Physics

We start the year looking at Forces and Motion, a fundamental topic in Physics. It is during Year 9 that we start introducing the application of mathematical reasoning within Physics, as this is a key skill within the subject.

During the Spring Term, the students will start to study the new IGCSE. We start with the topics they would usually cover in Year 9, so we will simply slightly extend the work in places and begin to practise IGCSE-style questions. This gives us sufficient time to cover the syllabus and gives the students a taste of Key Stage 4 work, so they can begin Year 10 feeling confident. Our planning currently allows time to revise the IGCSE concepts that we cover in Year 9 during Year 11 but the entire topics will not be retaught.

Course materials

The course is taught using the broad structure of Cambridge Spectrum Physics, utilising the textbook, along with some of the practical worksheets and assessment materials provided; these are supplemented by unique electronic media and interactive resources developed by the science teachers at Farlington.

Thermal Energy

How thermal energy manifests itself in terms of temperature and why objects feel hotter or cooler.

Conduction, convection and radiation

are investigated and compared as methods of thermal energy transfer, with reference to everyday contexts, and they are also explained

using the particle model introduced in Year 7.

Gravity and Space

We review key concepts about mass and weight, before moving on to discover how gravity affects the way bodies move in space. We explore our understanding of the solar system and how ideas have evolved, by considering early observations, predictions and explanations. The focus then shifts to different types of satellite, both natural and man-made, to study how they remain in orbit and how artificial satellites are used.

Pressure and Moments

Pressure is the next area of study and the students will consider how pressure is calculated before investigating how pressure in fluids is used in hydraulic systems to transmit and increase forces. Simple levers are introduced and this leads into the study of the special combination of forces that can cause things to rotate, known as moments, best known in the see-saw or balance. This topic will also give the students an insight into the mathematical skills needed for IGCSE Physics.

Speeding Up

The initial focus is on the units used for speed and the measurements needed to calculate how fast an object moves. We investigate how forces affect speed and use ideas of balanced and unbalanced forces to explain how falling objects move, looking at how friction causes deceleration and how to reduce the effects of this by streamlining. Finally, the scenario of skydiving and parachutes is used to introduce the concept of terminal velocity.

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed in a variety of ways: principally using written work but also verbally and practically.

You will complete a test at the end of the topic and, as you embark on GCSE content, you will have the opportunity to begin to hone your examination technique by completing examination questions.

If you have any queries about this curriculum, please contact: Mrs Amy Emery, Head of Physics, on ae@farlingtonschool.com