A Level Physics

Physics (AS and A Level)

PHYSICS

AS and A Level (OCR)

Campus: Cheadle and Marple (05.12.2008)

Course overview

The course aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of Physics. We will ensure that your learning is enjoyable, challenging and relevant to contemporary issues by building on the concepts of How Science Works that are introduced at GCSE.

AS Level (year one)

Unit One

Physics in Action- communicationis about electric circuits and sensors, waves as signals and about imaging and simple optics. Designer materialsintroduces properties of materials, the structure of the material and the choice of material for a given purpose.

Unit Two

Understanding Processes, Experimentation and Data Handling- waves and quantum behaviouris about superposition of electromagnetic waves and quantum behaviour of photons and electrons, space, time and motiondevelops mechanics and vectors.

Unit Three

Physics in Practice- quality of measurement-a report of a measurement or study of a physical relationship and physics in use -a presentation on the use, properties and structure of a material.

A Level (year two)

Unit Four
The Rise and Fall of the Clockwork Universe

Models and rulescovers decay of the charge on a capacitor, energy and momentum, the harmonic oscillator, circular orbits and gravitational fields. matter in extremescovers the kinetic theory of gases, thermal behaviour of matter and the effect of temperature.

Unit Five - Field and Particle Pictures

Fieldscovers ideas about electromagnetism, electric fields and potential. Fundamental particlesis about atomic and nuclear structure, with attention to radiation and risk.

Unit Six - Researching Physics

Practical investigation- a report of an investigation of your choosing on a practical problem related to physics.

Research briefing-a short written and verbal report based on your individual work summarising a topic of physics of your choice.

How you will learn

Your lessons will involve a mixture of presentations, problem-solving classes, demonstrations, discussions and, of course, lots of practical work. We aim to make your learning interesting, challenging and enjoyable most importantly, however, we want you to succeed in your study of this subject.

How you will be assessed

Candidates must complete the following three units in order to gain an AS qualification.

Weighting Within AS

Unit 1 30% 15%

Unit 2 50% 25%

Unit 3 20% 10%

Candidates must complete the AS units outlined above plus a further three units to complete A-level Physics.

Weighting within A2

Unit 4 30% 15%

Unit 5 50% 25%

Unit 6 20% 10%

Special entry requirements

You will have studied GCSE Science with GCSE Additional Science, ( not applied science) or GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry and GCSE Physics and preferably achieved grade B. Most subjects go with Physics, especially Maths and Electronics or Computing.

What the students say

Fascinating, lots of new ideas

A lot of practical work

Other useful information

Practical tasks of your choice

The course requires good mathematical skills