Question 1
The graph shows the vertical velocity of a ball thrown from level ground, taking upwards as positive. Ignoring air resistance, what is the greatest height the ball reaches?
HSC Physics: the course and the exam
Four Year 12 modules with about equal weight, and one 3-hour paper in two sections, with a data sheet, formulae sheet and periodic table. The current syllabus is examined in the 2026 and 2027 HSC.
26 weeks, 104 hours in all
Start with Module 5
Advanced Mechanics: 24 of your hours. It is 5 of the 20 questions on our Section I practice papers, 25%.
| Module | Your hours | Share of the checks |
|---|---|---|
| Module 5: Advanced Mechanics | 24 | 25% |
| Module 6: Electromagnetism | 24 | 25% |
| Module 7: The Nature of Light | 24 | 25% |
| Module 8: From the Universe to the Atom | 24 | 25% |
Week by week
- Week 1Module 5: Advanced Mechanics
- Week 2Module 5: Advanced Mechanics
- Week 3Module 5: Advanced Mechanics
- Week 4Module 5: Advanced Mechanics
- Week 5Module 5: Advanced Mechanics
- Week 6Module 5: Advanced Mechanics
- Week 7Module 6: Electromagnetism
- Week 8Module 6: Electromagnetism
- Week 9Module 6: Electromagnetism
- Week 10Module 6: Electromagnetism
- Week 11Module 6: Electromagnetism
- Week 12Module 6: Electromagnetism
- Week 13Module 7: The Nature of Light
- Week 14Module 7: The Nature of Light
- Week 15Module 7: The Nature of Light
- Week 16Module 7: The Nature of Light
- Week 17Module 7: The Nature of Light
- Week 18Module 7: The Nature of Light
- Week 19Module 8: From the Universe to the Atom
- Week 20Module 8: From the Universe to the Atom
- Week 21Module 8: From the Universe to the Atom
- Week 22Module 8: From the Universe to the Atom
- Week 23Module 8: From the Universe to the Atom
- Week 24Module 8: From the Universe to the Atom
- Week 25A Section I practice paper and a set of Section II items, then review every lost mark
- Week 26A Section I practice paper and a set of Section II items, then review every lost mark
| The paper | 100 marks, 3 hours plus 5 minutes reading time |
|---|---|
| Section I | Objective-response questions, 20 marks |
| Section II | 20 to 25 items, 80 marks |
| Provided | Data sheet, formulae sheet and periodic table |
| Modules | 5 to 8, approximately equal weighting |
The four Year 12 modules
Module 5 Advanced Mechanics, Module 6 Electromagnetism, Module 7 The Nature of Light and Module 8 From the Universe to the Atom. The exam gives them approximately equal weighting, Working Scientifically skills run through every module, and the Year 11 course is assumed knowledge.
The two sections of the paper
- Section I, 20 marks: objective-response (multiple-choice) questions.
- Section II, 80 marks: 20 to 25 items, which may contain parts. At least two items are worth 7 to 9 marks.
- A NESA-approved calculator is allowed, with compasses, a protractor and set squares, and a data sheet, formulae sheet and periodic table are provided.
Which HSC this course is for
The Physics Stage 6 Syllabus (2017) is the current syllabus, examined in the 2026 and 2027 HSC. NESA's curriculum reform timeline lists the new Physics 11-12 syllabus as taught in schools from 2027 and first examined in the 2028 HSC, so this course follows the 2017 syllabus.
Try 2 questions
Question 2
| Frequency (× 10¹⁴ Hz) | Kmax (eV) |
|---|---|
| 6.0 | 0.41 |
| 7.0 | 0.83 |
| 8.0 | 1.24 |
| 9.0 | 1.65 |
| 10.0 | 2.07 |
A student measures the maximum kinetic energy of photoelectrons from a metal at five frequencies of light (table). What work function do these results give for the metal?
Next step
Questions people ask
Which HSC does this syllabus cover?
The 2026 and 2027 HSC, so students sitting the HSC next year use this syllabus. NESA's timeline lists the new Physics syllabus as first examined in the 2028 HSC.
Is Year 11 Physics in the exam?
The exam is set on Modules 5 to 8, and the Year 11 course is assumed knowledge, so kinematics, forces, energy, waves and circuits can appear inside Year 12 questions.
Can I use a calculator?
Yes, a NESA-approved calculator, with the data sheet, formulae sheet and periodic table provided in the exam.