Physics

Physics Newsletter

Phil and I are delighted to be collaborating on a combined approach with the Key Stage 4 and now Key Stage 5 students in their pursuit of knowledge in Physics (Years 10 through 12). We are both Physics graduates, passionate about the subject, and have many years of experience developing our teaching pedagogy (especially Phil).

In Year 10, we continue to build their understanding of the laws of motion and the forces affecting it, including rotational torque. We’ve had some fun with balancing beams and exploring what it takes to achieve equilibrium. We have also examined the impact of momentum changes and the outcomes of collisions. Road safety may well feature in our discussions next week.

In Year 11, we are deepening their understanding of electricity and the factors that influence voltage and current in circuits. This is a great opportunity for students to experiment with different circuit layouts and predict expected readings using our array of electrical diagnostic tools.

In Year 12, Phil is developing the students’ understanding of matter in terms of density, the effect of pressure on objects, and gravitational influence. As with most aspects of Physics, there are formulae to learn and apply to various scenarios for detailed calculations. Many students will recall the demonstration we provide each year for the Primary school, involving the imploding oil drums – one of our favourites.

Year 12 have also been exploring scientific practices when conducting experiments. There is a strong emphasis on understanding the difference between precision and accuracy. Knowing your degree of accuracy is crucial in scientific work before drawing conclusions. The students are now moving on to Kinematics, which will lead us to projectiles and trajectories. We don’t have a cannon, so we use simulation software to plot object trajectories through space.

Despite the absence of the aforementioned cannon, our regular influx of new equipment should be arriving shortly. We have steadily grown our inventory of valuable tools to allow our students to experience for themselves the effects of Physics in daily life. We look forward to continuing to make science both fun and informative.