Physics - Year 13

Physics Overview

Term 1: Thermal Physics, Ideal Gases and Circular Motion Oscillations

This section provides knowledge and understanding of

temperature, matter, specific heat capacity and specific

latent heat with contexts involving heat transfer and

change of phase (HSW1, 2, 5, 7).

Experimental work can be carried out to safely

investigate specific heat capacity of materials (HSW4).

It also provides an opportunity to discuss how

Newton’s laws can be used to model the behaviour

of gases. There are many examples of objects travelling at

constant speed in circles, e.g. planets, artificial

satellites, charged particles in a magnetic field, etc.

The physics in all these cases can be described and

analysed using the ideas developed by Newton. The

concepts in this section have applications in many

contexts present in other sections of this specification,

such as planetary motion in section 5.4.3 (HSW1, 2,

5, 9).

This section provides knowledge and understanding

of circular motion and important concepts such as

centripetal force and acceleration.

  1. 40 minutes assessment and quizzes
  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 2: Oscillations, Gravitational Fields and Capacitors

This section provides knowledge and understanding

of Newton’s law of gravitation, planetary motion and

gravitational potential and energy.

  1. Students will sit a 40 minute test during directed learning sessions.
  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 3: Electric & Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism and Nuclear & Particle Physics

In this module, learners will learn about capacitors,

electric field, electromagnetism, nuclear physics,

particle physics.

  1. Students will sit a 40 minute test during directed learning sessions.
  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 4: Medical Imaging & Revision

This section provides knowledge and understanding

of X-rays, CAT scans, PET scans and ultrasound scans.

This section shows how the developments in medical

imaging have led to a number of valuable non-invasive

techniques used in hospitals.

  1. Students will sit a 40 minute test during directed learning sessions.
  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community:

Term 5 : Intervention and revision

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community: