Physical Sciences — Grade 10

Matter and Classification

Everything around you is made of matter — the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the phone in your hand. In this unit, you will learn how scientists classify and organise the millions of different substances in our world into neat, logical categories.

States of Matter and the Kinetic Molecular Theory

Have you ever wondered why ice melts on a hot day, why you can smell braai smoke from your neighbour's yard, or why a balloon expands when heated? The answers lie in understanding the three states of matter and the kinetic molecular theory — a model that explains how tiny particles behave in solids, liquids, and gases.

Atomic Structure

Everything around you is made of atoms. The air you breathe, the water you drink, the phone in your hand—all are built from tiny particles called atoms. But what is inside an atom? How did scientists discover what they could not see?

Matter and Materials — The Periodic Table

The periodic table organises all 118 known elements in a way that helps us predict their behaviour. Think of it as a map showing which elements are similar and how they will react.

Matter and Materials — Chemical Bonding

Chemical bonding explains why substances behave the way they do. Why does salt dissolve in water but metals do not? Why is diamond so hard while pencil graphite is soft? The answer is chemical bonding — the forces that hold atoms together.

Transverse Pulses

Before we can understand ocean waves or sound waves, we need to start with something simpler: the pulse.

Transverse Waves

In your previous work on transverse pulses, you learned that a pulse is a single disturbance travelling through a medium. Now imagine sending pulse after pulse in a continuous, rhythmic pattern. This creates a wave.

Term 1 Revision: Mastering Matter, Atoms, and Waves

This revision unit brings together all the key concepts from Term 1 Physical Sciences. Work through each section carefully to prepare for exams.

Matter and Materials — Chemical Bonding (continued)

In Term 1, you learned how atoms connect to form chemical bonds. This unit goes further — you will discover how these bonds create different structures, and how structure determines the properties of substances.

Matter and Materials — Chemical Change — Physical and Chemical Change

This unit teaches you to tell the difference between physical and chemical changes. You see both types of changes every day. When you boil water for tea, that is different from burning wood at a braai. When you dissolve sugar, that is different from iron rusting.

Reactions in Aqueous Solution: The Chemistry of Water Solutions

This unit explores reactions that happen in water. Many important substances around you are aqueous solutions—your blood, the ocean, cleaning products, and the drinks you consume. Understanding how substances behave when dissolved in water is essential for chemistry.

Magnetism

Magnetism is an invisible force that can push, pull, and move objects without touching them. You see magnetism at work every day—when a compass points north, when fridge magnets stick to certain surfaces, and when speakers produce sound.

Electrostatics

Have you ever wondered why your hair stands up when you pull off a woollen jersey? Or why you sometimes get a small shock when touching a metal door handle? These everyday experiences are caused by static electricity — electric charges that have built up on objects.

Electric Circuits: Powering Our World

Every time you flip a light switch, charge your phone, or turn on the TV, you use electric circuits. This unit explains how electricity flows, why some devices need more power than others, and how circuits are designed.

Term 2 Revision: Chemistry and Electromagnetism

This revision unit covers all the Physical Sciences topics from Term 2. You will consolidate your understanding of:

Mid-Year Examination Revision Guide: Physical Sciences

This revision unit covers both Physics and Chemistry content from Terms 1 and 2. Your mid-year examination is a 2-hour integrated paper, so you need to switch between topics and apply knowledge across different contexts.

Chemical Change — Reactions in Aqueous Solution (continued): Mastering the Mole Concept

In Term 2, you explored reactions in aqueous solution — precipitation reactions, acid-base reactions, and redox reactions. Now we introduce one of chemistry's most powerful tools: stoichiometry and the mole concept.

Chemical Change — Quantitative Aspects of Chemical Change

This unit teaches you how to use balanced chemical equations to calculate exact amounts of reactants and products. These calculations are called stoichiometry (stoy-kee-OM-eh-tree).

Mechanics — Introduction to Vectors and Scalars

In physics, we need to describe how things move with precision. Some quantities, like temperature, only need a number. Others, like force, also need a direction. This unit teaches you the difference between these two types of quantities and how to work with them.

Mechanics — Motion in One Dimension

Every time you walk to school, ride in a taxi, or watch a ball roll across a field, you see motion. In this unit, you will learn how to describe motion using the language of physics.

Chemical Systems — Hydrosphere: Understanding Our Water World

The hydrosphere includes all water on Earth — oceans, rivers, lakes, groundwater, ice, and water vapour in the air. Water covers about 71% of Earth's surface and makes life possible.

Term 3 Revision: Chemical Quantities, Motion & Water Systems

This revision unit brings together the key ideas from Term 3. You have learned to work with chemical quantities using the mole concept, describe motion using physics equations, and understand water systems.

Mechanics — Energy

Energy is one of the most important ideas in physics. It explains how things move, change, and interact. In this unit, you will learn what energy is, how to calculate it, and how it transforms from one form to another.

Longitudinal Waves

This unit introduces longitudinal waves, where particles move back and forth in the same direction as the wave travels. This is different from transverse waves, which you studied in Term 1, where particles move at right angles to the wave direction.

Electromagnetic Radiation: The Invisible Universe Around You

Visible light—the colours you see every day—is just a tiny part of a much larger family of energy called electromagnetic radiation. From the radio waves that carry your favourite music to the X-rays that let doctors see inside your body, electromagnetic radiation is everywhere.

Term 4 Revision: Energy, Waves & Electromagnetic Radiation

This revision unit brings together the three main topics from Term 4: mechanical energy, longitudinal waves (sound), and electromagnetic radiation. These concepts explain how energy moves and transforms in the physical world.

Revision and Examinations: Your Complete Grade 10 Physical Sciences Preparation Guide

This revision unit brings together everything you have learned in Grade 10 Physical Sciences. You will revisit key concepts, practise problem-solving, and prepare for your examinations.