2017 School Magazine

YEAR 11 CHEMISTRY

invaluable lessons. We have realised the importance of time management, the need to complete the Term Booklet inside and out, the benefits of attending Chemistry Help and how to explain and justify answers more effectively by incorporating data. Throughout the year we have completed many stimulating experiments that have improved and complemented our content knowledge. Unfortunately, we have also discovered the anxiety which can accompany a titration when you are just one drop away from a colour change! We are grateful for the practical experience that we have been offered this year. We have been introduced to new equipment and new techniques which we will be able to utilise with confidence in Year 12. We have thoroughly enjoyed Chemistry this year. It has been an enriching experience that has provided us with a solid foundation for next year. CHEMISTRY CLASS (11.7)

Have you ever stopped to appreciate the incredibly large number, 6.022 x 1023, or the nature of the very small but vital hydrogen bond? Well until this year, neither had we! We now know that 6.022 x 1023 is exceptionally important, in fact a whole day is dedicated to celebrating it each year. It is fair to say that we have now added 23 October to our calendar for 2018 to appreciate the mole. We also unearthed the true importance of the hydrogen bond. Despite its size, the strength of this intermolecular force makes it essential for everyday life. Without it, water would never form and life as we know it would cease to exist. Year 11 Chemistry has challenged us to explore, to question, and to discover, and what a learning curve it has been. The transition from Year 10 Science to Year 11 Chemistry was an adjustment in itself. Gone were the forty-five minute exams to be replaced with two-hour exams! However, our exams have taught us some

YEAR 12 CHEMISTRY Year 12 Chemistry is a subject that encourages students to think beyond the book, with life skills such as critical and logical thinking being so integral to the successful completion of the course. Throughout this year, both my peers and I have learned so much about how chemistry applies to our daily lives. The Extended Response Task, which we completed in Term III, enabled us to see the real-world applications of chemistry. Moreover, in Term II we completed an Extended Experimental Investigation, a student driven task, which deepened our understanding of the investigative processes so important in Science. Overall, the course has been an enjoyable one, particularly the many in-class experiments that provide a vital avenue for us to gain a deeper understanding of the concepts covered in class. ALEESHA GANENDRAN (12W)

YEAR 11 PHYSICS

Year 11 Physics started by answering the obvious question of — what is physics? It is, in fact, understanding how the world works. After this light introduction we jumped straight into learning Newton’s Laws of Motion, the forces of gravity and friction and applying these concepts to cars. When gravity got us down, we delved into solving complex problems with our five ‘favourite’ equations of motion. These challenging yet rewarding problems set the standard for the senior physics course which we became more familiar with as the term progressed. Term II did not disappoint as we explored further into cars, energy and momentum. Learning about car crashes was particularly beneficial for a cohort of 16 year olds in the process of attaining their driver’s licence. We also learned about the physics behind car safety — who knew headrests were so important? Another term meant another topic. We spent time learning about waves — sound waves, radio waves and even light as a wave. After talking about the electromagnetic spectrum and colour we moved onto optics. The virtual and real images produced by mirrors as well as different lenses used to correct our vision were topics immensely enjoyed by the cohort. Year 11 was a blast in physics and the four classes are excited for Year 12! GRETA HOPSICK (11B)

074 | CURRICULUM | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2017