need notes on paper 6 PHYSICS IGCSE ASAP

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IsraJ

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Notes on the Alternative to Practical Paper
1. This paper is an alternative to a practical exam, not an alternative to a practical course.
2. The preparation for students is a well-designed practical course.
The course should teach candidates how to make measurements using many different types of instruments. They should see the instruments, handle them, discuss their scales and the scale units before using the instruments.
4. Students should understand why the choice of range for the measuring scale should match the size of the quantity being measured.
5. Students should know how to record measurements in a table. A table should record all the measurements needed to obtain the value of a given physical quantity. For example if a length l is derived from l = l2 -l1 then l1 andl2 should appear in the table. Columns (or rows) in the table should be headed with the name of symbol of the physical quantity. The unit in which the quantity is measured should be included. The SI method is recommended. Encourage neat work.
6. Ideally, when performing an experiment (and relevant readings are recorded) it is helpful to arrange the experiment so that one variable is increased step by step. Candidates should always look for a trend in the recorded results. Some trends are
· y increases as x increases
· straight line through the origin, if x is doubled then y is doubled, direct proportionality
· y decreases as x increases
· x times y = k, inversely proportionality. Inverse proportionality is generally not properly understood
7. A graph is the best way to display the results of an experiment.
· y/unit against x/unit should be understood as the label of each axis
· axes should
q be labelled with quantity, unit and scaled
q as large as possible, but should not use an awkward scale to achieve the size
· plotting should be neat and as accurate as possible
· graph lines should be neat, thin and a good fit (if there is scatter of points they should lie either side of the line{in a rough way!! }). Straight lines should FILL the page (even beyond the range of points) so that any gradient calculation can use the largest Dy and Dx. Students should understand why! (Dy is a measurement.)
· students should describe what information is obtained from a graph, see note 6.
8. Students should understand the idea of a fair test or comparison in which only one variable is altered at a time, eg when investigating how rate of cooling experiment depends on temperature room to be kept constant--room draughts, volume and type of liquid, amount of stirring.
Students should be trained to give a conclusion to an experiment.
Good procedures: -
· repeat readings to spot anomalous errors or to calculate an average
· avoid making parallax errors, {the line of sight should be perpendicular to the reading on the scale}
· look carefully at any scale that is used eg
q notice the unit in which the scale is calibrated - always give the unit of any measurement
q notice the maximum reading that can be obtained
q notice the smallest change in value that can be obtained.
q aim to use quantities that have magnitudes that are towards the upper values of the scale
 
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·in experiments involving the measurement of a length
qtry to use lengths that are at least 100 mm in length
qyou can measure to the nearest mm with a rule, or perhaps 0.5 mm
qwhen measuring heights ensure that the rule is held perpendicular to the base
qknow how to arrange apparatus so that it is parallel or perpendicular to a bench
qknow how to arrange a set square either side of a cylinder/sphere to measure diameter
·in light experiments using objects, lenses and a screen
qensure that each item is aligned so that the centre of each item is at the same height and on the same horizontal straight line (ideally use the term optic axis)
quse a fiducial aid when measuring a length, eg mark the middle of the lens on the bench
qtry to use a translucent screen
qperform the experiment in a shaded part of the laboratory
·in ray tracing experiment
qwhen using marker pins space the pins so that they are at least 60 mm apart
qensure that the pins are vertical
qdraw neat thin lines
quse the largest angles available and draw the arms of the angle longer than the radius of any protractor being used, ie a large radius is desirable
·when using a thermometer
qposition the eye so that the mercury thread appears to touch the scale
qdecide whether you can read between the marks on the thermometer, ie some thermometers can be read to better than 1 ºC even though the marks are everyº C
qcheck whether the thermometer is full or 1/3 immersion
·in heat experiments
qchoose volume/mass values of the quantities that give large changes in the temperature
qinsulate the container, cover the container
qstir and wait for highest temperature after stopping heating
·in electrical experiments
qcheck for a zero error
qtap the meter to avoid sticking
qinitially choose the highest range for the ammeter/voltmeter, then reduce the range for the ammeter so that the deflection is almost full scale
qalways check polarities before closing the switch (completing the circuit)
qalways check that connections are clean.
qswitch off the current when not making a measurement.
qwhen measuring resistance use low currents/voltages to avoid heating and changing the resistance you are measuring
·when measuring an interval of time
qa stopwatch can measure to about 0.1 s, although it may give a reading to 0.01
qfor oscillations (of a pendulum or vibrating rule), be able to define a complete oscillatio
qtime N oscillations, usually N>10 and use the terminology periodic time T = t/N
qexplain how to use a fiducial aid at the centre of the oscillation
qexplain where the eye should be placed to avoid parallax errors
 
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