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Contexts
Amusement park physics . . . . . . . . .1
Car audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Carsspeed and safety . . . . . . . . .47
Crime scene physics . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Discovering the Solar System . . . .93
Electronic devices . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Medical physics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135
Movie magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
Physics in the home . . . . . . . . . . .176
Rocket science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232
The search for understanding . . .251
The sounds of music . . . . . . . . . . .273
Visiting the reef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294






Key Ideas
1 Acceleration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .319
2 Atomic structure . . . . . . . . . . .323
3 Bernoullis principle . . . . . . . .330
4 Buoyancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .334
5 Capacitors and inductors . . .338
6 Centre of mass . . . . . . . . . . . . .345
7 Charge and Coulombs law . .347
8 Circular motion . . . . . . . . . . . .350
9 Collisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .352
10 Critical velocity . . . . . . . . . . . .358
11 Density . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360
12 Direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .363
13 Electric fields and potential . .365
14 Electricity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .371
15 Electromagnetic spectrum . .377
16 Energy and work . . . . . . . . . . .379
17 Equations of motion . . . . . . . .384
18 Equilibrium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .386
19 Escape velocity . . . . . . . . . . . .387
20 Fluid flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .388

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21 Friction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .392
22 Gravity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .395
23 Heat and its effects . . . . . . . . .399
24 Heat and temperature . . . . . .403
25 Hookes law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .407
26 Ideal gas laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . .410
27 Kinetic energy . . . . . . . . . . . . .419
28 Kinetic theory of a gas . . . . . .421
29 Kirchhoffs rules . . . . . . . . . . .426
30 Lasers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .429
31 Latent heat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .432
32 Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .434
33 Magnetic fields . . . . . . . . . . . .445
34 Magnetic forces . . . . . . . . . . . .450
35 Magnetism and
electromagnetic induction . .456
36 Mass and weight . . . . . . . . . . .463

37 Massenergy equivalence . . .465
INTRODUCTION iv





38 Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .468
39 Momentum and impulse . . . .480
40 Newtons first law of motion .483
41 Newtons second law of
motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .486
42 Newtons third law of motion 488
43 Nuclear fission . . . . . . . . . . . . .489
44 Nuclear fusion . . . . . . . . . . . . .492
45 Nuclear radiation . . . . . . . . . .494
46 Pascals principle . . . . . . . . . . .498
47 Pendulum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .501
48 Photoelectric effect . . . . . . . . .504
49 Potential energy . . . . . . . . . . .509
50 Powerelectrical . . . . . . . . . .513
51 Powermechanical . . . . . . . .516
52 Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .518
53 Quantum theory . . . . . . . . . . .523
54 Radioactive decay . . . . . . . . . .525
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55 Relativity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .531 67 Waves and the Doppler

56 Rotational motion . . . . . . . . . .536
57 Semiconductors . . . . . . . . . . .540
58 Simple harmonic motion . . . .545
59 Simple machines . . . . . . . . . . .549
60 States of matter . . . . . . . . . . . .555
61 Terminal velocity . . . . . . . . . . .557
62 Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .559
63 Vectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .563
64 Velocity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .570
65 Vertical and projectile
motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .572
66 Waves and refraction . . . . . . .579
effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .586
68 Waves and their speed . . . . . .588
69 Waves in one dimension . . . .594
70 Waves in two dimensions . . .601
71 Waveparticle duality . . . . . . .608
Appendix A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .609
Appendix B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .613
Appendix C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .614
Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .615
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .624

on the ePhysics CD:

The following five Key Ideas can be found
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Heinemann Queensland Science ProjectPhysics: A Contextual Approach

presents physics in a variety of real-world contexts and is designed to support
the new Queensland 2004 Physics Syllabus. It is also suitable for other physics
courses requiring a contextual approach.
The single textbook for both years 11 and 12 provides flexibility of
planning, enabling topics to be selected and studied in an order that suits the
teachers and students.
The organisation of the new Queensland 2004 Physics Syllabus involves
planning courses of study that focus on general objectives categorised as
Scientific Investigation, Scientific Techniques and Knowledge, and Conceptual
Understanding. Twelve key concepts are the foundation stones of the syllabus,
organised into three themes: force, energy and motion. Any course of study
must allow students to develop an understanding of these key concepts
embedded in real-world contexts. The key concepts are broad statements
concerning the fundamental knowledge underpinning physics. These are
explored using key ideas, which include simple definitions, formulae and
theories familiar to teachers and students of physics. A number of key ideas
considered essential to the development of the key concepts are suggested by
the syllabus, but teachers are offered the opportunity to expand on these

 where necessary.


Heinemann Queensland Science Project
Physics: A Contextual Approach
Physics: A Contextual Approach is structured in two parts:
ContextsThese are the starting point for the development of a course of
study. Physics ideas and concepts are explored in real-life situations. Physics
ideas that are specific to a particular situation are developed in detail.
Key IdeasMany physics ideas find application in a variety of contexts.
These are developed separately in a non-context-specific way.

The Contexts
The Contexts are linked to the Key Ideas within the chapters via clear
references. Investigations and other activities within a Context are aimed at
providing practice or assessment opportunities according to the assessment
categories of the syllabus. As students engage with these activities they will
develop a greater understanding of the key concepts and key ideas from the
syllabus.
Teaching in context means that assessment should also be in context. In the
2004 Syllabus, three categories of assessment are identified:
Extended Experimental Investigation

Written Test
Extended Response Task.

Activities within the Contexts have the potential to be used for assessment and
are categorised accordingly.

INTRODUCTION vi




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The Key Ideas

The Key Ideas contain the physical concepts and ideas essential to understanding
the key concepts. They include clearly presented formulas, definitions and worked
examples. Opportunities to use Practical Activities and Interactive Tutorials are
signposted. Each Key Idea has related questions, drawn from a variety of Contexts,
and answers to these are included in the text.

ePhysics
The ePhysics student CD consists of an electronic version of the textbook, Practical
Activities for students and fully Interactive Tutorials which model and simulate key
physics concepts.

Physics: A Contextual Approach Teachers

Resource and Assessment Disk
The Teachers Resource and Assessment Disk includes a copy of the ePhysics student
CD, fully worked solutions to the exercises in the Contexts and to the questions in
the Key Ideas, experimental notes and safety advice, overhead transparency
templates, sample course outlines and sample assessment items. Additional
context scaffolds and course outlines are also offered.
Importantly, sample course outlines demonstrate a number of different ways
of incorporating the requirements of the syllabus into a course of study presented
over years 11 and 12.
Physics: A Contextual Approach can be used as a resource for teachers and

students as they plan for, and work through the selected contexts. Sample

assessment tasks are provided for the categories Extended Response Task and
Extended Experimental Investigation. Sample criteria sheets for each of these tasks
demonstrate how the criteria can be individualised for each assessment task, but 
still link closely with the standards associated with the exit levels of achievement
in the syllabus.

About the authors

David Madden
David has taught senior physics and mathematics and junior science in a variety of school settings
in Queensland for over ten years. He has been a member of a number of QSA District Review
Panels over the last six years. David is currently Head of Science at the Scots Presbyterian Girls
College in Warwick. Scots has been a Trial-Pilot school for the last three years and will be a part of
the Extended Trial-Pilot through to 2007. David has presented a number of seminars based on his
experience of teaching physics in context at CONASTA and QSA Physics Trial-Pilot conferences.
He has also been a major contributor to the website of the Physics Trial-Pilot
(http://www.mbc.qld.edu.au/physics/wp.html). David has a particular interest in the use of valid
assessment in context. His other interests include cricket, AFL and playing the piano.

Tyson Stelzer
Tyson Stelzers interest in physics textbooks began at the tender age of twelve, when it is alleged,
he read his first volume. His interest in the field grew from this point culminating in a Bachelor of
Science degree in physics, a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and biblical studies, and a
Diploma in Education. Today, at the age of 29, Tyson has had seven years experience as an
innovative physics teacher at Trinity Lutheran College on the Gold Coast and now serves as Head
of Senior Science. He has been widely published within the Australian wine industry, with a

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particular emphasis on the technicalities of wine science. Tyson enjoys photography, playing
guitar and sax in his church band, building and restoring furniture, roller blading and listening to
loud music in his car.

Ian Lindsay
Ian has 21 years experience as a secondary science and mathematics teacher. He has continuously
been involved in curriculum design and delivery at a whole school level as well as at the subject
level in senior physics and junior and senior mathematics. Ian has been coordinator of physics at
Runcorn State High School for the last 16 years and in this capacity has been a member of the QSA
Physics District Review Panel for seven years. Ian has always sought to deliver physics in an
engaging and relevant way, and endeavoured to have his students experience the joy of
understanding. His interests include music, reading, tennis and the very occasional playing of the
flute.

Darryl Parsons
Darryl Parsons [BScEd, GradDipScEd, GradDipEd(Mgt), GradDipEd, BAppSc, JP] has taught junior
science, maths, and senior chemistry and physics in Queensland schools for twenty years. He has
served on the QSA Physics and Chemistry District Panels for seven years, has been Science Master,
Assistant Principal and Head of Curriculum, and is currently the Principal of the Hills
International College in Jimboomba, Queensland. He is working on a doctorate in science
education which he has been saying he will finish soon for the last three years!

Tracy Gaze
Tracy has twelve years experience as an educator in secondary science and mathematics, having
taught in south-west Queensland, northern Queensland and Wide Bay (Queensland). With a
commitment to criteria-based assessment and the development of student skills, she was
involved in developing the junior and senior mathematics and science curricula for a new
independent school in Hervey Bay. This involvement included five years with sole responsibility
for the physics program at Fraser Coast Anglican College, together with membership of the QSA
Wide Bay District Review Panel for Physics. Tracy has also undertaken study in psychology, and
maintains a strong interest in student development.




Acknowledgments
The publisher would like to thank and acknowledge the following people for their contribution to
this book:
Marianne Hammat for her contribution to the structure and organisation of the book, management
of this project, fine editorial work and unwavering commitment to this complex and challenging
project.
Brigid Brignell for her professional and committed management of the project.
Julia Balcombe for her tireless contribution to the running and management of the project.
David Madden
To Karen, Jessie and Reuben, thank you for all your support and encouragement. To my Mum and
Dad, thanks for giving me a love of learning and encouraging me to ask questions.
Ian Lindsay
Thanks to Merv Swords for getting me involved in the co-writing of this book, to Matthew
Satterthwaite and Chris Godde for their practical help, and to all those who displayed patience
while I progressed through the stages of publishing this book. Specific thanks to my great kids,
Jarrah and Nerida, who have been most patient, and also to PK for her encouragement and support.
May I dedicate my portion of this book to Col Martin whose infectious enthusiasm for knowledge
and understanding made him such a great teacher.
Darryl Parsons
Thanks to my wife Robyn for letting me disappear into my home office for extended periods over the
last two years when I should have been fixing the boat.
Tracy Gaze
Thanks to Mr Greg Lynch, Head of Department (Science) and marine studies teacher at Fraser Coast

Anglican College, for his support and assistance during the writing process for the context, Visiting
the Reef .

INTRODUCTION viii




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Practical Activities and Interactive Tutorials

The following Practical Activities and Interactive Tutorials can be found on the ePhysics student CD
accompanying this textbook.

Practical Activities 50 Force and equilibrium 99 A free space optical transmitter

51 Newtons second law 100 Hydroelectric power
01 Disturbance and propagation of a 52 Newtons second law II 101 Sunlight intensity and reflectivity
disturbance 53 Conservation of energy of Earths surface
02 Waves in a Slinky 54 Conservation of momentum in 102 Solar energy: Generating
03 Waves in a rope explosions electricity 1
04 The speed of sound by clap and 55 Locating the centre of mass 103 Solar energy: Generating
echo 56 Velocitytime graphs electricity 2
05 Waves in a ripple tank 57 Action and reaction 104 Wind power
06 Reflection of waves in a ripple 58 Motion on an inclined plane 105 Solar constant
tank 59 Projectile motion 106 Energy efficiency of a fuel cell
07 Diffraction of continuous water 60 Conservation of momentum in 107 Detecting radiation with a
waves collisions GeigerMller tube
08 Interference of water waves 61 Conservation of energy in springs 108 The diffusion cloud chamber
09 Reflection in a plane mirror 62 Hookes law: Determining k for a 109 A model of alpha scattering
10 Refraction of continuous water spring 110 An analogue experiment of
waves 63 Centripetal force radioactive decay
11 Investigating refraction: Snells law 64 Acceleration due to gravity 111 Ultrasound interactions:
12 Total internal reflection in prisms 65 Frames of reference Attenuation of sound
13 Colour addition and subtraction 66 Relative motion 112 The Doppler effect
14 Light and a continuous spectrum 67 Time dilation 113 Diagnostic X-rays
15 Polarisation effects with light 68 The Lorentz factor 114 Watching the night sky
16 Concave mirrors 69 A non-simultaneity simulation 115 Measuring the night sky:
17 Convex lenses 70 Stress and strain in two rubber alt-azimuth
18 Audio transmission with a light bands 116 Measuring the night sky:
beam 71 Forces in a beam equatorial coordinates
19 Newtons particle model of light 72 The compressive strengths of 117 The Sun in the day sky
20 Diffraction of light materials 118 The phases of the moon
21 Interference of light: Youngs 73 An investigation of copper wire 119 Computer simulation of the

double slits 74 Forces in a cantilever night sky
22 Photoelectric effect 75 Locating the centre of gravity 120 Night sky exercises in astronomy


23 Internal resistance of a battery 76 Seesaws 121 Distances by parallax
24 Characteristics of diodes 77 Electrostatics with a Van der measurement
25 Transistors as amplifiers Graaff generator 122 The inverse square law 
26 Solar cells response to light 78 Connecting circuits 123 The Doppler effect II
27 Investigating resistors 79 Using electrical meters 124 Spectra of different elements
28 Charge and time constant of 80 Resistance and temperature 125 LEA and CLEA
capacitors 81 Ohmic and non-ohmic
29 RC circuits conductors
30 Rectifier circuits 82 Electrical power
Interactive Tutorials
31 Using a zener diode 83 Series circuits Braking (Video analysis of motion)
32 Voltage regulators 84 Parallel circuits Generators
33 Specific heat capacity of a metal 85 Resistance in a combination Kilowatt-hours
34 Power of a tea light circuit Kinetic and gravitational potential
35 Latent heat of fusion of water 86 Internal resistance of a dry cell energy
36 Specific heat capacity of a brick 87 Direction of induced current in a Motors
37 Solar cooker wire Photoelectric effect: Frequency versus
38 Solar hot water heater 88 Strength of the magnetic field kinetic energy
39 Water purification unit inside a coil Photoelectric effect: Investigate
40 Pitch, loudness and quality 89 Investigating electromagnetic forward and reverse voltage
41 Visualising standing waves in air induction Photoelectric effect: Investigate light
columns 90 Faradays law of electromagnetic intensity
42 Speed of sound by resonance tube induction Photoelectric effect: Which colours will
43 Frequency response of a 91 Current from an electric motor work?
loudspeaker 92 Transformer operation Radioactive decay and half-life
44 Interference of sound 93 Calculating the charge-to-mass Refraction
45 Kinematics of a student ratio of an electron Relative velocities
46 The ticker timer 94 A collision in two dimensions Specific heat of a metal
47 Analysing motion with a motion 95 Observing the photoelectric effect The wave equations
sensor 96 Wavelength of LEDs Youngs modulus
48 Acceleration down an incline 97 Optical fibre bend loss
49 A reaction timer 98 Fibre optic cladding

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