Physics relevant to a selected context (internal)
Internal 3 credits Applied physics Context Explanation Integration ResearchAS 91169, 3 credits. A report on the physics behind a chosen context — a sport, a vehicle, a musical instrument, a medical technology. The ladder is explicit: Achieved gives an account, Merit gives REASONS how or why the physics applies, Excellence links ideas to integrate the physics — with SIX possible verbs, not just three.
1 Reading the notation
Six named routes to Excellence — not just elaborate, justify, relate.📖 Terms the schedule grades you on
4 terms- Demonstrate understanding (Achieved)
- Characteristics of, or an account of, the physics.
- In-depth (Merit)
- Reasons how/why the physics applies.
- Comprehensive (Excellence)
- Link ideas to integrate — via elaborating, justifying, relating, evaluating, comparing/contrasting, OR analysing.
- The context (note 3)
- Physics at curriculum Level 7 — may be technological OR biological.
2 Choosing a context with real physics content
One where at least two physics areas genuinely interact.| Rung | The standard's words | What a paragraph looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Achieved | Characteristics of, or an account of, the physics | The principle and the equation, stated correctly |
| Merit | Reasons as to HOW or WHY the physics applies | The equation applied to real numbers from the context, with the consequence |
3 The paragraph structure that earns marks
Principle → equation → real numbers → consequence for the context. ✕Describing the context with no equation applied
A paragraph rich in context detail — how the sport is played, how the device works — but with no equation actually applied to real numbers has not evidenced physics understanding, however accurate the description. Every paragraph needs an equation doing work.4 Six routes to Excellence-level integration
Integration is fewer ideas connected, not more ideas listed.The six named verbs, any one of which can lift a paragraph to Excellence
- Elaborating — developing one idea in more depth and connecting it further.
- Justifying — arguing why a design choice is the right one, physics-grounded.
- Relating — connecting two physics ideas working together.
- Evaluating — judging how well something achieves its purpose.
- Comparing and contrasting — two designs/scenarios under the same principle.
- Analysing — breaking down how several physics ideas combine to produce an outcome.
Practice
Recall it first, then use it — testing yourself builds the memory, where rereading the notes above only feels easier.
Recall and application shuffled together — you have to work out what each item wants before you can answer it, which is the part the exam actually tests. Both kinds feed the same spacing schedule, so anything you miss comes back sooner.
Say the answer out loud before flipping — that attempt is where the learning happens, even when you get it wrong.
Exam-style only. Instant feedback, shuffled each attempt, best score saved on this device.