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AS Physics (AQA)

Anyone else think that unit 1 makes absolutely no sense?! Especially particle physics:biggrin:
I find the textbook unhelpful for particle physics, had to look up some YouTube videos to get a better sense of it. If you're stuck on it, try searching DrPhysicsA on YouTube - that should help :smile:
Reply 2
Original post by rory58824
I find the textbook unhelpful for particle physics, had to look up some YouTube videos to get a better sense of it. If you're stuck on it, try searching DrPhysicsA on YouTube - that should help :smile:


I agree, textbook is rubbish. Thanks I'll have a look:smile:
The textbook does do the Particle Physics in an odd order, I think I ended up having to do some of the later parts of the chapters and then working back to make sense of it all.
Bits of Unit 1 were quite confusing, and it didn't help that you have to settle in going from GCSE to A-level. (After a few weeks I went up to my teacher after a lesson and said "I haven't a clue what's going on most of the time". Though after adjusting, Units 2, 4 and 5 don't seem too bad.

I don't remember all the tiny details but if you need any help let me know :smile:

I didn't think of getting a hold of a CGP revision guide for AS, but it definitely helped me for A2, so I would recommend getting it for AS as well.
No it's very easy
Reply 6
Original post by SeanFM
Bits of Unit 1 were quite confusing, and it didn't help that you have to settle in going from GCSE to A-level. (After a few weeks I went up to my teacher after a lesson and said "I haven't a clue what's going on most of the time". Though after adjusting, Units 2, 4 and 5 don't seem too bad.

I don't remember all the tiny details but if you need any help let me know :smile:

I didn't think of getting a hold of a CGP revision guide for AS, but it definitely helped me for A2, so I would recommend getting it for AS as well.


Do you think you could help me with an exam question??
Original post by SamFlynn97
Do you think you could help me with an exam question??


I could try :smile: what is it? (I'm terrible at ISA-style questions so I wouldn't be able to help with one of those)
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 8
The order in which they arrange the chapters is really weird. They do wave-particle duality in Unit 1 yet the wave chapter (interference etc) is at the end of the book lol
I found waves really hard at the beginning of the year, we did unit 2 first then unit 1. Unit 1 in comparison is really easy as it's mostly memorisation. Physics was really hard then now I think it's my best subject (well, not exactly but lowest grade boundaries of all my subject lol) apart from the ISA which is pain in the neck
Unit 2 is harder than Unit 1. You can lose marks way more easily :P I think with Unit 1 if you read the textbook and do some questions it should be fine :wink:
Reply 10
Original post by SeanFM
I could try :smile: what is it? (I'm terrible at ISA-style questions so I wouldn't be able to help with one of those)


Just a past exam question

Q) The footprint of a geosynchronous satellite has a diameter of 1200km. The orbital height of the satellite is 3.7x10^7 m.

Show that the diffraction angle producing the satellites footprint is approximately 0.9/

Now, i've been using the equation Theta = Sin^-1 (Wavelength/a)

How do i get wavelength? also thought that a = 1200000m, but according to the markscheme its wrong/
Original post by SamFlynn97
Just a past exam question

Q) The footprint of a geosynchronous satellite has a diameter of 1200km. The orbital height of the satellite is 3.7x10^7 m.

Show that the diffraction angle producing the satellites footprint is approximately 0.9/

Now, i've been using the equation Theta = Sin^-1 (Wavelength/a)

How do i get wavelength? also thought that a = 1200000m, but according to the markscheme its wrong/


Ah, I've looked at what you're saying but it's not anything I'm familiar with, so I'll wave a white flag and hope that a physicist comes along and helps out. If not you could point me to the mark scheme and I could try to understand it. Sorry. :colondollar:
Reply 12
Original post by SeanFM
Ah, I've looked at what you're saying but it's not anything I'm familiar with, so I'll wave a white flag and hope that a physicist comes along and helps out. If not you could point me to the mark scheme and I could try to understand it. Sorry. :colondollar:


Haha, no problem don't worry. I'll just give this question a pass. Thanks anyway

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