⚛ Edexcel IAL Physics · Core Practicals

A Level Physics Simulations

All 16 Edexcel International A Level (IAL) core practicals — interactive, data-driven simulations covering Units 3 and 6 of the specification.

16

Core Practicals

6

Physics Topics

IAL

Units 3 & 6

Mechanics & Materials

Free-Fall & g Measurement

Drop a ball through light gates. Measure fall time and distance. Calculate g. Compare with electromagnetic release and stroboscopic methods.

Light Gate — Velocity & Acceleration

Interrupt card through a single or double light gate. Measure instantaneous velocity and acceleration on a ramp.

Viscosity — Stokes' Law

Drop ball bearings through glycerol. Measure terminal velocity. Plot radius² vs velocity. Calculate viscosity from the gradient.

Young Modulus of a Wire

Long wire under load, micrometer and vernier scale. Plot stress vs strain. Find Young modulus from gradient. Identify elastic limit.

Force & Momentum (Impulse)

Trolley and force sensor on a track. Measure impulse from force-time graph. Verify impulse = change in momentum.

Ball bearings colliding on a horizontal surface. Track paths with carbon paper. Verify conservation of momentum in two dimensions.

Waves & Optics

Speed of Sound — Stationary Waves

Resonance tube with a tuning fork. Find resonant lengths at λ/4 and 3λ/4. Calculate speed of sound from frequency and wavelength.

Vibrating String — Stationary Waves

Choose an investigation: vary length (f vs 1/L), tension (f vs √T), or linear density (f vs 1/√μ). All three confirm f = (1/2L)√(T/μ) from the same unified simulation.

Diffraction Grating

Laser through diffraction grating. Measure fringe spacing and angles. Use nλ = d sinθ to find wavelength of light.

Electricity & Thermal Physics

Resistivity of a Wire

Measure resistance at different lengths using a Wheatstone bridge or ammeter-voltmeter. Plot R vs L. Find resistivity from gradient and cross-section.

EMF & Internal Resistance

Vary external resistance. Plot terminal voltage vs current. Gradient = −r, y-intercept = EMF. Distinguish EMF from terminal voltage.

Capacitor Charge & Discharge

Charge and discharge through a resistor. Plot V vs t and ln V vs t. Find time constant τ = RC from the exponential decay.

Thermistor Calibration

Measure resistance of a thermistor at different temperatures. Plot R vs T and ln R vs 1/T. Use as a thermometer for unknown temperatures.

Specific Latent Heat

Melt ice with an immersion heater. Measure mass melted vs energy supplied. Gradient of graph gives specific latent heat of fusion.

Trap gas in a syringe or Boyle's Law apparatus. Vary pressure, measure volume. Plot p vs 1/V — straight line verifies pV = constant.

Nuclear & Particle Physics

Gamma Absorption

GM tube measures count rate through increasing lead thickness. Plot ln(count rate) vs thickness — gradient gives absorption coefficient μ.

Unknown Mass — Spring Oscillations

Measure period of oscillation for different known masses. Plot T² vs m. Extrapolate to find an unknown mass from its period.

Concept Studio

Not a Core Practical — a simulated study of physics that can't be run as a real school experiment (it's too hazardous, too large-scale, or plays out over years/decades). Built to the same interactive standard as the Core Practicals above.

Take control of a nuclear reactor core — manage control rods, moderator and coolant to hold criticality (k ≈ 1), generate power safely, and see what happens in a meltdown.

Island Futures — Climate Modelling

Model the CO₂–temperature relationship behind the enhanced greenhouse effect, then compare energy-mix scenarios for a UAE-framed low-lying coastline over time.