Contact : Mr I Hardiman	Examination Board & Code :   OCR: AS H158,  A2 H558
Length of Course : 2 Years to full A level

   

What is Physics A level about?

The course aims to foster the acquisition of knowledge and understanding of physical concepts, using experimental work, numerical analysis and ICT where appropriate. We aim to produce students who have a confident grasp of the subject and the original, creative and enquiring minds possessed by good scientists.  Practical skills are assessed internally through a series of short tasks.

 

Is this course for me?

A-level Physics is a demanding course and, as such, success in it will give added enjoyment and satisfaction. At least a Grade B in GCSE Mathematics and Grades BB in Core and Additional Science or Grade B in Physics are required to join the course.

  

What else do I need to know?

The study of A-level Mathematics (Pure Mathematics and Mechanics) is extremely desirable as a back-up to the more mathematical areas of Physics. You may be asked to pay travel costs and entry fees for external lectures but there are no internal costs.

 

What do other students say?

“After a lot of hard work it suddenly all clicks into place and you feel fantastic.”   “I really enjoyed learning about Particle Physics, which you don’t really do at GCSE.”   “It’s a hard subject but people respect you for studying it and it looks good on university and job applications.” 

  

Where could it lead?

Past students have studied a variety of University subjects such as Physics, Astrophysics, Natural Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Computing, Music Technology, Civil Engineering, Medicine and Aeronautics. The analytical skills gained in this course are also useful in many non-scientific careers e.g. Law, Accountancy.

  

How is this course structured?

 

Unit Content	Unit Assessment
AS Unit 1:  Mechanics Motion, Forces in Action, Work and Energy	1 hr written examination 15% of A-level, 30% of AS
AS Unit 2: Electrons, Photons and Waves Electric current, Resistance, DC circuits, Waves, Quantum Physics	1hr 45 minutes written examination 25% of A-level, 50% of AS
AS Unit 3: Practical skills in Physics Internally assessed qualitative, quantitative and evaluative tasks	Internal assessment 10% of A-level, 20% of AS
A2 Unit 4: The Newtonian World Newton’s Laws and Momentum, Circular Motion and Oscillations, Thermal Physics	1hr written examination 15% of A-level
A2 Unit 5: Fields, Particles and Frontiers of Physics Electric and Magnetic Fields, Capacitors and Exponential Decay, Nuclear Physics, Medical Imaging, Modelling the Universe	1hr 45 minutes written examination 25% of A-level
A2 Unit 6: Practical skills in Physics 2 Internally assessed qualitative, quantitative and evaluative tasks	Internal assessment 10% of A-level