A-level Physics₇₄₀₈

Fundamental (base) units.

Use of mass, length, time, amount of substance , temperature, electric current and their associated SI units.

SI units derived.

Knowledge and use of the SI prefixes, values and standard form.

The fundamental unit of light intensity, the candela, is excluded.

Students are not expected to recall definitions of the fundamental quantities.

Dimensional analysis is not required.

Students should be able to use the prefixes: $\mathit{}\mathit{}\mathsf{T,}\mathrm{G}\mathsf{,\; M,\; k,\; c,\; m,\; \mu ,\; n,\; p,\; f}\mathit{}$ ,

Students should be able to convert between different units of the same quantity, eg $\mathit{}\mathit{}\mathsf{J}\mathit{}$ and $\mathit{}\mathit{}\mathsf{eV}\mathit{}$ , $\mathit{}\mathit{}\mathsf{J}\mathit{}$ and $\mathit{}\mathit{}\mathsf{kW\; h}\mathit{}$ .

Random and systematic errors.

Precision, repeatability, reproducibility, resolution and accuracy.

Uncertainty:

Absolute, fractional and percentage uncertainties

represent uncertainty in the final answer for a quantity.

Combination of absolute and percentage uncertainties.

Represent uncertainty in a data point on a graph using error bars.

Determine the uncertainties in the gradient and intercept of a straight-line graph.

Individual points on the graph may or may not have associated error bars.

PS 2.3

Students should be able to identify random and systematic errors and suggest ways to reduce or remove them.

PS 3.3

Students should understand the link between the number of significant figures in the value of a quantity and its associated uncertainty.

MS 1.5

Students should be able to combine uncertainties in cases where the measurements that give rise to the uncertainties are added, subtracted, multiplied, divided, or raised to powers. Combinations involving trigonometric or logarithmic functions will not be required.

Orders of magnitude.

Estimation of approximate values of physical quantities.

MS 1.4

Students should be able to estimate approximate values of physical quantities to the nearest order of magnitude.

Students should be able to use these estimates together with their knowledge of physics to produce further derived estimates also to the nearest order of magnitude.