Physics
Contact Details
Name |
Position |
|
| Joe Jennings | Head of Physics | JenningsJ@hendonschool.co.uk |
| Samuel Alyward | Head of Faculty | AylwardS@hendonschool.co.uk |
Faculty: Science
Level: A-level
Examination Board: OCR Physics H156, H556
Website: https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-and-a-level/physics-a-h156-h556-from-2015/
- Minimum Entry Requirement – 6:6
- Main Topic Areas – Quantum Phenomena, Mechanics, Waves, Electricity, Fields, Applied Physics (Stars/Cosmology, Medical Physics)
- Practical Activity Groups - PAGS
Year 12 Course Outline
| Autumn Term |
Foundations of Physics Quantities and units Derived units Scalar and vector quantities Adding vectors Resolving vectors More on vectors
Electrons, Waves and Photons Current and charge Moving Charges Kirchhoff's first law Mean drift velocity Practice questions
Energy, Power and Resistance The thermistor The LDR Electrical energy and power Paying for electricity Practice questions Resistance and resistivity Diodes Circuit symbols Potential difference and electromotive force The electromotive gun Resistance I-V characteristics |
Quantum Physics The photon model The photoelectric effect Einstein's photoelectric effect equation Wave-particle duality
Motion Distance and Speed Displacement and Velocity Acceleration More on velocity -time graphs Equations of motion Car stopping distances Free fall and g Projectile motion
Forces in Action Force, Mass and weight Centre of mass Free-body diagrams Drag and terminal velocity Moments and equilibrium Couples and torques Triangle of forces Density and pressure p = hpg and Archimedes' principle
Work, Energy and Power Kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy Power and efficiency conversation of energy |
| Spring Term |
Electrical Circuits Kirchhoffs law and circuits Combining resistors Analysing circuits Internal resistance Potential divider circuits Sensing Circuits
Waves - Section 1 Progressive waves Wave properties Reflection and refraction Diffraction and polarisation Intensity Electromagnetic waves Polarisation of electromagnetic waves Refractive index Total internal reflection
|
Materials Springs and Hooke's law Elastic potential energy Deforming materials Stress-strain, and the Young modules
Laws of Motion and Momentum Newton's first an third laws of motion Linear momentum Newton's second law of motion impulse Collisions in two dimensions
Stars Objects in the Universe The life cycle of stars The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram Energy levels in atoms Spectra Analysing starlight Stellar Luminosity |
| Summer Term |
Waves - Section 2 Superposition of waves Interference The Young double-slit experiment Stationary waves Harmonics Stationary waves in air columns
Exam Revision and Practice |
Cosmology Astronomical distance The Doppler effect Hubble's law The Big Bang theory Evolution of the Universe
Exam Revision and Practice
Medical Physics X-rays Interaction of X-rays with matter CAT scans The gamma camera PET scans Ultrasound Acoustics impedance Doppler imaging |
Practical Activity Groups - PAGS
As part of your course (amongst other practicals) you will be required to complete a series of experiments that you will be assessed on in terms of practical skills, measurement and analysis. This will build on your experience at GCSE and deepen your understanding of good experimental technique and limitations in measurement. 6 are required to be carried out in Y12 and 6 in Y13 making a total of 12 altogether. All the practical work follows the specification closely and you will be required to pass all of them under the CPAC assessment criteria.
Below are a list of possible experiments that could be assessed. This is only a minimum. Students will carry out more than 12 throughout the course and any amount could be used to assess student competence.
| Year 12 | Year 13 |
| Resitivity of a wire | Simple Harmonic Motion - pendulum |
| Internal Resistance of a power supply | Determination of Absolute Zero – The Gas Laws |
| Stationary Waves - Harmonics | Charging and Discharging a Capacitor – Time Constant |
| Measuring the acceleration due to Gravity | Magnetic Force on a current carrying wire |
| Youngs Two Slits - Interference Patterns | Investigating Magnetic Flux Linkage for a search solenoid |
| Measuring the Youngs Modulus of a wire |
Verifying in the inverse square law for Radioactive Decay |
Textbook Requirement;
It is advisable that you buy this textbook as soon as possible if you are going to study physics at Hendon. It contains the whole A-level course including Astrophysics. There is also a different A-level text available on kerboodle that can be accessed. This textbook is a necessity!
