Physics 1 STEM Elective Subject Learning Competencies

Physics 1 is an 80-hour academic elective course introducing fundamental principles of matter, motion, forces, and energy. It covers topics like measurement, kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum, rotational mechanics, and periodic motion, aiming to develop scientific inquiry, mathematical reasoning, and an appreciation for physics in technology and STEM careers.

By the end of the term, learners will accurately measure using pertinent units, compute resultant vectors, analyze motion graphs, and explain one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and relative motion. They will also apply basic physics principles to describe and predict motion in everyday situations.

This module covers the introduction to physics, kinematics, dynamics, Newton's laws of motion, work, power, energy, and momentum. It also introduces rotational mechanics (motion, force and torque, mass and moment of inertia) and periodic motion (oscillations, simple harmonic motion).

The first competencies involve evaluating physics' societal impact and career opportunities, conducting simple experiments on translational motion with various measuring tools, and defining fundamental quantities with their SI units (length, mass, time, temperature, electric current).

Learners will calculate displacement, velocity, and acceleration in one-dimensional motion. They will also create and interpret motion graphs (displacement-time, velocity-time, acceleration-time) and derive and apply the four kinematic equations for uniformly accelerated motion.

These competencies cover investigations into two-dimensional projectile and circular motion, explaining moving reference frames and relative motion, and solving physics problems involving uniformly accelerated, projectile, circular, and relative motion in various contexts like vehicles and spacecraft.

Students will conduct experiments on forces using measuring tools, determine resultants of one- and two-dimensional vectors using analytical methods, and apply Newton's laws of motion to solve problems involving equilibrium and non-equilibrium cases.

Competencies include calculating work and power in practical situations, explaining energy conservation in real-life scenarios (roller coasters, hydroelectric dams), and understanding impulse and the conservation of linear momentum applied in sports, vehicle safety, and space exploration.

Learners will describe rotational motion using angular displacement, velocity, acceleration, and frequency. They will explain phenomena like torque, moment of inertia, and angular momentum, and design prototypes applying rotational motion principles to improve processes in industries like automotive and manufacturing.

The final competencies involve demonstrating simple harmonic motion (SHM) concepts through activities and secondary sources, describing SHM in terms of amplitude, period, frequency, and phase, and using mathematical models to solve for and describe displacement, velocity, and acceleration in SHM.