Required practicals
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The document outlines the new practical programme for physics A-levels, including: - 10 required practicals that may be examined but are not directly assessed - Additional practicals to develop skills and reinforce concepts - One assessed investigation worth 10 hours It then lists several of the required practicals covering topics like motion, thermal concepts, gases, waves, electricity, and radioactivity, along with the key skills developed through each method. Sample exam questions are also included covering areas like graphing experimental data, calculating uncertainties, and identifying sources of error.
Required practicals
- 1. Required Practicals Possible methods and skills gained
- 2. The new practical programme • 10 required pracs not assessed but may be on the exam (paper 3) 10 hours • Other pracs used to develop skills and help understanding of concepts 30/10 hours • Investigation, assessed 10 hours • Gp4 project not assessed
- 3. Required
- 4. Suggested
- 5. 2.1 Motion Methods Skills Ball drop Use of interface Card drop linearizing Picket fence Graph plotting Video analysis Use of video simulations
- 6. 3.1 Thermal concepts Methods Skills Method of mixtures (no need for graph) Use of thermometer/sensor Electrical method (kettle) Data handling and uncertainties Lat ht of steam apparatus
- 7. 3.2 Modelling a Gas Method Skills Boyles law (with syringe and P sensor) Use of sensors Charles law (with thin tube) Graphing Pressure law (with P law apparatus) Uncertainties Adiabatic gas law apparatus simulations
- 8. 4.1 Travelling Waves Method Skills Pipe and audacity Use of audacity Traditional pipes and tuning fork Careful adjustment Pipes and oscilloscope Use of oscilloscope Two microphone method Use of interface
- 9. 4.4 Wave behaviour Method Skills Glass block and ray lamp Use of spectrometer Minimum deviation Analysis of digital photographs Algodoo Use of algodoo
- 10. 5.2 Heating effect of electric current Method Skills Using resistance meters to measure resistance Use of meters Nichrome wire (many gauges) soldering Resistivity paper (strips)
- 11. 5.3 Electric Cells Method Skills Standard E and r method with ammeter voltmeter and variable R Use of meters and variable resistor Investigating cells? Linearization and graphing Discharge of cell
- 12. 7.1 Discrete energy & radioactivity Method Skills Beer foam decay Using log graphs Simulation linearization Flipping coins Video analysis
- 13. 9.3 Interference (AHL) Method Skills Traditional set up Use of optical bench Double slits and laser Use of laser Hair and laser
- 14. 11.2 Power generation and transmission Method Skills Measuring input and output with interface or oscilloscope Soldering Use of interface Use of oscilloscope
- 15. 11.3 Capacitance Method Skills Any ideas?
- 16. Sample question 1 • The speed of sound in air, v, was measured at temperatures near 0°C. The graph shows the data and the line of best-fit. The error bars for temperature are too small to be shown.
- 17. Sample question 2 • A student uses an electronic timer in an attempt to estimate the acceleration of free fall g. She measures the time t taken for a small metal ball to fall through a height h of 0.50 m. The percentage uncertainty in the measurement of time is 0.3 % and the percentage uncertainty height is 0.6 %. • Using h=1/2gt2 calculate the expected percentage uncertainty in the value of g • State and explain how the student could obtain a more reliable value for g
- 18. Sample question 3 • In an experiment to measure the specific heat capacity of a metal, a piece of metal is placed inside a container of boiling water at 100 C °. The metal is then transferred into a calorimeter containing water at a temperature of 10 C °. The final equilibrium temperature of the water was measured. One source of error in this experiment is that a small mass of boiling water will be transferred to the calorimeter along with the metal. • Suggest the effect of the error on the measured value of the specific heat capacity of the metal • State one other source of error for this experiment.