A-level Physics Resources

Problems and answers

These are questions and answers that I devised to go with the AQA A-level physics course. I tried to create meaningful and engaging problems, which would enable students to develop their physics understanding. I wrote complete answers so students could check their work and understanding, and also to teach them how to structure answers to get the best marks in exams. Since repetition is an integral part of learning, I encouraged my students to re-write their answers in brief form.

Everything was hand written in pencil and photocopied – this was much quicker, and errors could be altered. The manuscripts have been scanned at 200 dpi and converted to pdf, so an A4 page comes out at about 300 kB. The quality isn’t brilliant, but everything should be legible. There are fully worked answers, showing where marks are allocated, for just about all the questions. My staff code was Mn (the deputy head who did the timetable was a chemistry teacher, so he gave staff two-letter codes, like the elements). There are little verbal and visual puns here and there – anything to lighten the exercise!

Exam revision

This is a complete set of resources covering the whole AQA course, organised for two types of revision.

(1) “Cue Cards”. Each Physics unit is broken down into key knowledge and concepts, formulas, definitions and so on, which are grouped and tabulated. The table can be printed and cut into cards, and the student can write the answers on the back of each card. The student can then revise by going through the cards, and giving the answers to each of the bullet points, and checking with the answer on the back. This can be done verbally – so no writing needed.

(2) “Just a Minute”. The student can practise talking for “Just a Minute” on each of the key concepts in the table, without hesitation, repetition or deviation. It can be just verbal, with graphs and diagrams sketched in the air, or with a pencil and rough paper.

Both revision activities will be much more effective and enjoyable if done with a friend, who does not need to know any physics at all.

There are phrases, usually in “quotes”, that relate to memory aids I used in the Physics course. For example, “Roll over Beethoven”, is not only the old Chuck Berry and Beatles song, it is also a memory aid for the electrical resistivity formula. And the ”John Travolta Rule” is from his posing in his white suit, with one arm up and one arm down, in the film “Saturday Night Fever”. This becomes the kinaesthetic memory aid for the way a semiconductor’s resistance goes down as the temperature goes up – and yes, teacher and students would compete in the classroom for the most realistic pose. “Bil” and “Bev” refer to the formulas for the forces on wires and free electrons in magnetic fields.

Syllabuses will come and go, but there will always be physics, and practice problems for students to do. I hope you find these useful, and I wish you well.

Any constructive feedback is welcome, and I can be reached via the email address below.

Andrew McNeil

andrewmcneil48<at>gmail<dot>com

October 2021