P1: Universal physics
Page 1 of 5
Lesson P1.6: Beyond the visible
Specification learning
outcomes
HSW statements
2.1 Demonstrate an
understanding of how
Herschel and Ritter
contributed to the
discovery of waves outside
the limits of the visible
spectrum
HSW 2 The
interpretation of
data, using creative
thought, to provide
evidence for testing
ideas and developing
theories
2.2 Demonstrate an
understanding that all
electromagnetic waves
are transverse and that
they travel at the same
speed in a vacuum
HSW 6 Collecting
data from primary or
secondary sources,
including the use of
ICT sources and tools
HSW 14 How
uncertainties in
scientific knowledge
and scientific ideas
change over time and
the role of the
scientific community
in validating these
changes
Prior learning
from KS 3
Year 9 Apply and use
the model of energy
transfer by light to
explain what
happens when light
strikes or passes
through different
materials
Year 9 Use a model
that white light is
made up of different
colours to explain
dispersion and
combine this with
energy transfer to
explain why coloured
objects (red, green,
blue) look coloured
when white light is
shone on them
Exemplar teaching activities
Starter: Invisible light on a digital camera
Demonstrate a remote control device aimed at a
digital camera. Cheaper digital cameras don’t filter
out all the infrared light, and so by shining a remote
into a digital camera (e.g. one on a mobile phone) you
can see it flashing.
Main: Repeating Herschel’s experiment
Students undertake a version of Herschel’s
experiment, which discovered IR radiation. See the
Teacher and technician practical sheet for full details.
Students follow instructions from Worksheet P1.6a.
Plenary: Expanded rainbow mnemonic
Tell students that some people remember the colours
of the rainbow using a mnemonic such as ‘Richard Of
York Gave Battle In Vain’ or ‘ROY. G. BIV’. Challenge
students in pairs to come up with an unforgettable
mnemonic that covers the seven colours of the
rainbow, but adds infrared before red and ultraviolet
after violet – e.g. ‘It Rained On Your Grandparents But
I Volunteered Umbrellas’.
Homework: Worksheets P1.6c contains questions on
evaluating data.
Main
differentiation
Stretch: Ask
students to predict,
and investigate, the
outcome if the
thermometer is
moved the same
distance again
further beyond the
red end of the
visible.
Support: Show
students the
difference in heating
effect between a
thermometer held in
sunlight and one in
the shade of the box
to remind them that
light waves transfer
energy.
Resource sheets
Teacher and
technician
practical sheet
Worksheet P1.6a
Worksheet P1.6c
BTEC
Links
To follow
P1: Universal physics
Page 2 of 5
Lesson P1.7: The electromagnetic spectrum
Specification learning
outcomes
2.2 Demonstrate an
understanding that all
electromagnetic waves
are transverse and that
they travel at the same
speed in a vacuum
2.3 Describe the
continuous
electromagnetic spectrum
including (in order) radio
waves, microwaves,
infrared, visible (including
the colours of the visible
spectrum), ultraviolet, Xrays and gamma rays
2.4 Demonstrate an
understanding that the
electromagnetic spectrum
is continuous from radio
waves to gamma rays, but
the radiations within it
can be grouped in order of
decreasing wavelength
and increasing frequency
HSW statements
HSW 10 Using
both qualitative
and quantitative
approaches
Prior learning
from KS 3
N/A
Exemplar teaching activities
Starter: Herschel and Ritter go further
Recap how it was that Herschel came upon his discovery
of IR somewhat accidentally, and then Johann Ritter
tested a consequent hypothesis rigorously in order to
discover UV. Ask the students to write out the colours of
the visible spectrum with IR and UV added on the ends.
Looking at the list, ask the question ‘What should Ritter
try next?’ Explain that there are more waves further out,
and that different detectors are needed for the various
types. This can be exemplified by the fact that Herschel
used thermometers but Ritter used the reaction of silver
chloride to detect UV.
Main: EM spectrum practical circus
In pairs or small groups, depending on the availability of
equipment, students undertake a series of brief practical
investigations to familiarise themselves with the various
parts of the electromagnetic spectrum not visible to the
eye, and to show that there are ways of detecting each
type of wave and that each can transfer energy. Students
will need Worksheet P1.7a. See the Teacher and
technician practical sheet for full details.
Plenary: Start my sentence
In pairs, the students write the ends of three sentences
each. These are swapped and their partner must write the
first part of the sentence, so that it makes sense and is
correct physics. Each sentence ending must use a word
from a list on the board, such as ‘vacuum’, ‘transverse’,
‘spectrum’, ‘wavelength’ or ‘frequency’.
Homework: Students record one instance for each part of
the EM spectrum of where they have seen or heard about
it. They should write a few sentences for each explaining
where they came across it and what they learnt.
Main differentiation
Resource sheets
Stretch: Ask students
additional questions to
elicit the idea that,
although we divide the
spectrum into
different types of
radiation that may
overlap in wavelength,
the spectrum is
continuous.
Teacher and
technician
practical sheet
Support: Students
could be paired with
more able students.
Worksheet P1.7a
BTEC
Links
To follow
P1: Universal physics
Page 3 of 5
Lesson P1.8: Electromagnetic dangers
Specification learning
outcomes
2.5 Demonstrate an
understanding that the
potential danger associated
with an electromagnetic
wave increases with
increasing frequency
2.6 Relate the harmful
effects, to life, of excessive
exposure to the frequency of
the electromagnetic
radiation, including: a)
microwaves: internal heating
of body cells b) infrared: skin
burns c) ultraviolet: damage
to surface cells and eyes,
leading to skin cancer and
eye conditions d) X-rays and
gamma rays: mutation or
damage to cells in the body
HSW statements
N/A
Prior learning
from KS 3
N/A
Exemplar teaching activities
Main
differentiation
Starter: Danger lists
Ask students to make a list of any dangers that they already know
of for different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. A useful
prompt might be to start with listing the seven parts of the EM
spectrum, either individually atop their lists, or on the board for
reference. These lists should be the starting point for a class
discussion of the dangers.
Stretch: Ask
students to
research sources
to support their
evidence, and
assess the quality
of those sources.
Main: Mobile phone debate
Introduce this exercise by showing a video (see below) of mobile
phones being used to pop popcorn. Then chair a debate as to
whether or not there are health hazards associated with using
mobile telephones, taking into account calls against texts or
Internet use, and quantity of use. Students write out some bullet
points to support an argument for or against.
Hazards can include consequential problems like driver distraction.
Each group should then present their ideas listed on a big sheet of
flipchart or poster paper. Website ‘HPA mobile phone dangers’ will
give the current scientific evidence for health hazards from mobile
phones and masts.
The exercise can be closed by showing the YouTube video of the
viral marketer who faked the phone-popcorn videos explaining on
CNN how it was done.
Support: Students
could be grouped
with more able
students and use
the introduction
on Student Book
spread P1.8 to
cite the dangers.
Plenary: Electromagnetic waves dangers
Use the cards in Worksheet P1.8a. Deal four cards to each student.
Draw and read out a random card yourself. Students raise their
hand if they think they have a matching card. A student who
correctly says they have a matching card can give that card to the
teacher. If the card is wrong, they must take an additional card
from the teacher, and play starts again. The winner is the first
student to get rid of all their cards.
Homework: Ask students to invent and draw a hazard symbol for
each danger from the electromagnetic spectrum. The target should
be to consider each type of electromagnetic wave and either
produce a sign or justify that there is no need. They should suggest
where each sign might be used.
Resource
sheets
Worksheet
P1.8a
BTEC
Links
To follow
P1: Universal physics
Page 4 of 5
Lesson P1.9: Using electromagnetic radiation
Specification
learning outcomes
2.7 Describe some uses
of electromagnetic
radiation:
a) radio waves:
including broadcasting,
communications and
satellite transmissions
b) microwaves: including
cooking,
communications and
satellite transmissions
c) infrared: including
cooking, thermal
imaging, short range
communications, optical
fibres, television remote
controls and security
systems
d) visible light: including
vision, photography and
illumination
e) ultraviolet: including
security marking,
fluorescent lamps,
detecting forged bank
notes and disinfecting
water
f) X-rays: including
observing the internal
structure of objects,
airport security scanners
and medical X-rays
g) gamma rays:
including sterilising food
and medical equipment,
and the detection of
cancer and its treatment
HSW statements
HSW 12 The use of
contemporary
science and
technological
developments and
their benefits,
drawbacks and risks
Prior learning
from KS 3
N/A
Exemplar teaching activities
Main differentiation
Starter: Detecting counterfeits
Hold up a £20 note and ask what is special about the note that
makes it hard to copy, and how you can check that it is
genuine. Write students’ ideas on the board. Demonstrate with
a UV lamp how to check for forgeries.
Stretch: Students find
out about more than
one use per part of the
electromagnetic
spectrum.
Main: EM uses research
Students undertake research in order to produce and complete
a table of uses for parts of the electromagnetic spectrum,
completing the grid on Worksheet P1.9a. A collection of old
textbooks, and possibly some magazines, could be used as
prompt/research material, along with the Internet
Support: Students
could be offered some
page references in the
books supplied.
Plenary: Beg of my neighbour
Ask each student to write down three things that they think the
person sitting next to them should have learnt and when they
would have learnt it. Then tell them to ask each other in pairs
whether they agree about the things they should have learnt.
Ask them to agree a final list of the points.
Homework: Ask students to write a completely open-ended
piece of creative writing – a story entirely of their own
choosing. However, it must contain at least two examples of
uses of each part of the electromagnetic spectrum (i.e. 14 uses
in total). The less contrived the better.
Resource
sheets
Worksheet
P1.9a
BTEC
Links
To follow
P1: Universal physics
Page 5 of 5
Lesson P1.10: Ionising radiation
Specification
learning outcomes
2.8 Recall that ionising
radiations are emitted
all the time by
radioactive sources
2.9 Describe that
ionising radiation
includes alpha and beta
particles and gamma
rays and that they
transfer energy
HSW statements
HSW 12 The use of
contemporary
science and
technological
developments and
their benefits,
drawbacks and risks
Prior learning
from KS 3
N/A
Exemplar teaching activities
Starter: Mystery containers
Take three opaque containers and put some ground
coffee in one, soil in another and crumpled paper in
another. Test each with a GM tube/counter and ask
students what they think is happening and what is in
each container. Elicit the idea that each container has
something inside that is giving out energy that is being
picked up by the GM tube/counter.
Main: Radiation demonstration
Demonstrate a Geiger-Muller tube, explaining that it
can detect charged atoms (ions) and that radiation
entering the tube creates ions in the gas inside it. A
number of different radioactive sources should be
tested to highlight alpha, beta and gamma sources.
See the Teacher and technician practical sheet for full
details.
Plenary: Ionising radiation: the facts
Ask each student to write down three facts that
he/she has learnt during the topic. Then ask students
to share their facts in groups and to compile a master
list of facts, including the most common fact learnt
and the least common fact. Select a spokesperson for
one group at random to share their ideas with the
class. Then ask whether other groups had the same
‘most common fact’.
Homework: Worksheets P1.10b (for students requiring
extra support) and P1.10c (for those working at a
higher level) contain questions on ionising radiation.
Main differentiation
Resource sheets
Stretch: Students should
be asked to explain why
the manufacture of
luminous watches and gas
mantles with radioactive
materials (even if these
have not been
demonstrated) was
revised.
Teacher and
technician practical
sheet
Support: Students should
be focused to the
specification points of
continuous radioactive
emission, ionisation, and
the existence of alpha,
beta and gamma as
separate types.
Worksheet P1.10b
Worksheet P1.10c
BTEC
Links
To
follow