Inquiry question: What is light?
Students:
● investigate Maxwell’s contribution to the classical theory of electromagnetism, including:
– unification of electricity and magnetism
– prediction of electromagnetic waves
– prediction of velocity (ACSPH113)
● describe the production and propagation of electromagnetic waves and relate these processes qualitatively to the predictions made by Maxwell’s electromagnetic theory (ACSPH112, ACSPH113)
● conduct investigations of historical and contemporary methods used to determine the speed of light and its current relationship to the measurement of time and distance (ACSPH082)
● conduct an investigation to examine a variety of spectra produced by discharge tubes, reflected sunlight or incandescent filaments
● investigate how spectroscopy can be used to provide information about:
– the identification of elements
● investigate how the spectra of stars can provide information on:
– surface temperature
– rotational and translational velocity
– density
– chemical composition
Extract from Physics Stage 6 Syllabus © 2017 NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)