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Physics

COMPULSORY TASK:

Practical Skills in written examinations

The work you have completed for the Practical Endorsement has been excellent preparation for your public exams in Year 13. It has been clear from the A2 public exams, practice and specimen papers that the practical activities completed form a significant part of all three papers, especially paper 3. Questions have focussed on the following key areas: -

  • Planning – Describe the practical activity including identification of equipment and an appropriate diagram.
  • Variables – Identify the independent, dependent and all control variables.
  • Risk Assess – Identify both the generic and specific dangers in each experiment.  Be able to propose ways to minimise the dangers and outline any action required in the event of an accident.  You are recommended to use CLEAPPS, and other online resources, to research and reference your risk assessment. 
  • Analysis – Link between scientific understanding and anticipated results.  
  • Processing – Can you draw a graph and identify what intercept and gradient represent (if appropriate)? Do you know what to do with the data in terms of calculations required?
  • Evaluation – What are the limitations of your experiment? How do you minimise uncertainty and errors e.g. improve quality of data? How could you improve your experiment? Can you constructively criticise a proposed method/diagram in order to improve or make the procedure safe?

Please choose ten PAGs from those listed below and produce a document for each that addresses all areas above. 

Your classroom teacher will show you some example material in advance of the summer holidays. The expectation is that you produce a minimum A4 or A3 document for each PAG. 

  • 1.1 Comparing methods of determining g
  • 1.2 Investigating terminal velocity      
  • 2.1 Determining the Young Modulus for a metal 
  • 2.2 Force/extension characteristics for arrangements of springs         
  • 2.3 Investigating a property of plastic
  • 3.1 Determining the resistivity of a metal                                                  
  • 3.3 Determining the internal resistance 
  • 4.3 Investigating potential divider circuits including a non-ohmic device
  • 5.1 Determining Wavelength using a diffraction grating.
  • 5.2 Determining the speed of sound in air using a resonance tube 
  • 5.3 Determining frequency and amplitude of a wave using an oscilloscope
  • 6.1 Determining the Planck constant 
  • 6.2 Experiments with light 

Tasks should be submitted on the Google Classroom by the first lesson in September.

If you have any questions, please email m.adcock@springwoodhighschool.co.uk

 

OPTIONAL EXTENSION:

Complete one of the following free courses on OpenLearn which will cover some of the new content you will meet in year 13 physics:

 

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READING:

Please look on-line as the bulk of practical activities have supporting videos. Good supporting resources are available below: 

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