Physics is often seen as the most important of the natural sciences. It involves studying matter, energy, and the basic forces that shape the universe. This field is the basis for many technological advances and helps us understand how the world works.
Studying Physics in SS2 (Senior Secondary School Year 2) using the Lagos State Unified Scheme of Work is a key part of Nigerian students’ education and personal growth. SS2 is a crucial year where students build on the basics they learned in SS1 and start exploring more complex and abstract ideas.
A good understanding of Physics in SS2 is important for students who want to go on to higher education in fields like engineering, medicine, computer science, and environmental science. The Lagos State unified scheme of work prepares students well for important national exams like the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), which are necessary for getting into universities and colleges.
At the end of the SSS2 session, students can;
Assessment methods for Physics in SS2 in Nigeria include continuous assessment through tests and homework, practical experiments and reports, project-based assessments, written exams, and oral presentations. These varied methods ensure comprehensive evaluation, fostering students’ understanding, critical thinking, problem-solving, and preparation for national exams.
Grading follows a scale from A to F, with A representing excellent performance, typically scoring around 70% or 80%, and F indicating failure, usually below 50% or 45%.
| LAGOS STATE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION UNIFIED SCHEMES OF WORK FOR SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS | ||
| Physics Scheme of Work for Senior Secondary Schools 2(SSS2) | ||
| CLASS | SS2 | |
| SUBJECT | PHYSICS | |
| TERM | First Term | |
| WEEK | TOPICS | Learning Objectives |
| 1 | CONCEPT OF POSITION, DISTANCE AND DISPLACEMENT IN RELATION TO X – Y PLANE | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. effuse the Cartesian system to locate the position of an object on the u – v plane |
| 2 | SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES – Vector representation – Unit vector – Addition of scalars and vectors – Resolution of vectors and resultant | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. analyze the term “resultant of a vector” ii. resolve a vector with respect to a given direction iii. resolve any number of vectors into two components at right angle to each other using analytical and graphical methods |
| 3 | DERIVATION OF EQUATIONS OF LINEAR MOTIONS – Motion under gravity – Calculation using these equations | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. deduce the three equations of motion from the velocity-time graph with initial velocity and constant acceleration ii. define the terms used in the equation of motion iii. apply and interpret the equations of motion in simple problems iv. v. |
| 4 | PROJECTILE AND IT’S IMPLICATION | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. analyze the concept of projectile and projectile motion ii. practically exemplify projectile motion and objectives that can be considered a projectile in sports and warfare iii. distinguish between the following terms : time of flight, maximum height, range and deduce their expression iv. solve simple problems involving range, maximum height and time of flight |
| 5 | NEWTON’S LAW OF MOTION – Conservation of linear momentum and conservation of energy collision | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. differentiate between momentum and linear momentum of a body ii. establish relationship between impulse and momentum iii. state and analyze the Newton’s law of motion as well as the inertia mass iv. state and analyze the principle of conservation of linear momentum v. solve simple problems based on Newton’s law of motion and the principle of conservation of linear momentum vi. differentiate the various types of collision with examples |
| 6 | EQULIBRIUM OF FORCES – Concept of equilibrium – Center of gravity and it’s effects on stability – Types of equilibrium and conditions for equilibrium of a body – Moment and moment of force – Principle of moment and it’s calculation – Couple and moment of couple with it’s calculations | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. analyze the concept of equilibrium ii. distinguish between static and dynamic equilibrium iii. experiment to determine the center of gravity of objects and how it affects the stability of an object iv. list the types of equilibrium v. experimentally determine the conditions that must be satisfied for a body to be in equilibrium under the action of parallel and non-parallel forces vi. solve simple problems on moment of forces and moment of a couple |
| 7 | MID-TERM BREAK | |
| 8 | SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION – Definition of simple harmonic motion – Displacement, acceleration, frequency and amplitude | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. analyze the term “simple harmonic motion” ii. differentiate between displacement, acceleration, period, frequency and amplitude iii. establish the relationship between: linear and angular speed, linear and angular acceleration, period and frequency |
| 9 | SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION II – Energy of simple harmonic motion – Force, Vibration and resonance | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. deduce the energy transformation of a simple pendulum ii. calculate the energy in the system iii. differentiate between force, vibration and resonance |
| 10 | MACHINE: TYPES AND EXAMPLES | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. explain the term ‘machine’ and compare it’s types ii. distinguish between the following terms: velocity ratio, mechanical advantage or force ratio, efficiency and derive the relationship iii. compare the types of machines iv. analyze the conservation of mechanical energy and it’s applications |
| 11 | MACHINES II – Calculation and maintenance | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. list the uses of machines ii. describe the repair and maintenance of machines iii. investigate the location of dams for producing electricity iv. solve simple calculations on machines |
| 12 | PRACTICAL/ PROJECT/ REVISION | |
| 13 | EXAMINATION | |
| CLASS | SS2 | |
| SUBJECT | PHYSICS | |
| TERM | SECOND TERM | |
| WEEK | TOPICS | LEARNING OBJECTIVES |
| 1 | HEAT ENERGY – Temperature and it’s measurements | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. distinguish between heat and temperature ii. distinguish between temperature points and temperature intervals iii. compare the instruments used in measuring temperature of objects of an environment iv. convert a given temperature on the Celsius scale to a temperature on the Kelvin and Fahrenheit scale |
| 2 | HEAT CAPACITY AND SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY – Methods to determine Specific Heat Capacity – Calculations on specific heat capacity | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. differentiate between the “heat capacity” or “specific heat capacity” ii. justify the fact that there is uneven rise in temperature for different substances of the same mass supplied with the same quantity of heat iii. experiment to determine the specific heat capacity of a solid by mixture method and by electrical method iv. calculate the unknown quantities using the equation ° = mc ∆T when no change of state is involved v. solve simple problems involving specific heat capacity |
| 3 | EVAPORATION – Boiling and melting points and their determination – Effects of impurities and their pressure on boiling and melting | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. explain evaporation with reference to day-to-day activity ii. experiment to determine the melting points of a solid and boiling point of a liquid iii. investigate the effects of impurities and pressure on melting and boiling points iv. investigate the factors that affect evaporation |
| 4 | LATENT HEAT FUSION AND VAPORIZATION AND VERIFICATION | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. explain the concept of latent heat ii. distinguish between it’s types iii. differentiate between: boiling, freezing, freezing point, solidification, vaporization, sublimation, condensation, iv. perform an experiment to determine the boiling point on a small quantity of water v. describe the working principle of: refrigerator, air conditioner, pressure cooker vi. experiment to determine the specific heat of fusion vaporization of a substance using mixture and electrical method vii. solve problems on specific latent heat fusion and vaporization |
| 5 | VAPOR PRESSURE – Saturated and un-saturated vapor pressure and it’s relationship with boiling – Demonstration of vapor pressure using simple experiments – Humidity and relative humidity – Dew points and it’s relationship with weather | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. analyze the term vapor pressure with reference to saturated and un-saturated vapor pressure ii. distinguish between melting and boiling points iii. compare boiling and evaporation with emphasis on similarities and differences iv. distinguish between: humidity, relative humidity, dew and dew point, cloud and rain, mist and fog, v. investigate the effects of humidity on personal comfort vi. solve simple questions on relative humidity |
| 6 | GAS LAWS – Boyle’s, Charles’, pressure, general gas laws and Graham’s law of gaseous infusion | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. state and explain the outlined laws and their applications ii. verify laws using simple apparatus eg barometer iii. solve simple problems involving gas laws iv. perform experiments to verify laws |
| 7 | MID-TERM BREAK | |
| 8 | PRODUCTION AND PROPAGATION OF WAVES – Ripple tank – Type of waves – General wave equations | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. describe the terms waves and wave motion ii. compare: classes of waves(with examples), types of waves (with examples), iii. distinguish terms used in wave motion iv. derive and use the relationship between wave velocity v. use wave equation to solve problems |
| 9 | PROPERTIES OF WAVES – Reflection – Refraction – Diffraction – Interference – Polarization – Application where necessary | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. investigate the properties of wave ii. produce plain and circular waves using ripple tank iii. demonstrate stationary waves iv. explain the term ‘polaroid’ with emphasis on it’s applications v. differentiate between ordinary light and plane polarized light |
| 10 | LIGHT WAVES | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. investigate the sources of light ii. compare reflection and refraction and state their laws iii. draw ray diagrams to show the formation of images by plane and curved mirrors and explain some practical applications of these mirrors iv. describe the rectilinear propagation of light and it’s applications v. calculate the number of images in an inclined mirror vi. measure angles of incidence and refraction vii. distinguish between critical angle and total Internal refraction and state the conditions under which they occur viii. conduct experiment to establish the relationship between critical angle and refractive index and apply it to the solution of simple problems ix. perform an experiment to determine the mirror formula |
| 11 | PRACTICAL/PROJECT | |
| 12 | REVISION/EXAMINATION | |
| CLASS | SS2 | |
| SUBJECT | PHYSICS | |
| TERM | THIRD TERM | |
| WEEK | TOPICS | LEARNING OBJECTIVES |
| 1 | TRIANGULAR AND RECTANGULAR GLASS PRISM – Angle of deviation and calculation – Real and apparent depth | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. perform an experiment that involves tracing light rays through a triangular prism and obtain graphically the value of the angle of minimum deviation ii. obtain the spectrum of white light iii. compare real depth and apparent depth and solve problems on it |
| 2 | LENSES – Concave and convex – Ray diagrams: – Lens formula and calculation – Power of lenses | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. describe all the lens related terms ii. compare the types of lenses iii. with the aid of a diagram, distinguish between concave and convex lens iv. trace rays of light through converging and diverging lenses and obtain images formed by the lenses at different points v. deduce the lens formula and solve problems on lenses vi. determine the focal length of lenses vii. deduce the power of lenses and other related problems |
| 3 | OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS – Camera, projector, telescope, microscope, periscope | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. analyze the optical principles involved in snapshot camera ii. with the aid of a well labeled diagram, describe a photographic camera iii. describe the formation of images by the camera and projector by tracing rats of light through them iv. compare the formation and mode of functioning with the aid of diagram of: telescope, simple and compound microscope and periscope |
| 4 | OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS – Binoculars, human eyes and it’s defects | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. describe the working principle of binoculars ii. investigate the role played by some parts of the eye in the formation of images of the retina iii. compare and contrast the eye and camera iv. distinguish between the defects of the eye with emphasis on their causes and corrections |
| 5 | DISPERSION OF WHITE LIGHT – Pure and impure spectrum – Recombination of components of spectrum using color filter – Newton Disc | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. explain the dispersion of white light ii. differentiate between pure and impure spectrum iii. conduct experiment to produce a pure spectrum iv. compare the components of spectrum using colour filter |
| 6 | DISPERSION OF WHITE LIGHT – Colours and paints mixing – Determination of refractive index | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. distinguish between objects via their colours and describe mixing of coloured light (addictives and substractive) ii. experiment to determine refractive index of glass |
| 7 | MID-TERM BREAK | |
| 8 | SOUND WAVES – Production, transmission – Speed of sound in solid, liquid, air, noise and music – Velocity of sound – Echo and reverberation | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. describe sound waves with emphasis on it’s production and transmission ii. distinguish between: noise and music, intensity and loudness, pitch and frequency, as applied to sound iii. determine the speed of sound in various medium iv. explain the term echo and solve related problems v. list advantages and disadvantages of echo vi. explain beats and state it’s uses vii. verify characteristics of sound viii. investigate factors that affect the velocity of sound |
| 9 | SOUND WAVES II – Musical instruments – Functions of hearing aids – Vibration in pipes and strings – Harmonics and overtones – Resonance | By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: i. classify musical instruments into: wind, string and percussion instruments ii. describe hearing aids and list the functions, features and types iii. distinguish between vibration of air in strings and pipes iv. differentiate between harmonics and overtones v. list applications of resonance vi. describe physical principles involved in the use of wind, string and percussion instruments |
| 10 | PROJECT | |
| 11 | REVISION | |
| 12 | EXAMINATION | |
The recommended Physics textbooks for SSS2 include but are not limited to the following:
