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  1. Home
  2. Subjects
  3. Physics
  4. AS Physics

AS Physics7407

SpecificationPlanning resourcesTeaching resourcesAssessment resourcesKey dates
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Specification at a glance
3.0 Subject content
3.1 Measurements and their errors
3.2 Particles and radiation
3.3 Waves
3.4 Mechanics and materials
3.5 Electricity
4.0 Scheme of assessment
5.0 General administration
6.0 Mathematical requirements and exemplifications
7.0 Practical assessment
AS and A-level Physics Specification Specifications for first teaching in 2015

AS and A-level Physics Specification Specifications for first teaching in 2015

06 Jan 2017

PDF | 1.39 MB

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7.0 Practical assessment

Practical work is at the heart of physics, so we have placed it at the heart of this specification.

Assessment of practical skills in this AS specification will be by written exams only.

The practical endorsement does not apply to the AS specification. A rich diet of practical work is essential to develop students' manipulative skills and understanding of the processes of scientific investigation. It also contributes to teaching and learning of the concepts within this specification.

Questions in the papers have been written in the expectation that students have carried out at least the six required practical activities in Section 7.2.

15% of the marks in the papers will relate to practical work.

7.1 Use of apparatus and techniques

All students taking an A-level Physics qualification are expected to have carried out the required practical activities in Section 7.2. These develop skills in the use of many of the following apparatus and techniques. This list is a compulsory element of the full A-level course. It is reproduced here for reference and to aid co-teaching the AS and A-level specifications.

7.2 Required practical activities

The following practicals must be carried out by all students taking this course. Written papers will assess knowledge and understanding of these, and the skills exemplified within each practical.

Teachers are encouraged to vary their approach to these practical activities. Some are more suitable for highly structured approaches that develop key techniques. Others allow opportunities for students to develop investigative approaches.

This list is not designed to limit the practical activities carried out by students. A rich practical experience for students will include more than the six required practical activities. The explicit teaching of practical skills will build students’ competence. Many teachers will also use practical approaches to the introduction of content knowledge in the course of their normal teaching.

7.3 Practical skills to be assessed in written papers

Overall, at least 15% of the marks for all AS level Physics courses will require the assessment of practical skills.

In order to be able to answer these questions, students need to have been taught, and to have acquired competence in, the appropriate areas of practical skills as indicated in the table of coverage below.

7.3.1 Independent thinking

7.3.2 Use and application of scientific methods and practices

7.3.3 Numeracy and the application of mathematical concepts in a practical context

7.3.4 Instruments and equipment

6.0 Mathematical requirements and exemplifications
 

apparatus and techniques

ATa

use appropriate analogue apparatus to record a range of measurements (to include length/distance, temperature, pressure, force, angles, volume) and to interpolate between scale markings

ATb

use appropriate digital instruments, including electrical multimeters, to obtain a range of measurements (to include time, current, voltage, resistance, mass)

ATc

use methods to increase accuracy of measurements, such as timing over multiple oscillations, or use of fiducial marker, set square or plumb line

ATd

use stopwatch or light gates for timing

ATe

use calipers and micrometers for small distances, using digital or vernier scales

ATf

correctly construct circuits from circuit diagrams using DC power supplies, cells, and a range of circuit components, including those where polarity is important

ATg

design, construct and check circuits using DC power supplies, cells, and a range of circuit components

ATh

use signal generator and oscilloscope, including volts/division and time-base

ATi

generate and measure waves, using microphone and loudspeaker, or ripple tank, or vibration transducer, or microwave / radio wave source

ATj

use laser or light source to investigate characteristics of light, including interference and diffraction

ATk

use ICT such as computer modelling, or data logger with a variety of sensors to collect data, or use of software to process data

ATl

use ionising radiation, including detectors

Required activity

Apparatus and technique reference

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.

a, b, c, i

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

a, j

3 Determination of g by a free-fall method.

a, c, d, k

4 Determination of the Young modulus by a simple method.

a, c, e

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

a, b, e, f

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.

b, f, g

 

Practical skill

PS1.1

Solve problems set in practical contexts

PS1.2

Apply scientific knowledge to practical contexts

 

Practical skill

PS2.1

Comment on experimental design and evaluate scientific methods

PS2.2

Present data in appropriate ways

PS2.3

Evaluate results and draw conclusions with reference to measurement uncertainties and errors

PS2.4

Identify variables including those that must be controlled

 

Practical skill

PS3.1

Plot and interpret graphs

PS3.2

Process and analyse data using appropriate mathematical skills as exemplified in the mathematical appendix for each science

PS3.3

Consider margins of error, accuracy and precision of data

 

Practical skill

PS4.1

Know and understand how to use a wide range of experimental and practical instruments, equipment and techniques appropriate to the knowledge and understanding included in the specification