Member Zimbabwe Form Three Physics Studies AI
Zimbabwe Form 3 Physics Syllabus This syllabus emphasizes understanding and applying physics concepts and principles, enabling learners to identify, investigate, and solve problems sustainably. It covers two years, culminating in continuous assessment and a national examination. Aims
Form 3 Topics 1. Measurement and Physical Quantities: Measuring physical quantities, derived quantities, and SI units. Scalars and vectors, resultant of coplanar vectors, and applications. 2. Kinematics: Definitions of speed, velocity, distance, displacement, and acceleration. Equations of linear motion and applications. Drawing and interpreting motion graphs. Definition of free fall, calculations, and applications. 3. Forces: Types of forces. Effects of force on materials, including deformation of solids, tension, compression, Hooke's Law, and spring constant. Effects of force on motion, including weight, momentum, inertia, Newton's laws of motion, and calculations. Friction and its effects, methods of reducing friction, centripetal force and acceleration. Turning effects of a force, moments, principle of moments, and calculations. Center of mass/gravity, stability, and determining the center of mass for various objects. Pressure, calculations, pressure in fluids, atmospheric pressure, barometers, manometers, and applications. 4. Machines: Definition and application of simple machines (inclined plane, levers, pulleys). Calculation of velocity ratio, mechanical advantage, and efficiency. Energy losses in machines and methods for improving efficiency. 5. Mechanical Structures: Beams, trusses, joining materials, and large structures. Strength of beams, effects of push and pull forces, stress distribution, and comparing properties of construction materials. Constructing trusses, stability, and advantages over beams. Methods of joining materials and comparing joint strength. Materials used in large structures, properties of construction materials, design and materials used in different bridge types, use of arches, and dam wall composition and shape. 6. Work, Energy, and Power: Definitions and calculations of work, energy, and power. Types and sources of energy, energy conversion, law of conservation of energy, and calculations. 7. Thermal Physics: Kinetic theory of matter, states of matter, and physical properties. Brownian motion, Charles's Law, Boyle's Law, equation of state, and experiments. Thermal expansion and contraction, applications and consequences, and experiments. Measurement of temperature, fixed points, different types of thermometers, and experiments. Melting and boiling points, effects of impurities and pressure, and experiments. Specific heat capacity, calculations, and experiments. Specific latent heat, calculations, and experiments. Heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation), experiments, and applications. 8. Internal Combustion Engines: Operation of a four-stroke engine, role of the carburetor, advantages of multiple cylinders, and comparison of diesel and petrol engines. Social and economic considerations of using fuels, renewable and non-renewable resources, and safe handling of fuels. 9. Waves: Mechanical wave properties, transverse and longitudinal waves, amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period, and calculations. Propagation of waves, wavefronts, rays, reflection, and refraction. Sound production, transmission in different media, speed of sound, pitch, loudness, quality, echoes, and applications. Electromagnetic spectrum, properties and uses of different components, and applications. Assessment Assessment includes continuous assessment (20%) and summative assessment (80%). Summative assessment consists of:
Continuous assessment includes standardized practical and theory tests and a project. |
