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OCR 21st Century Physics A (J635)

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About this course
Exam dates
Exam papers

About this course

This specification comprises seven teaching modules which are assessed through four units. Candidates take Units 1, 2 and 3 and either Unit 4 or 5.

Unit 1 A331 – modules P1, P2, P3
Unit 2 A332 – modules P4, P5, P6
Unit 3 A333 – Ideas in Context plus P7
Unit 4 A339 – Practical Data Analysis and Case Study
Unit 5 A340 – Practical Investigation

Unit 1

Module P1: The Earth in the Universe
What do we know about the Earth and Space?
How have the Earth’s continents moved, and with what consequences?
What is known about stars and galaxies?
How do scientists develop explanations of the Earth and Space?

Module P2: Radiation and Life
What types of electromagnetic radiation are there? What happens when radiation hits an object?
Which types of electromagnetic radiation harm living tissue and why?
How does electromagnetic radiation make life on earth possible? What is the evidence for global warming, why might it be occurring, and how serious a threat is it?
What ideas about risk do citizens and scientists have?

Module P3: Radioactive Materials
Why are some materials radioactive?
How can radioactive materials be used and handled safely, including wastes?
How should electricity be generated? What can be done with nuclear wastes?
What are the health risks from radioactive materials?

Unit 2

Module P4: Explaining Motion
How can we describe motion?
What are forces?
What is the connection between forces and motion?
How can we describe motion in terms of energy changes?

Module P5: Electric Circuits
Electric current – a flow of what?
What determines the size of the current in an electric circuit?
How do parallel and series circuits work?
How is mains electricity produced?
How much electrical energy do we use at home?

Module P6: The Wave Model of Radiation
What are waves?
Why so scientists think that light and sound are waves?
Do all types of electromagnetic radiation behave in the same way?
How is information added to a wave?

Unit 3

Module P7: Further Physics - Observing the Universe
How do astronomers observe the sky?
How does a telescope work?
What are the objects we see in the night sky and how far away are they?
What are stars?
How do astronomers work together?

Units 3 (ideas in context), 4 & 5

There's quite a lot of information about these units, so I've put them on a separate page here.

Exam dates for 2009/10

Unit 1: January 20 or June 28
Unit 2: Feb 1 or June 24
Units 3 (Ideas in context and P7): June 16

Exam papers

Link to exam papers and other documents

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