2.4analyse the relationships between acceleration and applied forces such as the force of gravity, normal force, force of friction, coefficient of static friction, and coefficient of kinetic friction, and solve related problems involving forces in one dimension, using free-body diagrams and algebraic equations (e.g., use a drag sled to find the coefficient of friction between two surfaces) [AI, C]Taught in: Friction, and the fall
• C2.5plan and conduct an inquiry to analyse the effect of forces acting on objects in one dimension, using vector diagrams, free-body diagrams, and Newton’s laws [IP, PR, AI, C]Taught in: Friction, and the fall
• C2.6analyse and solve problems involving the relationship between the force of gravity and acceleration for objects in free fall [AI]Taught in: Friction, and the fall

C3demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between changes in velocity and unbalanced forces in one dimension

• C3.1distinguish between, and provide examples of, different forces (e.g., friction, gravity, normal force), and describe the effect of each type of force on the velocity of an objectTaught in: Why things move (or don’t)
• C3.2explain how the theories and discoveries of Galileo and Newton advanced knowledge of the effects of forces on the motion of objectsTaught in: Newton's three, applied
• C3.3state Newton’s laws, and apply them, in qualitative terms, to explain the effect of forces acting on objectsTaught in: Newton's three, applied
• C3.4describe, in qualitative and quantitative terms, the relationships between mass, gravitational field strength, and force of gravityTaught in: Why things move (or don’t)

D1analyse technologies that apply principles of and concepts related to energy transformations, and assess the technologies’ social and environmental impact

• D1.1analyse, using the principles of energy transformations, a technology that involves the transfer and transformation of thermal energy (e.g., a power station, an air conditioner, a fuel cell, a laser printer) [AI, C]Taught in: The nucleus pays the bills
• D1.2assess, on the basis of research, how technologies related to nuclear, thermal, or geothermal energy affect society and the environment (e.g., thermal regulating units, radiopharmaceuticals, dry-steam power plants, ground-source heat pumps) [IP, PR, AI, C]Taught in: The nucleus pays the bills

D2investigate energy transformations and the law of conservation of energy, and solve related problems

• D2.1use appropriate terminology related to energy transformations, including, but not limited to: mechanical energy, gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, work, power, fission, fusion, heat, heat capacity, temperature, and latent heat [C]Taught in: Work, power, and where energy hides
• D2.2solve problems relating to work, force, and displacement along the line of force [AI]Taught in: Work, power, and where energy hides
• D2.3use the law of conservation of energy to solve problems in simple situations involving work, gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, and thermal energy and its transfer (heat) [AI]Taught in: Nothing is ever lost
• D2.4plan and conduct inquiries involving transformations between gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy (e.g., using a pendulum, a falling ball, an object rolling down a ramp) to test the law of conservation of energy [IP, PR]Taught in: Nothing is ever lost
• D2.5solve problems involving the relationship between power, energy, and time [AI]Taught in: Work, power, and where energy hides
• D2.6conduct inquiries and solve problems involving the relationship between power and work (e.g., the power of a student using different types of fitness equipment) [PR, AI]Taught in: Nothing is ever lost
• D2.7compare and contrast the input energy, useful output energy, and per cent efficiency of selected energy generation methods (e.g., hydroelectric, thermal, geothermal, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, wind, solar) [AI, C]Taught in: Nothing is ever lost
• D2.8investigate the relationship between the concepts of conservation of mass and conservation of energy, and solve problems using the mass–energy equivalence [PR, AI]Taught in: The nucleus pays the bills
• D2.9conduct an inquiry to determine the specific heat capacity of a single substance (e.g., aluminum, iron, brass) and of two substances when they are mixed together (e.g., the heat lost by a sample of hot water and the heat gained by a sample of cold water when the two samples are mixed together) [PR]Taught in: Heat, counted honestly
• D2.10solve problems involving changes in temperature and changes of state, using algebraic equations (e.g., Q = mcΔT, Q = mLf, Q = mLv) [AI, C]Taught in: Heat, counted honestly
• D2.11draw and analyse heating and cooling curves that show temperature changes and changes of state for various substances [AI, C]Taught in: Heat, counted honestly

D3demonstrate an understanding of work, efficiency, power, gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, nuclear energy, and thermal energy and its transfer (heat)

• D3.1describe a variety of energy transfers and transformations, and explain them using the law of conservation of energyTaught in: Nothing is ever lost
• D3.2explain the concepts of and interrelationships between energy, work, and power, and identify and describe their related unitsTaught in: Work, power, and where energy hides
• D3.3explain the following concepts, giving examples of each, and identify their related units: thermal energy, kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, heat, specific heat capacity, specific latent heat, power, and efficiencyTaught in: Heat, counted honestly
• D3.4identify, qualitatively, the relationship between efficiency and thermal energy transferTaught in: Work, power, and where energy hides
• D3.5describe, with reference to force and displacement along the line of force, the conditions that are required for work to be doneTaught in: Nothing is ever lost
• D3.6describe and compare nuclear fission and nuclear fusionTaught in: The nucleus pays the bills
• D3.7explain, using the kinetic molecular theory, the energy transfer that occurs during changes of stateTaught in: Heat, counted honestly
• D3.8distinguish between and provide examples of conduction, convection, and radiationTaught in: Heat, counted honestly
• D3.9identify and describe the structure of common nuclear isotopes (e.g., hydrogen, deuterium, tritium)Taught in: The nucleus pays the bills
• D3.10compare the characteristics of (e.g., mass, charge, speed, penetrating power, ionizing ability) and safety precautions related to alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma raysTaught in: The nucleus pays the bills
• D3.11explain radioactive half-life for a given radioisotope, and describe its applications and their consequencesTaught in: The nucleus pays the bills
• D3.12explain the energy transformations that occur within a nuclear power plant, with reference to the laws of thermodynamics (e.g., nuclear fission results in the liberation of energy, which is converted into thermal energy; the thermal energy is converted into electrical energy and waste heat, using a steam turbine)Taught in: The nucleus pays the bills

E1analyse how mechanical waves and sound affect technology, structures, society, and the environment, and assess ways of reducing their negative effects

• E1.1analyse how properties of mechanical waves and sound influence the design of structures and technological devices (e.g., the acoustical design of a concert hall; the design of headphones, hearing aids, musical instruments, wave pools) [AI, C]Taught in: The stretched siren
• E1.2analyse the negative impact that mechanical waves and/or sound can have on society and the environment, and assess the effectiveness of a technology intended to reduce this impact [AI, C]Taught in: The stretched siren

E2investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, the properties of mechanical waves and sound, and solve related problems

• E2.1use appropriate terminology related to mechanical waves and sound, including, but not limited to: longitudinal wave, transverse wave, frequency, period, cycle, amplitude, phase, wavelength, velocity, superposition, constructive interference, destructive interference, standing waves, and resonance [C]Taught in: Two waves walk into each other
• E2.2conduct laboratory inquiries or computer simulations involving mechanical waves and their interference (e.g., using a mass oscillating on a spring, a mass oscillating on a pendulum, the oscillation in a string instrument) [PR]Taught in: The notes that fit
• E2.3plan and conduct inquiries to determine the speed of waves in a medium (e.g., a vibrating air column, an oscillating string of a musical instrument), compare theoretical and empirical values, and account for discrepancies [IP, PR, AI, C]Taught in: The notes that fit
• E2.4investigate the relationship between the wavelength, frequency, and speed of a wave, and solve related problems [PR, AI]Taught in: Two waves walk into each other
• E2.5analyse the relationship between a moving source of sound and the change in frequency perceived by a stationary observer (i.e., the Doppler effect) [AI]Taught in: The stretched siren
• E2.6predict the conditions needed to produce resonance in vibrating objects or air columns (e.g., in a wind instrument, a string instrument, a tuning fork), and test their predictions through inquiry [IP, PR, AI]Taught in: The notes that fit
• E2.7analyse the conditions required to produce resonance in vibrating objects and/or in air columns (e.g., in a string instrument, a tuning fork, a wind instrument), and explain how resonance is used in a variety of situations (e.g., to produce different notes in musical instruments; to limit undesirable vibrations in suspension bridges; to design buildings so that they do not resonate at the frequencies produced by earthquakes) [AI, C]Taught in: The notes that fit

E3demonstrate an understanding of the properties of mechanical waves and sound and of the principles underlying their production, transmission, interaction, and reception

• E3.1distinguish between longitudinal and transverse waves in different media, and provide examples of both types of wavesTaught in: Two waves walk into each other
• E3.2explain the components of resonance, and identify the conditions required for resonance to occur in vibrating objects and in various media (e.g., with reference to a musical instrument, a child on a swing, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge)Taught in: The notes that fit
• E3.3explain and graphically illustrate the principle of superposition with respect to standing waves and beat frequenciesTaught in: Two waves walk into each other
• E3.4identify the properties of standing waves, and, for both mechanical and sound waves, explain the conditions required for standing waves to occurTaught in: The notes that fit
• E3.5explain the relationship between the speed of sound in various media and the particle nature of the media (e.g., the speed of sound in solids, liquids, and gases; the speed of sound in warm and cold air)Taught in: The stretched siren
• E3.6explain selected natural phenomena (e.g., echo location, or organisms that produce or receive infrasonic, audible, or ultrasonic sound) with reference to the characteristics and properties of wavesTaught in: The stretched siren

F1analyse the social, economic, and environmental impact of electrical energy production and technologies related to electromagnetism, and propose ways to improve the sustainability of electrical energy production

• F1.1analyse the social and economic impact of technologies related to electromagnetism (e.g., particle accelerators, mass spectrometers, magnetic levitation [maglev] trains, magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], electromagnetic pulses after nuclear explosions) [AI, C]Taught in: The grid's clever trick
• F1.2analyse the efficiency and the environmental impact of one type of electrical energy production (e.g., from hydroelectric, fossil fuel–burning, wind, solar, geothermal, or nuclear sources), and propose ways to improve the sustainability of electrical energy production [AI, C]Taught in: The grid's clever trick

F2investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, magnetic fields and electric circuits, and solve related problems

• F2.1use appropriate terminology related to electricity and magnetism, including, but not limited to: direct current, alternating current, conventional current, electron flow, electrical potential difference, electrical resistance, power, energy, step-up transformer, and step-down transformer [C]Taught in: The circuit always balances
• F2.2analyse diagrams of series, parallel, and mixed circuits with reference to Ohm’s law (V = IR) and Kirchhoff’s laws [AI]Taught in: The circuit always balances
• F2.3design and build real or computer-simulated mixed direct current (DC) circuits, and explain the circuits with reference to direct current, potential difference, and resistance [PR, C]Taught in: The grid's clever trick
• F2.4conduct an inquiry to identify the characteristics and properties of magnetic fields (e.g., using magnetic compasses, iron filings, and electric and magnetic field sensors) [PR]Taught in: The field around the wire
• F2.5investigate, through laboratory inquiry or computer simulation, the magnetic fields produced by an electric current flowing through a long straight conductor and a solenoid (e.g., use sensors to map the magnetic field around a solenoid) [PR]Taught in: The field around the wire
• F2.6solve problems involving energy, power, potential difference, current, and the number of turns in the primary and secondary coils of a transformer [AI]Taught in: The grid's clever trick
• F2.7investigate electromagnetic induction, and, using Lenz’s law, the law of conservation of energy, and the right-hand rule, explain and illustrate the direction of the electric current induced by a changing magnetic field [PR, AI, C]Taught in: Spin a magnet, light a city
• F2.8construct a prototype of a device that uses the principles of electromagnetism (e.g., an electric bell, loudspeaker, ammeter, electric motor, electric generator), and test and refine their device [PR, AI]Taught in: Spin a magnet, light a city

F3demonstrate an understanding of the properties of magnetic fields, the principles of current and electron flow, and the operation of selected technologies that use these properties and principles to produce and transmit electrical energy

• F3.1describe the properties of magnetic fields in permanent magnets and electromagnets (e.g., the three-dimensional nature of fields, continuous field lines, fields around current-carrying conductors and coils)Taught in: The field around the wire
• F3.2explain, by applying the right-hand rule, the direction of the magnetic field produced when electric current flows through a long straight conductor and through a solenoidTaught in: The field around the wire
• F3.3distinguish between conventional current and electron flow in relation to the left- and right-hand rulesTaught in: The field around the wire
• F3.4explain Ohm’s law, Kirchhoff’s laws, Oersted’s principle, the motor principle, Faraday’s law, and Lenz’s law in relation to electricity and magnetismTaught in: Spin a magnet, light a city
• F3.5describe the production and interaction of magnetic fields, using diagrams and the principles of electromagnetism (e.g., Oersted’s principle, the motor principle, Faraday’s law, Lenz’s law)Taught in: Spin a magnet, light a city
• F3.6explain the operation of an electric motor and a generator, including the roles of their respective componentsTaught in: Spin a magnet, light a city
• F3.7distinguish between alternating current (AC) and direct current, and explain why alternating current is presently used in the transmission of electrical energyTaught in: The grid's clever trick
• F3.8describe the components of step-up and step-down transformers, and, using concepts and principles related to electric current and magnetic fields, explain the operation of these transformersTaught in: The grid's clever trick
• F3.9describe and explain safety precautions (e.g., “call before you dig”, current-limiting outlets in bathrooms) related to electrical circuits and higher transmission voltages (e.g., with reference to transformer substations, buried cables, overhead power lines)Taught in: The grid's clever trick