The AQA A-level Physics specification gives students a seamless transition from GCSE to university courses in Physics and Physicsrelated disciplines. It maintains students’ enthusiasm for Physics and develops their interest in the subject. ‘How Science Works’ offers practical and investigative experience throughout the two years of study. You will study the concepts of particles and radiation, waves, mechanics, materials and electricity during Year 12. Year 13 develops further on mechanics, fields, thermal physics and nuclear physics. You will also study a specific ‘option unit’ which will be decided by the school, with input from students. Possible option units include: astrophysics, medical physics, engineering physics, turning points or electronics The practical skills of ‘How Science Works’ are integrated throughout the course. There is an emphasis on developing key practical skills and you will carry out a number of required practicals throughout the two years. Upon successful completion, you will gain a practical skills accreditation which is given alongside your grade. This accreditation does not affect your overall grade. Students will complete three exams at the end of Year 13. The first paper covers topics 1-5, the second paper covers topics 6 - 8 and the third paper is a Practical Skills and Data Analysis exam which includes content from the option unit. Physics by its nature has substantial mathematical content. Students must be prepared to develop their analytical and problem-solving skills, use ICT and think deeply. Core Content 1 Measurements and their errors 2 Particles and radiation 3 Waves 4 Mechanics and materials 5 Electricity 6 Further mechanics and thermal physics 7 Fields and their consequences 8 Nuclear physics Options 9 Astrophysics 10 Medical physics 11 Engineering physics 12 Turning points in physics 13 Electronics Physics is an exciting subject, providing insight into the world around us. It has been developed by some of the greatest minds through the ages, with brilliant breakthroughs even in the last few years. Physics, like the other sciences, is a practical subject, and students therefore spend a considerable portion of their time conducting their own experiments or learning from demonstrations. A successful Physicist must be able to draw conclusions from experimental results as well as learning from textbooks, videos and computer programs. There are usually two Physics teachers for each group, each of whom will set at least one homework assignment each week. Physics is a highly regarded subject for higher education and many technical careers. It is essential for many areas of Engineering, Medicine and Science. It is really useful for subjects such as Computing, Architecture, Geology, Teaching and even Finance and Business. Some people spend their whole lives researching in pure Physics, perhaps working on the particle accelerator at CERN, or using giant telescopes and complex theories to research Astrophysics. https://www.ashmoleacademy.org/_site/data/files/post16/1665D110BFBC2774CA4DFED150071DED.pdf#page=37