1. Vicphysics Exam Solutions
The Vicphysics Exam Solutions are available on the website.
The solutions are detailed as they are written for students when they will be using the exam paper as part of their revision in future years. They include a suggested marking scheme and when the chief assessor's report is released, the percentage correct for each question and for the multiple-choice questions, a comment on any common wrong answers.
In addition, this year there are also sample dot point answers to encourage students to use that format when answering questions.
Also, at the end of the document, as with previous solutions, there are additional questions that can be asked using the information in the stems of the questions.
At the link above can also be found at the bottom of the webpage a spreadsheet of the Grade Points, going back to 1999. These are the raw score cut off for a particular grade. The cumulative percentage of candidates is also included alongside the raw score. The table also has the mean and standard deviation for each exam. The data for each year is added as it becomes available sometime late in Term 1.
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2. Newsletter and Website Readership Survey
Teachers are now accessing information and resources by a variety of technologies, each with their benefits and constraints.
To assist with presenting our material in the most useful way, we are interested in identifying which technologies you use. For example, how many read the newsletter on their smart phone.
Also over January we will be modifying the website to make it easier for you to find the resources you want.
So we would appreciate you taking a few minutes to answer a few questions in this survey.
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3. Combined Classes Meeting: Thurs, 28th Nov
A number of schools are asking their physics teacher to take Year 11 and Year 12 physics in the one class. This situation has many challenges and often the school does not provide support such as extra class time, reduced duty, etc.
Vicphysics has produced some resources to help such teachers. they are located here.
There have also been zoom sessions in the last two years for teachers to share their experiences and solutions.
The date for next week's meeting has been changed to Thursday, 28th November, starting at 3:45pm. Please join at any time. If you would like to participate, please register here.
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4. Schrodinger's Cormorant
Schrodinger's Cormorant is a website for students prepared by Phil Evans, a UK physics teacher.
He is keen to provide a resource for students who are intrigued by special relativity and quantum physics and want to find out more, but many of the resources are either too basic or too challenging.
The content is broken up into small sections, each with a problem or two and has an engaging conversational style, see example below.
'Within a couple of years of Louis (de Broglie) first making his proposal, Clinton Davisson and Lester Germer found themselves firing a beam of electrons at a nickel surface, hoping to find out something interesting about the nickel. Instead they found out something remarkable about the electrons: they had the information needed to test Louis’ prediction. “Just because we did it by accident doesn’t mean we’re not great,” Clinton and Lester point out, brandishing their Nobel prize medals. Alexander Fleming hurries over to back them up. '
5. Classroom Physics: an IOP Journal
Classroom Physics is a quarterly magazine for UK physics teachers that is delivered to schools, but digital versions are available online a few months later. The magazine is obviously focussed on events and schooling in the UK, however there are articles and practical activities that will be of interest to any physics teacher.
The September 2024 edition, for example, has articles on the following:
- Physics and Maths: Separated by a common language (You say equation, I say formula. You say variable, I say quantity. Let’s call the whole thing off…). The article also has links to references. (Pg 8)
- A classroom activity: Rechargeable cell (Pg 10)
- A classroom activity: Investigating propellers with a top load balance (Pg 12)
This link gives you access to each quarterly edition going back to 2007. Each edition has a title for the main story, but that does not give you the full picture of what is in each edition. For example, the title for the Sept 2024 edition is 'Physics on the go: The transportation issue' with articles about hydrogen and electric powered cars.
Physics Days at Luna Park: Dates and Cost and Synchrotron Tours
Bookings will open in late December once Luna Park's end of school year activities are over.
The cost next year will be $35 per student with teachers free. I n 2025 Physics Days at Luna Park will be on from Monday, 3rd March to Friday, 7th, March
In the past, Luna Park invoiced the school after the event. Once the actual student numbers are known, they will now require a deposit of 30% to confirm the booking, which must be paid four weeks prior to the event. ou can now seek your school's approval for the activity.
Synchrotron Tours: As an add on and also a benefit to regional schools for whom the trip to Melbourne is a major commitment, the Australian Synchrotron is offering Synchrotron tours at 3pm. Each tour runs for one hour and has a limit of 24 students. The tour is free, with ANSTO covering the cost for two days and Vicphysics the other two days. Tours will be available from Monday to Thursday. Tours can be booked now.
Note: The website, see link below, displays the number of spots still available, so bookings cannot be confirmed until the numbers from that day's bookings are tallied.
An aerobatic display has been requested, but confirmation will not be received until February.
It is expected that the RAAF flight simulators will be back.
Information on the day and worksheets as well as booking for a Tour can be found here
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a) AIP Congress 2024: Teachers' Day, Weds, 4th December, Melbourne Convention Centre: Small number of Free Tickets
The Australian Institute of Physics Congress will be held from December 2-5 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The program on Wednesday, 4 December, will focus on education.
Sessions of interest to teachers include:
Tuesday Public Lecture 7pm. What you shouldn't know about Quantum Physics
Presenter: A/Prof Chris Ferrie. He is at the University of Technology Sydney, where he researches and lec
tures on quantum physics, computation, and engineering. He is the co-founder of Eigensystems, a quantum computing start-up with a mission to democratise access to quantum computing through education. As the #1 best-selling science author for kids, he has written over fifty children’s books about science and a few for adults. You can find Chris online at csferrie.com.
(No registration is required; this is a public lecture).
Venue: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
Date: Wednesday, December 4
Normal one day Cost: $130, which includes lunch and morning tea
To register: AIP Congress 2024 website
Wednesday will have a focus on education.
8-9am: Education Breakfast (additional registration required) Artificial Intelligence in Physics Education
9:45am: Plenary by Prof Manjula Sharma Declining physics student numbers: Can we reverse the trend? Prof Sharma is Professor of Science Education at the University of Sydney and Director of the STEM Teacher Enrichment Academy.
11am-12:30pm Focus Session - Bridging High School and Tertiary Physics will bring together secondary and tertiary educators with lightning talks and table discussions on laboratory learning and university-secondary outreach programs in physics
2:30pm-4:00pm: Education presentations: Education Across Settings. A series of invited and contributed talks will look at effective approaches to physics teaching and physics education across settings.
5-6pm: Education presentations: Effective Approaches to Teaching
Thursday
3-4pm: Education presentations: Labs and Hands on Learning
b) Talk, Dinner and Catching Up: Space Weather. 6:30pm, Wednesday, December 11, at the Hawthorn Hotel and online
To celebrate the end of the year, there will be a networking event on Wednesday, December 11th, at the Hawthorn Hotel on Burwood Rd.As part of the evening, Paul Butler will speak on Space Weather: Auroras and Solar Maxima.
Paul's talk will also be available online. Your science colleagues will also find his talk of value.
The cost to attend in person is $40 ($35 for Vicphysics members), which includes food and drinks.
Registration: to book a seat or request online access, click here. The abstract is also available online.
For a copy of this flyer click here
Speaker: Paul has been teaching VCE and IB Physics for many years. He is actively involved in radio astronomy using his own radio telescope at home and through online radio telescopes around the world. Paul was recently elected as a Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers Director and Board member.
c) PHYSCON 2025 - Making a Quantum Leap: Registration open
Vicphysics Teachers’ Network Inc is excited to announce that “PHYSCON 2025 – Making a Quantum Leap,” a hybrid conference for all teachers of Physics, will be taking place on Friday, 21 February online and at Swinburne University of Technology’s Hawthorn Campus with the support of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
2025 is the international “Year of Quantum,” and we are very fortunate to have Professor Nicolas Menicucci from RMIT give the keynote address at the conference. He is an outstanding communicator who is leading the Australian national campaign to raise awareness of the ubiquity and importance of quantum phenomena and the opportunities that quantum technologies present for those with physics knowledge and skills.
The other keynote speaker is Prof Manjula Sharma from the University of Sydney. Prof Sharma is a professor of Science Education and is active in STEM and teacher enrichment. She will speak on 'Curiosity, inquiry and emotional engagement.'
Program features:
- Inspiring keynote speakers: quantum physicist, Prof Nick Menicucci and physics education expert, Prof Manjula Sharma, see details above.
- Four sessions encompassing more than 40 workshops relevant to secondary Physics teaching and learning, many livestreamed and available post event on demand,
- Presentations by the VCE Physics Chief Assessor and the VCAA Science Curriculum Manager,
- Includes networking opportunities, exhibitors, cutting-edge laboratory tours and Saturday excursions.
Flyer Program
To check out the Conference fees and to Register click here Early bird discounts before 18th Dec
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There are two schools seeking a physics teacher.
The Job Ads page on Vicphysics website is updated every weekend. The webpage also has a link on how schools can register a position and lodge a payment for this service.
- McKinnon Secondary College (closes 1st December)
- Drouin Secondary College (closes 25th November)
i) Vicphysics Membership and Access to the Teachers' Resources on the website.
Vicphysics has changed its membership structure, benefits and fees. Previously, a subscription to the website resources was separate from being a member of Vicphysics. Access to website resources is now being included as one of a number of member benefits.
Membership benefits include:
- access to teacher resources section of the website
- discounts to attend conferences, in-services, etc,
- certification for attending each PD event,
- PL certificate for committee meetings supplied at the end of the calendar year and
- voting rights.
Membership fees are: Individual: $60, Retired: $40, Student (tertiary): $40, School: $120.
Vicphysics also offers a Resources Access Only option without the discounts and other benefits listed above. The fees for this option are the same as above.
Existing subscribers currently receive discounts, which will cease when their subscription expires. At that point, subscribers will need to choose between the two options above for continued access to the Teacher resources.
We are looking forward to increasing the membership base of Vicphysics and to fostering member input into our extensive range of activities from Physics teaching professional learning such as our recent SAC PD events or the Physics Teachers Conference to supporting activities for students, such as the Luna Park Physics Days or photo and poster competitions.
You can join us here!
ii) Vicphysics Forum: Tips and Questions for the Physics Teaching Community
The Vicphysics Teachers’ Network has set up an online Forum for teachers to raise issues, seek ideas, offer suggestions, etc.
Link here directly, or look out for it on our webpage where it can be found at the top right of our home page.
We hope it will be an opportunity for mutual professional development.
The forum is open to all teachers. If you are a subscriber, you can log in the usual way. If you are not a subscriber, you can register to use the forum at ‘My Account’. Given the purposes of this Forum, we ask that you use your real name when generating a topic or lodging a post.
We hope this Forum will become a valuable medium for exchanging ideas as we begin planning the new study design.
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Items selected from the bulletin of the Institute of Physics (UK).
Each item below includes the introductory paragraphs and a web link to the rest of the article.
a) Lightning sets off bursts of high-energy electrons in Earth’s inner radiation belt
A supposedly stable belt of radiation 7000 km above the Earth’s surface may in fact be producing damaging bursts of high-energy electrons. According to scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder, US, the bursts appear to be triggered by lightning, and understanding them could help determine the safest “windows” for launching spacecraft – especially those with a human cargo.
b) Space travel: the health effects of space radiation and building a lunar GPS
A podcast on the biological effects of space radiation on astronauts. Despite the real dangers, the human body appears to be more resilient to radiation than are the microelectronics used on spacecraft. Also a plan to implement a universal time standard for the Moon
c) Space-based solar power: ‘We have nothing to lose and everything to gain
The most important and pressing issue of our times is the transition to clean energy while meeting rising global demand. Cheap, abundant and reliable energy underpins the quality of life for all – and one potentially exciting way to do this is space-based solar power (SBSP). It would involve capturing sunlight in space and beaming it as microwaves down to Earth, where it would be converted into electricity to power the grid. NASA published a report from its Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy that questioned the cost and practicality of SBSP
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