Higher Physics
Resource Guide
September 2015
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Higher Physics Resources Guide
This resource guide has been produced in response to requests from staff who attended the NQ Sciences events at Hampden Stadi um in
December 2013. Those attending felt it would be useful to have a document which helped them navigate to the most relevant resources
quickly.
The following pages show the mandatory course key areas table from the SQA Higher Physics Course and Unit Support Notes. An additional
fourth column has been included which contains hyperlinks to useful resources. Please note: Staff are not required to use the resources
listed – they are only included as helpful suggestions. Staff should also refer to the SQA website for the most up-to-date course and
unit support notes.
To further assist staff content new to the course from the Higher Still Higher has been highlighted in green and links to useful SQA
documentation have been included at the beginning of each unit. The SQA documentation relating to the course is shown here along with
resources for the Researching Physics unit.
SQA documents
Course specification
Course assessment specification
Course and unit support notes
Specimen examination paper and marking scheme
Web link
http://bit.ly/1fR5BwJ
http://bit.ly/PatKJH
http://bit.ly/1g75WQk
http://bit.ly/1qgTNN9
Education Scotland learning materials
Video interviews about the changes to Higher Physics
Higher Sciences website - full list of Higher Physics resources
Education Scotland’s Glow sciences community
NQ Course Materials Glow site - Physics
http://bit.ly/NKciL0
http://bit.ly/O6e0Gr
http://bit.ly/scienceshome
http://bit.ly/1FGAurw
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HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Our Dynamic Universe
Mandatory course key areas
Unit specification: http://bit.ly/1qgTWjQ
Suggested learning activities
Exemplification of key areas Useful resources
Motion – equations and
graphs
Use of appropriate relationships
to solve problems involving
displacement, velocity and
acceleration for objects moving
with constant acceleration in a
straight line.
Interpretation and drawing of
motion-time graphs for motion
with constant acceleration in a
straight line, including graphs for
bouncing objects and objects
thrown vertically upwards.
Awareness of the
interrelationship of
displacement, velocity and
acceleration-time graphs.
Calculation of displacement,
velocity and acceleration from
appropriate graphs.
All graphs restricted to constant
acceleration in one dimension,
inclusive of change of direction.
Practical experiments to verify the
d = vt
relationships shown in the equations.
Use of light gates, motion sensors and s = vt
software/hardware to measure
displacement, velocity and
v = u +at
acceleration.
Use of software to analyse videos of
s = ut + at2
motion.
Use of motion sensors (including
wireless sensors) to enable graphical
v2 =u2 +2as
representation of motion.
Consideration of displacement-time
s = (u +v)t
graphs. Gradient is velocity.
Consideration of velocity-time graphs.
Area under graph is change in
displacement during the selected time
interval. Gradient is acceleration.
Consideration of acceleration-time
graphs.
Investigation of the variation of
acceleration on a slope with the angle
of the slope.
Consideration of motion of athletes and
equipment used in sports.
Investigation of the initial
Education Scotland learner notes and
PowerPoint presentations – Equations of
motion (a)
SSERC teacher resources – Use a games
controller as an accelerometer or motion
sensor
SSERC video tutorial – Tracker: easy motion
analysis and more
PhET simulation – The moving man
Education Scotland learner resource –
Equations of motion (b)
Twig video – Speed, velocity and acceleration
Education Scotland learner and teacher
resources – Equations of motion (c)
Faraday Physics animation –
displacement-time graph and velocity
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HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
acceleration of an object projected
vertically upwards (eg popper toy).
Help my physics animation – Motion sensor &
dropped bouncing ball
Investigation of objects in free-fall and
the movement of objects on slopes.
Upscale animation – Projectile motion
Upscale animation – Dropping two balls near
the Earth’s surface
Forces, energy and power
Use of appropriate relationships
to solve problems involving
balanced and unbalanced
forces, mass, acceleration, and
gravitational field strength.
Awareness of the effects of
friction on a moving object (no
reference to static and dynamic
friction.)
Explanation, in terms of forces,
of an object moving with
terminal velocity.
Interpretation of velocity-time
graphs for a falling object when
air resistance is taken into
account.
Use on Newton’s first and
second laws to explain the
motion of an object.
Use of free body diagrams and
appropriate relationships to
solve problems involving friction
and tension (as a pulling force
4
Consideration of forces in rocket
motion, jet engine, pile driving, and
sport.
Consideration of forces involved in
space flight.
Analysis of skydiving and parachuting,
falling raindrops, scuba diving, lifts and
haulage systems.
Investigation into the effect of the cross
sectional area of a falling object on its
terminal velocity.
Analysis of the motion of a rocket
involving a constant force on a
changing mass as fuel is used up.
Investigation of force parallel to slope
with gradient using a Newton balance.
W = mg
F = ma
Education Scotland learner resource –
Questions on balanced and unbalanced
forces
PhET simulation – Forces and motion: basics
W = Fd
Ep = mgh
Physics Flash Animations animation – Air
drag
Ek = ½mv2
Clara animation – Parachutist
P=E
t
Walter Fendt animation – Resolution of a
force into components
PhET animation – The ramp
Education Scotland learner resource –
Resolution of forces questions
Determination of frictional forces acting
on a trolley rolling down a slope by the
difference between potential and kinetic
Education Scotland learner resource –
Work done, potential and kinetic energy
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
exerted by a string or cable).
Resolution of a force into two
perpendicular components,
including the resolution of the
weight of an object on a slope
into component forces parallel
and normal to the surface of the
slope.
Use of the principle of
conservation of energy and
appropriate relationships to
solve problems involving work
done, potential energy, kinetic
energy and power.
Collisions, explosions and
impulse
Use of the principle of
conservation of momentum and
an appropriate relationship to
solve problems involving the
momentum, mass and velocity
of objects interacting in one
dimension.
Knowledge of energy
interactions involving the total
kinetic energy of systems of
objects undergoing inelastic
collisions, elastic collisions and
explosions.
Use of appropriate relationships
to solve problems involving the
total kinetic energy of systems
energy.
PhET animation – Energy skate park
Investigation of the conservation of
momentum and energy.
Consideration of propulsion systems
such as jet engines and rockets.
Investigation of collisions using force
sensors and data loggers.
Consideration of forces in collisions
involving hammers and pile drivers.
Consideration of the role of crumple
zones and airbags in car safety.
p =mv
Education Scotland learner resource – Elastic
and inelastic collisions
PhET animation – Collison lab
Physics Flash Animation – 1D elastic collision
Ft = mv – mu
UNSW learner resources – Momentum and
collisons
Education Scotland learner resource –
Explosions and Newton’s third law
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HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
of interacting objects.
Use of Newton’s third law to
explain the motion of objects
involved in interactions.
Interpretation of force-time
graphs during contact of
interacting objects.
Knowledge that the impulse of a
force is equal to the area under
a force-time graph and is equal
to the change in momentum of
an object involved in the
interaction.
Use data from a force-time
graph to solve problems
involving the impulse of a force,
the average force and its
duration.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve problems
involving the mass, change in
velocity, average acting force
and the duration of the force for
an object involved in an
interaction.
6
Education Scotland learner and teacher
resources – Impulse
Walter Fendt animation – Newton’s cradle
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Gravitation
Knowledge that satellites are in Use of software to analyse videos of
free fall around a planet/star.
projectiles.
Consideration of low orbit and
Resolution of the initial velocity geostationary satellites
of a projectile into horizontal
Investigation of the use of satellites in
and vertical components and
communication, surveying and
their use in calculations
environmental monitoring of the conditions
Use of appropriate
of the atmosphere.
relationships to solve problems Consideration of Newton’s thought
involving projectiles.
experiment and an explanation of why
Knowledge that the horizontal
satellites remain in orbit
motion and vertical motion of a
projectile are independent of
each other.
BBC Universe Gravity video – Isaac Newton
and gravity
BBC Universe Gravity video – Zero g flight
PhET simulation – Projectile motion
Faraday physics animation – Monkey and
hunter
St Mary’s animation – Newton’s mountain
PhET simulation – Lunar Lander
Education Scotland learner and teacher
resources – Projectiles and satellites
Education Scotland teacher video –
Gravitational waves
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HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Use of Newton’s Law of
Universal Gravitation to solve
problems involving, force,
masses and their separation.
Consideration of methods for measuring the
gravitational field strength on Earth
Consideration of the use of the slingshot
effect in space travel.
Consideration of lunar and planetary orbits,
the formation of the solar system by the
F =G m1 m2
aggregation of matter and stellar formation
r2
and collapse.
Exploration of the status of our knowledge
of gravity as a force. The other fundamental
forces have been linked but there is as yet
no unifying theory to link them to gravity.
PhET animation – Gravity force lab
PhET animation – Gravity and orbits
IRCamera learner resource – Formation of
the solar system
Michigan State University animation – Star
formation and collapse
PhET simulation – My solar system
BBC Universe Gravity video – Brian
simulates extreme gravity
Education Scotland PowerPoint – Gravitation
Education Scotland video – Recent research
on gravitation
BBC News video – NASA’s Kepler telescope
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HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Education Scotland teacher video – Special
relativity
Special relativity
Knowledge that the speed of
light in a vacuum is the same
for all observers.
Knowledge that measurements
of space and time for a moving
observer are changed relative
to those for a stationary
observer, giving rise to time
dilation.
Use of appropriate
relationships to solve problems
involving length contraction,
time dilation and speed.
Consideration of Galilean invariance,
Newtonian relativity and the concept of
absolute space. Newtonian relativity can be
experienced in an intuitive way. Examples
include walking in a moving train and
moving sound sources.
At high speeds, non-intuitive relativistic
effects are observed.
Use of suitable animations to study length
contraction and time dilation.
Consideration of experimental verification of
SR including muon detection at the surface
of the Earth and accurate time
measurements on airborne clocks.
Derivation of the time dilation equation from
the geometrical consideration of a light
beam moving relative to a stationary
observer.
t’=
t
Education Scotland animation – showing
different frames of reference
Onestick animation – Al’s relativistic
adventures
l’= l
Education Scotland resources – Special
relativity
Notre Dame University animation –
Michelson-Morley experiment
Galileo and Einstein animation –
Michelson-Morley if there was an ether
Galileo and Einstein animation – Light clock
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HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
The expanding Universe
Knowledge that the Doppler
effect causes shifts in
wavelengths of sound and
light.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve problems
involving the observed
frequency, source frequency,
source speed and wave speed.
Knowledge that the light from
objects moving away from us is
shifted to longer (more red)
wavelengths.
Knowledge that the redshift of
a galaxy is the change in
wavelength divided by the
emitted wavelength. For slowly
moving galaxies, redshift is the
ratio of the velocity of the
galaxy to the velocity of light.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve problems
involving the Hubble constant,
the recession velocity of a
galaxy and its distance from
us.
Knowledge that Hubble’s law
allows us to estimate the age
of the Universe.
10
Investigation of the Doppler effect in terms
of sound, for example the apparent
f = fs
change in frequency as a source moves
towards or away from a stationary
observer.
Investigation of the apparent shift in
frequency using a moving sound source
and data logger.
Consideration of applications including
measurement of speed (radar),
echocardiogram and flow measurement.
(Note that the Doppler effect equations
used for sound cannot be used with light
from fast moving galaxies because
relativistic effects need to be taken into
account.)
Consideration of parallax measurements
and the data
analysis of apparent brightness of
standard candles in measuring distances
to distant objects.
Investigation of the inverse square law for
light.
Consideration of the units used by
astronomers — lightyears and parsecs
v = Ho d
rather than SI units.
Data analysis of measurements of galactic
velocity and distance.
Consideration of:
University of Nebraska-Lincoln animation –
Doppler effect
Twig on Glow video – Doppler shift
Education Scotland animation – The Doppler
effect and red shift of galaxies
Education Scotland teacher video – Hubble’s
law
Education Scotland resources – Evidence for
the expanding universe
Education Scotland learner resource –
Hubble’s law questions
BBC Universe learning resource – Hubble’s
Law
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
 Measurements of the velocities of
galaxies and their distance from us
leading to the theory of the expanding
Universe.
Gravity as the force which slows down
the expansion.
 The eventual fate of the Universe
depending on its mass-energy density.
 The orbital speed of the Sun and other
stars giving a way of determining the mass
of our galaxy.
The Sun’s orbital speed being
determined almost entirely by the
gravitational pull of matter inside its orbit.
Measurements of the mass of our
galaxy and others leading to the
conclusion that there is significant mass
which cannot be detected — dark matter.
Knowledge that the
temperature of stellar objects is  Measurements of the expansion rate of
the Universe leading to the conclusion that
related to the distribution of
it is increasing, suggesting that there is
emitted radiation over a wide
something that overcomes the force of
range of wavelengths.
Knowledge that the wavelength gravity — dark energy.
of the peak wavelength of this The revival of Einstein’s cosmological
distribution is shorter for hotter constant in the context of the accelerating
objects than for cooler objects. universe.
Awareness of the qualitative
relationship between radiation Use of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram in
the study of stellar evolution.
emitted per unit surface area
Investigation of the temperature of hot
per unit time and the
objects using infrared sensors.
temperature of a star.
Consideration of the change in colour of
steel at high temperatures.
Awareness of evidence
supporting the expanding
Universe theory.
Knowledge that the mass of a
galaxy can be estimated by the
orbital speed of stars within it.
Knowledge that evidence
supporting the existence of
dark matter comes from
estimations of the mass of
galaxies.
Knowledge that evidence
supporting the existence of
dark energy comes from the
accelerating rate of expansion
of the Universe.
Hubble site video – Dark energy
Hubble site videos – Astronomy videos
Education Scotland teacher video – Big Bang
Theory and the dark side of the universe
Hubble site animation – Red shift
Punk Science video – End of Universe
theories
LCOGT animation – Star in a box
Twig on Glow video – Outer Space
Twig on Glow video – The Big Bang
YouTube animation – Olber’s paradox
WIMP video – Why is the sky dark at night?
BBC Science videos – Cosmic background
explorer (COBE)
Education Scotland learner resources – The
temperature of stellar objects
Education Scotland resources – Evidence of
the Big Bang
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HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Awareness of evidence
supporting the big bang theory
and subsequent expansion of
the universe, for example
cosmic microwave background
radiation, the abundance of the
elements hydrogen and
helium, the darkness of the sky
(Olbers’ paradox) and the large
number of galaxies showing
redshift, rather than blueshift.
12
Consideration of the history of cosmic
microwave background (CMB) discovery
and measurement and the COBE satellite.
Consideration of other evidence for the big
bang including the abundance of the
elements hydrogen and helium, the
darkness of the sky (Olbers’ paradox) and
the peak wavelength of cosmic microwave
background. This temperature
corresponds to that predicted after the big
bang.
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Particles and Waves
Mandatory course key
areas
The standard model
Use of orders of magnitude
and awareness of the range
of orders of magnitude of
length from the very small
(sub-nuclear) to the very
large (distance to furthest
known celestial objects).
Knowledge of the standard
model of fundamental
particles and interactions.
Awareness of evidence
supporting the existence of
sub-nuclear particles and the
existence of antimatter.
Knowledge that fermions, the
matter particles, consist of
quarks (six types) and
leptons (electron, muon and
tau, together with their
neutrinos).
Knowledge that hadrons are
composite particles made of
quarks that baryons are
made of three quarks, and
that mesons are made of
quark-antiquark pairs.
Knowledge that the force-
Unit specification: http://bit.ly/1ldAJfc
Suggested learning activities
Exemplification of key areas
Useful resources
Education Scotland teacher video – The
Standard model
Consideration of the scale of our macro
world compared to astronomical and
sub-nuclear scales.
Education Scotland resources – Orders of
magnitude
Use of the sub-atomic Particle Zoo App
(and toys).
PhET animation – Rutherford scattering
Consideration of the Higgs boson –
history, discovery and implications.
Consideration of the linking of
electromagnetic, strong and weak
forces, but not, as yet, of gravity.
Consideration of experiments carried
out in the LHC at CERN.
Consideration of the uses of the PET
scanner.
ATLAS experiment video – Standard Model
Hands-on CERN resources – The
Standard Model
The Particle Adventure presentation – The
Standard Model
Notre Dame University animation –
Exchange forces
Education Scotland animation – The
standard model of fundamental particles
and interactions
New York times animation – What is the
Higgs?
13
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
mediating particles are
bosons (photons, W- and Zbosons, and gluons).
Description of beta decay
as the first evidence for the
neutrino.
Forces on charged
Consideration of electrostatic hazards,
particles
eg lightning and potential damage to
Awareness that charged
microchips.
particles experience a
force in an electric field.
Investigation of practical applications
Knowledge that fields exist
around charged particles and using electric fields, for example
precipitators, Xerography, paint
between charged parallel
spraying, inkjet printing and
plates.
electrostatic propulsion.
Sketch of electric field
patterns for single-point
Demonstration of electron beams using
charges, systems of twoTeltron tubes.
point charges and between
two charged parallel plates.
Knowledge of the direction of Consideration of:
movement of charged
 Accelerators, including linear
particles in an electric field.
accelerator, cyclotron and synchrotron.
Knowledge that the
relationship between
 Medical applications of the cyclotron.
potential difference
The use of accelerators to investigate
relationships to solve, work
the structure of matter, for example
and charge gives the
the LHC at CERN.
definition of the volt.
Use of appropriate problems
involving the charge, mass,
speed and energy of a
charged particle in an electric
14
School Physics animation – Beta emission
PHD comics animation – The Higgs Boson
explained
W = QV
Ek = ½ mv2
Education Scotland resources – Charged
particles in electric fields questions
Education Scotland resource – Electric fields
questions
Falstad animation – Electrostatics simulation
Falstad animation – 3D Electrostatics field
demonstration
YouTube video – Cathode Ray Tube
Education Scotland learner resource –
Charges in magnetic field
Education Scotland teacher video –
Collider physics
Education Scotland resources – Particle
accelerators
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
field and the potential
difference through which it
moves.
Knowledge that a moving
charge produces a magnetic
field.
Determination of the direction
of the force on a charged
particle moving in a magnetic
field for negative and positive
charges (for example, by
using the right-hand rule for
negative charges).
Awareness of the basic
operation of particle
accelerators in terms of
acceleration, deflection and
collision of charged particles.
Physics Flash Animations animation –
Coulomb’s law
Physics Flash Animations animation –
Thomson’s experiment
CERN accelerating science video – CERN in
3 minutes
15
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Nuclear reactions
Nuclear equations to
describe radioactive decay,
fission and fusion reactions
with reference to mass and
energy equivalence.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve
problems involving the mass
loss and the energy released
by a nuclear reaction.
Awareness of coolant and
containment issues in
nuclear fusion reactors.
16
Comparison of the energy available
from chemical and nuclear sources.
Consideration of the magnetic
containment of plasma, for example in
the Joint European Torus (JET) and
ITER tokamak.
E = mc2
PhET simulation – Alpha decay
PhET simulation – Beta decay
PhET simulation – Nuclear fission
School Physics animation – Nuclear fusion
Education Scotland learner resource –
Fission and fusion
Education Scotland teacher video –
Nuclear Fusion
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Wave particle duality
Awareness of the
photoelectric effect as
evidence supporting the
particulate model of light.
Knowledge that photons of
sufficient energy can eject
electrons from the surface of
materials.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve
problems involving the
frequency and energy of a
photon.
Knowledge that the threshold
frequency is the minimum
frequency of a photon
required for photoemission.
Knowledge that the work
function of a material is the
minimum energy required to
cause photoemission.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve
problems involving the
maximum kinetic energy of
photoelectrons, the
threshold frequency of the
material and the frequency
of the photon.
Consideration of practical applications,
for example light meters in cameras,
channel plate image intensifiers,
photomultipliers.
E = hf
Education Scotland learner resource – The
photoelectric effect and wave particle duality
Ek = hf – hfo
Ek = ½ mv2
School Physics animation – Photoelectric
effect
v = f 
PhET simulation – Photoelectric effect
17
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Interference and
diffraction
Knowledge that coherent
waves have a constant
phase relationship and have
the same frequency,
wavelength and velocity.
Description of the conditions
for constructive and
destructive interference in
terms of the phase difference
between two waves.
Knowledge that maxima and
minima are produced when
the path difference between
waves is a whole number of
wavelengths or an odd
number of half-wavelengths
respectively.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve problems
involving the path difference
between waves, wavelength
and order number.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve
problems involving grating
spacing, wavelength, order
number and angle to the
maximum.
18
Investigation of interference patterns
with microwaves, radio waves, sound,
light and electrons.
University of New South Wales learner
resource – Comparison: Young's experiment
with water waves and with light
Consideration of practical applications,
for example holography, the industrial
imaging of surfaces in stress analysis
and the coating of lenses in optical
instruments.
Observation of interference colours, for
example in jewellery, petrol films or
soap bubbles.
Flashlets animation – Young’s interference
experiment
path difference = m or
(m+ )
where m = 0, 1, 2 …
Investigations leading to the
relationship between the wavelength,
distance between the sources, distance
from the sources and the spacing
between maxima or minima.
Investigations using a grating leading to
d sin = m
the relationship between the grating
spacing, wavelength and angle to the
maxima.
Use of interferometers to measure
small changes in path difference.
Use of a spectroscope /spectrometer/
spectrophotometer to examine spectra
from a number of light sources.
Walter Fendt animation – Interference of
light at a double slit
Santa Barbara City College animation –
Double slit interference
Education Scotland learner resources –
Interference questions
Education Scotland learner resource –
Difrraction questions
Physics Lab learner resource – Physical
Optics: interference and diffraction patterns
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Refraction of light
Definition of absolute
refractive index of a medium
as the ratio of the speed of
light in a vacuum to the
speed of light in the medium.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve problems
involving absolute refractive
index, the angle of incidence
and the angle of refraction.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve problems
involving the angles of
incidence and refraction, the
wavelength of radiation in
each medium and the speed
of the radiation in each
medium. (Including situations
where light is travelling from a
more dense to a less dense
medium.)
Awareness of the variation of
refractive index with
frequency.
Knowledge of critical angle
and of total internal reflection.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve
problems involving critical
angle and refractive index.
Examination optical instruments which
use lenses.
Consideration of applications of
refraction, for example lens design,
dispersion of signals in optical
fibres/laser beams and colours seen in
cut diamonds.
n = sin1
sin2
sin1 = 1 = v1
Experiments involving semicircular
sin2 2 v2
blocks.
Consideration of applications of total
internal reflection, for example
reflective road signs, prism reflectors
v=f
(binoculars, periscopes, SLR cameras),
and the use of optical fibres for
sinc = 1
communications, medicine and
n
sensors.
Physics Chemistry Interactive Flash
simulation – Snell’s law
Physics Chemistry Interactive Flash
animation – Focus of a camera
PhET simulation – Bending light
Education Scotland learner resource –
Refraction questions
Education Scotland learner resource –
Critical angle questions
Twig on Glow videos – Visible light
Investigation of total internal
reflection, including critical angle and
its relationship with refractive index.
19
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Spectra
Knowledge that irradiance is
the power per unit
area incident on a surface.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve problems
involving irradiance, the
power of radiation incident on
a surface and the area of the
surface.
Knowledge that irradiance is
inversely proportional to the
square of the distance from a
point source.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve problems
involving irradiance and
distance from a point light
source.
Knowledge of the Bohr model
of the atom.
Awareness of the terms
ground state, energy levels,
ionisation and zero potential
energy in relation to the Bohr
model of the atom.
Knowledge of the mechanism
of production of line emission
spectra, continuous emission
spectra and absorption
spectra in terms of electron
energy level transitions.
Use of appropriate
relationships to solve
20
Consideration of parallax
measurements and the data analysis of
apparent brightness of standard
candles in measuring distances to
distant objects.
Application to other e-m radiation (eg
gamma radiation).
Investigation of irradiance as a function
of distance from a point light source.
Comparison of irradiance as a function
of distance from a point light source
with irradiance as a function of distance
from a laser.
I= P
A
Whfreeman animation – Inverse square law
University of Nebraska-Lincoln simulation –
Flux simulator
I=k
d2
Physics Chemistry Interactive Flash
animation – Scattering by a prism
PhET simulation – Neon lights & other
discharge lamps
Education Scotland learner resource –
Irradiance and the inverse square
Examination of line and continuous
spectra, for example from tungsten
filament lamp, electric heater element,
fluorescent tube, gas discharge tube or
a salt in a Bunsen flame.
Consideration of practical uses of
spectroscopy, for example in
extending our knowledge of space or
in defining the definition of the
standard unit of length.
E2 = E1 = hf
Education Scotland learner resource – Line
and continuous emission spectra
E = hf
PhET simulation – Models of the hydrogen
atom
Notre Dame University animation – Emission
& absorption spectrum
PhET simulation – Lasers
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
problems involving energy
levels and the frequency of
the radiation
emitted/absorbed.
Awareness that the
absorption lines in the
spectrum of sunlight provide
evidence for the composition
of the Sun’s upper
atmosphere.
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HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Electricity
Unit specification: http://bit.ly/1qgVslY
Mandatory course key areas
Suggested learning activities
Monitoring and measuring a.c.
Knowledge that a.c. is a current
which changes direction and
instantaneous value with time.
Use of appropriate relationships
to solve problems involving peak
and r.m.s. values.
Determination of frequency, peak
voltage and r.m.s. values from
graphical data.
Use of a multimeter as an ammeter,
voltmeter and ohmmeter.
Use of an oscilloscope as a voltmeter
and waveform monitor.
Use of an oscilloscope to monitor
a.c. signals, including the
measurement of frequency and
peak/r.m.s. values.
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Exemplification of key areas
Useful resources
Vpeak = √2 Vrms
Education Scotland learner resources –
Monitoring and measuring a.c.
Ipeak = √2 Irms
T = 1/f
Physics Chemistry Interactive Flash
Animations:
 Sine waveform voltage simulation
 Oscilloscope d.c. description simulation
 Amplitude simulation
 Frequency and period simulation
 Audio simulation
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Current, potential difference,
power and resistance
Education Scotland learner resources –
Current, voltage, power and resistance
V = IR
Use of appropriate relationships
to solve problems involving
potential difference, current,
resistance and power. Solutions
may involve several steps.
Use of appropriate relationships
to solve problems involving
potential divider circuits.
Investigation of a.c. or d.c. circuits
with switches and resistive
components.
Use of potential dividers in circuits
to set and control voltages in
electronic circuits.
P = IV = I2R = V2 R
RT = R1 + R2 + ...
1 = 1 + 1 + ...
RT R1 R2
V2 =
PhET simulation – Circuit construction kit
(AC+DC)
Walter Fendt animation – Wheatstone’s
bridge
VS
Twig on Glow videos – Electricity
V1 = R1
V2 R2
Electrical sources and internal
resistance
Knowledge of the terms
electromotive force (e.m.f.),
internal resistance and terminal
potential difference (t.p.d.), ideal
supplies, short circuit and open
circuit.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve problems
involving e.m.f., t.p.d., current
and internal resistance.
Determination of internal
resistance and e.m.f. using
graphical analysis.
Determination of the internal
resistance of low voltage power
supplies.
Investigation of load matching.
Maximum power is transferred
when internal and external
resistances are equal.
Investigation of the variation of
t.p.d. of a low voltage supply as a
function of external resistance,
including the addition of resistors
connected in parallel with the
supply.
E = V + Ir
Education Scotland learner resources –
Electrical sources and internal resistance
PhET simulation – Circuit construction kit
(DC only)
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HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Capacitors
Definition of capacitance.
Use of an appropriate
relationship to solve problems
involving capacitance, charge
and potential difference.
Knowledge that the total energy
stored in a charged capacitor is
the area under the charge
against potential difference
graph.
Use of data from a charge
against potential difference graph
Use of appropriate relationships
to solve problems involving
energy, charge, capacitance and
potential difference.
Awareness of the variation of
current and potential difference
with time for both charging and
discharging cycles of a capacitor
in a CR circuit (charging and
discharging curves).
Awareness of the effect of
resistance and capacitance on
charging and discharging curves
in a CR circuit.
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Investigation of the
charging/discharging of a capacitor
using data loggers or other
methods.
Consideration of practical uses of
capacitors, for example energy
storage, flash bulbs, smoothing and
suppressing and in capacitancebased touch screens.
C =Q
V
Education Scotland learner resources –
Capacitors
E = ½QV = ½CV2 = ½Q2 C
PhET simulation – Capacitor lab
Q = It
PhET simulation – Circuit construction kit
(AC+DC)
HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
Conductors, semiconductors
and insulators
Knowledge that solids can be
categorised into conductors,
semiconductors or insulators by
their ability to conduct electricity.
Awareness of the terms
conduction band and valance
band.
Qualitative explanation of the
electrical properties of
conductors, insulators and
semiconductors using the
electron population of the
conduction and valance bands
and the energy difference
between the conduction and
valance bands
Consideration of conducting and
insulating materials in terms of the
electron population of the
conduction band.
Consideration of the breakdown
voltage of an insulator, for example
in the context of lightning.
Investigation of the operation of a
Hall effect sensor.
Investigation of the variation
in resistance of a negative
temperature coefficient
thermistor as a function of its
temperature.
The electrons in atoms are
contained in energy levels. When
the atoms come together to form
solids, the electrons then become
contained in energy bands
separated by gaps.
In metals, the highest occupied
band is not completely full and this
allows the electrons to move and
therefore conduct. This band is
known as the conduction band.
In an insulator, the highest
occupied band (called the valence
band) is full. The first unfilled band
above the valence band is the
conduction band. For an insulator,
the gap between the valence band
and the conduction band is large
and at room temperature there is
not enough energy available to
move electrons from the valence
band into the conduction band
where they would be able to
contribute to conduction. There is
no electrical conduction in an
insulator.
Education Scotland learner resources –
Conductors, insulators and
semiconductors
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute learner
resource – Conduction in solids
PhET simulation – Conductivity
University of St Andrew’s learner
resource – Moving charges
In a semiconductor, the gap
between the valence band and
conduction band is smaller and at
room temperature there is sufficient
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HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
energy available to move some
electrons from the valence band
into the conduction band allowing
some conduction to take place. An
increase in temperature increases
the conductivity of a
semiconductor.
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HIGHER PHYSICS RESOURCES GUIDE
p-n junctions
Awareness that, during
manufacture, the conductivity of
semiconductors can be
controlled, resulting in two types:
p-type and n-type.
Knowledge that, when p-type and
n-type materials are joined, a
layer is formed at the junction.
The electrical properties of this
layer are used in a number of
devices.
Awareness of the terms forward
bias and reverse bias.
Knowledge that solar cells are pn junctions designed so that a
potential difference is produced
when photons enter the layer.
(This is known as the
photovoltaic effect.)
Investigation of the variation in the
output voltage of a solar cell as a
function of the irradiance and
frequency of incident light.
Education Scotland learner resources –
p-n junctions
University of St Andrews learner
resource – How a p-n junction diode
works
YouTube video – The p-n junction: how
diodes work
Investigation of the switch-on
voltage of different coloured LEDs.
PhET simulation – Semiconductors
YouTube video – Glasgow physics
semiconductors
Knowledge that LEDs are
forward biased p-n junction
diodes that emit photons when
electrons ‘fall’ from the
conduction band into the valence
band of the p-type
semiconductor.
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