For a more detailled course description, click Phys-N45-CourseDescription.
SUBJECT: PHYSICS
AWARD RECEIVED: N5.
(For National 4, please scroll down)
ENTRY LEVEL
Students should ideally have completed the S2/3 Elective Physics course, although that is not crucial. It could be possible for a student without previous experience of Physics to follow this course, in which case they should speak with a Physics teacher for advice.
COURSE CONTENT
The Course is split up into ‘key areas’ as outlined below:
Dynamics
In this area, the topics covered are:
- vectors and scalars: speed, distance, velocity, displacement, resultant vectors, d = v x
- velocity–time graphs: drawing and understanding speed-time graphs, using them to work out
‘distance travelled’ and accelerations, using a = (v – u ) / t
- acceleration: more examples using a = ( v – u ) / t
- Newton’s laws: Newton’s 1st Law and ‘balanced forces’, and Newton’s 2nd Law and ‘unbalanced forces’, F = m x a, mass (m) and weight (W) and W = m x g, Newton’s 3rd Law, ‘free fall’, ‘terminal velocity’.
- energy: conservation of Energy, Gravitational-potential-energy (Ep) Ep = m x g x h,, Kinetic Energy
(Ek) Ek = 1/2 x m x v2, Work-done (Ew) Ew = F x d,
- projectile motion: explanation of how projectiles (golf-ball, foot-ball, stone, tennis-ball, etc.) move through the air, learning how rockets take-off and move into/through Space, learning about satellites.
Space
In this area, the topics covered are:
- space exploration: more detail about rockets, satellites, telescopes, GPS, International Space Station, problems with space travel, learning about the Sun, Moon, Planets, solar-system, Galaxy, Universe, Black-holes, etc.
- cosmology: learning about the origin of the Universe/Big-Bang theory, Light Years, radiations from space, identifying elements in different stars.
Electricity
In this area, the topics covered are:
- electrical charge carriers: the structure of the atom, electrons, static-electricity, electric-current ( I ), electrical charge (Q), Q = I x t, A.C. & D.C. using oscilloscopes.
- potential difference (voltage): learning how this makes electrons move, how it’s the Energy (E) given to the electrons/charge(Q) that allows them to flow through a circuit.
- Ohm’s law: V = I x R along with V1 / V2 = R1 / R2 .
- practical electrical and electronic circuits: using different components to make Series and Parallel circuits – including using a cell, battery, lamp, switch, resistor, voltmeter, ammeter, LED, motor, microphone, loudspeaker, photovoltaic cell, fuse, diode, capacitor, thermistor, LDR, relay, transistor, etc. Learning how the Resistance (R), Current ( I ) and Voltage (V) are linked in Series and Parallel circuits e.g. RT = R1 + R2, IT = I1 = I2, VT = V1 + V2 ..
- electrical power: learning how Power (P) is linked with Energy (E) and time (t) by E = P x t , and how in electrical circuits P = I x V .
Properties of matter
In this area, the topics covered are:
- specific heat capacity: learning how different materials ‘heat up’ by different amounts and so they can have a higher or lower temperature rise, which means they have their own ‘specific heat capacity’ (c), which is linked to the heat Energy (Eh) and mass (m) involved by: Eh = c x m x T . and how this lets us understand why particular materials are used for certain jobs…otherwise they might just melt !
- specific latent heat: this explains how different materials need more, or less, Energy to make them change from solid to liquid, or from a liquid to gas, or vice-versa. Specific latent heat ( l ) is linked with the Energy (E) involved by: Eh = m x l .
- gas laws: learning about how a gas is made up of tiny particles/molecules moving very fast and bumping into the walls of their container, which causes a force (F) to be applied to them – which is what we mean by the Pressure (P) and how they’re linked with the area (A) by: P = F / A . We learn how the Volume (V) and Temperature (T) of a gas also determines what it will do, by the equation: ( P1 x V1 ) / T1 = ( P2 x V2 ) / T2 .
We also learn about the ‘absolute’ coldest temperature that there can possibly be !
- kinetic theory / model: this is an ‘idea’, a theory of how we understand everything is made of tiny particles/atoms/molecules that are constantly moving about.
Waves
In this area, the topics covered are:
- wave parameters: the basic ideas of amplitude (A), wavelength ( ), frequency (f), period (T) and speed (v) of a wave…and how they’re linked by the equations: v = d / t … v = f x … f = 1 / T …
- wave behaviours: easy stuff about reflection of light (waves) and refraction and diffraction, which explain how waves can bend around or through different materials, depending on their wavelength, etc.
- electromagnetic spectrum: we learn how all the waves we’ve learned about ( like Radio-waves, micro-waves, Infra-Red, visible light waves, Ultra-Violet, X-Rays, Gamma-Rays ) are linked in the electromagnetic spectrum … unless they’re something like a sound wave that is.
- refraction of light: we learn a bit more detail about refraction and how different materials can make
light bend more as it goes through them … it tells us how lenses work, including how your eye works !
Radiation
In this area, the topic covered is
- nuclear radiation: which includes learning about atoms again, and radioactivity, with things like alpha-particles, beta-particles and gamma-rays, and stuff like Uranium. We learn about all the nuclear radiation that around you all the time, as ‘background radiation’ and we also learn about how radioactivity is really useful, including Nuclear Energy and Radiotherapy for treating cancer in hospitals, but how it can be very harmful too.
All students will be issued with a Course textbook and they will also be given access to the full course content in a computer software package. This is an excellent resource which allows students to progress at a faster pace if they want to, and it’s also a great way to get additional help for any parts of the Course that might be causing you problems.
The Physics teachers are always available either at lunchtimes and/or at the end of the day to give extra support if and when needed, throughout the year.
ASSESSMENT
To gain an overall Award for this Course, students need to pass the Course Assessment, which is marked by the SQA and includes an:
1. Assignment (20%)
This involves you doing a simple piece of research along with an experiment so that you can write a brief Report of what you investigated and found out. You can do this on your own if you like or, if you prefer, you can work in a small group.
2. Exam (80%)
This is your ‘SQA Final Exam’, which has some multiple-choice questions as well as some ‘written’ answers that will include calculations, using equations that you will be given.
The Course assessment is graded A–D. The grade is determined by how well you perform in the two parts.
HOMEWORK
Homework is an essential part of the course. Homework will include practise problems, questions from a textbook and regular revision of all the material covered in the course.
The Physics teachers are always available at lunchtimes and/or at the end of the day to give you help with your Homework – so it’s easy to get it all done…correctly !
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
There are many very useful and valuable transferable skills gained by studying N5 Physics, including: researching, ICT, reporting, numeracy, literacy, graphing, investigating, practical experimental skills, analysing, presentation, evaluating… to name just a few.
PROGRESSION
There is very good progression from this Course on to Higher Physics.
AWARD RECEIVED: N4
ENTRY LEVEL
Students should ideally have completed the S2/3 Elective Physics course, although that is not crucial. It could be possible for a student without previous experience of Physics to follow this course, in which case they should speak with a Physics teacher for advice.
COURSE CONTENT
The Course is split up into 3 Units of theory to learn, plus an Assignment (which involves a simple bit of research and an experiment). The content of the 3 Units are outlined below:
Electricity and Energy
In this Unit, the ‘key areas’ covered are:
- Generation of electricity
- Electrical power
- Electromagnetism
- Practical electrical and electronic ciruits
- Gas Laws and the Kinetic Model (Theory):
Waves and Radiation
In this Unit, the ‘key areas’ covered are:
- Waves characteristics
- Electromagnetic spectrum
- Nuclear radiation
Dynamics and Space
In this Unit, the ‘key areas’ covered are:
- Speed and acceleration
- Relationship between forces, motion and energy
- Satellites
- Cosmology
All students will be issued with a Course textbook and they will also be given access to the full course content in a computer software package. This is an excellent resource which allows students to progress at a faster pace if they want to, and it’s also a great way to get additional help for any parts of the Course that might be causing you problems.
The Physics teachers are always available either at lunchtimes and/or at the end of the day to give extra support if and when needed, throughout the year.
ASSESSMENT
To gain an overall Award for this Course, students need to pass the Course Assessment, which includes:
- a Unit Test for each of the 3 Units – these are done in class and marked by your teacher,
(…you will be given a list of all the equations you’ll need to use, which makes these easier ! )
- an Outcome 1 – which is a simple ‘write-up’ of an experiment you do in class,
- an Assignment – this involves you doing a simple piece of research along with an experiment so that you can write a brief Report of what you investigated and found out. You can do this on your own if you like or, if you prefer, you can work in a small group.
The Course Assessment is graded as either a Pass or a Fail, and that is determined by how well you perform in each of the different parts.
HOMEWORK
Homework is an essential part of the course. Homework will include practise problems, questions from a textbook and regular revision of all the material covered in the course.
The Physics teachers are always available at lunchtimes and/or at the end of the day to give you help with your Homework – so it’s easy to get it all done…correctly !
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
There are many very useful and valuable transferable skills gained by studying N4 Physics, including: researching, ICT, reporting, numeracy, literacy, graphing, investigating, practical experimental skills, analysing, presentation, evaluating… to name just a few.
PROGRESSION
There is very good progression from this Course on to N5 Physics, which could then possibly lead on into Higher Physics.
