Uniform and accelerated motion (distance–time and velocity–time graphs)
A car drives at a steady speed or speeds up. The graphs for distance, speed and acceleration are drawn live.
PhysicsRhineland-Palatinate curriculum · Gymnasium
Physics – grade 11
Introductory phase of the Mainz upper secondary (grade 11). Units are the compulsory and elective modules; the basic course (GF) chooses one elective module, the advanced course (LF) two. The curriculum does not number the modules; the numbers are our own.
Unit GF-PCompulsory modules (basic course)
Kinematics, dynamics and conserved quantities in mechanics.
GF-P.1Kinematics
Position, time, velocity and acceleration; uniform and uniformly accelerated linear motion and uniform circular motion, shown in graphs.
Free fall
A ball falls on Earth, the Moon or Mars and gets faster every second. In a vacuum even a feather keeps up.
Circular motion and centripetal force
A ball swings round on a string, a car drives through a bend. Which force keeps them on a circular path?
GF-P.2Dynamics
Causes of changes in motion, the interaction principle and inertia, using momentum or force.
Adding and resolving forces
Two forces pull on one point. Use the parallelogram of forces to find the total force or to split a force into two.
Circular motion and centripetal force
A ball swings round on a string, a car drives through a bend. Which force keeps them on a circular path?
GF-P.3Conserved quantities in mechanics
Conservation of energy and momentum as a method of balancing, friction in real processes and the vector nature of momentum.
Conservation of energy (roller coaster)
A car rides a roller coaster: energy bars show how potential and kinetic energy turn into each other.
Elastic and inelastic collisions
Two gliders collide on an air track. Before and after are compared to see what stays the same.
Unit GF-WElective modules (basic course, choose one)
Projectile motion or gravitation.
GF-W.1Projectile motion
The superposition principle, vertical and horizontal projection.
Horizontal and oblique projectile motion
Which launch angle goes furthest? On Earth it is 45°, and on the Moon the same ball flies six times as far.
Free fall
A ball falls on Earth, the Moon or Mars and gets faster every second. In a vacuum even a feather keeps up.
GF-W.2Gravitation
The law of gravitation and satellite motion.
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.
Circular motion and centripetal force
A ball swings round on a string, a car drives through a bend. Which force keeps them on a circular path?
Unit LF-PCompulsory modules (advanced course)
Kinematics with error analysis, dynamics and conserved quantities in mechanics.
LF-P.1Kinematics
Quantities describing motion and their functional relations, idealised forms of motion, analysing a real motion and error analysis.
Uniform and accelerated motion (distance–time and velocity–time graphs)
A car drives at a steady speed or speeds up. The graphs for distance, speed and acceleration are drawn live.
Free fall
A ball falls on Earth, the Moon or Mars and gets faster every second. In a vacuum even a feather keeps up.
Circular motion and centripetal force
A ball swings round on a string, a car drives through a bend. Which force keeps them on a circular path?
LF-P.2Dynamics
Causes of changes in motion, the interaction principle and inertia, built up into the concept of interaction.
Adding and resolving forces
Two forces pull on one point. Use the parallelogram of forces to find the total force or to split a force into two.
Inclined plane
A block sits on a slope. At what angle does it start to slide? The weight is split into two parts to find out.
Circular motion and centripetal force
A ball swings round on a string, a car drives through a bend. Which force keeps them on a circular path?
LF-P.3Conserved quantities in mechanics
Balancing energy and momentum, friction and the vector treatment of momentum.
Conservation of energy (roller coaster)
A car rides a roller coaster: energy bars show how potential and kinetic energy turn into each other.
Elastic and inelastic collisions
Two gliders collide on an air track. Before and after are compared to see what stays the same.
Unit LF-WElective modules (advanced course, choose two)
Projectile motion, gravitation or rotation of rigid bodies.
LF-W.1Projectile motion
The superposition principle, vertical, horizontal and oblique projection.
Horizontal and oblique projectile motion
Which launch angle goes furthest? On Earth it is 45°, and on the Moon the same ball flies six times as far.
Free fall
A ball falls on Earth, the Moon or Mars and gets faster every second. In a vacuum even a feather keeps up.
LF-W.2Gravitation
The law of gravitation, satellite motion, energy in the gravitational field and escape velocity.
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.
Circular motion and centripetal force
A ball swings round on a string, a car drives through a bend. Which force keeps them on a circular path?
LF-W.3Rotation of rigid bodies
Moment of inertia, angular momentum, torque and rotational energy by analogy with translation.
Law of the lever
How can a child lift an adult on a seesaw? With the longer arm. Wheelbarrows and bottle openers use the same trick.
The summaries describe the curriculum in our own words. The original text is authoritative. Original text (German): Rahmenlehrplan und Lehrplan, Gymnasium, Physics, grade 11