Physics

A brief description of the course followed in the Sixth Form.

Entry Requirements

The main requirement for a student wishing to study Physics at A level is that you should enjoy the subject, and have found the majority of it interesting over the last 2 years of the GCSE course. Ideally, pupils should have A grades in either Physics or Double Award Science, as well as an A grade in GCSE Mathematics. We will accept pupils with B grades, but warn that they will find the course very tough. Although the study of mathematics beyond GCSE is not essential for success in Physics at AS-level, candidates must bear in mind that Physics does involve a lot of calculation, and the ability to handle equations and numbers quickly, confidently and accurately is an essential part of the A-level course. There are also some mathematical ideas required for the full A-level that are not covered by GCSE Mathematics syllabuses, so pupils who intend to take the subject to full A-level should seriously consider taking Mathematics to A-level as well.

The study of Physics as a "career determining" A-level is usually combined with Mathematics, and Mathematics as well as Physics will be an essential qualifier for many engineering, computing and other scientific degrees. Physical sciences, computing, and many branches of engineering are highly mathematical at University level, and, for some such options, Further Mathematics also ought to be considered. However, it is possible to combine Physics with a large number of other A-levels in a way which provides entry into good University courses, and which leads on to good careers.

The Course

We base our AS and A2 courses on OCR’s Specification B (Advancing Physics) 3888/7888. As with all current A-levels, Advancing Physics is a modular course, with the students taking the first 3 modules during the Lower Sixth year, leading to an AS level qualification. They will then take the remaining 3 modules during their Upper Sixth year, completing their progress towards the full A-level. The course is modern in its outlook, highlighting the role of the subject in contemporary society. The course is supported by CD-ROMs and a dedicated website as well as by traditional textbooks.

In the Lower Sixth (AS), the 3 modules cover:

Physics in action is divided into two parts. Communication looks at imaging, sensing and signaling – broadly the techniques used to collect, transmit and process information. Designer Materials considers how materials are selected for a specific ‘job’ and both large-scale bulk and small-scale micro properties are studied. Assessment is via a 90-minute written examination, taken in January and contributing approximately one-third of the AS marks.

Understanding processes is also divided into two parts. Waves and quantum behaviour studies the two contrasting but complimentary approaches to understanding the nature of electromagnetic radiation. Space and time is concerned with mechanics – the analysis of motion and force. Assessment is via a 90-minute written examination, taken in June and contributing approximately one-third of the AS marks.

Physics in practice consists of three short coursework tasks, with each task arising naturally out of the physics studied. Each of the three tasks is expected to take not more than three hours of contact time and an equivalent amount of independent study for research and writing up.

The Materials task: the Designer Materials section of the AS course develops the student’s ideas about the way materials are used in everyday life and how their uses depend upon their properties. At the end of this section of the course each student will find out about one such material and present their findings in the form of a talk, a poster or a web page. This will take place in the second half of the autumn term.

The Instrumentation task: the Communication section of the course includes a chapter about sensing and the instrumentation task involving the investigation of a sensor is a natural outcome of that work. The students will carry out this task in the first half of the spring term.

The Making sense of data task: throughout the AS course there are many opportunities for practical work, including collecting and analyzing data. This task, which will take place in the second half of the spring term, gives an opportunity to deal effectively with a set of data, and to present clearly its support (or not) for relevant conclusions.

The assessed coursework rewards practical and investigative skills that the students develop throughout the course and the three pieces together contribute 30% of the AS marks.

Students will then have a choice as to whether or not to continue with the course to full A-level, but the majority will treat Physics as a 2-year A-level course.

The Upper Sixth (A2) course also has 3 modules:

Rise and fall of the clockwork Universe begins by looking at how ideas in physics such as exponential decay and harmonic oscillators are governed by models and rules. Ideas about the Solar System are interpreted in terms of the Newtonian gravitational model, followed by a look at the evidence for the Big Bang theory and the expansion of the Universe. Matter is explored via the kinetic theory of gases through to the effects of extremes of temperature from the very cold to the very hot. Assessment is via a 75-minute written examination (20% of the A2 mark) to be taken in January plus a Practical Investigation (15%) on a topic entirely of the student’s own choosing from any branch of the subject. This is a more substantial piece of coursework than at AS and enables the students to use their knowledge of physics to investigate a problem of interest. The Task, which is to be carried out in the autumn term of the Upper Sixth, is expected to take two weeks of contact time and the associated independent study time.

Field and particle pictures studies both magnetic and electric field from the context of how electromagnetic machines work and the design of particle accelerators. The topics then consider how physicists “see” inside atoms and molecules to develop ideas about fundamental particles of matter and the link to cosmology. Ionising radiation and risk discusses both the benefits and dangers of this valuable area of physics, as well as considering fears and concerns about nuclear power and its link to warfare. Assessment is via a 75-minute written examination (20%) to be taken in June, but also students carry out a Research Report (15%). This provides an opportunity to research on a topic of physics of the student’s choosing, which requires the use and synthesis of ideas from different areas of the subject, so contributing to the synoptic part of the assessment. The task, which is to be carried out in the spring term of the Upper Sixth, is again expected to take two weeks of contact time and the associated independent study time.

Advances in Physics looks at a variety of case studies in which ideas from physics work together to solve a problem. This gives the students an opportunity to synthesise and use the knowledge they have gained during the whole course, as well as preparing them for the synoptic assessment – a 90 –minute written examination (30%) to be taken in June, which includes an advance notice article on which an unseen comprehension test is based.

The work in the Upper Sixth will be much more demanding, and it will be essential that students demonstrate their potential for this higher level course by performing well in the Lower Sixth module exams.

Throughout the course, the emphasis will be strongly based on experimental work, and on the need to be able to think through a problem from the fundamental principles to a detailed solution. The students will be expected to be able to think freely, and to work in a less structured environment than during the GCSE course. Students will need to be computer literate, and will use ICT as a routine part of the Physics A-level. Candidates will also need to be thoroughly numerate, as the ability to carry out calculations quickly and accurately is vital for those who wish to obtain a good AS or A-level grade.

Careers.

The majority of those who take Physics at A-level do not go on to study pure Physics at University, but use it to gain entry to a very wide range of alternative courses. Of those who qualify as Physicists in this country, about one third are in education (universities, colleges and schools). Another third are in industry, often in electronics and related fields (though many of these tend to move from research into sales or management as their careers proceed). The remainder tend to work for Government agencies, such as the National Physical Laboratory, various Defence Establishments, or in industries such as Electricity Supply, Atomic and Nuclear. The government influence has tended to decline, as major industries such as Telecommunications, Transport and so on have been privatised. Engineering is an area that many of our students pursue in further education. It is a shortage area, and there are many challenging, interesting and lucrative careers in this huge field. Other students move on into medicine, veterinary medicine, business and management studies and many other areas. Physics is a demanding, analytical subject, and the skills that it teaches are useful across a wide range of careers.

A booklet on Careers and Higher Education is available from the Institute of Physics, 47 Belgrave Square, London SW1.

R.V. Lewis