A level physics is suitable for students who:

• have an interest in, and enjoy physics;
• want to find out about how things in the physical world work;
• enjoy applying their mind to solving problems;
• enjoy carrying out investigations by the application of imaginative, logical thinking;
• have achieved a B grade in Double Award Science or Physics and in Mathematics at GCSE.

Unit 1 – Mechanics and materials:

This unit includes rectilinear motion, projectiles, vectors, Newton’s laws, Work, energy and power, fluid flow, viscosity and upthrust, properties of materials taught in the contexts of sport, making and testing food, spare part surgery

Unit 2 – Waves, electricity and quantum physics:

This unit includes wave characteristics, coherence, path difference, superposition and phase, standing waves, reflection, refraction, polarisation and diffraction, Doppler effect, current, voltage,

resistance, resistivity, emf and internal resistance, photons and the photoelectric effect taught in the contexts of medical physics, music, archaeology, solar cells

Unit 3 – Internal assessment

This includes a practical task based on a short piece of research or a physics-based visit

Unit 4 – Further mechanics, introduction to fields and particles

This unit includes momentum, circular motion, electric fields, magnetic fields and particle physics taught in the contexts of applications in particle physics

Unit 5 – Thermal physics, radioactivity, oscillations and astrophysics

This unit includes thermal energy, nuclear decay, oscillations, astrophysics and cosmology taught in the contexts of astrophysics and cosmology

Unit 6 – Internal assessment

This includes a practical exercise consisting of planning practical work, doing practical work and analysing experimental data

Units 1, 2, 4 & 5 are assessed by means of a written examination paper. The papers will consist of multiple choice questions, shorter structured questions that will be designed to test mainly knowledge and understanding of the specification content of the particular unit. Longer questions will also test skills of interpretation and evaluation of data or information related to the content of the particular unit. Students may be required to apply their knowledge and understanding of physics to situations that they have not seen before.

Unit 3 is assessed by means of an experiment that is founded on either a physics-based visit or a case study of an application of physics. The experiment is conducted under supervised conditions. Students write a report.

In Unit 6 students must plan an experiment and then carry out a plan of an experiment which may be their own plan, a plan provided by Edexcel or a plan devised by staff.

Physics leads on to a wide range of courses and careers. You could go on to use Physics to support other qualifications or progress onto further studies or employment. This could be: from a Higher National programme to degree level; courses ranging from Physics, the Sciences, Medicine to Engineering; Chemical Engineering and related programmes; employment in the area of radiography, and biotechnology as possible examples.  In fact Physics is recognised as an entry qualification for a wide range of Higher Education courses and employment.