Course Content Information
The National 5 Physics curriculum develops a pupils interest and enthusiasm for chemistry through scientific inquiry and investigation. The Physics concepts taught are contextualised with real world examples and pupils are encouraged to investigate the applications of Physics. The National 5 course consists of 6 Units. The units and their respective key areas are detailed below:
Dynamics
- Vectors and scalers
- Velocity
- Acceleration
- Newton’s laws
- Energy
- Projectile motion
Space
- Space exploration
- Cosmology
Electricity
- Electrical charge carriers
- Potential difference
- Ohm’s law
- Practical electrical and electronic circuits
- Electrical power
Properties of Matter
- Specific heat capacity
- Specific latent heat
- Gas laws and the kinetic model
Waves
- Wave parameters and behaviours
- Electromagnetic spectrum
- Refraction of light
Radiation
- Nuclear radiation
Course Assessment Information
This course assessment structure for this course is dictated by the SQA. There are two parts to this assessment structure:
- Assignment – this written piece of work is completed under controlled conditions and is worth 20 marks. The assignment assess the application of skills of scientific enquiry and related physics knowledge and understanding.
- Exam – The purpose of the exam paper is to assess breadth, challenge, and application of skills, knowledge and understanding from across the course. This question paper is sat under exam conditions and is worth 135 marks.
SQA Course Information
Detailed course specifications and understanding standards materials can be accessed from the National 5 Physics SQA site
