Course Catalogue

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To explore the basic ideas of physics in the areas of "mechanics, waves and optics" as a foundation for more advanced study of physics and for application in other sciences. It covers the topics of motion, Newton laws, work, energy, linear and angular momentum, rotation, equilibrium, gravitation, damped and driven oscillators, mechanical and acoustic waves, geometric and wave optics.  

There are seven 3-hour interactive learning sessions, seven 3-hour tutorial sessions and seven laboratory sessions over a 4-week period during the summer. There are also weekly online assignments.

Pass in university level calculus course and normally pass in Physics (SQA Higher or international qualification equivalent to SQA Higher Physics).

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Description of Summative Assessment: 

Assessment: Unseen examination (60%) 90-minute exam paper consisting of 20 multiple choice questions and 2 short written questions. Course work consists of laboratory work (20%) and online assignments and class tests (20%).

Reassessment: Due to the short and intense nature of this course. It will not be possible for the students to be offered reassessment opportunities.

To ensure students understand the basic ideas of physics in the areas of mechanics, waves and optics as a foundation for more advanced study of physics and for application in other sciences;

To develop and then extend student's experience of experimental physics, by performing and analysing data from a number of straightforward experiments;

To develop practice in problem solving, requiring the application of mathematics to explain physical phenomena;

To develop the student's ability to keep laboratory records and write reports, including use of a word-processor package, and to introduce and then extend the use of a spreadsheet package for the presentation of results and the analysis of experimental results;

To introduce students to group working, and to joint discussion of problem solving strategies within small-group sessions.

On completion of the course the student should be able to:

Apply Newton's Laws of Motion to a particle motion in a single straight line, uniform circular motion, simple harmonic motion as well as damped and driven oscillations;

State and apply the Conservation Laws of Energy and Momentum in linear, rotational and 2D cases;

Apply the laws of geometrical optics to mirror and lenses;

Describe waves mathematically, and apply this to treat optical interference;

Perform laboratory experiments and present the results in a word-processed report;

Use a spreadsheet package to analyse laboratory results, and incorporate table and graphs in a word- 

  processed report.