WJEC GCSE Physics
WJEC GCSE (2008/9) - Physics
In this section we detail the astronomy requirements contained within the new WJEC GCSE Physics specification to be examined from September 2008 onwards.Please click on the following hyperlinks for further details.
Physics 1 - Section 7 - The Electromagnetic Spectrum
- 7(a) - Distinguish between the different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum [radio waves, microwaves, infra red, visible light, ultra violet, X rays and gamma rays] in terms of their wavelength and frequency (with awareness of how these wave properties are related) and appreciate that they all travel at the same speed in a vacuum.
Physics 1 - Section 8 - The Solar System
- 8(a) - Know the theory of the origin of the Solar
System in terms of the gravitational collapse of a cloud of gas (largely hydrogen and helium)
and dust.
- 8(b) - Describe the main features of the Solar System,
including the Sun, the rocky and gas planets, moons,
asteroids and comets,
relating these features to the origin of the Solar System.
- 8(c) - Interpret data on the orbits of planets and other
bodies in the Solar System.
- 8(d) - Understand the effect of gravity on the orbital motion
of planets, comets, moons and artificial satellites and use a model of radiation pressure to account for
cometary tails.
- 8(e) - Know how new discoveries of solar system objects are made by the use of ICT to detect movement.
Physics 1 - Section 9 - Stars
- 9(a) - Know that, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the source of the Sun's energy became
a problem as Geologists discovered that the Earth was millions of years old, and the model of the Sun's
being powered by Chemical energy could not account for its shining for more than a few thousand years.
- 9(b) - Know that studies of the light from stars, including our
Sun, show that they are composed mainly of hydrogen and helium and that their energy is supplied by the
fusion of hydrogen into helium, which is able to supply energy
at the current rate for about 10 000 million years [i.e. for about 5000 million years into the future].
- 9(c) - Appreciate the role of previous generations of stars in the
existence of elements heavier than helium in the Solar System and that the fraction of heavier elements
in the universe is gradually increasing as a result of the processes in stars.
9(d) - Model the stability of stars in terms of the balance between gravitational force and gas/radiation pressure and describe the stages in the evolution of low and high mass stars.
Physics 1 - Section 10 - The Universe
- 10(a) - Know how studies of the electromagnetic radiation from distant galaxies lead to a model of
an expanding universe and that further they are away, the
bigger their speed.
- 10(b) - Know that Redshift measurements provide evidence that the universe started with a hot Big Bang which, according to current measurements, occurred 12-15 thousand million years ago.
Physics 2 - Section 7 - The Effect of Forces
- 7(c) - Distinguish between the weight and mass of an object and use the approximation that the weight of an object of mass 1kg is 10N.
