Specifications that use this resource:
Physics practicals apparatus set-up guides
We’ve worked with experienced teachers and technicians, as well as higher education institutions and learned societies to produce these apparatus set-up guides for each of the required practical activities.
Practicals are at the heart of our new AS and A-level Physics specifications – so it’s important to get them right first time in the lab.
Required activities
You need to cover activities 1-6 for AS and 1-12 for A-level.
Practical 1
Investigation into the variation of the frequency of stationary waves on a string with length, tension and mass per unit length of the string.
Practical 2
Investigation of interference effects to include the Young’s slit experiment and interference by a diffraction grating.
Practical 3
Determination of g by a free-fall method.
Practical 4
Determination of the Young modulus by a simple method.
Practical 5
Determination of resistivity of a wire using a micrometer, ammeter and voltmeter.
Practical 6
Investigation of the emf and internal resistance of electric cells and batteries by measuring the variation of the terminal pd of the cell with current in it.
Practical 7
Investigation into simple harmonic motion using a mass-spring system and a simple pendulum.
Practical 8
Investigation of Boyle’s (constant temperature) law and Charles’s (constant pressure) law for a gas.
Practical 9
Investigation of the charge and discharge of capacitors. Analysis techniques should include log-linear plotting leading to a determination of the time constant RC.
Practical 10
Investigate how the force on a wire varies with flux density, current and length of wire using a top pan balance.
Practical 11
Investigate, using a search coil and oscilloscope, the effect on magnetic flux linkage of varying the angle between a search coil and magnetic field direction.
Practical 12
Investigation of the inverse-square law for gamma radiation.