Specifications that use this resource:

Physics practicals apparatus set-up guides

We’ve worked with experienced teachers and technicians, as well as higher education institutions and learned societies to produce these apparatus set-up guides for each of the required practical activities.

Practicals are at the heart of our new AS and A-level Physics specifications – so it’s important to get them right first time in the lab.

Required activities

You need to cover activities 1-6 for AS and 1-12 for A-level.

Practical 1

Investigation into the variation of the frequency of stationary waves on a string with length, tension and mass per unit length of the string.

Practical 1 set-up guide

Practical 2

Investigation of interference effects to include the Young’s slit experiment and interference by a diffraction grating.

Practical 2 set-up guide

Practical 3

Determination of g by a free-fall method.

Practical 3 set-up guide

Practical 4

Determination of the Young modulus by a simple method.

Practical 4 set-up guide

Practical 5

Determination of resistivity of a wire using a micrometer, ammeter and voltmeter.

Practical 5 set-up guide

Practical 6

Investigation of the emf and internal resistance of electric cells and batteries by measuring the variation of the terminal pd of the cell with current in it.

Practical 6 set-up guide

Practical 7

Investigation into simple harmonic motion using a mass-spring system and a simple pendulum.

Practical 7 set-up guide

Practical 8

Investigation of Boyle’s (constant temperature) law and Charles’s (constant pressure) law for a gas.

Practical 8 set-up guide

Practical 9

Investigation of the charge and discharge of capacitors. Analysis techniques should include log-linear plotting leading to a determination of the time constant RC.

Practical 9 set-up guide

Practical 10

Investigate how the force on a wire varies with flux density, current and length of wire using a top pan balance.

Practical 10 set-up guide

Practical 11

Investigate, using a search coil and oscilloscope, the effect on magnetic flux linkage of varying the angle between a search coil and magnetic field direction.

Practical 11 set-up guide

Practical 12

Investigation of the inverse-square law for gamma radiation.

Practical 12 set-up guide