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Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
This guide is for learners studying Physics at Advanced Higher to assist in identifying areas of the two and a half main units to be studied for the
course exam. There is no guidance given for the Investigation half unit.
The three columns are:
Key areas and associated learning
This interprets SQA mandatory statements and exemplification of key areas from the Course/Unit Support Notes in terms of knowledge and skill that
learners should be able to accomplish.
Candidates should also ensure they are aware of the current SQA course specifications. http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/AHCASPhysics.pdf
The list of suggested activities from the Course/Unit Support Notes is not referenced in this document.
Relationships
Relationships to be used in numerical calculations. These are provided when undertaking internal unit assessments and the external course
examination.
Useful resources
These online resources are suggested as a starting point for online exemplification of course content. They are not exhaustive or definitive and many
other resources and websites are available. Each underlined term is a hyperlink which will link to a webpage when this document is viewed
electronically. Most resources are only referenced once although they may be of use in other parts of the course.
Resource Guide
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
page 1
Rotational Motion and Astrophysics
Key Areas and Associated Learning
Relationships
Useful Resources
Kinematic relationships
o
o
o
o
o
o
dv
d2 s
YouTube video – Deriving
kinematics equations using calculus
Use the relationships a =
and a = 2
dt
d𝑡
to derive the kinematic relationships:
v = u + at, s = ut + ½at2 and v2 = u2 + 2as where a is a constant
acceleration
Use kinematics equations (SUVAT) to calculate instantaneous
displacement, velocity and acceleration for motion in straight line with a
constant or varying acceleration
Use differentiation and integration to determine the instantaneous velocity
and acceleration of a body given initial conditions.
Interpret graphs of motions for objects and
 Determine instantaneous velocity from gradients of s-t graphs
 Determine instantaneous acceleration from the gradients of v-t
graphs
 Determine displacement from the area under v-t graphs
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
BBC video – In Our Time: The laws
of motion
page 2
Angular motion
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Convert between degrees and radians using an appropriate relationship
Relate linear displacement to angular displacement.
State that the angular velocity of a rotating body is the rate of change of
angular displacement.
State that angular acceleration is the rate of change of angular velocity.
Carry out calculations involving angular displacement, angular velocity and
angular acceleration.
Carry out calculations involving angular and tangential motion.
Carry out calculations involving constant angular velocity and period.
Distinguish between angular acceleration, tangential acceleration and
centripetal (radial or central) acceleration.
Explain that consideration of centripetal (radial) acceleration as the rate of
change in linear (tangential) velocity leads to the concept of a centripetal
(radial) force required to maintain circular motion.
Define centripetal (radial or central) acceleration as the rate of change in
linear (tangential) velocity
𝑣2
Derive the following relationships for radial acceleration: 𝑎𝑟 =
and 𝑎𝑟 =
𝑟
2
𝑟𝜔
Use appropriate relationships to carry out calculations involving centripetal
acceleration and centripetal force.
𝑠 = 𝑟𝜃
d

dt
dw d 2q
a=
= 2
dt
dt
  0   t
 2  0 2  2
  0t  12  t 2
𝑣 = 𝑟𝜔
v2
 r 2
r
mv 2
F
 mr 2
r
ar 
March 2015
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
page 3
YouTube video – Rotational motion
101 physics
Education Scotland learner
resource – numerical examples.
The Young Scottish Physicist learner
resource – Angular motion
Education Scotland learner
resource – numerical examples.
YouTube video – Fifth Gear loop the
loop
NASA video – Centripetal forces
VCE physics video – Circular motion:
The Wall of Death
Illinois University animation –
Banked turns
Rotational Dynamics
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
State what is meant by the moment of a force
State that Toque is defined as the product of radius and force applied at
that radius to an axis of rotation.
Explain that an unbalanced torque produces an angular acceleration.
State that Nm is the unit of torque.
Define the moment of inertia, I, of an object as a measure of its
resistance to angular acceleration about a given axis.
State that the angular acceleration produced by an unbalanced torque
depends on the moment of inertia of the object.
State that moment of inertia of an object depends on the mass of the
object, and the distribution of the mass about a particular axis.
Calculate the moment of inertia of discrete masses, rods, discs and
spheres about a given axis given appropriate relationships.
State that the angular momentum L of a rigid object is the product of
moment of inertia and angular velocity.
State that in the absence of external torques, the total angular
momentum of a rotating rigid before a collision equal the total angular
moment after impact.
Solve problems involving the principle of conservation of angular
momentum.
State that the rotational kinetic energy of a rigid object depends on its
moment of inertia and angular velocity.
Use appropriate relationships to carry out calculations involving
potential energy, rotational kinetic energy, translational kinetic energy,
angular velocity, linear velocity, moment of inertia and mass.
T  Fr , T  I
For discrete masses:
I   mr 2 ,
Moments of inertia for several
familiar shapes:
I  121 ml 2
rod about centre -
2
1
rod about end - I  3 ml
disc about centre sphere - centre -
I  12 mr 2
I  52 mr 2
𝐿 = 𝑚𝑣𝑟 = 𝑚𝑟𝜔2 = 𝐼𝜔
L  I  const
(no external torque).
E  12 I  2
Ep = Ek (translational)) + Ek
(rotational)
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
page 4
YouTube video – Walter Lewin
demonstrates moment of inertia
Education Scotland learner
resource – Numerical
examples.
YouTube video – Physics of
spins in figure skating
YouTube video – The physics of
diving
YouTube video – KERS bicycle
technology university project at
AIT
Wikimedia animation – Lucas
Barbosa: Objects down a slope
with different moments of inertia
Gravitation
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Vimeo video – BBC Beautiful Equations
Newton’s equation of universal
gravitation
Define gravitational field strength in terms of force and mass.
Sketch field lines and gravitational field patterns around a
planet and a planet–moon system.
Apply gravitational forces to orbital motion.
Perform calculations involving period of orbit and distance
from centre of Earth.
Analyse satellites in (circular) orbit in terms of centripetal
forces and period.
Applications of satellites include Data-gathering satellites:
weather, telecommunications, mapping, surveying, etc.
Tides, tidal forces, tidal energy.
Describe the principles of the Cavendish/Boys and
Maskelyne Schiehallion experiments.
Define gravitational potential in terms of potential energy and
mass.
Define gravitational potential as the work done in moving
unit mass from infinity to a point in space.
State that gravitational potential and gravitational potential
energy have the value zero at infinity.
Calculate changes in both potential and kinetic energy when
a satellite alters orbit.
Describe a Gravitational potential ‘well’.
Explain why smaller planets have no atmosphere and the
low incidence of helium in Earth’s atmosphere etc.
State that escape velocity is the minimum velocity required
to allow a mass to escape a gravitational field, achieving
zero kinetic energy and maximum (zero) gravitational
potential energy at infinity.
Derive escape velocity by consideration of energy.
Consider implications of escape velocity for space flight.
Calculation of escape velocity using appropriate relationship.
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
YouTube video – Universal gravitation
experiment
Counting thoughts resource – Weigh the
world
Nowykurier animation – Gravity
simulation
Donald Simanek teacher resource – Tidal
misconceptions
University of Massachusetts learner
resource – Gravity and escape velocity
tutorial
Splung.com animation – The gravitational
field
University of Nebraska animation –
Atmospheric loss
Education Scotland learner resource –
Numerical examples (pages 5 & 11)
page 5
General Relativity
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
State that Special Relativity deals with motion in inertial (nonaccelerating) frames of reference.
State that General Relativity deals with motion in non-inertial
(accelerating) frames of reference.
State the Equivalence Principle (an observer cannot tell the difference
between a uniform gravitational field and a constant acceleration)
Describe the consequences of the Equivalence Principle:
 Clocks in non-inertial reference frames e.g. accelerating spacecraft
 Clocks at altitude i.e. clocks run at different speeds in different
gravitational field strengths
 Precession of Mercury’s orbit
 Gravitational lensing of light
State that spacetime is a representation of four dimensional space.
State that light or a freely moving object follows a geodesic (the shortest
distance between two points) in spacetime.
State that mass curves spacetime, and that gravity arises from the
curvature of spacetime.
Recognise on spacetime diagrams the world lines for objects which are
stationary, moving with constant velocity and accelerating.
Use an appropriate relationship to solve problems relating to the
Schwarzschild radius/event horizon of a black hole.
State that time appears to be frozen at the event horizon of a black hole.
BBC video – General relativity
BBC audio – In Our Time:
relativity
YouTube video – An introduction
to spacetime
The Kings Centre animation –
Michelson-Morley, Muon decay
and spacetime diagrams
TED animation – The
fundamentals of space-time
YouTube video – Gravity
visualised
2𝐺𝑀
𝑟= 2
𝑐
BBC audio – In Our Time: black
holes
BBC audio – In Our Time: life of
stars
Spacetelescope video –
Gravitational lensing in action
BBC video – What are
gravitational lenses?
Guardian learner resource –
Physics of the movie Interstellar
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
page 6
Stellar physics
o
o
o
o
o
o
Describe properties of stars such as radius, surface temperature,
luminosity and apparent brightness.
Use of appropriate relationships to solve problems relating to luminosity,
apparent brightness, power per unit area, stellar radius and stellar
surface temperature.
Knowledge of the stages in the proton-proton chain in stellar fusion
reactions which convert hydrogen to helium.
Know the stages of stellar evolution the corresponding positions in the
Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram.
Know the classification of stars and be able to identify their positions in
the Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram.
Be able to predict the colour of stars from their position in the
Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram.
 Stars are born in interstellar clouds that are particularly cold and
dense (relative to the rest of space).
 Stars form when gravity overcomes thermal pressure and causes a
molecular cloud to contract until the central object becomes hot
enough to sustain nuclear fusion.
 The mass of a new star determines its luminosity and surface
temperature. The Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram is a
representation of the classification of stars.
 The luminosity and surface temperature determine the location of a
star in the H-R diagram.
 The lifetime of a star depends on its mass. During the hydrogen
fusing stage, the star is located in the main-sequence.
 As the fuel is used up, the balance between gravity and thermal
pressure changes and the star may change its position on the H-R
diagram.
 The ultimate fate of a star is determined by its mass.
 Supernovae, neutron stars and black holes can be the eventual fate
of some stars.
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
𝑏=
𝐿
4𝜋𝑟 2
power per unit area = 𝜎𝑇 4
Education Scotland resources –
Stellar evolution, star brightness
Education Scotland resources –
Stellar Physics
𝐿 = 4𝜋𝑟 2 𝜎𝑇 4
Schools observatory learner
resource – Stars section
BBC audio – In Our Time:
neutrinos
BBC video – Stars
National STEM centre video –
The life cycle of stars
University of Utah interactive quiz
–Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R)
diagram
page 7
Quanta and Waves
Key areas and associated learning
Relationships
Useful resources
Introduction to quantum theory
o
Education Scotland teacher resource – Quanta
theory advice for teachers.
Understand the challenges to classical theory by considering
experimental observations that could not be explained by
classical physics:
 Black-body radiation curves (“ultraviolet catastrophe”)
 Planck’s suggestion that the absorption and emission of
radiation could only take place in ‘jumps’,
 photoelectric effect could not be explained using
classical physics,
 Einstein’s suggestion that the energy of electromagnetic
radiation is quantisised,
 The Bohr model of the atom, which explains the
characteristics of atomic spectra in terms of electron
energy states, Bohr’s quantisation of angular
momentum,
 De Broglie suggested that electrons have wave
properties, the de Broglie relationship between
wavelength and momentum and electron diffraction is
evidence for wave/particle duality.
Photoelectric effect
o Use an appropriate relationship to solve problems involving
photon energy and frequency.
o Describe the Bohr model of the atom.
o Use an appropriate relationship to solve problems involving the
angular momentum of an electron and its principal quantum
number.
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
Education Scotland learner resource – Quanta
and waves numerical examples
Softpedia learner resource – Why is
Quantum Mechanics so weird?
Hyperphysics learner resource – Early
photoelectric effect data
PhET animation – Black body spectrum
AboutPhysics learner resource – The
ultraviolet catastrophe
SSERC activity – Determination of Planck’s
constant using tungsten lamp
E = hf
page 8
Wave particle duality
o
o
Describe experimental evidence for wave/particle duality
including double-slit experiments with single particles (photons
and electrons).
Examine evidence of wave/particle duality. Examples include:
electron diffraction, photoelectric effect and Compton scattering.
De Broglie waves
o
Use of an appropriate relationship to solve problems involving
the de Broglie wavelength of a particle and its momentum.
Uncertainty principle
o
o
o
o
o
o
TED Ed animation – The uncertainty location
of electrons.
Understand how quantum mechanics can resolve the dilemmas
that could not be explained by classical physics and the dual
nature of matter.
State that in quantum mechanics the nature of matter is not
predictable.
 A Newtonian, mechanistic view, in principle allows all future
states of a system to be known if the starting details are
known.
 Quantum mechanics indicates that we can only calculate
probabilities.
Understand the Uncertainty principle in terms of how it is
impossible to simultaneously measure both wave and particle
properties.
Describe the principles of double slit experiments with single
particles (photons or electrons) and how they produce nonintuitive results.
Quantum mechanics gives excellent agreement with
experimental observations.
Describe the Uncertainty Principle in terms of location and
momentum.
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
Chad Orzel animation – Quantum mechanics
101
YouTube video – What is the uncertainty
principle?
About Physics learner resource – Quantum
physics overview
YouTube video – Double slit experiment
explained by Jim Al-Khalili
The Guardian teacher resource – What is
Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle?
YouTube video – What is quantum tunnelling?
Wimp video – Dr Quantum Double slit
page 9

o
o
experiment
To gain precise information about the position of a particle
requires the use of short wavelength radiation. This has high
energy which changes the momentum of the particle.
The Guardian teacher resource –
Understanding quantum tunnelling
Describe the Uncertainty Principle in terms of energy and time
and apply to the concept of quantum tunneling.
 Potential wells form barriers which would not normally allow
particles to escape. ‘Borrowing’ energy for a short period of
time allows particles to escape from the potential well.
YouTube video – The secrets of quantum
physics: Einstein’s nightmare (Episode 1)
BBC audio – In Our Time: Heisenberg
BBC audio – In Our Time: Quantum theory
Use of mathematical statements of the Uncertainty Principle to
solve problems involving the uncertainties in position,
momentum, energy and time.
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
page 10
Particles from space
Education Scotland teacher resource –
Particles from space advice for practitioners
Cosmic rays
o
o
o
o
State the origin and composition of cosmic rays, the interaction
of cosmic rays with Earth’s atmosphere and the helical motion
of charged particles in the Earth’s magnetic field.
Use an appropriate relationships to solve problems involving the
force on a charged particle, its charge, its mass, its velocity, the
radius of its path and the magnetic induction of a magnetic field.
Explain how aurorae are produced in the upper atmosphere.
Compare the variety and energies of cosmic rays with particles
generated by particle accelerators.
TED video – How cosmic rays help us
understand the universe
F = Bqv
School Physics learner resource – Charged
particles in electric and magnetic fields.
Solar wind
Describe of the interaction of the solar wind with Earth’s magnetic
field and the composition of the solar wind as charged particles (eg
protons and electrons) in the form of plasma.
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
The Alpha magnetic spectrometer experiment
learner resource – Particles & energy levels
page 11
Simple harmonic motion
o
o
o
o
o
Salford University animation – Simple
harmonic motion
Define SHM in terms of the restoring force and
acceleration proportional and in the opposite direction to
the displacement from the rest position.
Use appropriate relationships to solve problems
involving the displacement, velocity, acceleration,
angular frequency, period and energy of an object
executing SHM.
Examples of SHM include Simple pendulum, mass on
spring, loaded test tube, etc.
Describe of the effects of damping in SHM (to include
underdamping, critical damping’ and overdamping)
Examples of damping include: Car shock absorbers,
bridges, bungee cords, trampolines, diving boards, etc.
Nuffield foundation activity – Examples of
SHM
Faraday animation – Circular motion and
SHM
YouTube video – When a physics teacher
knows his stuff!
Teaching advanced physics teacher
resource – Energy in SHM
YouTube video – iPad simple harmonic
motion
SparkVue activity – SHM using a mobile
device
SSERC activity – Wiimote® physics
angular acceleration
Education Scotland learner resource –
Course questions (page 6)
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
page 12
Waves
PhET animation – Fourier
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Use an appropriate relationship to solve problems involving the
energy transferred by a wave and its amplitude.
Use various forms of mathematical representation of travelling
waves to identify wave parameters such as frequency,
wavespeed, wavelength, direction and amplitude
The displacement y is given by the combination of the particle’s
transverse SHM and the phase angle between each particle.
Use of appropriate relationships to solve problems involving
wave motion, phase difference and phase angle.
Knowledge of the superposition of waves and stationary waves.
Stationary waves are formed by the interference of two waves,
of the same frequency and amplitude, travelling in opposite
directions. A stationary wave can be described in terms of
nodes, antinodes. Stationary waves can be used to measure the
wavelength of sound waves and microwaves.
Applications of superposition of waves include:
Synthesisers related to addition of waves — Fourier analysis.
Musical instruments — wind and string.
Fundamental and harmonic frequencies.
Beats — tuning of musical instruments.
E  kA2
x
y  A sin 2( ft  )

2x


Falstad animations – Wave
phenomena
YouTube video – Amazing resonance
experiment
Help my physics animation –
Reflecting plate interference using
microwaves
Education Scotland learner resource –
Course questions (page 2)
YouTube video – Ruben's tube, known
frequencies, speed of sound, beat
YouTube video – Guitar and beat
frequencies
Vimeo video – CYMATICS: Science vs
music
YouTube video – Wave model with
bowling ball pendulums
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
page 13
Interference
o
o
o
Know the conditions for constructive and destructive
interference in terms of coherence and phase.
Understand the effect of the nature of boundary on the phase of
a reflected wave.
State the conditions for two light beams to be coherent.
Optical path difference = n x
geometrical path difference
School Physics learner resource –
Phase shift
Optical path difference
=m
m
Molecular expressions animation –
Interference phenomena in soap
bubbles
PHYSCLIPS animation – Interference
Division of amplitude
o
o
o
o
Conditions for constructive and destructive interference in terms
of optical path difference and potential boundary phase
changes.
Explain interference by division of amplitude, including optical
path length, geometrical path length, phase difference, optical
path difference.
Examples of interference by division of amplitude include thin
film interference and wedge fringes, oil films, soap bubbles.
Use of appropriate relationships to solve problems involving
interference of waves by division of amplitude.
Blooming of lenses.
YouTube video – Newton's rings
SSERC activity – Newton’s rings
Exploratorium learner resource –
Bubble colors
Division of wavelength
o
o
YouTube video – Doc Physics: Phase
shifts for reflected waves of light and air
wedge example
Astrosurf teacher resource – Coating,
anti-reflection and dispersion
Explanation of interference by division of wavefront, including
Young’s slits interference.
Use of appropriate relationships to solve problems involving
interference of waves by division of wavefront.
YouTube video – Young’s slits with
sunlight
Education Scotland learner resource –
Course questions (pages 21 – 25)
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
page 14
Polarisation
o
o
o
o
o
o
Explain the polarisation of transverse waves, including
polarisers/analysers and Brewster’s angle.
Use an appropriate relationship to solve problems involving
Brewster’s angle and refractive index.
State that a plane polarised wave can be produced by using a
filter to absorb the vibrations in all directions except one.
State Polarisation can also be produced by reflection.
Brewster’s angle is the angle of incidence that causes reflected
light to be linearly polarised.
Examples of polarisation include:
 Liquid crystal displays,
 computer/phone displays,
 polarising lenses,
 optical activity,
 photoelasticity and saccharimetry.
 Stress analysis of Perspex models of structures.
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
Upscale learner resource –
Polarisation of light
SSERC activity – Other experiments
polarisation
n = tan ip
YouTube video – Polarised light
YouTube video – Stress concentration
in acrylic under polarized light
page 15
Electromagnetism
Key Areas and Associated Learning
Relationships
Useful Resources
Fields
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Define electric field strength in terms of force and
unit charge.
Sketch electric field patterns around single
charges, a system of charges and a uniform
electric field.
Define electrical potential in terms of work done.
State that the energy required to move charge
between two points in an electric field is
independent of the path taken.
Use appropriate relationships to solve problems
involving electric force, electric potential and
electric field strength around a point charge and a
system of charges.
Use appropriate relationships to solve problems
involving charge, energy, potential difference and
electric field strength in situations involving a
uniform electric field.
Use appropriate relationships to solve problems
involving the motion of charged particles in uniform
electric fields.
State that the electronvolt is a unit of energy.
Convert between electronvolt and joules
State and explain the magnetic effect called
ferromagnetism which occurs in certain metals
Sketch magnetic field patterns between magnetic
poles, and around solenoids, including the
magnetic field pattern around the Earth.
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
Education Scotland learner resource –
Electromagnetism questions and solutions
E
Q
40 r 2
F
Q1Q2
40 r 2
V
Q
40 r
Physics Flash Animations animation –
Coulomb’s Law experiment
PhET activity – Electric field hockey
Teaching advanced physics teacher
resource – Electric field line plotting
Highland galvanisers teacher resource –
What is powder coating, how does it
compare to paint and why use it?
F = QE
V = Ed
YouTube video – Coulomb’s law
Ew = QV
Charles University activity – Coulomb’s law
Oswego City School District animation –
Electrical energy and electrical potential
YouTube video – Compton scattering
page 16
o
o
o
State the comparisons between; gravitational,
electrostatic, magnetic and nuclear forces, in terms
of magnitude and range.
Use appropriate relationships to solve problems
involving magnetic induction around a current
carrying wire, its radius and the current in it.
Use appropriate relationships to solve problems
involving the forces acting on a current carrying
wire and a charged particle in a magnetic field.
YouTube video – 3B Scientific Teltron
electron deflection tubes
F  IlB sin 
B
SSERC activity – Force on a current
carrying conductor
0 I
2r
YouTube video – Ferromagnetism
Alexander Martin video – Ferromagnetism
F  Bqv
YouTube video – Forces due to magnetism
Electronics Tutorials teacher resource –
electromagnetism.
YouTube video – Hall effect
UCL teacher resource – The use of fields in
particle accelerators
YouTube animation – Millikan oil drop
experiment
Education Scotland learner resource –
Course question, pages 13 - 20.
SSERC experiment – electromagnetic
braking (download “other experiments”
pages 9 - 10)
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
page 17
Circuits
o
o
o
o
o
Describe variation of current and potential
difference with time in a CR circuit during charging
and discharging.
Define the time constant for a CR circuit.
Determine the time constant of a CR circuit
numerically and graphically.
Define capacitive reactance.
Use appropriate relationships to solve problems
involving capacitive reactance, voltage, current,
frequency and capacitance.
Inductors in d.c. circuits
o
o
o
o
Tutor Homework simulation – Charging a
capacitor
t  RC
XC 
REUK teacher resource – Smoothing
capacitors
V
I
Electrical4U teacher resource – Lenz law of
electromagnetic induction
1
XC 
2fC
Teaching advanced physics teacher
resource – Electromagnetic induction
YouTube video – Back e.m.f. in a large
solenoid
E  12 LI 2
State what is meant by the self inductance of a coil.
Definition of inductance and of back e.m.f..
Use Lenz’s Law to solve inductance problems.
Use appropriate relationships to calculate energy
stored by an inductor.
St Andrew’s University learner resource –
Reactance of a capacitor
Hyperphysics learner resource – Crossover
networks for loudspeakers
YouTube video – Self-inductance of coil
lighting a neon bulb
Inductors in a.c. circuits
o
o
o
Define Inductive reactance.
Use an appropriate relationship to solve problems
involving back e.m.f., inductance (self inductance)
and rate of change of current.
Use appropriate relationships to solve problems
relating to inductive reactance, voltage, current,
frequency, energy and inductance (self
inductance).
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
  L
dI
dt
page 18
Electromagnetic radiation
o
o
o
Cabrillo College animations –
Characteristics of electromagnetic waves
Know how electricity and magnetism are linked in
Electromagnetic radiation.
Understand that electromagnetic radiation exhibits
wave properties and is made up of electric and
magnetic field components.
Use an appropriate relationship to solve problems
involving the speed of light, the permittivity of free
space, and permeability of free space.
EMANIM animation – Animations of
electromagnetic waves.
University of West of Scotland activity –
Measurement of Capacitance and
Permittivity of Air
New York University activity – Determination
of permeability using current balance
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
page 19
Units, prefixes and uncertainties
Key Areas and Associated Learning
o
o
o
o
o
Use appropriate units, prefixes and scientific notation, eg
electronvolt, light year.
Use of an appropriate number of significant figures in final
answers. (significant figures are based on original data)
Knowledge and use, where appropriate, of uncertainties,
including systematic uncertainties, scale reading
uncertainties, random uncertainties, and calibration
uncertainties.
Calculations involving absolute uncertainties and
fractional/percentage uncertainties
Appropriate use of significant figures in absolute
uncertainties.
Relationships
Useful Resources
SSERC handbook on data handling
DW = DX + DY + DZ
2
2
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Education Scotland guidance on data
handling and uncertainties
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Data analysis
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State appropriate reading uncertainty associated with
instrument scales.
Calculate random uncertainty associated with repeated
measurements.
State calibration uncertainty associated with
manufacturer’s claim for the accuracy of an instrument.
Calculate absolute and percentage/ fractional uncertainty.
Combine various types of uncertainties to obtain the total
uncertainty in a measurement.
Systematic uncertainties occur when readings taken are
either all too small or all too large. They can arise due to
measurement techniques or experimental design.
SSERC handbook on uncertainties
Calibration uncertainty is a manufacturer’s claim for the
accuracy of an instrument compared with an approved
standard.
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
page 20
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Absolute uncertainty should be rounded to one significant
figure.
Combination of uncertainties in measured values to
obtain the total uncertainty in a calculated value.
Graphical interpretation
Use of error bars to represent absolute uncertainties on
graphs.
Estimation of uncertainty in the gradient and intercept of a
linear graph.
Understanding the meaning of the terms accuracy and
precision with reference to the comparison of an obtained
value with a true value.
Sum, difference, product, quotient of quantities and
quantities raised to a power.
Various methods possible including the use of functions
available in graph drawing software eg linest and
trendline functions in Excel.
Understanding the meaning of the terms accuracy and
precision with reference to the comparison of an obtained
value with a true value.
 The accuracy of a measurement compares how close
the measurement is to the ‘true’ or accepted value.
 The precision of a measurement gives an indication of
the uncertainty in the measurement.
Education Scotland guide to using Excel in
the Sciences
Graphical interpretation
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Use of error bars to represent absolute uncertainties on
graphs.
Estimation of uncertainty in the gradient and intercept of a
linear graph.
Advanced Higher Physics Success Guide
page 21