In medicine, you may understand things like ultrasonic analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and osmosis, among many others. Why we sweat can be understood through heat transfer and vapour pressure. In engineering the applications are infinite and include such topics as materials, vibrations, stresses and elasticity, transfer of electrical energy and energy generally. Carbon dating, which is related to nuclear physics and radioactivity, is applied in archaeology, geology and geography. In music, you might apply principles of acoustics, harmonic analysis and digital technology. In biology and chemistry you use the concept of conservation of energy and potential energy to explain why reactions proceed, how energy is stored and transformed from one form to another, and the origin of atomic spectra. If you are interested in environmental issues a good understanding of physics will help you understand the greenhouse effect and also the limitations of physics in understanding phenomena as complex as weather systems and as ‘simple’ as the turbulence produced when air flows over the wings of an aircraft. There are nine topics in this course. AS students study the first five topics and A-level students study all topics including the final option. Topics 1. Measurement and error 2. Particles and radiation 3. Waves 4. Mechanics and materials 5. Electricity 6. Mechanics and thermal physics 7. Electric, magnetic and gravitational fields 8. Nuclear physics 9. Option – Engineering physics Exams This is a linear course which means exams take place at the end of the final year of study. AS level examinations: two written papers of 1hr 30, each constituting 50% of the overall mark. These papers are a mixture of short and long answer questions based on topics 1–5. Paper 2 includes multiple-choice questions and a section related to practical research carried out by the students. We begin with the most modern of physics, namely the constituents not of the atom but of the nucleus of the atom. Not stopping with that we investigate the constituents of the nucleus namely quarks. Included in this are things such as neutrinos, bosons, muons, mesons and Feynman diagrams. If you have read about the developments at CERN, after studying this topic you will have some idea of what the ‘god’ particle is: the Higgs boson. You will also study the photoelectric effect for which Albert Einstein won the Nobel Prize rather than his more famous theory of relativity. Both of these topics are interesting because they illustrate the roots of modern physics in quantum mechanics. If you have any interest at all in physics it is this theory which will fascinate and perplex you for the rest of your life. Richard Feynman said that if anyone tells you they understand quantum physics then they don’t understand quantum physics. (Feynman also is a Nobel laureate whose books are a must-read for anyone interested in physics.) Strangely linked to these topics is the study of current electricity. The link is the electron which is the fundamental charge carrier which works for all of the electrical companies of the world but never gets paid. Although superficially not as exotic or awe-inspiring as black holes or gravitational waves, this fundamental unit of negative charge outside the nucleus is still not fully understood. Richard Feynman said that, provided you allow for travel forwards and backwards in time, it is possible to imagine that there is only one electron in the entire universe. It is easy to forget that the electron has only been around for just more than 100 years; no one yet knows how big it is; how much it weighs; or how much energy it has. Lots to think about. You will also study the principles and applications of classical (non-quantum) mechanics, materials and waves. The first section introduces vectors and then develops knowledge and understanding of forces and energy. In the second section, materials are studied in terms of their bulk properties and tensile strength. The final section develops in-depth knowledge of the characteristics, properties and applications of waves, including refraction, diffraction, superposition and interference. In classical mechanics, matter is thought of entirely as particles. In quantum mechanics, it is a mysterious entanglement of a wave and a particle. Students will carry out a series of prescribed experimental and investigative activities to develop their practical skills. These activities allow students to use their knowledge and understanding of Physics in planning, carrying out, analysing and evaluating their work. Further mechanics deals with three very important topics: circular motion, simple harmonic motion and momentum. Circular motion illustrates the importance of vectors in Physics; for example, even though the moon maintains its uniform ‘march’ around the earth, it is still accelerating. Simple harmonic motion is the study of oscillation and vibrations. From understanding the colour of the rainbow to the generation of electricity to the operation of a mixing board in a recording studio to quantum mechanics, it is difficult to think of an area of Physics which is not touched by the phenomenons of oscillations and waves. With the law of conservation of momentum, we have a law that, it seems, will never require revising. It also illustrates the power of science: by understanding the laws of nature we can harness the power of nature. The study of thermal physics reveals the origin of another important law: conservation of energy. The study of heat, i.e. the transfer of energy between two points because of a temperature difference, confirms the theory of the atomic nature of matter and marks the beginning of the application of probability to Science. This application of probability reaches its peak in quantum mechanics. The study of electric, magnetic and gravitational fields reinforces the importance of vectors in Physics as well as introducing the wonderful idea of electromagnetic induction. You could say that the foundation of our civilisation rests on our ability to produce electricity without a battery. The final topic of nuclear physics deals with perhaps the most important and startling consequence of Einstein’s theory, namely E=mc2. This simple elegant equation has already provided for a huge part of our energy needs and may in future provide for all of them.
Students who continue to Year 12 at Ashbourne are expected to be able to gain a minimum of 6 grades 6s (or equivalent) for their GCSE results and must have a determination to work towards their academic potential.
About Education Provider
| Region | London |
| Local Authority | Kensington and Chelsea |
| Ofsted Rating | Outstanding |
| Gender Type | Co-Educational |
| ISI Report | View Report |
| Boarding Fee | Unknown |
| Sixth Form Fee | £32,250 - £34,500 |
| Address | 17 Old Court Place, Kensington, London, W8 4PL |
In medicine, you may understand things like ultrasonic analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and osmosis, among many others. Why we sweat can be understood through heat transfer and vapour pressure. In engineering the applications are infinite and include such topics as materials, vibrations, stresses and elasticity, transfer of electrical energy and energy generally. Carbon dating, which is related to nuclear physics and radioactivity, is applied in archaeology, geology and geography. In music, you might apply principles of acoustics, harmonic analysis and digital technology. In biology and chemistry you use the concept of conservation of energy and potential energy to explain why reactions proceed, how energy is stored and transformed from one form to another, and the origin of atomic spectra. If you are interested in environmental issues a good understanding of physics will help you understand the greenhouse effect and also the limitations of physics in understanding phenomena as complex as weather systems and as ‘simple’ as the turbulence produced when air flows over the wings of an aircraft. There are nine topics in this course. AS students study the first five topics and A-level students study all topics including the final option. Topics 1. Measurement and error 2. Particles and radiation 3. Waves 4. Mechanics and materials 5. Electricity 6. Mechanics and thermal physics 7. Electric, magnetic and gravitational fields 8. Nuclear physics 9. Option – Engineering physics Exams This is a linear course which means exams take place at the end of the final year of study. AS level examinations: two written papers of 1hr 30, each constituting 50% of the overall mark. These papers are a mixture of short and long answer questions based on topics 1–5. Paper 2 includes multiple-choice questions and a section related to practical research carried out by the students. We begin with the most modern of physics, namely the constituents not of the atom but of the nucleus of the atom. Not stopping with that we investigate the constituents of the nucleus namely quarks. Included in this are things such as neutrinos, bosons, muons, mesons and Feynman diagrams. If you have read about the developments at CERN, after studying this topic you will have some idea of what the ‘god’ particle is: the Higgs boson. You will also study the photoelectric effect for which Albert Einstein won the Nobel Prize rather than his more famous theory of relativity. Both of these topics are interesting because they illustrate the roots of modern physics in quantum mechanics. If you have any interest at all in physics it is this theory which will fascinate and perplex you for the rest of your life. Richard Feynman said that if anyone tells you they understand quantum physics then they don’t understand quantum physics. (Feynman also is a Nobel laureate whose books are a must-read for anyone interested in physics.) Strangely linked to these topics is the study of current electricity. The link is the electron which is the fundamental charge carrier which works for all of the electrical companies of the world but never gets paid. Although superficially not as exotic or awe-inspiring as black holes or gravitational waves, this fundamental unit of negative charge outside the nucleus is still not fully understood. Richard Feynman said that, provided you allow for travel forwards and backwards in time, it is possible to imagine that there is only one electron in the entire universe. It is easy to forget that the electron has only been around for just more than 100 years; no one yet knows how big it is; how much it weighs; or how much energy it has. Lots to think about. You will also study the principles and applications of classical (non-quantum) mechanics, materials and waves. The first section introduces vectors and then develops knowledge and understanding of forces and energy. In the second section, materials are studied in terms of their bulk properties and tensile strength. The final section develops in-depth knowledge of the characteristics, properties and applications of waves, including refraction, diffraction, superposition and interference. In classical mechanics, matter is thought of entirely as particles. In quantum mechanics, it is a mysterious entanglement of a wave and a particle. Students will carry out a series of prescribed experimental and investigative activities to develop their practical skills. These activities allow students to use their knowledge and understanding of Physics in planning, carrying out, analysing and evaluating their work. Further mechanics deals with three very important topics: circular motion, simple harmonic motion and momentum. Circular motion illustrates the importance of vectors in Physics; for example, even though the moon maintains its uniform ‘march’ around the earth, it is still accelerating. Simple harmonic motion is the study of oscillation and vibrations. From understanding the colour of the rainbow to the generation of electricity to the operation of a mixing board in a recording studio to quantum mechanics, it is difficult to think of an area of Physics which is not touched by the phenomenons of oscillations and waves. With the law of conservation of momentum, we have a law that, it seems, will never require revising. It also illustrates the power of science: by understanding the laws of nature we can harness the power of nature. The study of thermal physics reveals the origin of another important law: conservation of energy. The study of heat, i.e. the transfer of energy between two points because of a temperature difference, confirms the theory of the atomic nature of matter and marks the beginning of the application of probability to Science. This application of probability reaches its peak in quantum mechanics. The study of electric, magnetic and gravitational fields reinforces the importance of vectors in Physics as well as introducing the wonderful idea of electromagnetic induction. You could say that the foundation of our civilisation rests on our ability to produce electricity without a battery. The final topic of nuclear physics deals with perhaps the most important and startling consequence of Einstein’s theory, namely E=mc2. This simple elegant equation has already provided for a huge part of our energy needs and may in future provide for all of them.
Students who continue to Year 12 at Ashbourne are expected to be able to gain a minimum of 6 grades 6s (or equivalent) for their GCSE results and must have a determination to work towards their academic potential.
