Experimental measurements are a critical component of model development, as they are needed to validate the accuracy of the model predictions. It’s all well and good having a formula on a piece of paper, it’s another to test whether that equation holds true in a real situation. Every equation in your science books would have been tested over and over again to check for validity and that’s an important part of science. In this first unit we will learn the importance of lab experimentation and how to conduct experiments safely and report your findings. 

Kinematics is a branch of physics that deals with the motion of objects without considering the causes behind it. It focuses on describing the position, velocity, acceleration, and time-related parameters of objects in motion. Through the lens of kinematics, we aim to understand and quantify the basic concepts that govern the movement of particles and systems.

By studying kinematics, we can analyse the relationships between these motion variables and investigate the factors that affect them. This unit forms the foundation for further exploration of more complex mechanical systems and their behaviours. Key topics covered in kinematics include displacement, velocity, acceleration, one-dimensional and two-dimensional motion, projectile motion, uniform circular motion, and relative motion.

Dynamics uses Newton's Laws to explain how objects move and ties directly in kinematics.

Energy plays an essential role both in everyday events and in scientific phenomena. You may know some forms of energy, from that provided by our foods, to the energy we use to run our cars, to the sunlight that warms us on the beach. Not only does energy have many interesting forms, it is involved in almost all phenomena, and is one of the most important concepts of physics. What makes it even more important is that the total amount of energy in the universe is constant. Energy can change forms, but it cannot spontaneously appear or disappear.

With certain types of energy, we can perform useful work. Think about where you get the energy from to lift a heavy box up a flight of stairs. In this scenario, you are performing work. As you can see, work and energy have a close relationship.

Momentum is a fundamental concept that describes the motion of objects. Momentum is the product of an object's mass and its velocity. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. The law of conservation of momentum states that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant unless acted upon by an external force. Understanding momentum is crucial for analysing and predicting the outcomes of collisions and interactions between objects in motion. 

Computational Science is used everywhere: in mobile phones, cars, health care, transport, and weather forecasts. Modelling and simulations have an ever-increasing role in science, and they are pivotal in the analysis, interpretation and exploitation of Big Data in multidisciplinary challenges. Computational physics seeks for knowledge of the universe by implementing physical laws to methods, software and numerics. Simulations are then used to predict new physical phenomena and to explain experimental results.

In this unit we will begin by studying vibrations and waves and then build up our knowledge working towards light and sound. We will look at how we can draw ray diagrams to study the reflection and refraction of mirrors and lenses. Study the wave nature of sound and light as transverse and longitudinal waves that carry energy and can interfere with other waves. In recent decades the study of waves has led to the invention of things such as Wi-Fi and X-ray machines. These things are integral in our modern society and we will explore other ways in which the properties of waves can be used.

In this unit we will be focused on the topic of electricity and its applications. We use electricity every day to power devices such as lights, computers, TVs and many other appliances. During this course we will go into great detail about its journey, from electricity generation, to circuit diagrams, and even how lightning storms are made. The term will end with you constructing your own prototype electric circuit designs to fulfil a certain engineering task which will be announced later on.