Episode 105: Sources of Electrical Energy
This activity from the Institute of Physics discusses energy transfer in electric circuits and links this, by analogy, to other more familiar examples. The activities include: • demonstrations of human and lemon-powered batteries to illustrate that that there is nothing special about the chemical substances that are needed…
Episode 604: Preparation for Thermodynamics Topic
Following on from the kinetic theory of gases, this topic from the Institute of Physics, examine the same phenomena in macroscopic terms (energy supplied to materials) and microscopic terms (how the particles are behaving). The learning episodes include: Episode 605: the First Law of Thermodynamics Episode 606: heat engines…
Episode 605: The First Law of Thermodynamics
Produced by the Institute of Physics, this learning episode includes discussions, demonstrations and questions which introduce students to thermodynamics. These include compressing and expanding gases, adiabatic and isothermal changes. The activities look at: • the first law of thermodynamics and energy conservation •…
Episode 606: Heat Engines and Thermal Efficiency
In this learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, students look at heat engines to find out about their efficiency and this leads into a discussion of the second law of thermodynamics. The activities include: • demonstrating steam engines • investigating thermal efficiencies • the Second Law of thermodynamics…
Episode 607: Specific Heat Capacity
This learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, guide students to measure specific heat capacities experimentally and then see how energy must be supplied (or rejected) to increase (or decrease) the temperature of a material. Calculations are used to quantify the processes. The activities look at: • energy and change…
Episode 608: Latent Heat
In this learning episode, produced by the Institute of Physics, students investigate how energy is involved in changes of phase, even though there is no change of temperature. Using discussion, examples and experiments, students look at: • defining specific latent heat • examining the changes as water boils •…
Episode 600: Preparation for Kinetic Theory Topic
This topic, from the Institute of Physics, encourage students to learn more about how the microscopic behaviour of particles gives rise to the macroscopic behaviour of materials. They can also see how this gives rise to a mathematical model for an ideal gas. The learning episodes in this topic include: Episode 601: Brownian…
Episode 601: Brownian Motion and Ideal Gases
From the Institute of Physics, these demonstrations, computer model and associated discussions help students to look at Brownian motion as evidence for the particulate nature of matter, and the macroscopic gas laws. The learning episode looks at: • Brownian motion and what it tells us about gases • investigating…
Episode 602: Ideal Gases and Absolute Zero
This learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, establishes the ideal gas law and how to use it. Worked examples and questions allow students to look at the behaviour of an ideal gas and see that an ideal gas is one that obeys Boyle’s law with complete precision. The activities include: • a discussion of an…
Episode 603: Kinetic Model of an Ideal Gas
Produced by the Institute of Physics, this learning episode allows students to relate the gas laws to the behaviour of the particles of a gas. The activities look at: • explaining pressure in terms of particles • deriving an equation for the pressure of a gas • the link between kinetic energy and pressure…
Episode 535: Particle Reactions
In this learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, students consider both hadrons and leptons in particle reactions. They must take account of both conservation of lepton number and conservation of baryon number. The activities include: • applying conservation rules • considering the conservation of electric…
Episode 536: Vector Bosons and Feynman Diagrams
Produced by the Institute of Physics, this learning episode considers exchange particles and different types of interactions. Feynman diagrams are used, although these may not be required by all specifications. The activities in this learning episode examine: • exchange particles • interactions of different types…
Episode 537: Preparation for the Deep Scattering and Quarks Topics
From the Institute of Physics, this topic gives clear evidence for the size of the nucleus and for the fact that nucleons are not fundamental particles but contain different parts. This leads onto Gell-Mann and Zweig’s quark model. The learning episodes in this topic are: Episode 538: Electron scattering Episode…
Episode 538: Electron Scattering
In this learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, students follow work on Rutherford scattering to look at diffraction graphs and calculate nuclear diameters. The activities include: • student experiment using an optical analogue to show diffraction around spherical objects • diffraction graphs • calculating…
Episode 539: Deep Inelastic Scattering
In this learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, students use an analogue experiment to illustrate electron scattering by quarks. In the model, magnets are concealed in a box. Their poles represent ‘charges’ which are probed using a freely-suspended magnet. This helps to demonstrate that each of the scattered…
Episode 540: Quarks and the Standard Model
From the Institute of Physics, this learning episode encourages students to investigate the quark model, which creates relative order out of the chaos of particle classification. Quarks have three ‘colour’ charges, and the rule for stability is that combinations must be colourless. The activities look at: •…
Episode 508: Preparation for the Radioactivity Topic
This topic from the Institute of Physics, allow students to explore the topic of radiation. There are a series of learning episodes, each being a self-contained unit of learning that takes typically one or two lessons. The learning episodes in this topic are: Episode 509: Radioactive Background and Detectors Episode 510:…
Episode 509: Radioactive Background and Detectors
From the Institute of Physics, this learning episode introduces the ubiquitous nature of radioactivity and considers its detection. It draws on students’ previous knowledge, and emphasizes the importance of technical terminology. The activities include: • demonstrating the detection of background radiation • sources…
Episode 510: Properties of Radiations
In this learning episode from the Institute of Physics, the properties of ionizing radiation are introduced through a consideration of safety. Students consider the ionising property of different radiations in relation to how this makes them dangerous to living things. They see that radiation with sufficient energy can disrupt…
Episode 511: Absorption Experiments
In this learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, students investigate the absorption of radiation and how this can be illustrated experimentally. The investigations look at sources of alpha and beta radiation. A model, looking at the absorption of light as it passes through successive microscope slides, is used to illustrate…
Episode 512: Nuclear Equations
In this learning episode, produced by the Institute of Physics, students look at the decay processes that result in the emission of ionising radiation. The activities in this learning episode include: • looking at nuclide notation and N-Z plots • types of decay processes • practice questions on notation…
Episode 524: Stable Nuclides
This learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, looks at the pattern of nuclide stability using a spreadsheet to produce an N-Z plot. Students then consider the need for an additional, attractive force to hold the nucleus together. The activities in this learning episode look at: • which stable nuclides exist •…
Episode 525: Binding Energy
Produced by the Institute of Physics, this learning episode contains worked examples and ideas for discussion that allow students to examine binding energy and perform data analysis to calculate the binding energy for a number of nuclides. The activities include: • discussion to introduce mass defect and atomic mass units…
Episode 526: Preparation for Nuclear Fission Topic
Students may have strong feelings about the use of nuclear technology. Activities in this topic, from the Institute of Physics, help students make informed judgments on questions such as nuclear waste disposal or the use of depleted uranium in weaponry. There are two learning episodes: Episode 527: Nuclear transmutation Episode…
Episode 527: Nuclear Transmutation
Produced by the Institute of Physics, this learning episode helps students to move beyond the idea that nuclear changes are represented solely by alpha, beta and gamma decay. Students learn that other events occur when a nucleus absorbs a particle and becomes unstable. The activities in this learning episode look at: •…
Episode 528: Controlling Fission
In this learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, students look at the different features of the core of a nuclear reactor. They consider the critical mass, chain reactions and explain the core's operation using knowledge of nuclear physics. The activities in this learning episode examine: • the construction…
Episode 529: Preparation for X- ray and Neutron Diffraction Topic
This topic, from the Institute of Physics, encourage students to apply their understanding of diffraction to X-ray and neutron diffraction studies of the structure of matter. It could extend a study of diffraction of waves, or be part of a study of material structures, or of atomic physics. There are two learning episodes in…
Episode 530: X- ray Diffraction
This learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, uses laser light to demonstrate the phenomenon of diffraction and then applies this understanding to x-rays, Bragg's law and crystallography. The activities in this episode look at: • students’ knowledge of X-rays • diffraction and the limits of resolution…
Episode 531: Neutron Diffraction
Through discussion and a worked example, these activities from the Institute of Physics, help students to look at neutron diffraction. Students calculate the de Broglie wavelength of a neutron and see the sources and uses of neutrons. In a worked example, using the de Broglie equation, students consider the momentum and kinetic…
Episode 532: Preparation for Particle Physics Topic
This topic, from the Institute of Physics, help students to gain an understanding of the different sub-atomic particles. They also develop ideas around antiparticles, interactions and the development of the standard model. There are four learning episodes in this topic: Episode 533: The particle zoo Episode 534: Antiparticles…
Episode 533: The Particle Zoo
Protons, neutrons and electrons are familiar particles of matter. However, students are also likely to have heard of other particles. This learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, introduces some of the other sub-atomic particles. The activities in this episode include: • establishing students' knowledge of…
Episode 534: Antiparticles and the Lepton Family
This learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, introduces the lepton family and also to brings in the idea of anti-particles, which annihilate when they meet particles. The activities include: • discussions about positrons, neutrinos and muons • making PET scans • examining particle tracks •…