GCSE OCR 21st Century Triple Science (CBP1-7) Thread

We've just finished our exams for AQA Level 2 Further Maths, but that didn't contain any sequences as such like that, just the general linear, quadratic and expressing n as a limiting factor --> infinity. It contained some great things though, like equations of normals, tangents, max, min, stationary etc and that was fun. It even had matrices, which AQA abused on our exams. I can't wait for A Level Maths though! We've practically covered 2/3 of it apparently.

I have to try the hardest with revision for P7, because physics was never the focal point () of my revision at the start of the exam season. You?

I'd say it covers about 3/4 of C1 and about 3/5 of C2. The only things that come to mind that aren't included are arithmetic and geometric sequences, ambiguous triangles (as cool as they sound), integration, and some bits of coordinate geometry. If you look at some C1 and C2 past papers, you can judge for yourself how much more you need to cover.

For AS there's also an applied module you have to do, normally Stats 1 or Mechanics 1 but occasionally Decision 1. Stats 1 is fairly easy, the first half is a recap of GCSE and there's nothing too difficult after that. There's a lot of tedious formula use though. Mechanics 1 (which I have yet to self teach) looks a damn sight more interesting, but also a bit more difficult. Decision 1 is apparently very easy, but also very boring. Unis don't look too highly on it.

A2 is a whole different ball game. Suffice to say that trig identities get harder, the differentiation goes up a notch, but there's also some light relief in graph sketching, numerical methods (read - bashing numbers into a calculator for ten minutes) and vectors in 3D.


How did AQA abuse the matrices? I thought they were reasonable questions.

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Yup I've been trying to focus but I just can't get the momentum to get the work done. I'm just constantly refracting away from P7 - however, it is really interesting though. In the CGP book, you can more or less ignore the second to last page as it's common sense, similarly with the E.T life section I find.

I love science jokes.

Yup they were nice questions but it was the fact that I've never really seen that many questions on them across both papers (Paper 1 was reasonable with the expanding) but Paper 2 had the expanding of the given matrix when it was cubed which had a lot of working out and then more questions on OABC.

I've never really liked matrices though, I understand them but I just find them a pain.

Yup I've been trying to focus but I just can't get the momentum to get the work done. I'm just constantly refracting away from P7 - however, it is really interesting though. In the CGP book, you can more or less ignore the second to last page as it's common sense, similarly with the E.T life section I find.

I love science jokes.

Unless you do a Further maths! you need never see them again!


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On the p7 assessment material it doesn't include the formula for working out distance in parsecs:
http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/80689-unit-a183-02-physics-modules-p7-higher-accredited.pdf

Which should be 1/Parallax angle(arcseconds)

Will we have to learn this? The spec states:
"define a parsec as the distance to a star with a parallax angle of one second of arc" and
"Calculate distances in parsecs for simple parallax angles expressed as fractions of a second of arc"

Does anyone have a good guide for Controlled Assessments?

I have my Chemistry one starting next week (although it's nearly end of term!), Biology and Physics when we get back.

Any good tips for achieving high marks?

If it helps, as far as I'm aware we are doing:

Biology - heat loss
Chemistry - endothermic and exothermic
Physics - craters

We have pretty much covered 1-6, so have CAs and the 7's to do

Make sure to cover every single factor (about 5-6 probably)
Write an hypothesis and then a prediction
Repeat your tests three times or so, include units
Make sure to do preliminary tests to decide your chosen factor
Always speak about outliers and error bars on graphs in evaluation

What's your title for endo/exothermic? That looks really interesting. Ours was on the rate of reaction.

Do we have to know the Hubble constant??

Pretty sure we do as it's not given in the front and questions can come up for it. It's not difficult to remember 2x10^-18 or 70km per Mpc I guess... so I wouldn't risk it!

Knowing me I'll forget it, graciasss

I don't think the hubble constant one will come up as it came up a lot in the sample/specimen paper =]

If it's been in the specimen - more reason to put it on the actual paper! It'd be a nice few marks though, it'd probably be two/three, depending on if you had to rearrange the equation maybe.