Year 13 — Physics

Thermal Physics introduces the ideas around temperature, matter, specific heat capacity and specific latent heat. Students will learn about absolute zero and why sweating helps keep us cool.

Ideal Gases explores how microscopic motion of atoms can be modelled using Newton's laws and how this provides us with an understanding of pressure and temperature.

Circular Motion builds on the understanding of motion and explores the mathematics of motion in circular paths of objects such as planets, artificial satellites and rollercoasters.

Oscillations explores a new type of motion, seen in objects that vibrate back and forth. Examples include atoms vibrating in a solid and bridges swaying in the wind.

Oscillations will be completed at the start of this term and the students will move on to Gravitational Fields, which develops ideas in circular motion, relating them to planetary motion and gravitational potential energy. Students will learn how Newton's law of gravitation can be used to predict the motion of planets, stars, and distant galaxies.

Capacitors introduces the basic properties of capacitors and how they are used in electrical circuits. Students will learn how they are used as an essential source of electrical energy in most modern electrical devices.

Electric Fields develops the important concepts of Coulomb's Law, uniform electric fields, electric potential, and energy. Students will learn how electric fields relate to lightning strikes, smart windows, and even particle accelerators.

Magnetic Fields explores magnetic fields, the motion of charged particles in magnetic fields, Lenz's Law, and Faraday's Law. Students will learn how Faraday's law has had a dramatic and beneficial effect on society with important devices such as generators and transformers.

Particle Physics develops ideas of the nature of the atom and its nucleus, as well as introducing a new world of fundamental particles. Students will learn about how the nucleus was first discovered, and how we have since gone on to discover that even nucleons are made up of smaller paerticles.

This topic will then move on to the impact of unstable nuclei, where students will learn that radioactivity is a truly random process, and yet still follows a predictable mathematical model.

Nuclear Energy explores the meaning and consequences of Einstein's famous equation. Students will learn about nuclear fission and its use in nuclear reactors, along with how nuclear fusion might one day provide cheap, clean energy.

Medical Imaging introduces the variety of techniques used in modern diagnostic testing, including X-rays, CAT scans, PET scans and ultrasound scans. Strudents will learn how physics has led to the development of a number of valuable non-invasive techniques used in hospitals today.