WJEC Physics for AS Level Student Book 2nd Edition

8 Content 1.1 Basic physics 1.2 Kinematics 1.3 Dynamics 1.4 Energy concepts 1.5 Solids under stress 1.6 Using radiation to investigate stars 1.7 Particles and nuclear structure Practical work Practical work is integral to any physics course. Unit 1 provides a wealth of opportunities for students to hone their practical skills as well as to develop their understanding of the contents. This foundation unit of the AS Physics course builds upon concepts developed in Key Stage 4 in addition to introducing entirely new material. • The initial topic, Basic physics, examines the language of physics in terms of quantities and units, which are written in the standard manner of the scientific community using negative indices where appropriate. • The core of Unit 1 comprises the concepts of motion and energy. These are explored in greater depth than in earlier courses, the vector aspects of motion being examined and the mathematical relationships between quantities of motion investigated. • Engineers and materials scientists rely on knowledge of the properties of materials to be able to make buildings and machines. These properties are investigated and explained in terms of the behaviour of the constituent molecules. • Electromagnetic radiation is used to explore the nature of the universe and its constituent parts – stars, galaxies and the cosmic microwave background radiation. Using the whole range of the e-m spectrum allows a much fuller picture of the universe to be obtained than by visible light alone. • The familiar structures of the material world, atoms and molecules, are seen to be built upon combinations of the fundamental particles of nature, leptons, quarks and antiquarks, interacting by four fundamental forces. The rules of particle interactions are explored. Unit 1 Motion, energy and matter