Elementary Algebra Based Physics

Created in October 22, 2025

2025   ·   Courses

About

This is a beginning high school course and is a variation of a standard high school physics curriculum. The current offering is tailored to the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education Physics Curriculum for students of Rishi Valley School. However, depending on time and interests there may be occasional deeper dives or tangents to related topics which are indicated by the asterisk (*) in the syllabus we have covered, sometimes using video content. Some topics may have been covered via exercises or homework and are indicated by (**). Topics which we have not covered but I consider essential are also listed italicised for interested students.

Syllabus

  1. Introduction to Physics
    1. Unit Systems
      1. Physical Quantities as Number times Unit
      2. Different Systems of Units and SI Units
      3. The Fundamental and Derived Units
      4. Scientific Notation and Unit Conversions
    2. Straight Line Motion
      1. Scalar and Vector Quantities
      2. Distance & Displacement, Speed & Velocity
      3. Graphing Kinemtic Variables vs Time
      4. Constant Acceleration and Kinematic Equations
      5. Graphical and Algebraic Analysis
      6. Gravity, Weight and Free Fall
    3. Additional Topics
      1. Motion on a Plane
      2. Projectile Motion
  1. Elementary Mechanics
    1. Newton's Laws of Motion
      1. Inertia and the First Law
      2. Momentum and the Second Law
      3. Discussion on the Third Law
      4. Contact and non-contact Forces
      5. Normal Force and Friction
      6. Universal Law of Gravitation
      7. Calculating Gravitational Acceleration
    2. Work, Energy and Power
      1. *Work done by and on a system
      2. *Kinetic and Potential Energy
      3. *The Work-Energy Theorem
      4. *Law of Conservation of Energy
      5. **Sources of Energy and Global Warming
    3. Additional Topics
      1. Rotational Motion
  1. Applied Physics
    1. Fluid Mechanics
      1. Thrust and Pressure
      2. Gauge and Atmospheric Pressure
      3. Simple Mercury Barometer
      4. Pascal's Law
      5. Hydraulic Machines
      6. Archimedes Principle
      7. Laws of Flotation
    2. Electricity and Magnetism
      1. *The Standard Model
      2. The Fundamental Charge
      3. Quantisation of Charge
      4. Electrical Current and Circuits
      5. Types of DC Power Sources
      6. Voltage and Resistance
      7. Ohmic Conductors and Ohm's Law
      8. *Series and Parallel Circuits
      9. *Ampere's Circuital Law
      10. Permanent Magnets and Geomagnetism
      11. Electromagnetic Induction
    3. Sound and Light
      1. Sound Propagation
      2. Frequency Ranges
      3. Light vs Sound Speed
      4. Light as Rays of Photons
      5. Reflection and Refraction
      6. Mirrors and Ray Diagrams
  1. Practical Experiments
    1. Measurements
      1. Measurements with Calliper and Screw Gauge
      2. Simple Pendulum and Gravitational Acceleration
    2. Applied Mechanics
      1. Measuring Apparent Weights
      2. Geometry and Flotation
      3. String Telephones
    3. Electromagnetism
      1. Using a Breadboard
      2. Ohm's Law
      3. Faraday's Law

Video Resources

Helpful playlists from Khan Academy India and Physics Wallah ICSE.

Exercises and Tests

All previous assignments, soft homework and test papers will be available here shortly. If there are any errors, please do not hesitate to contact me. If any students wish to contribute to official solutions to the problems, they may contact me and I will host their solutions on the website if satisfactory.

General Updates

Any and all general updates will be made on the Google Classroom for the course until we are back from the term break. Homework for the term break will be updated above with the primary task being the completion of lab records.