Study & Master

Support Pack | Grade 12

CAPS

Physical Sciences
Physics information sheets
This support pack for the Physics section of the Physical
Sciences Grade 12 CAPS curriculum provides revision of
important basic information and concepts that learners need
to know to successfully cope with Physics at Grade 12 level.
Learners can work through these individually at home or these
could form the basis of a catch-up class or online lesson.
You have permission to print or photocopy this document
or distribute it electronically via email or WhatsApp.
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African publisher – we are providing this material in response
to the need to support teachers and learners during the school
shutdown and for the remainder of the 2020 school year.
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 Physics information sheets

SI units
In South Africa we use the International System of Units. This is abbreviated as
SI (from the French name Système International d’Unitès). There are seven basic
units and all other units are derived from these seven. They are:
• length (distance) in metres (m)
• time in seconds (s)
• mass in kilograms (kg)
• electric current in ampere (A)
• temperature in kelvin (K)
• luminous intensity in candela (cd)
• amount of substance in mole (mol).

A set of derived units is also used. Here is a list of some of these units that you
will come across in this book:
Quantity Symbol SI unit
Position x, y metre (m)
Displacement Dx, Dy or s metre (m)
Acceleration a metre per second squared (m·s−2)
Initial velocity vi or u metre per second (m·s−1)
Final velocity vf or v metre per second (m·s−1)
Time (instant) t second (s)
Time interval Dt second (s)
Mass m kilogram (kg)
Weight w newton (N)
Gravitational acceleration g metre per second squared (m·s−2)
Force F newton (N)
Normal force N newton (N)
Tension T newton (N)
Friction force f newton (N)
Coefficient of friction m, ms, md no units
Potential energy U or Ep joule (J)
Kinetic energy K or Ek joule (J)
Momentum p kilogram metre per second (kg·m·s−1)
Frequency f hertz (Hz)
Period T second (s)
Wave speed v metre per second (m·s−1)
Wavelength l metre (m)
Voltage or potential difference V volt (V)
Work done W joule (J)
Emf « volt (V)
Electric charge Q, q coulomb (C)
Electric current I ampere (A)
Resistance R ohm (Ω)
Internal resistance r ohm (Ω)
Magnetic field B tesla (T)
Magnetic flux F weber (Wb)
Work function of a metal W0 joule (J)
Energy transferred E joule (J)
Power P watt (W)
Other units that are sometimes used:
Quantity Symbol Other units
Displacement Dx kilometre (km); mile
Time t minute (min); hour (h)
Velocity v kilometres per hour (km·h–1);
miles per hour (mph)

Indicating units
There are a number of ways to indicate units: metres per second is the unit of
speed. This unit means that you divide the distance in metres by the time in
seconds. According to the SI system, this unit can be written as m/s, m s–1 or m·s–1.

SI prefixes
To convert in the decimal system, you need to know the metric multiples:
Prefix Abbreviation Factor
tera- T 1012
giga- G 109
mega- M 106
kilo- k 103 = 1 000
hecto- h 102 = 100
deca- da 101 = 10
deci- d 10–1 = 0,1
centi- c 10–2 = 0,01
milli- m 10–3 = 0,001
micro- µ 10– 6
nano- n 10– 9
pico- p 10–12

Converting units
Units must always be converted to SI units.

To convert 2 hours to minutes, multiply by 60, and then to get seconds, multiply by
60 again.

Example: 2 h 3 60 5 120 min 3 60 5 7 200 s

To convert from seconds to hours, divide by 3 600 (60 3 60).

To convert within the decimal system, multiply by the correct factor and use the
correct prefix according to the list of metric multiples above.

Example:

310 310 310 310 310 310

→ → → → → →
km hm dam m dm cm mm
← ← ← ← ← ←
410 410 410 410 410 410
To convert from km·h–1 to m·s–1:
km 1 000 m 1 km·h–1
1 h 5 60 3 60 s 5 3,6 5 0,278 m·s–1 ∴ 3,6 5 m·s–1

To convert from m·s–1 to km·h–1:

m 60 3 60 s
1 s 5 1 000 m ​ 5 3,6 km·h–1 ∴ m·s–1 3 3,6 5 km·h–1

Greek symbols
We sometimes use the letters from the Greek alphabet as symbols in science.
In Grade 12 we will use the following symbols:
Greek letter Greek name Meaning in science Example
a Alpha Subatomic particle a-particle
b Beta Subatomic particle b-particle
g Gamma Subatomic particle g-particle
d Delta Partially d− partially negative
l Lambda Wavelength l55m
∆ Delta (capital) Change in ∆v change in velocity
s Sigma Stress force
s 5 area

ℰ Epsilon Strain DL
ℰ5 L
t Tau Symbol for torque t 5 F r
F Phi Symbol for magnetic flux F5B3A
Ω Omega Ohm Unit of resistance: R = 5 Ω

Measurement and uncertainty

In science we investigate physical and chemical phenomena, and investigations
often involve the measurement of certain physical quantities. When we measure,
we compare the unknown quantity with a known measurement of that quantity.
Accurate measurement forms an important part of science. Measuring instruments
have a limited accuracy that must always be taken into account. For example, when
you measure a plank of wood with a ruler, the smallest division on the ruler will
also give the accuracy of the measurement. In the diagram the smallest unit on the
ruler is 1 mm. The length of the plank will be 3,8 ± 0,1 cm.

To increase accuracy, experiments are repeated many times and an average of the
measured values are taken before results are recorded and processed.

Scientific notation

Sometimes scientists deal with numbers that are extremely large or extremely
small. To make it easier to use these numbers, we use scientific notation, or powers
of ten notation. All numbers are expressed in the form N 3 10n, where N is a
number between 1 and 10, and n, the exponent, is a positive or negative integer
(whole number). For example, the speed of light is 300 000 000 m·s–1. In scientific
 Rearranging equations
When there are three quantities involved in an equation, it is often easier to use
V the equation triangle. In the triangle the horizontal line represents division, and the
vertical line represents multiplication.
• Draw the triangle.
R I • Add the quantities in the correct positions.
• With your finger, cover the quantity that must be calculated to find out if the
other two quantities need to be divided or multiplied.

The scientific method

The scientific method is used in all sciences as a systematic approach to research.
There are five steps in the scientific method:
Step 1: Identify and state the problem.
Step 2: Do experiments; collect data; make careful observations.
Step 3: Analyse the data and propose a possible solution to the problem by formulating
a hypothesis. The hypothesis attempts to explain the observations.
Step 4: Do more experiments to test the hypothesis. Make sure the conclusions are
correct.
Step 5: Formulate the results as a conclusion. The conclusion can be in the form of
a theory, a principle or a law.

A hypothesis is a tentative explanation of the results of experiments or a set of

observations.

A theory is a hypothesis that has withstood extensive testing.

A law is a verbal or mathematical description of behaviour based on the results of

many experiments. Laws are consistent and have no known exceptions. Laws in
this book include the Law of Conservation of Momentum and Hooke’s Law.

A model is a real or mental picture that results from ideas and assumptions that are
imagined to be true. It is used to explain certain observations and measurements.
Models include the kinetic model of matter, the wave model of light and the atomic
model.

Symbols used in circuit diagrams

Component Symbol
Switch (open and closed)
Ammeter A

Voltmeter V

Battery or
Light bulb
Resistor
Rheostat
Alternating current source
Useful equations
Average velocity
Dx
v 5 Dt ​

Average acceleration
Dv
a 5 Dt ​

Equations of motion
vf 5 vi 1 aDt or v 5 u 1 aDt
vf 5 vi 1 2a∆x
2 2
or v2 5 u2 1 2a∆x
1 1
Dx 5 viDt 1 2​aDt2 or Dx 5 uDt 1 2​aDt2
v 1v u1v
Dx 5 ​( i 2 f​)​ ​Dt or Dx 5 ( 2 ​)​∆t

Newton’s Second Law

Fres 5 ma

Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation

Gm m
F 5 r 12 2 ​​

Weight
w 5 mg

Momentum
p 5 mv

Law of Conservation of Linear Momentum

momentum before collision = momentum after collision
m1vi 1 1 m2vi 2 5 m1vf 1 1 m2vf 2

Impulse
FDt 5 Dp

Gravitational potential energy

U 5 Ep 5 mgh

Kinetic energy
1
K 5 Ek 5 2​mv2

Work done
W 5 F·∆x or W 5 ∆K

Power
W
P 5 ∆t​​ or P 5 Fv (if an object travels at constant velocity)

Law of Conservation of Mechanical Energy in an isolated system

(U 1 K)A 5 (U 1 K)B where A and B are two different points
Potential difference
W
V 5 Q​

Current
Q
I 5 ​​​
∆t
Ohm’s Law
V
R 5 I​

Emf
ℰ 5 Vload 1 Vinternal resistance
5 I(R 1 r)

Batteries
Q 5 It
E 5 QV

Alternating current
I V
Irms 5 max and Vrms 5 max
2 2
V 2

Pavg 5 VrmsIrms = Rrms 5 I 2rmsR

1 1
Pavg 5 2​Pmax 5 2​VmaxImax 5 VrmsIrms
1 1
Vrms 5 V and Irms 5 Imax
2 max 2
Waves, light and sound
v 5 fl

1
T 5 f​
v–v
fL 5 v – vL fS
S

sin θ 5 ml
a

E 5 hf

1
hf 5 W0 1 2​mv2

Moles, mass and molar mass

m
n 5 M ​​ m 5 nM M5m
n​

Concentration
n n
c 5 V​​ n 5 cV V 5 c​
m
c 5 MV​​ ​ m 5 cVM