Spring pendulum
A mass bounces up and down on a spring. Graphs show position, speed and energy during the oscillation.
Physics – grade 12/13
Qualification phase (G9: grades 12 and 13). The core curriculum lists content areas for the basic course (GK) and separate ones for the advanced course (LK), but does not distribute them over half-years; the units are therefore the same for grades 12 and 13. The codes are our own. Core curriculum for upper secondary of 2026 (phased in from 1 August 2027, starting with the introductory phase).
Unit GK-1Classical waves and charged particles in fields (basic course)
Spring pendulum, harmonic oscillations and waves with Huygens, interference and standing waves; electric and magnetic fields and the path of electrons in the fine-beam tube.
GK-1.1Classical waves
Spring pendulum, harmonic oscillations and waves, Huygens’ principle, reflection, refraction, diffraction, superposition, standing waves, polarisation, and double slit and grating with light.
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.
Interference of two circular waves
Two circular waves overlap: in some places they reinforce each other, in others they cancel out.
Standing waves
A wave is reflected at the end and a fixed pattern of nodes and antinodes appears, like on a guitar string.
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.
GK-1.2Particles in fields
Electric and magnetic fields, field strength, voltage and flux density, field-line patterns, the Millikan experiment and paths of charged particles in uniform fields.
Field lines of point charges
Two charges and the field rearranges itself. A test charge measures where the force is strongest.
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.
Unit GK-2Quantum objects (basic course)
Light has particle properties and electrons have wave properties: photoelectric effect, de Broglie wavelength, electron interference and the interpretation of quantum objects.
GK-2.1Particle aspects of photons
Quantisation of light energy and the photoelectric effect.
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.
GK-2.2Wave aspect of electrons
De Broglie wavelength and interference of electrons.
Electron diffraction
Electrons hit a thin layer of graphite and form rings on the screen, just like waves do.
GK-2.3Photon and electron as quantum objects
Wave and particle models, probability interpretation, which-way information and the Copenhagen interpretation.
No separate simulation is planned for this.
Unit GK-3Electrodynamics and energy transmission (basic course)
Law of induction, generator and transformer, long-distance transmission of energy, charging and discharging a capacitor, and electromagnetic oscillation.
GK-3.1Electrodynamics
Magnetic flux, electromagnetic induction and the law of induction, alternating voltage, charging and discharging a capacitor.
Electromagnetic induction
Magnet in, the needle swings. Magnet out, it swings the other way. Every generator works on the same principle.
Charging and discharging a capacitor
A capacitor charges through a resistor and discharges again. The graphs show how voltage and current change over time.
GK-3.2Energy transmission
Generator and transformer, overhead power lines and electromagnetic oscillation.
Electromagnetic induction
Magnet in, the needle swings. Magnet out, it swings the other way. Every generator works on the same principle.
Unit GK-4Radiation and matter (basic course)
Electromagnetic spectrum and ionising radiation, line spectra and energy levels of the atomic shell, as well as nuclear transformations, the decay law, fission and fusion.
GK-4.1Radiation
Spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, ionising radiation, the Geiger–Müller counter and biological effects.
No separate simulation is planned for this.
GK-4.2Atomic physics
Line spectra, energy level diagrams, the Franck–Hertz experiment, the nuclear model of the atom and X-rays.
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.
GK-4.3Nuclear physics
Nucleons, decay processes and nuclear transformations, the decay law and half-life, fission and fusion.
Radioactive decay and half-life
Many nuclei decay at random and a Geiger counter clicks. Even so, after each half-life almost exactly half are left.
Unit LK-1Charges, fields and induction (advanced course)
Electric and magnetic fields with Coulomb’s law, potential and capacitors, paths of charged particles in fields, as well as induction and self-induction.
LK-1.1Electric charges and fields
Charges, field strength, Coulomb’s law, potential and voltage, capacitor and capacitance with charging and discharging curves; magnetic flux density.
Field lines of point charges
Two charges and the field rearranges itself. A test charge measures where the force is strongest.
Charging and discharging a capacitor
A capacitor charges through a resistor and discharges again. The graphs show how voltage and current change over time.
LK-1.2Motion in fields
Charged particles in longitudinal and transverse electric fields, the Lorentz force and crossed 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.
LK-1.3Electromagnetic induction
Magnetic flux, the law of induction, Lenz’s law, self-induction and inductance.
Electromagnetic induction
Magnet in, the needle swings. Magnet out, it swings the other way. Every generator works on the same principle.
Unit LK-2Oscillating systems and waves (advanced course)
Mechanical and electromagnetic oscillations with differential equations, damping and resonance, wave phenomena, interference at slits and gratings, the Michelson interferometer and the Hertzian dipole.
LK-2.1Oscillations and waves
Harmonic oscillations and their parameters, the wave equation, Huygens’ principle, reflection, refraction, diffraction, polarisation, superposition and the Michelson interferometer.
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.
Interference of two circular waves
Two circular waves overlap: in some places they reinforce each other, in others they cancel out.
Standing waves
A wave is reflected at the end and a fixed pattern of nodes and antinodes appears, like on a guitar string.
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.
LK-2.2Oscillating systems
Spring and simple pendulum, damped and forced oscillations and resonance, the LC circuit and the Hertzian dipole.
Spring pendulum
A mass bounces up and down on a spring. Graphs show position, speed and energy during the oscillation.
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.
Driven oscillation and resonance
A motor drives an oscillating wheel. If the motor hits exactly the right rhythm, the wheel swings especially strongly: resonance.
Unit LK-3Quantum physics (advanced course)
Photoelectric effect and Planck’s constant, bremsstrahlung, Bragg reflection and electron diffraction, the wave function, the delayed-choice experiment and the uncertainty principle.
LK-3.1Particle aspects of photons
Quantisation of light energy, the photoelectric effect and bremsstrahlung.
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.
LK-3.2Photons and electrons as quantum objects
Double-slit experiment, Bragg reflection, electron diffraction, probability interpretation, the delayed-choice experiment and the Copenhagen interpretation.
Electron diffraction
Electrons hit a thin layer of graphite and form rings on the screen, just like waves do.
Unit LK-4Atomic and nuclear physics (advanced course)
Atomic models up to the potential well, energy levels and X-rays, types and detection of ionising radiation, the decay law and dating, as well as nuclear fission and fusion.
LK-4.1Atomic structure
Atomic models, the one-dimensional potential well, energy level diagrams, line spectra, the Franck–Hertz experiment and X-rays.
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.
LK-4.2Ionising radiation
Types of radiation, their detection, properties and absorption.
No separate simulation is planned for this.
LK-4.3Radioactive decay
Nuclear structure, decay series, the decay law, half-life and carbon-14 dating.
Radioactive decay and half-life
Many nuclei decay at random and a Geiger counter clicks. Even so, after each half-life almost exactly half are left.
LK-4.4Nuclear fission and fusion
Binding energies, mass defect and chain reaction.
No separate simulation is planned for this.
The summaries describe the curriculum in our own words. The original text is authoritative. Original text (German): Kernlehrplan, Gymnasium, Physics, grade 12/13