PHYSICS CURRICULUM FOR SENIOR SECONDARY 3 

SS 3 TOPICS:

THEME I : CONSERVATION PRINCIPLES
1. ENERGY AND SOCIETY
 Sources of energy
 Renewable and non renewable energy source
 Uses of energy
 Energy and development
 Energy diversification and conservation
 Environmental impact of energy use: global warming and green house effect, oil spillage
 Energy crisis

2. CONSERVATION OF ENERGY
 Conservation of mechanical energy to electrical, heat, sound energies, etc
 Devices used in energy conservation mentioned above
 Conversion of electrical energy to heat, mechanical, sound, light energies , etc.
 Devices used in energy conservation mentioned above
 Conversion of radiation energy to electrical, heat energies, etc
 Devices used in energy conservation mentioned above
 Conversion of chemical energy to electrical, mechanical energies , etc
 Devices used in energy conservation mentioned above
THEME II : WAVE, MOTION WITHOUT MATERIAL TRANSFER
3. PROPERTIES OF WAVES
 Definition / Explanation of the four properties of waves: interference, reflection, diffraction and polarization.
 Interference of light and sound waves
 Diffraction of light and sound waves
 Polarization of light wave
 Application of Polaroids

4. ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
 Difference between electromagnetic waves and mechanical waves
 List of six radiation in electromagnetic spectrum in order of increasing wavelength and frequency
 Uses of electromagnetic waves
 Application of the formula v = fh in solving problems relating to electromagnetic wave

THEME : FIELD AT REST AND IN MOTION
5. GRAVITATIONAL FIELD
 Newton law of universal gravitation
 Formula of law of universal gravitation / G constant
 Application of formula in solving problem
 Solar system
 Kepler’s law
 Formula of keplers law
 Application of formula in solving problems
 Natural and artificial satellites
 Escape velocity

6. ELECTRIC FIELD
 Production of continuum charge: primary and secondary cells
 Series and parallel connection of cells
 Series and parallel connection of resistors
 Shunt and multiplier
 Resistivity and conductivity
 Principle of potentiometer, meter bridge, Wheatstone bridge
 Measurement of electric current, potential difference, resistance, emf of cell
 Electrical conduction through liquid and gas
 Electrolyte and non electroytes
 Conduction of charged electrolytes
 Voltmeter
 Electroplating
 Hot cathode emission
 Application
 Faraday’s law of electrolysis
 Coulomb’s law
 Concept of electric field
 Electric field intensity
 Electric potential
 Definition of capacitance
 Arrangement of capacitors : series and parallel connection
 Energy stored in a capacitor

7. MAGNETIC FIELD
 Concept of magnetic field
 Magnetic field around a bar magnet
 Magnetic field around a straight conductor carrying current
 Magnetic field around a solenoid
 Magnets: temporary magnets and permanent magnets
 Methods of making magnets
 Electromagnets
 Application of electromagnetic field
 Earth’s magnetic field: description and uses of mariners compass
 Magnetic force on a moving charge

8. ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD
 Concept of electromagnetic field
 Interaction between magnetic field and current carrying conductor in a magnetic field
 Current carrying solenoid in a magnetic field
 Application of electromagnetic field : moving coil galvanometer, electric motor, induction coil
 Electromagnetic induction : Faraday’slaw, lenzs law, motor generator effect
 Eddy currents

9. SIMPLE AC CIRCUITS
 Concept of AC
 Waveform of AC
 Ac circuits
 Peak current and root mean square ( r.m.s) of current/voltage
 Relationship between peak current and RMS current/ voltage
 Application of relation
 Reactance and impedance of AC circuits
 Types of AC circuits: resistance/resistive, capacitance/capacitive and inductance/inductive circuits, RC, RL and RCL circuits
 Series circuits containing RL, RC, RCL
 Parallel circuits containing RL, RC, RCL
 Power in AC circuits
THEME IV : ENERGY QUANTIZATION AND DUALITY OF MATTER
10. MODELS OF ATOM
 Concept of atom
 Various models of atom : Thompson, Rutherford, Bohr, electron cloud models
 Limitations of physical models

11. NUCLEUS
 Radioactivity
 Natural and artificial radioactivity
 Isotopes
 Radioactive elements
 Radioactive emission
 Half life and decay constant
 A nuclear reaction:
 Fission
 Fusion
 Nuclear energy
 Nuclear power and atomic bomb
 Nigeria nuclear energy programme

12. ENERGY QUANTIZATION
 Explanation of the concept of energy quantization
 Energy levels in atom:
 Ground state
 Excitation state
 Emission of light energy on return to ground state
 Photoelectric effect
 Einstein photoelectric equation and its application
 X-Ray:
 Production of X-Ray
 Characteristics and properties of X-ray
 Uses/ application of x- ray

13. DUALITY OF MATTER
 Wave – Particle duality of matter
THEME V : PHYSICS IN TECHNOLOGY
14. BATTERY
 Battery

15. ELECTROPLATING
 Electroplating

16. APPLICATION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD
 Galvanometer
 Electric motor
 Generators
17. TRANSMISSION SYSTEM
 High tension transmission
 Explanation of high tension transmission
 Transformers

18. USDERS OF MACHINES
 Needs for using machines: make work easier, quicker and faster
 Instances of use of machines : at home, office, industries, agriculture, in transportation, etc

19. REPARE AND MAINTENANCE OF MACHINES
 Need for relate of machines
 Need for maintenance if machines
 Maintenance schedule of machines

20. DAMP AND ENERGY PRODUCTION
 Location okf damp for production of electricity in Nigeria
 Principle of production of electricity from damp

21. ROCKETS AND SATELLITES
 Components parts of rockets and satellites
 Function rockets and satellites
 Uses of rockets and satellites

22. NIGER-SAT I
 Features of Niger- SAT I
 Operation and uses of Niger-SAT I

23. NICOM-SAT I
 Features of NICOM SAT I
 Operation of NICOM SAT I
 Uses of NICOM SAT I to Nigerian and its neighbors


INTERACTION OF MATTER, SPAZCE AND TIME
FIELD AT REST AND IN MOTION
ENERGY QUANTIZATION AND DUALITY OF MATTER
PHYSICS IN TECHNOLOGY