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.
| | 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 |
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.
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 |
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
| | Practical skill |
|---|
PS1.1 | Solve problems set in practical contexts |
PS1.2 | Apply scientific knowledge to practical contexts |
7.3.2 Use and application of scientific methods and practices
| | 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 |
7.3.3 Numeracy and the application of mathematical concepts in a practical context
| | 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 |
7.3.4 Instruments and equipment
| | 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 |
