Science / Year 10 / Science Understanding / Physical sciences

Curriculum content descriptions

The motion of objects can be described and predicted using the laws of physics (ACSSU229)

Elaborations
  • gathering data to analyse everyday motions produced by forces, such as measurements of distance and time, speed, force, mass and acceleration
  • recognising that a stationary object, or a moving object with constant motion, has balanced forces acting on it
  • using Newton’s Second Law to predict how a force affects the movement of an object
  • recognising and applying Newton’s Third Law to describe the effect of interactions between two objects
ScOT terms

Motion

Video

Catalyst: Do heavier things fall faster?

Will a medicine ball or a basketball hit the ground first when dropped at the same time from the same height? In this clip, Catalyst's Dr Derek Muller investigates what influences the speed at which objects fall. Derek challenges some people in a market to make a prediction and explain their thinking, before he finally ...

Interactive

Energy skate park

This is an interactive resource about the potential and kinetic energy changes as a skater rolls around a skate park. Students learn about conservation of energy with a skater, they can build tracks, ramps and jumps for the skater and view the kinetic energy, potential energy and friction as he moves. Students can also ...

Interactive

Invictus Games Sydney 2018 – Science – Stage 5

Modern prosthetics are developed to offer comfort and practicality in a range of complex environments. This Stage 5 unit, The science and technology of prosthetics and the physics of movement, explores a number of technological advances in the field of prosthetics including material strength, sensors and actuators and osseointegration. ...

Interactive

Projectile motion

This is an interactive resource about projectile motion. Students use a simulation of a cannon to fire various objects. They can set the firing angle, initial speed, height and mass, with or without air resistance. Students are encouraged to make a game out of this simulation by trying to hit a target. This interactive ...

Audio

Space telescopes and servicing Hubble

This radio interview gives examples of how improvements in technology have influenced astronomy. The Space Shuttle Atlantis is paying a service call to the Hubble Space Telescope, repairing, replacing and deploying new equipment. Jonathan Nally describes the mission and looks at other large telescopes in orbit now, and ...

Interactive

Collision lab

This is an interactive resources about simple collisions and conservation of momentum. Students use a virtual air hockey table to investigate simple collisions in 1D and more complex collisions in 2D. They experiment with the number of discs, masses, and initial conditions. They can also vary the elasticity and see how ...

Interactive

experiMENTALS: Straw propeller

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students about the process of creating a propeller using two bendy straws and a pair of scissors. A simple demonstration of one of Newton's Laws.

Interactive

Factors that Affect Braking Distance

Students use this resource consisting of ten slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand that the braking distance of a car depends on its speed and other factors which affect the frictional forces needed to stop the car. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Interactive

experiMENTALS: Gravity defying wheel

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students about the process of demonstrating resistance to change in a spinning a bike wheel to observe the principles of a gyroscope.

Video

Experimentals: Do different things fall faster?

Want to find out what happens when you drop a watermelon and an apple from the top of a building? In this clip, Bernie Hobbs and Ruben Meerman, investigate whether the mass of an object influences how fast it falls. Bernie and Ruben ride the 'Giant Drop' at Dreamworld, drop a watermelon and apple from an eighth floor balcony, ...

Video

Experimentals: Examples of Bernoulli's theorem

Have you ever wondered how a yacht sails into the wind? Watch as the Experimentals team works through practical demonstrations of Bernoulli's theorem. You're in for a few surprises as you learn how gases and liquids change their behavior as they begin to flow.

Interactive

Measuring Speed

Students use this resource consisting of eleven slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand how to work out the speed of a moving object and understand how to make calculations using the relationship between speed, distance and time. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Interactive

Factors Affecting Thinking Distance

Students use this resource consisting of nine slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand that the stopping distance of a car depends on the alertness of the driver as well as its speed and frictional forces. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Interactive

Sites2See: Spreadsheets for science

A page with example resources, exemplars and advice to help integrate spread sheet use in teaching and learning for science. Includes suggestions for use, tutorials and information on research and benefits, plus links to a range of related resources, including a teacher guide to using Microsoft Excel in the classroom

Video

Sports motion

This four and a half minute video segment from Catalyst provides an example of how a datalogger can be used to monitor aspects of an athlete's motion and technique. It gives examples of how science and technology interact to benefit training for a range of sports.

Interactive

Sites2See: Surf safety

A webpage about surfing safety, dangerous waves and rips, and the history and science of surfing. A 'For Kids' section provides games and quizzes for young swimmers and surfers.

Interactive

Distance-time Graphs

Students use this resource consisting of ten slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand how to plot a distance-time graph and understand what it shows. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Video

All about engines

What does 'horsepower' really mean? And how do engines work? Join Luke and Abhi from MIT to find out! As Abhi explains, engines produce power by forcing a mixture of fuel and air into a tight space and then burning it. Piston engines and turbine engines do this in similar, yet different ways. After watching this video, ...

Interactive

Energy skate park: basics

This is an interactive teaching and learning resource that years 7 to 10 secondary school students can use to simulate the motion of a skateboarder descending and ascending on a variety of tracks. Height, speed and energy conservation are visually displayed. The skater's mass and starting height, as well as the drag he ...

Online

Exploring the production and marketing of seafood

This is a teacher resource containing a series of inquiry teaching sequences relating to seafood production and marketing in Australia. It contains material to assist planning, implementing and assessing a research task about the technologies and methods used in the fishing and aquaculture industries to catch and farm seafood, ...