Hooke’s law
Hang weights on a spring and measure how far it stretches. Double the force means double the stretch.
Physics – grade 7
The curriculum assigns these units to exactly this grade (Saxony, Gymnasium up to grade 12; physics from grade 6). The unit numbers are the curriculum’s; optional areas (“Wahlbereiche”) are labelled W1–W3 here.
Unit 1Forces
Force as an arrow, weight, Hooke’s law, the law of the lever, friction, and magnetic and electrostatic forces with field-line patterns.
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 2Current and voltage in circuits
Measuring current and voltage, conduction by electrons, rules for current and voltage in branched and unbranched circuits.
Simple circuit
Build a circuit with a battery, a switch and a lamp, as a set-up and as a circuit diagram. When the circuit is closed, the lamp lights up.
Series and parallel circuits
Connect lamps in series or in parallel and measure current and voltage at different points.
Unit 3Energy converters
Forms of energy and energy conversion, potential energy, conservation of energy in mechanics, efficiency 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 W1Force converters – then and now (optional)
Levers, pulley systems, the bicycle and the golden rule of mechanics.
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 W2Electric circuits in practice (optional)
Recognising everyday circuits and building an application.
Simple circuit
Build a circuit with a battery, a switch and a lamp, as a set-up and as a circuit diagram. When the circuit is closed, the lamp lights up.
Unit W3Flight (optional)
History of flight and dynamic lift on a wing.
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 7