WJEC Physics for AS Level Student Book 2nd Edition

4 WJEC Physics for AS Level Margin features The margins of each page hold a variety of features to support your learning: Key terms are terms that you need to know how to define. They are highlighted in blue in the body of the text and appear in the Glossary at the back of this book. You will also find other terms in the text in bold type, which are explained in the text, but have not been defined in the margin. You should ensure that you can accurately define these terms or state the physical laws. As you progress through your studies, Study points are provided to help you understand and use the knowledge content. In this feature, factual information may be emphasised, or restated to enhance your understanding. Knowledge check questions are short questions to check your understanding of the subject, allowing you to apply the knowledge that you have acquired. Many of these questions ask for calculations related directly to the text alongside. The answers to all the Knowledge check questions are in the back of the book. Material developed in these is designed to make you think more deeply about the subject. Some S&C boxes contain material which is beyond the specification. You will not be examined on this content but it does provide a background for students who will progress to higher education in physics or engineering. Other S&C boxes contain questions, sometimes requiring more advanced mathematical techniques than most AS questions. Key term Quantity: A quantity is represented by a number multiplied by a unit. Knowledge check Derive the unit of volume by considering a cube. 1.1.2 Stretch & challenge (c) Use x = ut + ½ at 2 to solve part (b) of the example. How to use this book This book has been written to support the WJEC AS Physics specification and the first half of the A level specification. The layout of the book matches that of Units 1 and 2 respectively of the AS Physics specification. The same material is specified for Units 1 and 2 of the A level. It provides you with information which covers the content requirements of the course as well as plenty of practice questions to allow you to keep track of your progress. The main chapters in the book are the AS Units 1 and 2. • Unit 1 covers Motion, Energy and Matter • Unit 2 covers Electricity and Light Additional chapters are • Chapter 3 – Practical skills • Chapter 4 – Mathematical skills Unit 1 covers the seven topics of the Physics specification and Unit 2 has eight. Each has its own section in this book and includes the appropriate specified practical work . Chapter 3 covers generic practical skills and Chapter 4 summarises the maths skills you will need. Chapters 3 and 4 both come with their own Knowledge check and Test yourself questions. Level of coverage This book contains material which is examined at both AS and A level. It is expected that, whilst some students will take AS Physics only, a large percentage of its students will proceed to take the full A level. Because of this, the level of coverage of both the material and some of the practice questions is higher than required for AS. Practice questions As well as the Knowledge check questions in the margin of the main text, each section in Units 1 and 2 ends with a Test yourself exercise. As well as containing material relating to the content of the sections, the exercises contain data-analysis questions around the specified practical work for the unit. Some questions also relate to the content of more than one unit: A level students need to be able to answer such synoptic questions, which bring ideas from different topics in the Physics specification. The solutions to these exercises as well as the Knowledge check questions are to be found at the end of the book. Caution : Questions which ask for explanations or other working can often be answered in various ways. The solutions given in this book cannot cover all the possibilities. Exam practice questions At the end of each of Units 1 and 2, you will find a set of Exam Practice questions. These are all taken from past WJEC examinations and a set of sample answers is given at the end of this book. Study point The symbols for quantities are printed in italics , e.g. m , T . The symbols for units are printed in plain print, e.g. kg , K .