PhysicsHamburg curriculum · Gymnasium

Physics – grade 11/12

Studienstufe (at the Gymnasium with Abitur after grade 12: grades 11 and 12): the curriculum assigns all topics to semesters S1–S4, in no fixed order; the units are therefore the same for grades 11 and 12 and are shown as one stage. Gravitation and astrophysics is an elective topic. eA = higher level only. The numbers are those of the curriculum (topic area.topic).

Unit 1.1The field concept for describing interactions

Types of electric field and field line patterns, field strength and voltage, Coulomb’s law, the parallel-plate capacitor with capacitance and energy, charging and discharging, magnetic flux density of coils.

Field lines of point charges

Two charges and the field rearranges itself. A test charge measures where the force is strongest.

Grade 11–12Baden-Württemberg: grade 12/13Bavaria: grade 12Berlin: grade 11Brandenburg: grade 11Bremen: grade 11/12Hamburg: grade 11/12Hesse: grade 12Lower Saxony: grade 12/13North Rhine-Westphalia: grade 12/13Rhineland-Palatinate: grade 12/13Saarland: grade 12Saxony: grade 11Saxony-Anhalt: grade 11/12Schleswig-Holstein: grades 11, 12/13

Charging and discharging a capacitor

A capacitor charges through a resistor and discharges again. The graphs show how voltage and current change over time.

Unit 1.2Bodies in static fields

Forces on and paths of charged particles in electric fields, the Lorentz force and circular paths in magnetic fields, the Hall effect, particles in perpendicular fields.

Lorentz force and fine-beam tube

Electrons fly along a glowing circular path in a magnetic field. From the radius you determine a property of the electron.

Grade 10–13Baden-Württemberg: grade 12/13Bavaria: grades 10, 12Berlin: grade 11Brandenburg: grade 11Bremen: grade 11/12Hamburg: grade 11/12Hesse: grade 12Lower Saxony: grade 12/13North Rhine-Westphalia: grades 7–10, 12/13Rhineland-Palatinate: grade 12/13Saarland: grades 10, 12Saxony: grade 11Saxony-Anhalt: grade 11/12Schleswig-Holstein: grades 11, 12/13

Unit 1.3Changing electromagnetic fields

Magnetic flux and the law of induction, Lenz’s law, technical applications; eA: differential form, inductance and self-induction.

Electromagnetic induction

Magnet in, the needle swings. Magnet out, it swings the other way. Every generator works on the same principle.

Grade 9–13Baden-Württemberg: grades 9/10, 12/13Bavaria: grades 10, 12Berlin: grades 9/10, 11Brandenburg: grades 9/10, 11Bremen: grades 7–9, 11/12Hamburg: grades 9, 11/12Hesse: grades 9/10, 12Lower Saxony: grade 12/13North Rhine-Westphalia: grades 7–10, 12/13Rhineland-Palatinate: grades 7–10, 12/13Saarland: grades 10, 12Saxony: grades 9, 11Saxony-Anhalt: grades 9, 11/12Schleswig-Holstein: grades 7–10, 11, 12/13

Unit 2.1Oscillations

Linear force law and harmonic oscillation, weak damping, resonance in forced oscillation, the electromagnetic oscillating circuit by comparison.

Simple pendulum

Pull a pendulum aside, let it go and measure how long one swing takes. What does it depend on? Also with large angles and damping.

Grade 10–12Baden-Württemberg: grade 12/13Bavaria: grade 11Berlin: grades 9/10, 11Brandenburg: grades 9/10, 11Bremen: grade 11/12Hamburg: grades 10, 11/12Hesse: grade 12Lower Saxony: grade 12/13North Rhine-Westphalia: grade 12/13Rhineland-Palatinate: grade 12/13Saarland: grade 12Saxony: grades 10, 12Saxony-Anhalt: grade 11/12Schleswig-Holstein: grades 11, 12/13

Spring pendulum

A mass bounces up and down on a spring. Graphs show position, speed and energy during the oscillation.

Grade 10–12Baden-Württemberg: grade 12/13Bavaria: grades 11, 12Berlin: grades 9/10, 11Brandenburg: grades 9/10, 11Bremen: grade 11/12Hamburg: grades 10, 11/12Hesse: grade 12Lower Saxony: grade 12/13North Rhine-Westphalia: grade 12/13Rhineland-Palatinate: grade 12/13Saarland: grade 12Saxony: grades 10, 12Saxony-Anhalt: grade 11/12Schleswig-Holstein: grades 11, 12/13

Driven oscillation and resonance

A motor drives an oscillating wheel. If the motor hits exactly the right rhythm, the wheel swings especially strongly: resonance.

Grade 10–13 · UniversityBaden-Württemberg: grade 12/13Bavaria: grades 11, 12Berlin: grades 9/10, 11Brandenburg: grades 9/10, 11Bremen: grade 11/12Hamburg: grade 11/12Hesse: grade 12Lower Saxony: grade 12/13North Rhine-Westphalia: grade 12/13Rhineland-Palatinate: grades 7–10, 12/13Saarland: grades 12, 13Saxony: grades 10, 12Saxony-Anhalt: grade 11/12Schleswig-Holstein: grades 11, 12/13

Unit 2.2Properties and propagation of waves

Generation and propagation of harmonic waves, transverse and longitudinal waves, speed and wavelength, diffraction, reflection and refraction, polarisation, the electromagnetic spectrum.

Transverse and longitudinal waves

A wave travels through a chain of particles. Each particle only oscillates in place, across or along the direction of travel.

Grade 10–12Baden-Württemberg: grade 12/13Bavaria: grade 11Berlin: grades 9/10, 12Brandenburg: grades 9/10, 12Bremen: grade 11/12Hamburg: grade 11/12Hesse: grade 12Lower Saxony: grade 12/13North Rhine-Westphalia: grade 12/13Rhineland-Palatinate: grades 7–10, 12/13Saarland: grade 12Saxony: grades 10, 12Saxony-Anhalt: grade 11/12Schleswig-Holstein: grades 11, 12/13

Unit 2.3Superposition of waves

Superposition and interference, the double slit with monochromatic and white light, measuring wavelength, single slit and interferometer, standing waves.

Interference of two circular waves

Two circular waves overlap: in some places they reinforce each other, in others they cancel out.

Grade 10–13Baden-Württemberg: grade 12/13Bavaria: grades 11, 12Berlin: grades 9/10, 12Brandenburg: grades 9/10, 12Bremen: grade 11/12Hamburg: grade 11/12Hesse: grade 12Lower Saxony: grade 12/13North Rhine-Westphalia: grade 12/13Rhineland-Palatinate: grade 12/13Saarland: grades 12, 13Saxony: grades 10, 12Saxony-Anhalt: grade 11/12Schleswig-Holstein: grades 11, 12/13

Double slit and grating

Laser light passes through a double slit or a grating. A pattern of bright and dark stripes appears on the screen.

Grade 10–13Baden-Württemberg: grade 12/13Bavaria: grades 11, 12, 13Berlin: grade 12Brandenburg: grade 12Bremen: grade 11/12Hamburg: grade 11/12Hesse: grade 13Lower Saxony: grade 12/13North Rhine-Westphalia: grade 12/13Rhineland-Palatinate: grade 12/13Saarland: grade 13Saxony: grades 10, 12Saxony-Anhalt: grade 11/12Schleswig-Holstein: grades 11, 12/13

Standing waves

A wave is reflected at the end and a fixed pattern of nodes and antinodes appears, like on a guitar string.

Grade 11–13Baden-Württemberg: grade 12/13Bavaria: grades 11, 12Berlin: grade 12Brandenburg: grade 12Bremen: grade 11/12Hamburg: grade 11/12Hesse: grade 12Lower Saxony: grade 12/13North Rhine-Westphalia: grade 12/13Rhineland-Palatinate: grade 12/13Saarland: grade 12Saxony: grade 12Saxony-Anhalt: grade 11/12Schleswig-Holstein: grades 11, 12/13

Unit 3.1Quantum objects

Electron and photon as quantum objects, stochastic predictability, the photoelectric effect and measuring h, the de Broglie relation, uncertainty; eA: entanglement.

Double slit and grating

Laser light passes through a double slit or a grating. A pattern of bright and dark stripes appears on the screen.

Photoelectric effect

Red light can be as bright as you like, it frees not a single electron. Short-wave light does it at once. A puzzle for waves, not for photons.

Grade 12–13Baden-Württemberg: grade 12/13Bavaria: grade 13Berlin: grade 12Brandenburg: grade 12Bremen: grade 11/12Hamburg: grade 11/12Hesse: grade 13Lower Saxony: grade 12/13North Rhine-Westphalia: grade 12/13Rhineland-Palatinate: grade 12/13Saarland: grade 13Saxony: grade 12Saxony-Anhalt: grade 11/12Schleswig-Holstein: grade 12/13

Electron diffraction

Electrons hit a thin layer of graphite and form rings on the screen, just like waves do.

Grade 12–13 · UniversityBaden-Württemberg: grade 12/13Bavaria: grade 13Berlin: grade 12Brandenburg: grade 12Bremen: grade 11/12Hamburg: grade 11/12Hesse: grade 13Lower Saxony: grade 12/13North Rhine-Westphalia: grade 12/13Rhineland-Palatinate: grade 12/13Saarland: grade 13Saxony: grade 12Saxony-Anhalt: grade 11/12Schleswig-Holstein: grade 12/13

Unit 3.2Models of the atom

The energy level model, emission and absorption of photons, line spectra, the X-ray spectrum, orbitals and detection probabilities.

Atomic models and line spectra

Every element glows in its own colours. When an electron drops one level, exactly one line appears in the spectrum.

Unit 4.1Planetary motion (elective topic)

Gravitational force and field, Kepler’s laws, orbits, periods and central masses; eA: gravitational potential and escape velocities.

Planetary orbits and Kepler’s laws

Too fast and the planet flies off, never to return. A little slower and it traces an ellipse around the Sun, exactly as Kepler's laws say.

Grade 10–13 · UniversityBaden-Württemberg: grade 11Bavaria: grades 11, 13Berlin: grade 11Brandenburg: grade 11Bremen: grade 11/12Hamburg: grades 10, 11/12Hesse: grades 11, 13North Rhine-Westphalia: grade 11Rhineland-Palatinate: grade 11Saarland: grades 10, 12Saxony: grade 10Saxony-Anhalt: grade 10Schleswig-Holstein: grades 11, 12/13

Unit 4.2Aspects of astrophysics (elective topic)

Observing the sky and instruments, spacetime, stellar evolution and black holes, gravitational waves, scales in the universe, radiation budgets of planets.

No separate simulation is planned for this.

The summaries describe the curriculum in our own words. The original text is authoritative. Original text (German): Bildungsplan, Gymnasium, Physics, grade 11/12