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