A Level Physics

About this A Level Physics Course

Physics is the study of the universe, ranging from forces that act when we move to radiation, stars and electricity. Everything in the universe is affected by physics and physicists are always at the cutting edge of new technologies. A career within physics is one of the most challenging and rewarding possible. With a huge range of options after completion, getting a qualification in physics is the first step on the road to a science-based career working for some of the world’s best organisations. Our A Level Physics course allows students to student for an A Level in this topic from AQA. This is the same course which is study in colleges and we prepare students to sit their examinations with AQA. With full tutor support provided, it doesn’t matter if you have never attempted a Physics A Level before or are preparing for a resit, our course is perfect for either. We recommend studying the GCSE Physics course before embarking upon this A Level.

Study Time:	200 hours
Enrolment length:	24 months
Course Format:	Online
Entry Requirements:	None Specific

To get the full AQA Physics A Level, students must enter themselves as a private candidate for the exam.

Qualification

The AQA A Level Sociology qualification is available both in the UK and internationally and is seen as a global standard for knowledge in physics theory. The course is accredited with AQA, an industry leader with decades of expertise in academic qualifications. For more information regarding AQA, click on the AQA tab further up this page.

Course Content

Included in this A Level Physics course are the following units:

Unit 1 – Foundations of Physics

Physics is all about understanding the world around us, not in the sense of how living organisms survive, but more how objects and things interact with one another and how they respond to different changes and conditions. Its closely linked with maths and is about not just understanding what happens but looking at why, how much, how far, and how quickly. In this topic, we focus on laying the foundations for your further study of physics at A-Level. We’ll encounter key ideas like scalar and vector quantities and the different equations we can use to convert between different properties and values. We will also look at how we accurately measure and represent these measurements with the appropriate units.

Unit 2 – Particles and radiation

At the very heart of every substance on our planet are the individual atoms that come together to form molecules and compounds. To form rocks, metals, liquids, water. The atom is not the smallest part of a substance, and within it are subatomic particles – the nucleus, the nucleons it contains, and the electrons around it. Particle physics focuses on the structure of atoms, these subatomic particles’ behaviour, and how they shape the interactions between different substances and their surrounding environment. That will be the focus of this topic, and we will dig even deeper into the subatomic particles to find even smaller particles. We’ll build on your existing knowledge of the atom, but there are ideas here that will be very new, and we are zooming in smaller than the microscopic scale!

Unit 3 – Waves

Waves are fundamental in understanding how energy travels and is transmitted from one place to another. They exist in different forms, travelling at different speeds, so we need to know how to describe and compare waves. In this unit, we look at some of the behaviour in different ways and the basics of drawing and describing the features of different types of waves. We will also look at how we utilise waves in everyday life and the key characteristics and properties that allow them to fill various roles in science and beyond.

Unit 4 – Mechanics and materials

In mechanics, our focus is the relationship between force, mass, and motion. In this topic, we will explore how forces interact, the conservation of force and energy and how Newton’s laws govern these. We also build on our understanding of the difference between scalar and vector quantities, and we compare different types of motion, in a straight line, for example, as well as trace the more changeable motion of projectiles.

Unit 5 – Electricity

We all know the importance and impact electricity has on practically every aspect of our daily lives and every type of industry. It’s only in the last two centuries that influential scientists like Volta and Ampere have got to grips with how electricity works, the laws that govern its behaviour and how we can harness it for a whole host of processes as well as measure it quantifiably. In this unit, we build on your understanding from GCSE Physics and explore the relationship between current and charge, as well as potential difference and the energy transfer involved in different appliances. We will introduce some new electrical components and evaluate their purpose and their application in functional circuits, and we will explore the idea of resistance and the behaviours of resistors in parallel and series as well as a family of resistors whose resistance differs with light or with heat.

Unit 6 – Further mechanics and thermal physics

Earlier in the course, we took our first foray into the world of mechanics, exploring the concepts and laws that underpin how objects interact with the world around them and with other objects in various scenarios. In this unit, we look at mechanics and some new types of motion like harmonic oscillations and motion in a circle. Alongside this, we will introduce the gas laws that explain how particles in a gas behave as part of our discussion of thermal physics – the science of energy exchange and conversion in the form of heat.

Unit 7 – Fields and their consequences

In this unit, we are going to apply a few ideas we first encountered in the first year of the course; things like mechanics and electrics, and look at how fields are generated and what impact they have on the world around us. We will start off exploring gravity and gravitational fields and how objects can exert force on one another without ever coming into contact. We will explore Newton’s laws of gravitation and Coulomb’s law of force between charged objects that govern how electrical fields are generated. We will also discover how magnetism and magnetic fields, alongside electric fields and capacitance, are applied in different appliances and devices in many walks of life.

Unit 8 – Nuclear physics

In this unit, we explore how our understanding of the atom and its structure and the interactions between subatomic particles has developed through the years, to a point in recent decades where we can harness these interactions to generate electricity and power our cities. We look at the idea of radiation, the different types and the other ways in which these can be applied, for example, in medical treatment and diagnosis. We finish the unit by looking at the future of nuclear physics and its potential to further contribute to renewable electricity generation.

Unit 9 – Astrophysics

Space is vast. So vast, in fact, that it is practically impossible to comprehend just how big it is and where it might end. Studying the Universe around us has been at the centre of human curiosity and intrigue since we’ve been on this planet. People started to look towards the stars with a more scientific eye as early as the 17th century, and over the intervening centuries, the technology available to us has improved such that our knowledge of the stars , the solar system, and the Universe has expanded too. But there is so much to learn – where did the Universe come from? Where is it going? Where will it end?

Optional unit

The Physics A Level with AQA has optional units and on this course the Astrophysics unit is covered.

Online study and instant enrolment

All of our students are given access to our Online Campus through their own personal login and password. As soon as you complete your enrolment, you would have immediate access to your account which allows you to make a start working through the lessons. Tackle your assignments as your own pace and contact your tutor to access any help and support you need. The course itself is set out in a very simple layout, making it easy to work through the topics and complete your assessments.

Our Online Campus includes:

• Instant enrolment – access everything on your course from the moment you enrol.
• Personal account logins – login any time, 24/7.
• Full support throughout – message your tutor, use our online chat or give us a call.
• Online assignment submissions – upload work online from the comfort of home.
• Self-led learning – study at your own pace so you can pass much faster.
• Safe e-portfolio system – store all of your work in your account.
• Progression tracking – easily see what assignments you have left to complete.
• Details help centre – get instructions and guidance every step of the way.
• Unlimited attempts – submit as many attempts at your assignments as you need.

Unlimited assessment submissions

All of the assessments for this course are completed through our Online Campus. You can attempt each one as many times as needed to ensure you pass. After every attempt, your tutor will provide detailed feedback and tips on how you can improve going forward. Quickly see your progress during your studies by checking your progress bar and seeing the remaining assessments you need to complete.

On this Physics A Level course you are required to enter yourself for the AQA examinations. This means that you will need to contact an AQA centre local to you in order to sit your exam and pay any fees that are required for this. Exam fees can vary between centres but are much cheaper when organised early so we advise to book your exams long before the actual examination date.

Get full tutor support

Throughout your enrolment with the Online Learning College, you can access support at any time you need. All students are assigned a personal tutor who will mark all of your work and provide detailed feedback after every submission. Your tutor will be an industry expert with a full knowledge of the course content and will be able to help you at any point along your learning journey. One of the best tools at your disposal is your tutor – you can ask as many questions of them as you wish to and they will be happy to help at any time.

We also have a brilliant support team on hand and available through email, online chat and over the phone. This team is there to help with any questions which are more generic, such as providing support in submitting work through your account or getting your certificate when you have completed your course. We pride ourselves on ensuring the support you receive is the best in the business – help and guidance is fast and detailed every time you contact a member of the team.

Enrolment Length

All of our courses are allocated plenty of time for students to complete their studies and all materials are self-led so that you can complete the course at your own pace, but you have access to the course on the Campus for 24 months from your enrollment date. Should you require additional time on one of our courses you can extend your enrolment by 30 days for an additional fee of £60. As well as this we operate a 14 day money back guarantee on every one of our qualifications- that’s how confident we are of how you will love studying with us!