VCE Physics - EP Curriculum Map - Unit 1 - What ideas explain the physical world?

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Rhys

VCE Physics EP Curriculum Map Unit 1 focuses on thermodynamics and how ideas explain the physical world. It covers temperature, thermal equilibrium, and the Zeroth Law, then applies the First Law using relationships for internal energy, work, heat, and state change. Students distinguish conduction, convection, and radiation, model specific heat capacity, and explain cooling via evaporation. The unit extends to electromagnetic spectrum concepts and climate links, including Wien’s and Stefan–Boltzmann laws, greenhouse mechanisms, human influence evidence, and thermodynamic impacts on energy efficiency and housing systems.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Unit 1: What ideas explain the physical world?

Area of Study 1: How can thermal effects be explained? Thermodynamics principles

Thermodynamics and climate science

Issues related to thermodynamics

Area of Study 2: How do electric circuits work? Concepts to model electricity

VCE Physics EP Curriculum Map Unit 1: What ideas explain the physical world? Area of Study 1 : How can thermal eﬀects be explained? Thermodynamics principles | Content Descriptor | Lesson Names | | --- | --- | | Convert temperature between degrees Celsius and kelvin. | ● Temperature | | Describe the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics as two bodies in contact with each other coming to a thermal equilibrium. | ● Kinetic Theory and Gas Laws
● Particle Model | | Describe temperature with reference to the average kinetic energy of the atoms and molecules within a system. | ● Kinetic Theory and Gas Laws
● Particle Model | | Investigate and apply theoretically and practically the First Law of Thermodynamics to simple situations:
􀔲 = 􀔶 + 􀔸 . | ● First Law of Thermodynamics | | Explain internal energy as the energy associated with random disordered motion of molecules. | ● Conduction
● Convection
● Radiation | | Distinguish between conduction, convection and radiation with reference to heat transfers within and between
systems. | ● Conduction
● Convection
● Radiation | | Investigate and analyse theoretically and practically the energy required to:
– raise the temperature of a substance: 􀔲 = 􀕈􀔾∆􀔵
– change the state of a substance: 􀔲 = 􀕈􀔭 | ● Speciﬁc Heat Capacity | | Explain why cooling results from evaporation using a simple kinetic energy model. | ● Thermal Equilibrium
● Heat Exchange Systems | Thermodynamics and climate science | Content Descriptor | Lesson Names | | --- | --- | | Identify regions of the electromagnetic spectrum as radio, microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-ray and gamma waves. | ● Electromagnetic Wave Model
● The Electromagnetic Spectrum | | --- | --- | | Describe electromagnetic radiation emitted from the Sun as mainly ultraviolet, visible and infrared. | ● Electromagnetic Wave Model
● The Electromagnetic Spectrum | | Calculate the peak wavelength of the re-radiated electromagnetic radiation from Earth using Wien’s Law:
λ 􀔵 = constant 􀕈􀔼􀕓
Compare the total energy across the electromagnetic spectrum emitted by objects at diﬀerent temperatures such as the Sun.
Describe power radiated by a body as being dependent on the temperature of the body according to the Stefan-Boltzmann Law, P∝T4 | Further development planned | | Explain the roles of conduction, convection and radiation in moving heat around in Earth’s mantle (tectonic movement) and atmosphere (weather) . | ● The Enhanced Greenhouse Eﬀect
● The Greenhouse Eﬀect | | Model the greenhouse eﬀect as the ﬂow and retention of thermal energy from the Sun, Earth’s surface and Earth’s atmosphere. | ● The Enhanced Greenhouse Eﬀect
● The Greenhouse Eﬀect | | Explain how greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (including methane, water and carbon dioxide) absorb and
re-emit infrared radiation. | ● The Enhanced Greenhouse Eﬀect
● The Greenhouse Eﬀect | | Analyse changes in the thermal energy of the surface of Earth and of Earth’s atmosphere. | Further development planned | | Analyse the evidence for the inﬂuence of human activity in creating an enhanced greenhouse eﬀect, including aﬀecting surface materials and the balance of gases in the atmosphere. | ● Human Inﬂuences on Climate
● Carbon Capture
● Carbon Footprints
● CFCs and the Ozone Layer | Issues related to thermodynamics | Content Descriptor | Lesson Names | | | --- | --- | --- | | Apply thermodynamic principles to investigate at least | ● | Housing Insulation | | one issue related to the environmental impacts of | ● | Energy Eﬃciency | | human activity with reference to the enhanced | ● | Energy Eﬃcient Houses | | greenhouse eﬀect: | ● | Heat Pumps | | – proportion of national energy use due to heating and | ● | Refrigerators and Refrigerants | | cooling of homes | ● | The Power Grid and You | | – comparison of the operation and eﬃciencies of | | | | domestic heating and cooling systems: heat pumps; resistive heaters; reverse-cyc

FAQs

What key thermodynamics laws and ideas does Unit 1 introduce?

Unit 1 introduces temperature concepts, the Zeroth Law for thermal equilibrium, and the First Law of Thermodynamics for simple situations involving energy changes and heat transfer.

How do conduction, convection, and radiation relate to heat transfer?

The curriculum distinguishes conduction, convection, and radiation by linking each to how heat moves within and between systems, including real-world contexts like climate and Earth systems.

How is the greenhouse effect explained using energy transfer concepts?

The unit models greenhouse processes as thermal energy flow and retention, then explains how greenhouse gases absorb and re-emit infrared radiation and how human activities may enhance the effect.

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Rhys