Physics: Advanced Level
Core Topics
A. Measurement
- Solve problems involving SI units
- Maintain the correct number of significant numbers in calculations
- Use uncertainties in measurement
- Define vector and scalar quantities
B. Kinematics
- Use the language and concepts of kinematics to describe motion
- Analyze and solve kinematics in one dimension
- Construct and interpret displacement versus time curves
- Construct and interpret velocity versus time graphs
- Solve problems involving uniform acceleration
C. Dynamics
- Use the language and concepts of dynamics to describe forces and energy
- Analyze and solve dynamics in one dimension using free body diagrams
- Apply Newton’s laws of motion in one dimension
- Solve problems involving:
- Friction forces
- Gravity forces including Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation
- Analyze and solve problems in kinetic and potential energy
- Analyze and solve problems in energy conservation
- Solve problems involving work and power
- Solve problems involving impulse and conservation of momentum in one dimension.
D. Electricity
- Use the language and concepts of electricity to describe electrical phenomena
- Analyze and solve problems using Coulomb’s law
- Analyze and solve problems involving Ohm’s law
- Define and distinguish between electric potential difference, resistance and current
- Solve simple DC resistance problems involving series, parallel and combination circuits
E. Heat
- Use the language and concepts of thermodynamics to describe the transfer of heat energy
- Define and distinguish between temperature, heat energy and specific heat capacity
- Analyze and solve problems in heat energy
- Demonstrate an understanding of the different mechanisms of heat transfer
F. Waves
- Use the language of physics to describe wave phenomena
- Define and distinguish between amplitude, wavelength, frequency, wave speed and period
- Analyze and solve problems involving wave phenomena including refraction, reflection and total internal reflection
- Describe various wave phenomena and the conditions which produce them
Options:
The following topics may be useful to students going on to further physics courses:
- Atomic and nuclear physics
- Modern physics
- Optics
Laboratories:
There should be one laboratory from each topic and a minimum of seven laboratories. Laboratory skills must include:
- Collecting data through observation:
- Record a measurement to the appropriate level of precision
- Recognize that all measured values have an uncertainty
- Constructing graphs:
- Choose appropriate scales
- Determine line of best fit
- Label correctly
- Drawing conclusions from observations and data:
- Identify and discuss sources of error
- Calculate and interpret the slope of a line
- Relate conclusion to objectives
- Calculating experimental error:
- Determine % error and % difference where appropriate
- Completing formal lab reports