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OCR A-Level Physics — H556

A Level Physics A

This page is matched to OCR H556. View the official course specification.

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Your course checklist

Use these checkpoints to work through the Physics content currently published for OCR H556. Progress labels apply to the topic as a whole rather than to individual checklist statements.

Topics15

Study checkpoints71

Named practicals12

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Topic 1

Astrophysics and cosmology

Stellar radiation, luminosity, spectra, distance, redshift and cosmic expansion.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available

Course checklist for Astrophysics and cosmology

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Topic 2

Capacitors

Capacitance, stored charge and energy, RC charging and discharging, and time constants.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available 1 practical

Course checklist for Capacitors

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Practicals on this course

Capacitor charge, discharge and time constant Suggested PAG activity PAG 9 – Investigating capacitors / example: time constant from log-linear graph

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Topic 3

Electric circuits

Charge flow, emf, internal resistance, resistivity and circuit laws.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available 2 practicals

Course checklist for Electric circuits

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Practicals on this course

Calibrating a thermistor thermostat Suggested PAG activity PAG 4 – Investigating electrical circuits / example: potential divider circuits
Determining the resistivity of a wire Suggested PAG activity PAG 3 – Investigating electrical properties / example: resistivity or conductivity

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Topic 4

Electric fields

Electric field strength, Coulomb force, electric potential and charged-particle motion.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available

Course checklist for Electric fields

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Topic 5

Gravitational fields

Gravitational field strength, potential, orbital motion and energy in radial fields.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available

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Topic 6

Magnetic fields and induction

Forces on currents and charges, magnetic flux, Faraday's law, Lenz's law and electromagnetic induction.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available

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Topic 7

Materials

Stress, strain, Young modulus, deformation, material behaviour and elastic energy.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available 1 practical

Course checklist for Materials

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Practicals on this course

Determining Young modulus Suggested PAG activity PAG 2 – Investigating properties of materials / example: Young modulus

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Topic 8

Measurements and uncertainties

Random/systematic error, uncertainty propagation, graphs and significant figures.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available 2 practicals

Course checklist for Measurements and uncertainties

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Practicals on this course

Planning and carrying out an independent investigation Suggested PAG activity PAG 11 – Investigation / example: specific heat capacity
Research skills for practical physics Suggested PAG activity PAG 12 – Research skills

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Topic 9

Mechanics

Kinematics, forces, momentum, energy and circular motion.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available 1 practical

Course checklist for Mechanics

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Practicals on this course

Determining g by free fall Suggested PAG activity PAG 1 – Investigating motion / example: acceleration of free fall

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Topic 10

Nuclear physics

Nuclear stability, binding energy, radioactive decay, fission and fusion.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available 1 practical

Course checklist for Nuclear physics

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Practicals on this course

Gamma absorption by lead Suggested PAG activity PAG 7 – Investigating ionising radiation / example: absorption of alpha, beta or gamma

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Topic 11

Oscillations

Simple harmonic motion, energy, damping, forced oscillations and resonance.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available 1 practical

Course checklist for Oscillations

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Practicals on this course

Simple harmonic motion: spring and pendulum Suggested PAG activity PAG 10 – Investigating simple harmonic motion / example: factors affecting period

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Topic 12

Particle physics

Quarks, leptons, hadrons, antiparticles, conservation laws, reactions and particle detection.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available

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Topic 13

Quantum physics

Photons, the photoelectric effect, de Broglie waves and spectra.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available 1 practical

Course checklist for Quantum physics

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Practicals on this course

Determining Planck's constant using LEDs Suggested PAG activity PAG 6 – Investigating quantum effects / example: Planck constant using LEDs

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Topic 14

Thermal physics

Ideal gases, internal energy, heat capacity and microscopic models.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available 1 practical

Course checklist for Thermal physics

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Practicals on this course

Investigating Boyle's and Charles's laws Suggested PAG activity PAG 8 – Investigating gases / example: estimating absolute zero

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Topic 15

Waves

Phase, interference, diffraction, stationary waves and polarisation.

2 questions available 1 retrieval card available 1 practical

Course checklist for Waves

What you need to know

Practicals on this course

Interference: Young's slits and diffraction gratings Suggested PAG activity PAG 5 – Investigating waves / example: light and sound superposition

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