Unit 2: Linear Motion & Waves — Lesson Planner

Unit overview

Notional time: 55 hours (including assessment)
Students describe linear motion, examine relationships between force, momentum and energy, and investigate wave phenomena including sound and light.

Topic 1: Linear motion and force (25 hours)

Module 9 — Linear motion

Lesson	Time	Focus	Subject matter
9.1	30 min	Theory	Vectors and scalars. Symbolise vectors graphically and algebraically.
9.2	60 min	Theory	Distance and displacement. Resultant vectors in one dimension.
9.3	60 min	Theory	Speed and velocity. Compare instantaneous and average velocity.
9.4	60 min	Theory	Graphs of linear motion — constant velocity. Interpret s–t and v–t graphs.
9.5	90 min	Theory	Uniformly accelerated motion graphs. Areas under v–t and a–t graphs.
9.6	60 min	Practical	Practical: s–t and v–t graphs for a ball on an incline.
9.7	60 min	Theory	SUVAT equations. Solve kinematic problems.
9.8	60 min	Theory	Acceleration due to gravity. Motion under gravity.
9.9	60 min	Practical	Practical: Acceleration due to gravity — linearise \(t^2\) vs \(s\) data.

Module 10 — Classical mechanics

Lesson	Time	Focus	Subject matter
10.1	60 min	Theory	Forces and free-body diagrams. Resultant force in 1D.
10.2	30 min	Theory	Newton's three laws. SHE — Newton, Émilie du Châtelet.
10.3–10.4	60 min	Theory	Solve problems: \(a = \frac{F_{net}}{m}\).
10.5	60 min	Theory	Momentum and impulse. Conservation of momentum.
10.6	60 min	Practical	Practical: Conservation of momentum in collisions.
10.7	60 min	Theory	Collision problems: \(\sum mv_{before} = \sum mv_{after}\).

Module 11 — Energy

Lesson	Time	Focus	Subject matter
11.1	60 min	Theory	Work, kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy. Energy problems.
11.2	60 min	Theory	Area under force–displacement graph. Energy–time graphs.
11.3–11.4	120 min	Theory	Elastic vs inelastic collisions. Solve problems.

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Topic 2: Waves (20 hours)

Module 12 — Waves

Lesson	Time	Focus	Subject matter
12.1	30 min	Theory	Mechanical model of waves.
12.2	60 min	Theory	Wave characteristics: frequency, period, wavelength, velocity.
12.3	30 min	Theory	Waves at boundaries. Reflection from fixed/free ends.
12.4	60 min	Practical	Practical: Longitudinal and transverse waves on springs.
12.5	60 min	Theory	Superposition. Constructive and destructive interference.

Module 13 — Sound

Lesson	Time	Focus	Subject matter
13.1	60 min	Theory	Sound waves. Speed of sound in different media.
13.2	60 min	Practical	Practical: Speed of sound.
13.3	30 min	Theory	Intensity and the inverse-square law.

Module 14 — Light

Lesson	Time	Focus	Subject matter
14.1	60 min	Theory	Light as electromagnetic wave. EM spectrum.
14.2	30 min	Theory	Reflection and refraction. Snell's law.
14.3	60 min	Practical	Practical: Refraction of light.
14.4–14.5	60 min	Theory	Total internal reflection. Critical angle. Polarisation.
14.6–14.9	120 min	Theory	Mirrors and lenses. Ray diagrams.
14.10	30 min	Theory	Diffraction and interference of light.