A Level Physics in four months

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You really don't need to spend that much, people will try and scare you but that's because they've been used to schooling at an institution therefore getting the idea that it's a long process.

When you're homeschooled, you put in the hours yourself and can work more efficiently as well as getting straight to it and not having to flaff about homework or waiting for the rest of the class or taking long on a chapter.

Reply 21

RedCasino

Original post by gunmetalpanda

How do you prepare for paper 5?

Practicals are something that has to be done at a local school, they'll administer practice runs and then the real thing. There isn't a lot you can do for it, honest, at least on AQA board you just need to learn investigation methods (plotting graphs, analysis, etc) with knowledge of something you've already done before, like electricity.

Just go through papers if there are any after you've done a practice run, then you'll know what to write in the actual practical exam.

Reply 22

gtfo

I dont know about Physics, but I've self taught A Level Maths with AQA, and there was a "without coursework" option.

Original post by RedCasino

Echoing this; if you're determined and you put the time in, you can do it. Maths has been pretty tough over 12 months, but then I have 25 hours a week of college and a living to earn on top of that. If you've got no other demands on your time, and you buckle down and get the work done, I'd wager it's doable in 4 months.

Reply 23

rubberduck

Original post by gunmetalpanda

How many hours a day do you reckon I have to put in?

It really depends on the level of understanding you have at the moment and how quickly you can grasp new concepts. I found Physics to be quite abstract and it took time to get my head around a few things. But you might be able to understand things quicker than me, so I can't really write down a number of hours you should be studying. You are the only person that knows that.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 24

gunmetalpanda

Original post by rubberduck

Could I know which kinds of concepts was found hard? The mathsy stuff like harmonic motion etc? Or atoms etc..

Reply 25

gunmetalpanda

Btw I have further mechanics, think that would help significantly? I do circular motion, shm..

Reply 26

Freerider101

Original post by gunmetalpanda

Btw I have further mechanics, think that would help significantly? I do circular motion, shm..

Yes if you will pretty much beast 25% of the whole course if you have done M1, M2 and M3 (uniform acceleration, moments, basic f=ma which is all in AS and momentum, circular motion and SHM in A2). However with regards to thermal, nuclear, quantum, particle, electric fields, magnetic fields, waves, materials + 3 topics on optional module (astro, applied, medical, TP), I think it will be a push. Also why 4 months? I thought AS exams started in just over a month and that A2 were under two months away?

Reply 27

llys

An A-Level is supposed to be 360 guided learning hours. I'd guess that if you are smarter than average / good at the subject, it will take you less time, if you are worse than average, it will take you more time.

Reply 28

Freerider101

Original post by gunmetalpanda

Could I know which kinds of concepts was found hard? The mathsy stuff like harmonic motion etc? Or atoms etc..

The math isn't ever that hard in physics. At most you'll take logs. However its understanding and having the intuition of concepts that is important. i.e In the exam its never as simple as plugging in numbers to a formula and rearranging. They'll ask for the rate of change of energy (which happens to be power), or rate of change of momentum (which is force) etc. So you have to know your physics. On the other hand, if you can deal with M3 I'm sure this wouldn't be a problem for you.

Reply 29

rubberduck

Original post by gunmetalpanda

Could I know which kinds of concepts was found hard? The mathsy stuff like harmonic motion etc? Or atoms etc..

I just found the mechanics and calculations very difficult at the start. Its not as if you learn formulas and then plug numbers in, you actually have to understand what the question is asking and do the maths accordingly. I guess not doing M1 in maths didn't help with that.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 30

.Theory

Original post by gunmetalpanda

reckon i can do it in 4 months if i put in 10 hours a day? :redface:

Damn... If you actually do manage to commit to 10 hours a day, you may as well say hello to your A* right now.

Reply 31

Ari Ben Canaan

Original post by gunmetalpanda

but aren't there patterns? I don't think we have practicals per se for cie, we have what's referref to as planning. Won't going through all the past papers be sufficient preparation?

I do CIE Physics and we have practicals.

A2 Physics has the theory of relativity, Bernoulli Effect and lots of other complicated stuff that you need a teacher for.

From your replies I can see you have absolutely no idea how hard CIE A Level Physics is.

I suggest you change your stance and outlook.

Reply 32

Freerider101

Original post by .Theory

Damn... If you actually do manage to commit to 10 hours a day, you may as well say hello to your A* right now.

Yes for sure!!! But I think the guys french, so Bonjour might be preferable :tongue:

Reply 33

asdfg0987

Referring to post #32, those aren't neccessarily that difficult. Depends on you I suppose, but you can do it if you invest your time efficiently. That said 10 hours a day is easier said then done :tongue: