Physics

Students will study the following: • Measurements and their errors • Particles and Radiation • Waves and Optics • Mechanics • Materials • Electricity • Further Mechanics • Thermal Physics • Fields • Nuclear Physics • An optional topic (usually Turning Points in Physics or Astrophysics) Through Particles and Radiation many new ideas will be introduced including quarks, antiparticles and quantum concepts such as the photoelectric effect and wave-particle duality. We will also cover many of the fundamental aspects of Physics. Although many topics covered will be familiar from GCSE they are developed further for greater appreciation of the ideas. Concepts encountered will be Equations of Motion, Newton’s Laws, Work, Power, Momentum, Hooke’s Law, Longitudinal and Transverse Waves, Refraction, Diffraction and Interference, Current, Voltage, Resistance, Resistivity and much more besides. The second year allows students to deepen their understanding of Physics and to establish links between the previously separate, yet fundamental topics. Some of the concepts to be studied are Circular Motion, Simple Harmonic Motion, Gravitational, Electric and Magnetic Fields, Capacitance and Electromagnetic Induction, Radioactivity, Probing the Nucleus, Nuclear Instability, Nuclear Energy, Heat Capacity, Ideal Gases and Kinetic Theory.

A minimum of 5 GCSE subjects at grade 5, including Grade 5 in GCSE Mathematics and a Grade 6 in GCSE Physics or Grade 7 in GCSE Combined Science.

At the end of the two year course students will sit three written examinations: Paper 1: 2 hour written paper, 34% of A Level Paper 2: 2 hour written paper, 34% of A Level Paper 3: 2 hour written paper, 32% of A Level Made up of two sections, 45 marks based on practical experiments and data analysis and 35 marks based on the optional topic: Turning Points in Physics (St Aidan’s) or Astrophysics (St John Fisher).