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OCR Physics A Breadth of Physics (24th May 2016) Discussion

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Original post by voltz
I thought the specimen papers are always deliberately made a lot harder than the actual exam would be?


This is what my teacher has told me; and I really hope so because the specimen papers are horrible.
Is there an ocr physics whatsapp chat :colondollar:The study chats for other subjects have so far been really useful.
Reply 22
what did everyone get in the specimen papers? I only got 60% average
Pretty much everyone in my class got 40% or below in the specimen papers :/ including people that usually get A's in everything
Original post by patmccarthy
Pretty much everyone in my class got 40% or below in the specimen papers :/ including people that usually get A's in everything


Yep I did terrible. Didnt even attempt some of them
Original post by physicsamor
Yep I did terrible. Didnt even attempt some of them


Have you tried the papers for the old spec though? I know they're a different format but the content is the same and they're so much easier. Surely they wouldn't give us a paper as hard as the specimens, especially as we're the first year to do this specification.
Reply 26
My guess is that the actual papers will be reasonable in difficulty, with probably a few difficult/confusing questions but not as hard as the specimen papers overall.

Also, any guesses as to which long written questions/practical questions are likely to come up?
Original post by voltz
My guess is that the actual papers will be reasonable in difficulty, with probably a few difficult/confusing questions but not as hard as the specimen papers overall.

Also, any guesses as to which long written questions/practical questions are likely to come up?


I think that the practical question is likely to be determining 'g' using an electromagnet, determining Planck's constant with an LED, investigating Hooke's Law or Young's double slits experiment. Also, possibly investigating the I-V characteristics of any given component.
Reply 28
With these exams seeming to be harder than previous exams, roughly what percentage do you think I'd have to aim for to be able to get a B?
What do you reckon the grade boundary for a B and C would be
Reply 30
Original post by NickC98
With these exams seeming to be harder than previous exams, roughly what percentage do you think I'd have to aim for to be able to get a B?


Original post by mm_7
What do you reckon the grade boundary for a B and C would be


Based on the past papers on the old spec, my prediction is around 75% for an A and so around 67% for a B...anyone agree or disagree?
I've got a feeling the multiple choice questions are going to be toughh
Original post by voltz
Based on the past papers on the old spec, my prediction is around 75% for an A and so around 67% for a B...anyone agree or disagree?


This seems about right. Do you have any idea about what % is needed for a C?
Reply 33
Original post by mm_7
This seems about right. Do you have any idea about what % is needed for a C?


Around 56% but since its a new spec Im sure it could sway either way
Original post by voltz
Around 56% but since its a new spec Im sure it could sway either way


:frown: considering my entire class has been getting E's no one is gonna pass lol

do you think the actual exam will be easier than the spec papers
Reply 35
Original post by mm_7
:frown: considering my entire class has been getting E's no one is gonna pass lol

do you think the actual exam will be easier than the spec papers


Im pretty certain it wont be as hard as the specimen papers, but there will probably be a few tricky questions.

If it is as hard as the specimen papers, the grade boundaries should be very very low haha
Original post by voltz
Im pretty certain it wont be as hard as the specimen papers, but there will probably be a few tricky questions.

If it is as hard as the specimen papers, the grade boundaries should be very very low haha


im just hoping for ridiculously low grade boundaries lol
I'm screwed for this exam, so is my class...how are people at other schools doing with the spec papers and stuff
Original post by voltz
Im pretty certain it wont be as hard as the specimen papers, but there will probably be a few tricky questions.

If it is as hard as the specimen papers, the grade boundaries should be very very low haha


Grade average in our breadth paper was a U/E and 4 people aiming to go to cambridge only got D's
Original post by tom_fitzgerald
I'm screwed for this exam, so is my class...how are people at other schools doing with the spec papers and stuff


Everyone in our class got either an E or a U. They set the grade boundaries so that a certain percentage of people have to get each grade, so the fact that everyone else seems to be in a similar position should mean that the grade boundaries are low- at least if the actual papers are anything like the specimens then they should be.

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