VCE PHYSICS
Summary of proposed changes to the study design
This table provides detailed information about proposed changes to the VCE Physics study
design.
General changes
Feature
Current study design
Proposal for revised study design
Detailed studies

Students undertake two Detailed
Studies from a set of six that are
offered across Units 1 and 2


Students undertake one Detailed
Study that is offered from a set of
six across Units 3 and/or 4


©VCAA, August 2014
Students undertake one Focus
Study from a set of 11 in Unit 2
Area of Study 2, with a further
aspect of a Focus Study being
able to be undertaken in Unit 2
Area of Study 3 as a practical
investigation
No Detailed Studies are offered
across Units 3 and 4
Unit 4 Area of Study 3 is a skillsbased area of study where
students undertake a practical
investigation related to content in
Units 3 and/or 4
VCE PHYSICS
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES
Specific changes
Section
Current study design
Proposal for revised study design
Scope of study
A single Rationale covers both
proposed Scope of study and
Rationale
Explains aspects of the broad
discipline of physics that is included
in VCE Physics
Rationale
Explains the importance of studying
VCE Physics, including postsecondary pathways
Aims
Includes a set of nine VCE Physics
aims
Proposes set of two VCE Physicsspecific aims and a set of seven
generic aims which apply to all VCE
sciences (Biology, Chemistry,
Environmental Science, Physics and
Psychology)
Key science
skills
A set of key skills is described under
three general headings
A set of key science skills is
described under seven general
headings which apply to all VCE
sciences, with elaborations specific
to VCE Physics
Unit questions
No unit titles or questions are
included in the current study design
Unit questions are designed to link
concepts and ideas across the unit
and to reflect the inquiry nature of
science
 Unit 1: How can the unseen be
explained?
 Unit 2: How do observations
shape knowledge?
 Unit 3: How does energy relate to
nature?
 Unit 4: Why are light and matter
so challenging to explain?
Area of study
questions
Area of study has short phrases as
titles
Area of study has questions as titles
which are designed to enable
exploration of the concepts and ideas
related to the topics within the area of
study
Key knowledge
sub-headings
Key knowledge is listed as a set of
dot points
Key knowledge dot points are listed
under sets of sub-headings
©VCAA, August 2014
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VCE PHYSICS
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES
Section
Current study design
Proposal for revised study design
Unit 1
Area of Study 1
Nuclear physics and radioactivity
 nuclear stability
 radioactive decay
 origin, detection, penetration and
effects on humans of α, β and γ
radiation
 effects of ionising radiation on
living things and the environment
 nuclear transformations and
decay series diagrams
 natural and artificial isotopes
 neutron absorption and
production of artificial
radioisotopes
 risks in the use of nuclear
reactions and radioactivity
Can the Universe be explained?
Topics:
 the origin and fate of the Universe
 the composition of the Universe
 scientific exploration of the origin
and composition of the Universe
Electricity
 electric circuits
 resistance in series and parallel
circuits
 modelling of simple electric
circuits and household electricity
connections
 electric shock
 practical investigations of the
operation of simple circuits
 safe use of electricity
How can thermal effects be
explained?
Topics:
 Thermodynamics principles
 Thermodynamics and global
warming

How can electricity be explained?
Topics:
 concepts used to model electricity
 circuit electricity
 using electricity
 electrical safety
Unit 1
Area of Study 2
Unit 1
Area of Study 3
Detailed study (first selection
from a choice of six)
This is a new area of study related to
cosmology and including the Big
Bang theory, the Standard Model and
string theory. There is a focus on
how we know what we know about
the Universe.
This is a new area of study. Students
explore thermodynamics though one
of more of three contexts: the car, the
home and/or Earth
Content is similar to current Unit 1
Area of Study 2
©VCAA, August 2014
3
VCE PHYSICS
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES
Section
Current study design
Proposal for revised study design
Unit 2
Area of Study 1
Motion
 vectors and scalars
 straight-line and non-uniform
motion in a straight line
 forces
 weight
 application of Newton’s three
laws of motion
 work
 Hooke’s law for an ideal spring
 energy transfers and
transformations
 momentum
 impulse
How can motion be described?
Topics:
 concepts used to model motion
 forces and motion
 energy and motion
Wave-like properties of light
 transverse waves
 calculations of wavelength,
frequency, period, and speed of
travel of light waves
 reflection, refraction and total
internal reflection
 light as a wave and a particle
 polarisation
 visible light
 colour
Proposed set of 11 Focus Studies:
 What are stars?
 Is there intelligent life beyond
Earth’s solar system?
 How do forces act on the human
body?
 How can AC electricity charge a
DC mobile phone?
 How do heavy things fly?
 How do fusion and fission
compare as viable nuclear energy
power sources?
 How is radiation used in medical
imaging and diagnosis?
 How do particle accelerators and
colliders work?
 How can human vision be
extended?
 How do instruments make music?
 How can physics be applied to
improve performance in ball
sports?
Unit 2
Area of Study 2
Content is similar to current Unit 2
Area of Study 1:
 inclusion of g = 9.8
 inclusion of the concept of torque
and analysis of structures, from
the current Unit 3 and 4 Detailed
Study of ‘Materials and their use
in structures’
 deletion of reference to ‘weight’
Content contains new material in
addition to content derived from
current Areas of Study and Detailed
Studies across Units 1 to 4
©VCAA, August 2014
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VCE PHYSICS
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES
Section
Current study design
Proposal for revised study design
Unit 2
Area of Study 3

Student-designed practical
investigation related to waves, fields
or motion
 new Area of Study with a skills
focus
 investigation question relates to
content in Unit 2 Areas of Study 1
and/or 2
 student designed and conducted
 involves collection of primary
qualitative and/or quantitative
data
Unit 3
Area of Study 1
Motion in one and two dimensions
 application of Newton’s three
laws of motion in one and two
dimensions
 uniform circular motion
 projectile motion
 momentum and impulse
 work
 energy transformations
 gravitational fields and forces
 weight, apparent weight,
weightlessness, apparent
weightlessness
 satellite motion
How do things move when there is
no contact?
Topics:
 fields and interactions
 effects of fields
 application of field concepts
Electronics and photonics
 operation of electronic circuits
 parallel and series circuits
 opto-electronic devices
 transfer of information in
analogue form
 design, investigation and analysis
of circuits for particular purposes
 voltage characteristics of
amplifiers
How efficient is the delivery of
electrical energy to homes?
Topics:
 generation of electricity
 transmission of electricity
 impact of electricity
Unit 3
Area of Study 3
©VCAA, August 2014
Detailed study (second selection
from a choice of six)
Content relates to fields:
 derived from several areas of
study in the current study design
related to electric, magnetic and
gravitational fields
 includes Coulomb’s law and the
magnetic force on a moving
charge
Content is similar to current Unit 4
Area of Study 1
5
VCE PHYSICS
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES
Section
Current study design
Proposal for revised study design
Unit 3
Area of Study 2
Not included
Is there a limit to how fast things can
go?
Topics
 Newtonian theories of motion
 Einsteinian theories of motion
 relationships between force,
energy and mass
 relativity
Content is similar to current Unit 3
Area of Study 1, but with the
inclusion of relativity
Unit 4
Area of Study 1
Unit 4
Area of Study 2
©VCAA, August 2014
Electric power
 application of a vector field model
to magnetic phenomena
 calculations related to current
carrying wires
 simple DC motors
 magnetic flux
 generation of emf
 DC motors, DC generators and
AC alternators
 transformer action
 power supply
 use of transformers in electricity
distribution system
How can waves explain the
behaviour of light?
Topics:
 properties of mechanical waves
 light as a wave
 changing direction
 polarisation of light
Interactions of light and matter
 Young’s double slit experiment
 diffraction patterns
 photoelectric effect
 light as a wave and a particle
 de Broglie wavelength of matter
 momentum of photons and of
matter of the same wavelength
 atomic absorption and emission
spectra
 absorption of photons by atoms
How are light and matter similar?
Topics:
 behaviour of light
 matter as particles or waves
 similarities between light and
matter
Content similar to content from
current Unit 2 Area of Study 2 but
includes:
 calculations of Brewster’s Angle
 applications of polarisation
Content:
 similar to current content in Unit 4
Area of Study 2
 new content includes
Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle
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VCE PHYSICS
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES
Section
Current study design
Proposal for revised study design
Unit 4
Area of Study 3

Student-designed practical
investigation related to waves, fields
or motion
 new area of study with a skills
focus
 investigation question relates to
content in Unit 3 and/or 4
 may be undertaken in either Unit
3, Unit 4 or across both Units 3
and 4
 student designed and conducted
 involves collection of primary
quantitative data
 results presented as a scientific
poster
Units 3 and/or 4
scientific poster
template
Not included
Scientific poster template provided
which includes identified sections
and suggested marking scheme
Practical
logbook
Practical logbook not mandated
Students are required to maintain a
practical logbook for record,
authentication and assessment
purposes
Schoolassessed
Course
School-assessed Coursework is
weighted across five outcomes
Proposed School-assessed
Coursework is equally weighted
across 6 outcomes
©VCAA, August 2014
Detailed study (one from a choice
of six)
7
VCE PHYSICS
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES
ASSESSMENT
Units 1 and 2
Assessment tasks in the current and proposed study designs are similar although some have
been updated to reflect current assessment practice and the nature of the discipline.
Current Unit 1 assessment tasks
Proposed Unit 1 assessment tasks
Assessment tasks for this unit are:
A practical investigation (student
designed or adapted)
and
A selection from the following:
 an annotated folio of practical
activities
 a data analysis
 a multimedia or web page
presentation
 a response to a media article
 a summary report of selected
practical investigations including
maintenance of a logbook
 a written report
 a test (short answer and extended
response).
For Outcomes 1 and 2:
Assessment tasks for this unit should be selected
from the following:
 report of a practical investigation (studentdesigned or adapted) using an appropriate
format, for example, a scientific poster,
practical report, oral communication or digital
presentation.
and
A selection from the following:
 annotated folio of practical activities
 data analysis
 media response
 summary report of selected practical
investigations including maintenance of a
logbook
 modelling activity
 reflective learning journal/blog related to
selected activities or in response to an issue
 test comprising multiple choice and/or short
answer and/or extended response.
The assessment tasks may be written, oral or
multi-modal.
©VCAA, August 2014
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VCE PHYSICS
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES
Current Unit 2 assessment tasks
Proposed Unit 2 assessment tasks
Assessment tasks for this unit are:
A practical investigation (student
designed, adapted or extended)
and
A selection from the following:
 an annotated folio of practical
activities
 a data analysis
 a multimedia or web page
presentation
 a response to a media article
 a summary report of selected
practical investigations including
maintenance of a logbook
 a written report
 a test (short answer and extended
response).
Assessment tasks for this unit should be selected
from the following:
For Outcomes 1 and 2:
A selection from the following:
 annotated folio of practical activities
 data analysis
 media response
 summary report of selected practical
investigations including maintenance of a
logbook
 modelling activity
 reflective learning journal/blog related to
selected activities or in response to an issue
 test comprising multiple choice and/or short
answer and/or extended response.
The assessment tasks may be written, oral or
multi-modal.
and
For Outcome 3:
 report of a practical investigation (studentdesigned or adapted) using an appropriate
format, for example, a scientific poster,
practical report, oral communication or digital
presentation.
©VCAA, August 2014
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VCE PHYSICS
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES
Proposed Unit 3 assessment
The nature of assessment tasks in the current and proposed study designs are similar although
only two Outcomes exist currently for Unit 3 and three Outcomes are included in the proposed
study design. Some assessment tasks have been updated to reflect current assessment
practice and the nature of the discipline. An indication of time for the task is intended to provide
greater comparability in the scope of the tasks across classes and schools, and to reduce
School-assessed Coursework load for teachers and students.
Outcomes
Outcome 1
Analyse gravitational, electrical
and magnetic fields, and use
these to explain the operation of
motors and particle accelerators
Outcome 2
Analyse and evaluate an
electricity generation and
distribution system.
Outcome 3
Investigate motion and related
energy transformations
experimentally, analyse motion
using the Newtonian model in
one and two dimensions, and
describe the motion of objects
moving at very large speeds
using Einsteinian models.
Total marks
Marks allocated*
30
30
30
Assessment tasks
For Outcomes 1, 2 and 3:
At least one different task for each
Outcome selected from:

annotations of at least two practical
activities from a practical logbook

report of a student investigation

analysis of data including
generalisations and conclusions

media analysis/response

extended response questions

reflective blog

A test (short answer and extended
response)
(approximately 50 minutes per task)
90
*School-assessed Coursework for Unit 3 contributes 20 per cent.
©VCAA, August 2014
10
VCE PHYSICS
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES
Proposed Unit 4 assessment
Assessment tasks in the current and proposed study designs are similar for Outcomes 1, 2 and
3 although some have been updated to reflect current assessment practice and the nature of
the discipline. An indication of time for the task is intended to provide greater comparability in
the scope of the task across classes and schools, and to reduce School-assessed Coursework
load for teachers and students.
The proposed Outcome 3 task may be undertaken in Unit 3, Unit 4, or across Unit 3 and Unit 4,
but will be reported as part of Unit 4 School-assessed Coursework and mirrors the current
assessment task for Unit 4 Outcome 3. A template has been constructed for production of the
associated scientific poster task to assist in staged completion and authentication of student
work.
Outcomes
Outcome 1
Apply wave principles to
analyse, interpret and explain
wave phenomena.
Outcome 2
Provide evidence for the nature
of light and matter, and analyse
the data from experiments that
provide this evidence.
Outcome 3
Undertake an investigation
related to the motion of particles
or matter, and present
methodologies, findings and
conclusions as a scientific
poster.
Total marks
Marks allocated*
30
30
30
Assessment tasks
For Outcomes 1 and 2:
At least one different task for each
Outcome selected from:
 annotations of at least two
practical activities from a practical
logbook
 report of a student investigation
 analysis of data including
generalisations and conclusions
 media analysis/response
 extended response questions
 reflective blog
(approximately 50 minutes)
Structured scientific poster according
to VCAA template
(maximum 1000 words)
90
*School-assessed Coursework for Unit 4 contributes 20 per cent.
©VCAA, August 2014
11