Physical Sciences — Grade 11

Vectors in Two Dimensions

In this unit, you will learn to work with vectors in two dimensions. You already know that vectors have both magnitude (size) and direction. Now you will learn to combine vectors, break them into parts, and use these skills to solve real physics problems.

Mechanics — Newton's Laws and Application

Newton's Laws of Motion explain how everything around us moves — from a taxi pulling away from a stop sign to a book resting on your desk. These three laws, developed over 300 years ago, still describe every aspect of motion in our everyday world.

Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation

Have you ever wondered why the Moon doesn't fly off into space? Why do apples fall downward? Why do astronauts float inside the International Space Station even though they're still close to Earth?

Molecular Structure

Why does water bend while carbon dioxide stays straight? Why do some substances dissolve easily while others do not mix? The answers lie in how atoms bond together and arrange themselves in three-dimensional space.

Matter and Materials — Intermolecular Forces

Why does water form droplets on a leaf instead of spreading flat? Why do some liquids evaporate quickly while others take much longer? The answers lie in intermolecular forces — the attractions between molecules that determine physical properties you can observe.

Term 1 Revision: Mechanics and Chemistry Foundations

This revision unit covers the five topics from Term 1:

Waves, Sound and Light — Geometrical Optics

This unit explores how light bends when it passes from one material to another. This bending is called refraction. You will learn Snell's Law, which describes refraction mathematically, and discover total internal reflection — when light gets completely trapped inside a material.

Waves, Sound and Light — 2D and 3D Wavefronts — Diffraction: Bending Around Corners

Have you ever wondered why you can hear someone calling you from around a corner, even though you cannot see them? Or why a CD creates rainbow patterns when light hits it? The answer lies in diffraction — the bending and spreading of waves.

Ideal Gases: The Invisible World in Motion

Have you ever wondered why a balloon expands when you heat it? Why car tyres need checking before a long trip on a hot day? Or why deep-sea divers must rise slowly to avoid "the bends"? The answers lie in understanding how gases behave—and remarkably, all gases follow the same simple rules.

Chemical Change — Stoichiometry: The Mathematics of Chemical Reactions

Stoichiometry means "measuring elements." Think of it as the recipe book of chemistry. Just as a baker needs exact amounts of flour, sugar, and eggs for a perfect cake, chemists need precise amounts of reactants to produce desired products.

Chemical Change — Energy and Chemical Change

Every time you light a match, digest your breakfast, or use a hand warmer, energy is being transformed. This unit explains the energy changes that happen during chemical reactions.

Term 2 Revision: Waves, Gases, and Chemical Calculations

This revision unit brings together all the key topics from Term 2. You will consolidate your understanding of light behaviour, gas laws, stoichiometry, and energy changes in reactions. The focus is on exam preparation—understanding concepts, applying formulas correctly, and avoiding common mistakes.

Grade 11 Physical Sciences Mid-Year Examination Preparation

This revision unit covers all the major topics from Terms 1 and 2. You will practise the skills and concepts you need for the mid-year examination.

Electricity and Magnetism — Electrostatics: Understanding the Invisible Forces

Have you ever wondered why your hair stands up after removing a woolly jersey, or why you sometimes get a small shock when touching a metal door handle? These everyday experiences are governed by electrostatics — the study of stationary electric charges and the forces between them.

Electricity and Magnetism — Electromagnetism

In earlier lessons, you learned about electrostatics — how stationary charges create electric fields. Now you will discover something important: when charges move, they create a magnetic field. This connection between electricity and magnetism is called electromagnetism.

Electricity and Magnetism — Electric Circuits — Energy and Power

Every time you switch on a light, charge your phone, or see your family's electricity bill arrive, you are dealing with electrical energy and power. In this unit, you will learn the mathematics behind electricity consumption and understand exactly what you pay for when the electricity bill comes.

Acid-Base Reactions: The Chemistry of Proton Transfer

Acid-base reactions happen all around you every day. The sour taste of lemon juice comes from citric acid. The slippery feel of soap comes from a base. When you take an antacid for heartburn, you are using an acid-base reaction to neutralise excess stomach acid.

Redox Reactions: The Electron Transfer Story

This unit covers redox reactions—chemical reactions that involve the transfer of electrons between substances. The name "redox" comes from reduction and oxidation happening at the same time.

Term 3 Revision: Electricity, Magnetism and Chemical Reactions

This revision covers the main topics from Term 3:

Chemical Change — Types of Reactions (continued): Acid-Base and Redox Chemistry

This unit brings together your knowledge of acid-base reactions and redox reactions from Term 3. You will deepen your understanding, practise more challenging problems, and see how these reactions work in real life — from batteries to industrial processes.

Chemical Systems — Lithosphere

Every time you hold a gold ring, fill a car with petrol, or switch on a light, you are using resources from the lithosphere — Earth's rocky outer layer. South Africa sits on some of the world's richest mineral deposits. Understanding how we access and process these resources matters for science, industry, and informed citizenship.

Term 4 Revision: Mastering Chemistry

This revision unit helps you consolidate the main chemistry topics from Grade 11 Term 4 and prepare for your final examinations.

Revision and Examinations: Mastering Grade 11 Physical Sciences

This revision unit brings together everything you have learned in Grade 11 Physical Sciences. You will consolidate your understanding and prepare for your final examinations.