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AQA GCSE Science A and B
Links below support the teaching of ‘How Science Works’ aspects of AQA’s GCSE Science A and GCSE Science B specifications. The Centre-assessed unit common to both of these comprises:
· An Investigative Skills Assignment (normal class practical work followed by an externally set, internally assessed test)
· A Practical Skills Assessment which is holistic.
The experiments listed below support the teaching of skills and knowledge which will help students to be successful in these. The AQA courses split what they refer to as ‘procedural content’ into several aspects. Experiments suggested below are grouped into categories used in the AQA specifications.
Note: The language used by AQA, explained in a glossary (appendix D in both specifications), is not consistent with that used in our Guidance note A language for measurements. Key terms used in the AQA specifications are:
· reliable evidence, valid evidence
· variables
· variation, range and mean (average)
· accuracy and precision
· random & zero errors, parallax, and anomalous results.
Presentations on all of these aspects of measurement can be downloaded free from www.physics4u.co.uk. Follow links to 'free PowerPoints’, and then the section titled ‘How Science Works’.
Observation
- Henri Becquerel discovers radioactivity
- William Herschel and the discovery of infra-red radiation
- The magnetic Earth
- Rutherford's alpha scattering experiment
Designing an investigation
- Investigating simple steel springs
- Heating and cooling curves
- Stretchy sweets
- Investigating the resistance of wires
- Measuring the average density of a student
- Investigating the time of oscillation of a pendulum
- Measuring paper
Making measurements
- Investigating simple steel springs
- Stretchy sweets
- Measuring the radius of a marble
- Measuring the thickness of a coin
- Measuring paper
Presenting data
- I/V characteristic of a carbon resistor
- Investigating simple steel springs
- Stretchy sweets
- Measuring the density of liquids
- Investigating the time of oscillation of a pendulum
- Investigating the resistance of wires
- Heating and cooling curves
- Absorbing radiant energy with different surfaces
- Radiation from black and shiny surfaces
- Simple electromagnet
Identifying patterns and relationships in data
- I/V characteristic of a carbon resistor
- Investigating simple steel springs
- Stretchy sweets
- Measuring the density of liquids
Related Guidance
Updated 5 Sep 2008
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