Science / Year 10 / Science Understanding / Physical sciences

Curriculum content descriptions

Energy conservation in a system can be explained by describing energy transfers and transformations (ACSSU190)

Elaborations
  • recognising that the Law of Conservation of Energy explains that total energy is maintained in energy transfer and transformation
  • recognising that in energy transfer and transformation, a variety of processes can occur, so that the usable energy is reduced and the system is not 100% efficient
  • comparing energy changes in interactions such as car crashes, pendulums, lifting and dropping
  • using models to describe how energy is transferred and transformed within systems
ScOT terms

Energy conversion

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. ...

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Thermal comfort – sustainability action process (Years 7–10)

This thermal comfort learning resource will guide students through an extended school based investigation. Students will develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and reflect on their success and their learning.

Video

Can photons and atoms generate laser?

Electrons around atoms can absorb and emit photons of particular colours of light – see three different atomic models explain what's going on.

Video

How does the retina work?

When electrons in your retina absorb photons of light they don't emit light, they cause a molecule to change shape - and that lets you see colour!

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 ...

Interactive

2024 Dreaming

Explore options for houses, work, food and transport in 2024 in this multimedia presentation from Radio National. A useful resource for stimulating discussion about applications of science and implications for society and the environment as well as current issues and developments in science. Gives examples of how different ...

Video

Catalyst: Nuclear fusion future

Visit the world's largest nuclear fusion reactor, which uses the same process as the Sun to produce energy. Look at the new advances in fusion technology which mean, for the first time, a fusion reactor should now be able to produce more energy than it consumes. It offers a future alternative energy source, but is not without ...

Interactive

Sites2See: Light and Matter

Links to resources to explore fundamental questions about light and matter and the application of the physics of light and matter to the past, the future and to space. Includes a quick quiz, links to additional DEC NSW physics resources and to the International Science School at the University of Sydney.

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Electricity generation from geothermal energy in Australia

This is an online information resource that explains how electricity is generated from geothermal sources in Australia and includes three diagrams supporting and demonstrating the information provided in the text. It contains six sections: Geothermal systems; Potential advantages of geothermal power generation in Australia; ...

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 ...

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Keep your cool | Questacon

In this activity, students design an insulation system for keeping ice cold. They investigate factors that effect how quickly an ice block melts when in sunshine, then design and test insulating mechanisms using different materials and structures. They consider the different ways heat energy is transferred (conduction, ...

Interactive

Energy skate park

This interactive simulation explores the conservation of energy in a skater moving on a curved ramp. In a series of simulations students explore the transformation of energy between kinetic and potential energy; how changing the mass, friction, or gravity affects the skater's energy; students can predict position or estimate ...

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FLEET Schools: Forces and Energy

This collection of learning activities explores the concept of energy and why it is crucial to our understanding of how everything in the universe works – from sub-atomic particles to the sun, mobile phones and the universe itself. There are links to critical thinking activities and experiments that cover the concepts of ...

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The Mathematics of Projectiles - Calculate

This activity provides a practical introduction to the motion of projectiles with a focus on angles. It is designed as a lead in to parabolic and quadratic functions.

Online

Climate change – creating critical thinkers … not sceptics!

Climate change was once just part of the science domain, but today it is a political juggernaut! This unit explores the science of climate change as a scientific concept and a political issue. The unit includes PDF resources and video quiz challenges for teachers and student and the library section provides extra resources ...

Video

How do solar panels work?

The Earth intercepts a lot of solar power: 173,000 terawatts. That’s 10,000 times more power than the planet’s population uses. So is it possible that one day the world could be completely reliant on solar energy? Richard Komp examines how solar panels convert solar energy to electrical energy. This TedEd animation (4:58 ...

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Energy efficiency in industry

Find out how industries can reduce their carbon footprints. This is an information sheet describing practices that can be used by industry to make energy use more efficient and thus reduce power bills as well as lowering greenhouse-gas emissions. A number of examples from the mining industry, such as the redesign of dragline ...

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Gas-fired power

Find out how gas-fired power stations work. This fact sheet describes the generation of electricity in gas-fired power stations, which typically produce 50 per cent less carbon dioxide than conventional coal-fired power plants. Information is provided about the Daandine Power Station located west of Brisbane, which uses ...

Interactive

Copper processing

This interactive activity allows students to explore the processes involved in the mining and processing of copper ore and the production of copper. Students initially put the processes in the correct sequence and then select each stage to animate it and access relevant information. The smelting stage includes an activity ...

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Energy efficiency in homes

Find out how to save energy at home and reduce your carbon footprint. This fact sheet describes strategies that can be used in the home to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.