Hooke’s law
Hang weights on a spring and measure how far it stretches. Double the force means double the stretch.
Physics – grade 8
Grade 8 (nine-year Gymnasium), shown is the science branch (NW branch); other branches have their own curricula with partly different topics. “Handling measurement data in physics” is practised in all topic fields. The numbers are our own.
Unit 1Force
Measuring force, weight, force as a vector, friction, force converters.
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.
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.
Unit 2Mechanical energy
Work, energy and power.
Conservation of energy (roller coaster)
A car rides a roller coaster: energy bars show how potential and kinetic energy turn into each other.
Unit 3Pressure
Pressure as a state, hydrostatic pressure, air pressure, buoyancy.
No separate simulation is planned for this.
Unit 4Temperature
Measuring temperature, the equation of state for ideal gases.
Particle model and temperature
Ice melts, water boils, and the temperature stops rising meanwhile. The particles show where the energy goes in between.
Gas laws
Push the piston halfway in and the pressure doubles. Heat the gas and it pushes the piston out. Pressure, volume and temperature are tightly linked.
Unit 5Thermal energy and heat
Specific heat capacity, heat transfer.
Particle model and temperature
Ice melts, water boils, and the temperature stops rising meanwhile. The particles show where the energy goes in between.
Unit 6Elective topic or practical
Elective topic or practical chosen by the teacher.
No separate simulation is planned for this.
The summaries describe the curriculum in our own words. The original text is authoritative. Original text (German): Lehrplan, Gymnasium, Physics, grade 8