3/3/2021 Physics teacher support material

Physics teacher support material

Introduction

The purpose of the teacher support material

Nature of science
International-mindedness

Structuring a course

Schemes of work
Time allocation for sub-topics
Standard and higher level combined class
Standard level class
Higher level class

Planning activities for a sub-topic

Introduction
Planner for a sub-topic page
Activity 1: Our perception of heat
Activity 2: Science timelines—phlogiston
Activity 3: Heating water
Activity 4: Melting ice—Cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP)
Activity 5: Difference between internal energy and temperature
Activity 6: Database task—specific heat capacity and relative atomic mass
Activity 7: Spreadsheet—equilibrium temperature

Cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP)

A framework for the use of cognitive academic language proficiency

Information and communication technology

Introduction
Use of smart phones
Guidance for the use of simulations

Practical work

Introduction
Errors and uncertainties in physics
The group 4 project
Guidelines for the use of animals in IB World Schools

Internal assessment

Facilitating the individual investigation

The internal assessment criteria
Guidance for the use of the internal assessment criteria

Assessed student work

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Overview
Investigation 1: Determining the charge of an electron using a computer simulation
Investigation 2: Investigating properties of light-dependent resistors
Investigation 3: How does the density of water affect single-slit diffraction patterns of waves?
Investigation 4: Determining the circumstellar habitable zones of five stars
Investigation 5: The relationship between suspension length and period of disk rotation
Investigation 6: An investigation of measuring the permeability of free space constant using simple
solenoids and a magnetic field probe
Investigation 7: Calculating Wien’s constant and evaluating the accuracy of a simulation
Investigation 8: What is the best mathematical model we can use to describe the expansion of the
universe?

Appendix

Changes in the syllabus content

Activity 2: Science timelines—phlogiston

Evidence through experimentation: Scientists from the 17th and 18th centuries were working without the
knowledge of atomic structure and sometimes developed theories that were later found to be incorrect, such as
perpetual motion capabilities. Our current understanding relies on statistical mechanics providing a basis for our
use and understanding of energy transfer in science.

Throughout science history, a number of ideas have been proposed, developed and accepted by scientists. Often,
after a number of years, these ideas are then rejected and replaced with new ideas.

One of these ideas that permeated science from the late 16th century until the late 17th century is phlogiston.

Task 1: Research
Divide students into small groups and give each group a scientist to research.

Ask students to find out about how each scientist contributed to the understanding of phlogiston or refuted the
idea. This will involve some reading and note-making.

Task 2: Presentation and debate

Students should prepare a short (2-minute) talk to the class to introduce “themselves” as the scientist and then
provide “evidence” for the existence (or non-existence) of phlogiston.

Have students present what they have found out, starting with Johann Joachim Becher and finishing with
Antoine Laurent Lavoisier.

Once all students have given their presentations, set up a debate where the “scientists” will question each other,
with students keeping the role of the scientists. Although not all these scientists were living at the same time or
place, it could prove to be a fruitful exercise in defending their ideas. Discussion should not include any modern
ideas about atomic structure or statistical mechanics.

Although quite Eurocentric, this activity highlights the international nature of how scientific ideas have involved
scientists from a number of different countries.

Scientists who could be included

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Johann Joachim Becher (1635–1682)

Robert Boyle (1627–1691)
Georg Ernst Stahl (1660–1734)
Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov (1711–1765)
Joseph Black (1728–1799)
Henry Cavendish (1731–1810)
Joseph Priestley (1733–1804)
Claude Louis Berthollet (1748–1822)
Daniel Rutherford (1749–1819)
Antoine Laurent Lavoisier (1743–1794)

© International Baccalaureate Organization | Mission statement | Learner profile

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