Question 1 · Both levels
| Force / N | Extension / mm |
|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0 |
| 1.0 | 15 |
| 2.0 | 30 |
| 3.0 | 45 |
| 4.0 | 60 |
| 5.0 | 81 |
| 6.0 | 108 |
A student loads a spring and records its extension for each force, as shown in the table. Which conclusion do the data support?
The Physics in Practice Investigation
The Physics in Practice Investigation is worth 40% of Leaving Cert Physics. Each year the SEC publishes a brief; you research an issue and design and carry out an experiment of your own.
| Weight | 40% of the marks |
|---|---|
| Level | A common brief, the same for every student |
| Brief | Published by the SEC each year, in term two of year one of the course |
| Time | The specification expects it to take up to 20 hours |
What you do
You research an issue linked to the brief, using secondary sources, then plan an experiment, gather your own primary data, analyse it and draw conclusions. You submit a report in Year 2 of the course in the format the SEC sets.
What is looked for
The specification's descriptors of quality look at how you consider real-world applications of physics, how you show investigative skills, and how you relate your work to the work of scientists in society: a clear purpose, relevant research, good primary data, and conclusions that the data supports.
How this course helps
We do not write or mark investigations. Section 1 practises the skills underneath them: hypotheses, variables, controls, error, repeatability and conclusions, in quick checks and data questions.
Try 2 questions
Question 2 · Both levels
A newspaper headline says a new mobile phone mast causes headaches. The story is based on 12 people living near the mast who say they have had more headaches since it was built. Which is the strongest criticism of this evidence?
Next step
Questions people ask
Can this course do my investigation for me?
No. The investigation must be your own work. The course practises the skills it uses.
When is the brief published?
The specification says the SEC publishes it each year in term two of year one of the course.