Physics Skills for Faster Route PHYS1025

  • Academic Session: 2025-26
  • School: School of Physics and Astronomy
  • Credits: 10
  • Level: Level 1 (SCQF level 7)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: No
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

This course offers an opportunity to develop skills relevant to further study in Physics, in particular practical skills, communication skills, and problem solving skills. It is an essential course for students on Faster Route degree plans involving Physics.

Timetable

Labs 1400-1700 Tuesday, weeks 1, 3, and 5.

Problem solving tutorials Wednesday 1400-1500

Physics Communication Project training and presentation as arranged, weeks 2, 3, 4.

Requirements of Entry

A in Mathematics at SQA Advanced Higher or equivalent. A in Physics at SQA Advanced Higher or equivalent. Students must normally be on a Faster Route programme involving Physics.

Excluded Courses

Physics 1 (PHYS1001)

Co-requisites

Physics 2 (PHYS2001)

Assessment

Physics Communication Project - 20%; Problem sets - 30%; Labs - 30%; Lab report - 20%.

Course Aims

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

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

3. 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;

4. To introduce students to group working within the laboratory setting, and to joint discussion of problem solving strategies within small-group sessions;

5. To develop communication and team-working skills, by working in a small group to produce a poster communicating Physics to a high school audience.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

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

2. Use a spreadsheet package to analyse laboratory results, and incorporate table and

  graphs in a word-processed report.

3. Apply mathematics to explain physical phenomena, and to solve unseen problems on topics covered in pre-University Physics.

4. Work in a team to produce a poster communicating Physics to a high school audience.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Attendance at at least 50% of tutorials and at least 1 lab.

 

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.