AS Course Outline

What is Physics?
As you probably know from your GCSE studies, it is the science of the physical world. There are few completely new topics at either AS or A2 level that you won't have come across. Many Higher Level calculation topics are simply repeated, e.g. acceleration and kinetic/potential energy, voltage-current-resistance, while others e.g. heat energy have calculation introduced at AS level, while only descriptive at GCSE.

AS Physics involves mechanics, i.e. motion, forces, kinetic/potential energy, and stretching solids - Hookes Law. We study electricity, both circuits and the how current is explained by electron motion at atomic level. You will study another familiar topic - Waves (light waves and sound waves). Other topics include refraction, diffraction, interference and sound waves in musical instruments and also lens optics. We will study the wave and particle nature of light (photons and quantum physics). All principles in the course will be illustrated by lab experiments where you will do calculations and graphs from your data.

There will be one piece of coursework, done in the Spring Term involving a case study of an application of physics and a related practical investigation-an A-level version of the coursework you are used to.

Students will face questions based on:

• Calculation from formula
• Describe and explain
• Define terms
• Describe familiar experiments

What Skills Will Students Develop by Studying Physics?

• Numerical skills
• Mathematical skills-graph gradients, rearranging equations (GCSE algebra)
• Problem-solving skills
• Practical/experimental skills

Course structure
Involves 6 lessons a week, each of 45 min which involves covering the course content, and exam practice.