Chapters
- 01. What You'll Study In Form 4 Physics [Theme 1: Elementary Physics]?
- 02. What You'll Learn In Form 4 Physics [Theme 2: Newtonian Mechanics]?
- 03. What You'll Master In Form 4 Physics [Theme 3: Heat]?
- 04. What Will You Encounter In Form 4 Physics [Theme 4: Waves, Light and Optics]?
- 05. Setting The Right Foundation For Your SPM Physics With A Superprof Tutor
If you are currently a Malaysian student who has just completed your Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3) and preparing to enter your upper secondary school life, there's a high chance that you'll have two things weighing on your mind.
First thing, are you opting for the Science stream or Art stream throughout your two years of SPM preparation?
Second thing, are you planning to get a vehicle license soon (motorcycle for 16 years old and car for 17 years old)?
If we were to find a common ground between these two questions. It would be one word. PHYSICS.
Why do we say so? Well, Physics is one of the core subjects that you'll take for the Science stream and Physics play an extremely vital role when you begin to navigate the roads.
Can you imagine driving without a centralised Global Positioning System (GPS) and a standard distance measurement?
That's why our country takes Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education pretty seriously for your secondary education.
In this article, we will look at some core topics that you will come across for your Form 4 Physics syllabus in which you will study four different themes.
What You'll Study In Form 4 Physics [Theme 1: Elementary Physics]?
First things first. You will learn about the concept of measurement in terms of measuring a physical quantity. Rest assured that these terms are not foreign because you have certainly learnt them during your Form 1 basic Science lessons.
Chapter 1 -Measurement
- Learning outcome 1: Basic Quantities and Derived Quantities.
You may refer to the table below to review some examples of basic quantities and their respective S.I units.
| Basic quantity | Symbol | S.I unit | Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | l | metre | m |
| Mass | m | kilogram | kg |
| Time | t | second | s |
| Electric current | T | ampere | A |
Derived quantities are related to basic quantities through a series of formulas. Some examples include: density, volume, velocity and charge.
- Learning outcome 2: The Steps to Conducting Scientific Investigations
Under this sub-topic, you will learn how to correctly interpret graphs of different shapes, analyse graphs to summarize an investigation as well as write a complete experimental report.
What You'll Learn In Form 4 Physics [Theme 2: Newtonian Mechanics]?
Next, we move on to the second theme. Newtonian mechanics is a field of study that studies how objects move or are being moved. You'll notice that it is a rather lengthy chapter because it acts as a foundation for your Force and Motion II chapter that you will encounter in your Form 5 Physics syllabus later.
Chapter 2 - Force and Motion I
Under this chapter, you will study a total of four core learning outcomes.
- Learning outcome 1: Linear Motion
You'll master the types of motion under different circumstances such as at rest, uniform velocity and non-uniform velocity. Furthermore, you will also be able to correctly explain the relationships between distance and displacement, acceleration as well as speed and velocity.
Be prepared to start memorizing some important linear motion equations. For example: v = u +at
- Learning outcome 2: Graphs
You'll learn how to read, interpret and sketch graphs that deal with displacement time, velocity-time and acceleration time. At the same time, you'll also be introduced to the concept of free fall, inertia and mass. From a series of associations with what you've learnt in the linear motion concept, you will then unveil Newton's First Law of Motion.
- Learning outcome: Momentum
Welcome to the part where you'll study about collision, force and explosion! You'll have an in-depth understanding of the Principle of Conservation of Momentum and from there, you'll apply the knowledge of gravitational field strength and weight when you learn Newton's Second Law of Motion.
Photo by Josh Calabrese on Unsplash
- Learning outcome: Impulse
In this final learning outcome, you will continue to look at impulsive force in relation to various actions and reactions. From there, you will then meet Newton's Third Law of Motion.
Chapter 3 - Gravitation
We continue the next chapter with Newton's influence on the concept of gravity. We're certain that you've heard the story of Newton and the apple many times.
You will need to study three focal points under this topic.
- Learning outcome 1: Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation
Some of the formulas and concepts that you will come across include gravitational force, gravitational acceleration, centripetal force as well as the right way to calculate the mass of the Earth.
- Learning outcome 2: Kepler's Laws
You'll study the significance of Kepler's First, Second, and Third Laws and how it is used in the context of the planet system and satellite systems.
- Learning outcome 3: Man-made Satellites
Remember when we talked about GPS earlier? You get to dive deep into various types of man-made satellites such as geostationary satellites and non-geostationary satellites. Furthermore, you will also learn how to perform calculations to get the linear speed of a satellite and its escape velocity.
Isn't that amazing?
As the name Newtonian Mechanics implies, you can't run away from the influence of Issac Newton in these two chapters.
What You'll Master In Form 4 Physics [Theme 3: Heat]?
Whether it is different temperature and weather, heat plays such an important role to make sure our daily life remains intact.
Let's go through what you'll learn in this theme.
Chapter 4 -Heat
- Learning outcome 1: Thermal Equilibrium
Under this learning outcome, you will learn how thermal equilibrium is achieved between various hot and cold objects.
You'll also study how various melting and boiling point of water and ice actually aids in the calibration of a liquid-in-glass thermometer between two fixed points.
- Learning outcome 2: Specific Heat Capacity
You will be able to correctly identify the application of specific heat capacity in material engineering and some natural phenomena.
- Learning outcome 3: Specific Latent Heat
You'll study the relationship between the specific latent heat of fusion and the specific latent heat of vaporisation in the refrigerator's cooling system and the food steaming process.
- Learning outcome 4: Gas Laws
You'll review the relationship between pressure, temperature, and volume of gases through different Gas Laws like Boyle's Law, Charles's Law as well as Gay-Lussac's Law.
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
Don't miss out these amazing SPM Physics learning resources when you're preparing for your final examinations.
What Will You Encounter In Form 4 Physics [Theme 4: Waves, Light and Optics]?
We now move to the final theme for your Form 4 Physics lessons featuring two important chapters.
Chapter 5 -Waves
- Learning outcome 1: Fundamentals of Waves
You'll get to study the various types of waves and the characteristics of waves in terms of their amplitude, frequency, wavelength, period and wave speed.
- Learning outcome 2: Damping and Resonance
You'll learn the concepts of damping ( internal, and external damping) and the relationship between natural frequency and resonance.
- Learning outcome 3: Reflection and Refraction of Waves
You'll clearly identify the differences between reflection and refraction when they heat different surfaces and how these phenomena cause a change of wavespeed, wavelength and direction of propagation.
- Learning outcome 4: Diffraction of Waves
You'll study the applications of diffraction in various contexts like sound, light and water wave.
- Learning outcome 5: Interference of Waves
Under this subtopic, you will review the principle of superposition and the types of constructive and deconstructive interference.
- Learning outcome 6: Electromagnetic Waves
You'll be able to identify the features of electromagnetic waves and components like X-ray, ultraviolet ray, microwave, radiowave and many more.
Chapter 6 -Light and Optics
Congratulations, you have reached the final chapter for your Form 4 Physics lessons. You'll come across these three learning outcomes in this chapter.
- Learning outcome 1: Refraction of Light
You get to study the Snell's Law and various formulas of the refractive index (n).
- Learning outcome 2: Total Internal Reflection
One core component that you will master here is the critical angle (c) as well as how the concept of total internal reflection is seen in rainbows and mirages and also in our daily lives in the examples of prisms and optical fibres.
- Learning outcome 3: Formation of image
You will be able to identify the differences between convex and concave lenses as well as the distinctions between convex mirrors and concave mirrors. For convex and concave lenses, you'll understand how they are incorporated in many optical instruments such as telescopes, microscopes, magnifying glasses and many more.
Photo by Drew Coffman on Unsplash
On the other hand, you'll also learn how concave mirrors are used in the reflector of vehicles' headlights and various cosmetic mirrors. Convex mirror is seen through blind spot mirrors and rearview mirrors of vehicles too. See, Physics has indeed come full circle on the road!
Get a glimpse of the latest SPM Physics format here.
Setting The Right Foundation For Your SPM Physics With A Superprof Tutor
Well, you've reviewed all the chapters and core topics that you will learn throughout your Form 4 Physics subject.
We know, it can be quite overwhelming. But, you don't have to bear the burden of studying on your own.
You can always seek personalised guidance from an experienced Physics tutor via Superprof.
Superprof is a platform that promotes flexible learning and connects you with dedicated tutors from all across Malaysia.
Just head to the Superprof Malaysia homepage and start searching for a Physics tutor. You can narrow down your search by indicating your preferred teaching mode (online/home tutoring), teaching experience, maximum budget (hourly rate) and other requirements.
Having a private tutor will help you to have a systematic learning experience as your tutor will guide you accordingly to your pace and needs. He or she will also provide you with the necessary revision exercises to help you improve consistently for all your Form 4 Physics chapters.
We're sure with these tips, you will be more equipped to ace your actual SPM Physics papers the following year.
What are you waiting for? Embark on your Physics learning journey and start building a solid momentum towards your Form 4 Physics lessons and future driving lessons too! You can do this!
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