[Dangerous Theory]

Just curious if anyone out there is doing either of these exams this June? Physics B - Physics In Context seems to be extremely unpopular on this forum, and I assume nationwide too.

I can see why many schools don't teach this because there is so much theory you must learn along with the mathematics (I mainly prefer the maths). The book has so many paragraphs of extra information too, and there tends to be some cheeky question on some random small fact you've overlooked in there...

So if you are doing either of these exams, how are you getting on with the revision? I flopped in January for Unit 4 which meant I needed 132 UMS to get the A I need, hence I'm retaking on 11th June. I am also taking Unit5 for the first time.

Personally I find Unit 5 more interesting and a little easier than four, perhaps because it's more mathematics based. I struggle most with magnets in unit 4.

Cheers

[Dangerous Theory]

Wow, there really is no one doing Phy B!

[`Pablo]

Hey! I'm doing phys B, I have consistent A's for units 1-4, just sent a 41/50 away for unit 6 and I need to work my arse off to hit the 120 UMS cap for unit 5 so I can still achieve the A* I've been fantasizing over haha!
I haven't started unit 5 revision yet due to my M1 and M2 exams up-and-coming, I'll be starting after tomorrow though! I intend to do what I usually do, go through the AQA Nelson Thornes book and highlight every important detail - finish all summary questions of every subtopic - create notes on microsoft word, from those notes format into a booklet with all the information put into precise short statements which are bullet pointed and diagrams included and explained in a way I will understand. After this read it for a minimum of an hour every day up until the exam. 4 days before the exam I will begin doing past papers. A MINIMUM OF SEVEN - so be sure to ask your physics teacher / head of department / head of sixth form (or college tutor) to access the files through AQA which date back more than 4 years (as is available to students on the AQA site), after this - you should be ready
Any help you need feel free to pm me I check the site regularly! Good luck and happy revising!

[Dangerous Theory]

(Original post by `Pablo)
Hey! I'm doing phys B, I have consistent A's for units 1-4, just sent a 41/50 away for unit 6 and I need to work my arse off to hit the 120 UMS cap for unit 5 so I can still achieve the A* I've been fantasizing over haha!
I haven't started unit 5 revision yet due to my M1 and M2 exams up-and-coming, I'll be starting after tomorrow though! I intend to do what I usually do, go through the AQA Nelson Thornes book and highlight every important detail - finish all summary questions of every subtopic - create notes on microsoft word, from those notes format into a booklet with all the information put into precise short statements which are bullet pointed and diagrams included and explained in a way I will understand. After this read it for a minimum of an hour every day up until the exam. 4 days before the exam I will begin doing past papers. A MINIMUM OF SEVEN - so be sure to ask your physics teacher / head of department / head of sixth form (or college tutor) to access the files through AQA which date back more than 4 years (as is available to students on the AQA site), after this - you should be ready
Any help you need feel free to pm me I check the site regularly! Good luck and happy revising!

Oh hey. Well done on the As so far. I got ABB last year for 1,2,3 respectively. I'm on C atm for unit 4, and 37/50 for unit 6. I really need to do well in the Unit 4 retake + Unit 5 for my A.

Good luck on your A*, and by the way what are the criteria for it? Is it 90% aggregate over A2 modules + 80% AS+A2, or must you get 90% in every A2 module?

[`Pablo]

90% overall for units 4, 5 and 6. Best of luck for both exams and good luck on the A.
I've recently purchased a physics A2 revision book by a company called Letts http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/184315932...hvptwo=&hvqmt=
It's (to my knowledge) the only company whom does the Physics AQA B syllabus in a revision guide (units 4-6 covered).
Also it could be of use to you to check out this guy, for both unit 4 and 5 revision: http://physicsnotes0.tripod.com/index.html

[`Pablo]

Hey thanks for the well wishes, here are a few good key revision materials:
Firstly, a revision booked I purchased from a local shop but can be bought online (its called REVISE A2 and its published by a company called Letts), it is the only published revision guide (to my knowledge) that covers AQA physics B
Secondly http://physicsnotes0.tripod.com/index.html both unit 4 and 5 revision notes on here, seems to be some good stuff, haven't fully gone over it yet though I will be doing in the coming days.
Best of luck for your A, it isn't un-achieveable just work hard and be confident!

[massisi]

I'm doing unit 5 (did unit 4 in jan) in june, has anyone got a copy of the Jan 12 unit 5 paper?

I got 120 UMS in all previous exams for this, but the specification has slowly killed off any interest I had in physics.

[Dangerous Theory]

(Original post by massisi)
I'm doing unit 5 (did unit 4 in jan) in june, has anyone got a copy of the Jan 12 unit 5 paper?

I got 120 UMS in all previous exams for this, but the specification has slowly killed off any interest I had in physics.

You got 120 UMS in PHYB1,2,4? What about 3 & 6 (the ISAs)? Sounds like you're guaranteed an A with no effort.


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[massisi]

(Original post by Dangerous Theory)
You got 120 UMS in PHYB1,2,4? What about 3 & 6 (the ISAs)? Sounds like you're guaranteed an A with no effort.


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Unit 3 was 44/60, Unit 6 no idea as we're doing the externally assessed one

How about you?

[Dangerous Theory]

(Original post by massisi)
Unit 3 was 44/60, Unit 6 no idea as we're doing the externally assessed one

How about you?

Something like 38 UMS in 3 and 36 raw marks in 6 (don't know what the UMS will be). I'm not very good at ISAs.

[massisi]

(Original post by Dangerous Theory)
Something like 38 UMS in 3 and 36 raw marks in 6 (don't know what the UMS will be). I'm not very good at ISAs.

I don't think anyone is :L

In our class we did 2 teacher assessed ones but the grades were so bad we did the externally assessed one as a last resort lol

[Dangerous Theory]

(Original post by massisi)
I don't think anyone is :L

In our class we did 2 teacher assessed ones but the grades were so bad we did the externally assessed one as a last resort lol

Haha. We did two ISAs for 3 and 6. I improved on 3, but did worse on 6. Most of the class did badly all round too.

So much different from GCSE level ISAs, where A*s were a joke to get. I just don't think the prep for them is taught properly.

[A.A.T.]

PHYA1 and PHYB1 papers.

[Dangerous Theory]

(Original post by A.A.T.)
PHYA1 and PHYB1 papers.

This is a unit4/5 discussion.


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[massisi]

So does anyone have the Jan 12 PHYB5 paper?

[Dangerous Theory]

So how did people find the exam?

[oPJ_Lad]

Anyone know of any good summarised notes I could read for the weekend?
Ive made my own, but id like a computerised copy I can print out and highlight more than once?
Thankyou
How did you guys find PHYB4? Theres not many of us :/

[oPJ_Lad]

(Original post by Dangerous Theory)
So how did people find the exam?

Questions 1,2 - fine
Questions 5,6 - fine but only had 10 minutes at the end to do them (managed to scavenge 20 marks in that time - lets hope the examiner can read the handwriting)
Reason? Because 3,4 were ridiculous. I can usually get all the maths, but the 'h' and 'new w' bumped me. Spent too long on question 3, I recon the boundaries will be relatively low as people would've struggled on that one (as well as being a 21 marker)
How about you?

[Dangerous Theory]

(Original post by oPJ_Lad)
Questions 1,2 - fine
Questions 5,6 - fine but only had 10 minutes at the end to do them (managed to scavenge 20 marks in that time - lets hope the examiner can read the handwriting)
Reason? Because 3,4 were ridiculous. I can usually get all the maths, but the 'h' and 'new w' bumped me. Spent too long on question 3, I recon the boundaries will be relatively low as people would've struggled on that one (as well as being a 21 marker)
How about you?

SHM at start was a joke, setting out the paper to look easy.
Endoscopy was alright
CCD was alright
Centripetal was difficult in parts. The second last question I ended up with something x10^-3 J, and the last question I got 100.5 radian /s
Gravitation was mainly fine, proving that they weren't inversely proportional was easy, explanation about payload and multistage rocket seemed quite hard to find 4 marks worth but I don't know.
Ultrasound stuff was great, very nice 6 marker, I filled every line and 3 more.
Magnetic question was generally easy but the examiners must have thought it was hilarious to make us read that essay only to find we didn't need a single bit of information from it. Trolls

Overall I feel quite positive bout the paper. Definitely over an A, but I hope I've got over 100 UMS or I'm in trouble. Was it just me or did the paper feel more explanation based and less Maths compared to previous? I'm with you on the handwriting thing, that's actually what I fear worst. I had only 3-4 hours sleep before the exam so I was feeling pretty crap and didn't have good handwriting, but I could read it. Just hope they make the effort to!


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[oPJ_Lad]

(Original post by Dangerous Theory)
SHM at start was a joke, setting out the paper to look easy.
Endoscopy was alright ...

Yea 1 was a breeze, couldn't believe they put that in tbh.
Endoscopy was nice, CCDs I couldn't get the marks, I only really talked about the variation in charge intensities and how filtering primary colours gives an overall image.
because I ran out of time, I didn't even bother reading the magnetic paragraph... thankfully I didn't! ha
Im meant to be an A* definite but after that I recon I got 65, which is cutting it short
Hoping for a good PHYB5 on monday, you pumped for it? I need to do a good prep this weekend, its morning as well... i quite like afternoon exams.
yes, the handwriting, but people with writing issues get away with good grades so they must be lenient with it (Eg, not 'we cant read it so we won't give you the mark').
Any idea of boundaries? A = 60 A* = 68 ??