Back in February I told you about a free online mini-course to help you improve your exam technique over five days. That course is back again so if you missed it the first time, do it now. (Bear in mind that "exam" technique includes tips for improving your answers in tests of all types - … Continue reading Raise your grades!
Experimental Physics
At the risk of being controversial, I would like to suggest that experiments are much more powerful than theories because experiments provide the evidence to prove whether or not a theory is correct. Technically, you can't prove that a theory is correct: you can only prove that it works for the particular case that you … Continue reading Experimental Physics
On your marks, get set…
School is about to resume (in the online sense) and the chances are that things will have to be done remotely for some time so it's really important that you prepare yourself to succeed in the learning that is to come. With that in mind, please read the suggestions listed in this document. Before Easter … Continue reading On your marks, get set…
Stretch yourself
No matter where you are in your physics journey, there is always more to learn. Some things will be directly related to your studies and some will be just for general interest. And there are lots of websites out there that contain materials to support you as you expand your physics horizons. One website that … Continue reading Stretch yourself
Waves: note-taking task
One of the most important study skills is note-taking. Some students complain that they do too much writing so in the Waves topic we'll be trying out a different approach based on Cornell Notes. The method was covered in class but I've included a screen-grab here to remind you what it looks like - but … Continue reading Waves: note-taking task
Delta and the Power of Change
In physics, one of the big differences between KS3 and KS4 is the idea of “change”. KS3 students are happy to talk about speed being distance divided by time but at GCSE level you need to be thinking instead about speed being a rate of change of distance. Why is this important? Because physics calculations … Continue reading Delta and the Power of Change
Equation Skills
One of the most important sets of skills you must have to succeed in GCSE Physics examinations is the ability to learn, understand and use equations. With that in mind, I am creating a series of study booklets that you can use to improve your expertise in these areas. The first installment, covering the equation … Continue reading Equation Skills
“Equation triangles”
There are about 30 equations that you need to be able to use in the GCSE Physics course. You are required to remember most of these equations as only a few are guaranteed to be included in the formula sheet for the examination. As it happens, the exam board has, so far, provided most of … Continue reading “Equation triangles”
Scalars and Vectors
You must know the definitions of a scalar and a vector. A scalar is a quantity that has magnitude only (it has no direction). Common examples include; temperature, speed, mass and distance. A vector is a quantity that has both magnitude and direction. Common examples include; forces, velocity, acceleration and electric current. There are a … Continue reading Scalars and Vectors
SP1 – Specification
Topic 1 isn't really a topic in itself so much as the foundations that will be assumed to be in place for every topic that follows. It covers the key skills you need to know regarding units of measurement and prefixes that are used to increase or decrease the size of a unit. It also … Continue reading SP1 – Specification
Mr Tarrant's physbang 'blog 