Unit 3: How do fields explain motion and electricity?

Area of Study 3: How fast can things go?

Outcome 3

On completion of this unit the student should be able to investigate motion and related energy transformations experimentally, analyse motion using
Newton’s laws of motion in one and two dimensions, and explain the motion of objects moving at very large speeds using Einstein’s theory of special
relativity.

To achieve this outcome the student will draw on key knowledge outlined in Area of Study 3 and the related key science skills on pages 11 and 12 of the
study design.

Topic 8 Special relativity

Key knowledge

Newton’s laws of motion

• investigate and apply theoretically and practically Newton’s three laws of motion in situations where two or more coplanar forces act along a
straight line and in two dimensions
• investigate and analyse theoretically and practically the uniform circular motion of an object moving in a

• horizontal plane: , including:

o a vehicle moving around a circular road
o a vehicle moving around a banked track
o an object on the end of a string
• model natural and artificial satellite motion as uniform circular motion
• investigate and apply theoretically Newton’s second law to circular motion in a vertical plane (forces at the highest and lowest positions only)
• investigate and analyse theoretically and practically the motion of projectiles near Earth’s surface, including a qualitative description of the
effects of air resistance
• investigate and apply theoretically and practically the laws of energy and momentum conservation in isolated systems in one dimension.

Einstein’s theory of special relativity

• describe Einstein’s two postulates for his theory of special relativity that:
o the laws of physics are the same in all inertial (non-accelerated) frames of reference
 Jacaranda VCE Physics 2 Topic 8 Work program

o the speed of light has a constant value for all observers regardless of their motion or the motion of the source
• compare Einstein’s theory of special relativity with the principles of classical physics
• describe proper time as the time interval between two events in a reference frame where the two events occur at the same point in space
• describe proper length as the length that is measured in the frame of reference in which objects are at rest

• model mathematically time dilation and length contraction at speeds approaching c using the equations: and where

• explain why muons can reach Earth even though their half-lives would suggest that they should decay in the outer atmosphere.

Relationships between force, energy and mass

• investigate and analyse theoretically and practically impulse in an isolated system for collisions between objects
• moving in a straight line:
• investigate and apply theoretically and practically the concept of work done by a constant force using:
o work done = constant force × distance moved in direction of net force
o work done = area under force-distance graph
• analyse transformations of energy between kinetic energy, strain potential energy, gravitational potential energy and energy dissipated to the
environment (considered as a combination of heat, sound and deformation of material):

o kinetic energy at low speeds: ; elastic and inelastic collisions with reference to conservation of kinetic energy

o strain potential energy: area under force-distance graph including ideal springs obeying Hooke’s Law:
o gravitational potential energy: or from area under a force-distance graph and area under a field distance graph multiplied by
mass
• interpret Einstein’s prediction by showing that the total ‘mass-energy’ of an object is given by: where and where
kinetic energy can be calculated by:
• describe how matter is converted to energy by nuclear fusion in the Sun, which leads to its mass decreasing and the emission of electromagnetic
radiation.

John Wiley and Sons Australia, Ltd. 2

 Jacaranda VCE Physics 2 Topic 8 Work program

Term (or Week

Semester) Content Key concept Teaching/learning activities

8.1 Overview

8.1.1 Introduction TOPIC INTRODUCTION ONRESOURCES:

8.1.2 What you will learn • describe Einstein’s two postulates Digital doc: Key science skills —
for his theory of special relativity VCE Physics Units1– 4 (doc-32112)
that: Digital doc: Key terms glossary
• the laws of physics are the same in (doc-32295)
all inertial (non-accelerated) frames
of reference STUDYON:
• the speed of light has a constant
value for all observers regardless of studyON: Revision and practice
their motion or the motion of the exam question booklet (sonr-0057).
source
• compare Einstein’s theory of special
relativity with the principles of
classical physics
• describe proper time as the time
interval between two events in a
reference frame where the two
events occur at the same point in
space
• describe proper length as the
length that is measured in the frame
of reference in which objects are at
rest
• model mathematically time
dilation and length contraction
at speeds approaching c using
the equations: and

John Wiley and Sons Australia, Ltd. 3

 Jacaranda VCE Physics 2 Topic 8 Work program

where
• explain why muons can reach Earth
even though their half-lives would
suggest that they should decay in the
outer atmosphere.
• interpret Einstein’s prediction by
showing that the total ‘mass-energy’
of an object is given by:
where
and where kinetic energy
can be calculated by:

• describe how matter is converted to

energy by nuclear fusion in the Sun,
which leads to its mass decreasing
and the emission of electromagnetic
radiation.

8.2 Einstein’s theory of special relativity

8.2.1 What is relativity? KEY CONCEPTS ONRESOURCES:

8.2.2 Frames of reference • describe Einstein’s two postulates Video eLesson: Michelson–Morley
for his theory of special relativity, experiment (eles-2561)
8.2.3 Comparing Einstein's theories which state that
to earlier principles o the laws of physics are the
same in all inertial (non-
8.2.4 Einstein’s two postulates of accelerated) frames of
special relativity reference
o the speed of light has a
AS A MATTER OF FACT constant value for all
observers regardless of their

John Wiley and Sons Australia, Ltd. 4

 Jacaranda VCE Physics 2 Topic 8 Work program

motion or the motion of the

source.
• compare Einstein’s theory of special
relativity with the principles of
classical physics.
8.3 Time dilation

8.3.1 Time dilation and modern KEY CONCEPTS

technology
• describe proper time as the time
interval between two events in a
reference frame where the two
events occur at the same point in
space
• model mathematically time dilation
and length contraction at speeds
approaching c using the equations:

and where

8.4 Length contraction

AS A MATTER OF FACT KEY CONCEPTS

• describe proper length as the
length that is measured in the frame
of reference in which objects are at
rest
• model mathematically time dilation
and length contraction at speeds
approaching c using the equations:

John Wiley and Sons Australia, Ltd. 5

 Jacaranda VCE Physics 2 Topic 8 Work program

and where

8.5 Seeing relativistic effects

8.5.1 The journey of muons KEY CONCEPT

• explain why muons can reach Earth
even though their half-lives would
suggest that they should decay in the
outer atmosphere.

8.6 Einstein’s mass-energy relationship

8.6.1 Kinetic energy in special KEY CONCEPTS

relativity
• interpret Einstein’s prediction by
8.6.2 Mass conversion in the Sun showing that the total ‘mass-energy’
of an object is given by:
where
and where kinetic energy
can be calculated by:

• describe how matter is converted to

energy by nuclear fusion in the Sun,
which leads to its mass decreasing
and the emission of electromagnetic
radiation.

8.7 Review

John Wiley and Sons Australia, Ltd. 6

 Jacaranda VCE Physics 2 Topic 8 Work program

8.7.1 Summary TOPIC REVIEW ONRESOURCES:

8.7.2 Key terms Digital doc: Key terms glossary

(doc-32295)

STUDYON SIT TOPIC TEST:

Unit 4 | AOS 1 | Topic 8

John Wiley and Sons Australia, Ltd. 7