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Scheme of work – Cambridge International AS Level Physical Science (8780)
Overview
Recommended prior knowledge
Students are assumed to have a good understanding of the content of a Cambridge IGCSE Physical Science syllabus, or of an equivalent science course or courses
with significant Physics and Chemistry components.
General resources
The ordinary apparatus of a Physical Science laboratory is required.
It is recommended that teachers select suitable Physics and Chemistry textbooks from the resource list at www.cie.org.uk for syllabus 9701 Chemistry and syllabus
9702 Physics.
Some internet websites are suggested throughout this scheme of work. These suggestions are intended for guidance only. The websites are listed at the end of
this Overview.
The use of IT is recommended wherever it is appropriate. Note that questions will not be set where the answer relies upon knowledge of a particular IT application.
The units within this scheme of work are:
Syllabus ref
Unit
Outline
Suggested time
PHYSICS
SECTION I
Topics P1 and P2
Unit 1: General Physics
Physical quantities and their units of
measurement are studied, together with
techniques of measurement.
Approximately 7% of the time for the AS
course should be devoted to this unit,
including practical work where appropriate.
SECTION II
Topics P3, P4, P5 and
P6
Unit 2: Newtonian mechanics
Newtonian mechanics together with the
forces and energy involved are studied.
Approximately 15% of the time for the AS
course should be devoted to this unit,
including practical work where appropriate.
SECTION III
Topic P7
Unit 3: Matter
Aspects of atoms and molecules are
studied, including solids, liquids, gases and
pressure in liquids.
Approximately 5% of the time for the AS
course should be devoted to this unit,
including practical work where appropriate.
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Syllabus ref
Unit
Outline
Suggested time
SECTION IV
Topics P8 and P9
Unit 4: Oscillations and waves
The unit includes the nature of different
types of wave together with the wave
properties of polarisation, diffraction and
interference.
Approximately 8% of the time for the AS
course should be devoted to this unit,
including practical work where appropriate.
SECTION V
Topics P10, P11 and
P12.
Unit 5: Electricity and
magnetism
Both charges in motion (electric current) and
some aspects of electrostatics are included.
Approximately 8% of the time for the AS
course should be devoted to this unit,
including practical work where appropriate.
SECTION VI
Topic P13
Unit 6: Modern Physics
Atomic models and the structure of the atom
and the nucleus, nuclear decay and types of
radioactive decay.
Approximately 7% of the time for the AS
course should be devoted to this unit,
including practical work where appropriate.
SECTION I
Topics C1, C2 and C3
Unit 1: Theoretical Chemistry
Calculations involving the mole; empirical
and molecular formulae; the structure of the
atom; electron arrangements; ionic, covalent
and metallic bonding; intermolecular forces;
gases and the use of the ideal gas equation;
the liquid and solid states.
Approximately 12% of the time for the AS
course should be devoted to this unit,
including practical work where appropriate.
SECTION I
Topics C4, C5 and C6
Unit 2: Physical Chemistry
Enthalpy changes of reactions; bond
energies; Hess’s law; redox and electrolysis;
chemical equilibrium; Le Chatelier’s
principle; the Haber and Contact processes;
Brønsted-Lowry theory; strong and weak
acids and bases; simple rate equations;
orders of reaction; rate constants; effect of
temperature on rate constants; Boltzmann
distribution; activation energy; catalysis;
enzymes.
Approximately 12% of the time for the AS
course should be devoted to this unit,
including practical work where appropriate.
CHEMISTRY
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Syllabus ref
Unit
Outline
Suggested time
SECTION II
Topics C7, C8, C9 and
C10
Unit 3: Inorganic Chemistry
Physical and chemical properties of the
elements in Period 3 and their compounds;
trends in the properties of the elements in
Groups II and VII and their compounds; their
uses; ammonia; nitric acid; nitrogen oxides;
sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid.
Approximately 9% of the time for the AS
course should be devoted to this unit,
including practical work where appropriate.
SECTION III
Topics C11
Unit 4: Industrial processes
Industrial aspects of the Inorganic part of the
course. Concepts developed in other units
are applied to industrial processes. Covering
the extraction of iron and aluminium; the
production of steel, the purification of
copper, the manufacture/uses of ammonia
and the production of sulfuric acid.
Approximately 5% of the time for the AS
course should be devoted to this unit,
including practical work where appropriate.
SECTION IV
Topics C12, C13, C14,
C15 and C16
Unit 5: Organic Chemistry
Formulae, names and shapes of organic
compounds; isomerism; alkanes; alkenes;
addition polymerisation; halogenoalkanes.
Preparation and reactions of alcohols,
aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids and
esters.
Approximately 12% of the time for the AS
course should be devoted to this unit,
including practical work where appropriate.
Teaching order
It is not intended that the units are of equal size. Rather, the units have been designed to provide coherent topics that will guide students through the AS course in a
logical manner.
This scheme of work is divided into separate Physics and Chemistry sections. Students may well follow one Physics unit and one Chemistry unit at the same time
with different teachers, or they may alternate between Physics and Chemistry units. In some situations it might be more useful to integrate the two sides of the
course, for example when teaching the nature of matter and atomic structure. Teachers are encouraged to emphasise the links between the Physics and Chemistry
strands of Physical Science throughout all of the units.
Physics
Unit 1 introduces the student to quantities and their measurement. It is a relatively short unit. There are two reasons why it is important that this aspect is studied at
the earliest stage of the course. First, quantities and their units are vital in all units of the AS Level course. Second, the study of how measurements are made is the
basis for the development of experimental skills that must be practised throughout the course.
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Units 2 and 3 should be studied next and can be taught consecutively or concurrently, depending on teaching resources within the school or college. If taught
consecutively, Unit 2 should be taught before Unit 3 since aspects of dynamics are required when studying charged particles in motion.
Units 4 and 5 can also be taught consecutively or concurrently, but after Units 2 and 3. If taught consecutively, Unit 5 should be studied last. The concepts
underlying waves are more difficult to understand and students do need to develop a more mature attitude towards physics before studying this aspect of the
subject.
Chemistry
Unit 1 should be taught first.
Much of Unit 2 needs to be covered before Unit 3 is started.
Only Unit 1 needs to be covered before Unit 5 is started.
It is recommended that Unit 2 is taught before Units 3 and 4.
The numerical order: Unit 2: Physical Chemistry – Unit 3: Inorganic Chemistry – Unit 4: Industrial processes – Unit 5 Organic Chemistry
may be thought to bunch together similar topics and extended periods of little practical activity.
Alternating the units thus: Unit 5: Organic Chemistry – Unit 2: Physical Chemistry – Unit 3: Inorganic Chemistry – Unit 4: Industrial processes or
Unit 2: Physical – Unit 5: Organic Chemistry – Unit 3: Inorganic Chemistry – Unit 4: Industrial processes
would be an alternative approach.
Role of practical work
Throughout the teaching of each unit, the role of practical work is of paramount importance. Not only does it enable students to develop experimental skills but also
it assists with the understanding of theoretical concepts. Demonstrations of experimental procedures and the use of various types of models are an integral part of
the teaching process.
Practical work is assessed under the headings of ‘Manipulation, Measurement and Observation’, ‘Presentation of Data and Observatons’, and ‘Analysis, Conclusions
and Evaluation’. The descriptions and assessment criteria are included in the syllabus.
Teacher support
The password-protected Cambridge Teacher Support website at http://teachers.cie.org.uk provides access to specimen, past question papers and mark schemes.
We offer online and face-to-face training; details of forthcoming training opportunities are posted on the website.
Resources
(a)
General websites
These websites are a selection of the more reliable of the many available, and several of them include useful external links to other websites. Teachers are
strongly recommended to consult the index pages of these sites for useful resources for each section of the scheme of work. Space does not permit more
than a few specific references to be given in the individual sections of the schemes of work that follow. Teachers are recommended to develop their own
libraries of URLs that suit their courses and styles of teaching.
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site 1
site 2
site 3
site 4
site 5
site 6
site 7
site 8
site 9
site 10
PHYSICS
www.phys.virginia.edu/classes/109N/more_stuff/Applets/newt/newtmtn.html
www.explorescience.com
http://preparatorychemistry.com/KMT_flash.htm
www.webchem.net/notes/how_far/kinetics/maxwell_boltzmann.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/11924/index.html
http://physics.about.com/od/mathematicsofwaves/a/interference.htm
www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/HighSchool/Sound/interference.htm
www.waowen.screaming.net/revision/nuclear/rsanim.htm
www-outreach.phy.cam.ac.uk/camphy/nucleus/nucleus4_1.htm
http://abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/glossary/bohr_atom.html
CHEMISTRY
site 1 http://teachers.cie.org.uk
site 2 www.chem.ox.ac.uk/vrchemistry/ The virtual chemistry site from the University of Oxford, UK, with several interesting animations and links. In particular the
following sub-site is worth a look:
site 2a www. chem.ox.ac.uk/vrchemistry/foundation.html A complete pre-university textbook with animated illustrations.
site 3 www.rod.beavon.clara.net/chemistry_contents.htm Rod Beavon’s “Chemistry Pages”, from Westminster School, UK.
site 4 www.chemistryrules.me.uk/index.htm A new URL address for Dr Richard Clarkson’s useful site of revision notes and externals links. Follow the links to AS
or A2 units.
site 5 www.docbrown.info/page19/CIE9701.htm Doc Brown has provided a most useful cross-referenced section dealing specifically with the 9701 syllabus. Just
scroll down to the section you’re interested in.
site 6 www.carlton.srsd119.ca/chemical/ David Dice’s Chemistry Stuff, Includes some notes and background articles. Mainly physical chemistry.
site 7 www.creative-chemistry.org.uk/index.htm Dr Nigel Saunders’s extensive site from Harrogate Grammar School, UK. Follow the links to A level. There are also
some good fun stuff activities.
site 8 www.s-cool.co.uk/alevel/chemistry.html An A level revision site with many short tutorials on specific topics.
site 9 www.chemistry.co.nz/chem.htm A New Zealand site with an eclectic mixture of topics, including help with equations, moles, redox, periodic tables,
Avogadro, acids and bases.
site 10 www.chem.vt.edu/chem-ed/index.html The Chemistry Hypermedia Project from Virginia Tech., USA: An accessible collection of articles for university
students and lecturers, mostly on physical chemistry topics, with a few inorganic ones, but no organic.
site 10a www.chem.vt.edu/chem-ed/genchem.html The most generally useful of several sub-sites.
site 11 www.mp-docker.demon.co.uk/home.html Mike Docker’s site from Farnborough Sixth Form College, UK, filled with an enormous quantity of quizzes on all
aspects of the AS and A level syllabus.
site 12 www.wiley.com//college/webercises/ An enormous and highly useful compendium of links to many other chemical internet sites – worth an
exploration!
site 13 http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/index.shtml This is a US site intended for first year undergraduates, but much is relevant to AS Level
Chemistry. Notes, articles and tutorials are included. A number of experiment simulations can be accessed. The compound library is very good.
site 14 www.chemmybear.com/ An excellent and comprehensive resource by Paul Groves of South Pasadena High School.. The chemmybear site contains
some light-hearted looks at many aspects of Chemistry but also lots of links to useful pages written by teachers and students. Teachers will find the link to
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site 15
site 16
site 17
site 18
site 19
site 20
site 21
site 22
site 23
site 24
site 25
site 26
the SPHS site really useful for ideas for lectures, homework, illustrative demonstrations etc. Mostly concerned with the American AP qualification,
understandably. Not all of this is relevant to AS/A Level, but much is. You could spend many worthwhile days trawling through this site and its links.
www.shef.ac.uk/chemistry/orbitron/ A gallery of 3-D images representing atomic orbitals and molecular orbitals. Stunning images with comprehensive
notes.
www.revision-notes.co.uk/A_Level/Chemistry/index.html Concise revision notes on a number of aspects in AS/A Level Chemistry.
www.ausetute.com.au/index.html An Australian site containing a multitude of free chemistry tutorials, which, for a small annual fee, provides access to an
enormous selection of questions and tests, all with the advantage of worked answers.
http://uk.geocities.com/help_with_chemistry/ A useful and detailed compendium of practical chemistry techniques, ranging from crystallisation to HPLC.
www.chemguide.co.uk/ Jim Clark’s useful guide to some aspects of A level chemistry.
www.rsc.org/chemsoc/ Lots of links to other useful sites. The visual periodic table is worth a look.
www.chemit.co.uk/default.aspx?sitemapID=116 This is the index page of a site which has collected together many teaching resources contributed by
teachers. PowerPoint presentations, video clips, worksheets etc. Several useful links to other sites too.
site 21a www. chemit.co.uk/default.aspx?sitemapID=112 The link to the video clips.
www.btinternet.com/~chemistry.diagrams/index.htm A useful site containing over 400 copyright-free items, including a useful selection of animations.
www.chem.leeds.ac.uk/delights/ A site containing a host of short video clips of various demonstrations, experimental methods and photos.
http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/JCESoft/CCA/pirelli/index.html A high-quality collection of about 16 video clips of a variety of demonstrations.
www. science.demon.co.uk/handbook/ A Salters Chemistry site containing recipes for about 30 interesting demonstrations.
www.chalkbored.com/lessons/chemistry-11.htm A comprehensive site with about 80 lessons/worksheets/laboratory exercises for each of the last two years
of “high school”, i.e. years 11 and 12.
(b)
Periodic Tables on the internet
An exhaustive compilation is to be found at: www.liv.ac.uk/Chemistry/Links/refperiodic.html
Some specific ones are:
www.webelements.com/ (the definitive Table from Sheffield, UK – includes lots of compounds too)
http://pearl1.lanl.gov/periodic/default.htm (lots on the history of the elements)
www.chemicool.com/ (succinct and fact-filled)
www.chemsoc.org/viselements/
www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/applets/a2.html (good animations of electrons)
(c)
Resources for experiments and practical work
The practical skills support booklet Teaching AS Chemistry Practical Skills and Teaching AS Physics Practical Skills published by Cambridge International
Examinations is available from the our Publications Catalogue at www.cie.org.uk/profiles/teachers/orderpub
(d)
General textbooks for reference
The following textbooks have been endorsed by Cambridge International Examinations for use with Cambridge syllabuses. They have been through an
independent quality assurance process. Some chapters or sections will go beyond the scope of the 8780 syllabus, and so should be used carefully.
Cambridge International AS and A Level Physics Coursebook with CD (2010) by Sang, D., Jones, G., Woodside, R. and Chadha, G. Cambridge University
Press (ISBN 9780521186629) – covers all the material required for the Cambridge syllabus, plus much additional material. The accompanying Student's CD
includes many more questions linked to each chapter, including multiple choice, how to tackle the examinations, and animations, a glossary and summaries.
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Cambridge AS Level Physical Science (8780)
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A Teacher's Resource CD is also available and includes answers to all questions in the Coursebook, together with worksheets describing practical work
linked to each chapter in the book.
International A/AS Level Physics (2008) by Mee, C, Crundell, M, Arnold, B, and Brown, W. Hodder Education (ISBN: 9780340945643) – covers all the
material required for the Cambridge syllabus, plus much additional material.
Chemistry for Advanced Level (2002) by P. Cann and P. Hughes, (2002), John Murray, www.johnmurray.co.uk (ISBN 9780719586026) – this text has been
developed to cover the new AS/A2 syllabuses of the UK Boards and also the Cambridge International Examinations syllabuses. Explanations are thorough,
the more advanced ones being placed in boxes, to separate them from the main text for ease of location. The style of the AS Level chapters is suitable for
those starting a post-IGCSE course.
AS Level and A Level Chemistry (2004) by B. Ratcliff, H. Eccles, J. Raffan, J. Nicholson, D. Johnson, and J. Newman, Cambridge University Press, UK
www.cambridge.org (ISBN 9780521544719) – this textbook uses as its base the Cambridge University Press booklets produced for the OCR AS/A2
syllabus, but it has been edited to cover the Cambridge International Examinations’ AS and A Level syllabuses.
In addition the following textbook may be useful:
Advanced Chemistry (1992), by P. Matthews, Cambridge University Press, UK (ISBN 9780521423328) – this large volume covers all syllabuses, including
the 8780 syllabus, and a lot more – up to first or second year University level. Explanations of theories and mechanisms are very thorough, but because of
the detail included, finding one’s way around the book may be slow at first, especially for students starting the AS Level course.
© University of Cambridge International Examinations 2012
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