Level 3 External Physics

PURPOSE: This course is for students who enjoy Physics and are looking to study Physics, Science or Engineering further after leaving Heretaunga College. It will build on their understanding of key Physics topics introduced in the Level 2 Physics course.

COURSE OUTLINE: This course consists of two externally assessed standards (Mechanics and Electricity) and one internally assessed standard (Practical Investigation). This course is eligible for subject endorsement.

This course comprises 3 Achievement Standards. The 3 Standards are Mechanics (6 credits), Practical Investigation (4 credits)  and Electricity (6 credits). All three Standards build on the knowledge developed in the Physics Level 2 Course.

The Level 3 Mechanics Standard examines motion, but the emphasis is on rotational motion, whereas in Level 2, the focus is on linear motion. We also examine topics such as Gravitation, and Satellites and Simple Harmonic Motion. 

Students who typically take the Mechanics Standard will use the knowledge gained in these courses to enter Engineering/Architecture courses at a University or Polytechnic.

The Level 3 Electricity Standard examines simple D.C. Circuit Analysis and investigates the underlying physics of Capacitors and Inductors and their use in D.C Circuits. In the A.C section of the course, we study the behaviour of combinations of Inductors, Capacitors and Resistors and the phenomenon of Resonance and its use in Tuned Circuits. Like the Mechanics Standard, the Electricity standard is of use to those students who want to study electronics to a higher level in an Engineering Course at a University or Polytechnic.

The Physics Standards include a Practical Paper concerned with Experimental Physics where students conduct an experiment and analyse the data using graphs similar to that in the level 2 Physics course.

UE COURSE