⚡ Edexcel IGCSE Physics · Core Practicals

Interactive Physics Simulations

All 16 Edexcel IGCSE Core Practicals — fully interactive, physics-accurate simulations. Run experiments, collect data, and plot graphs without any lab equipment.

16
Core Practicals
7
Physics Topics
100%
Edexcel Aligned
Filter by topic:
Forces, Motion & Waves
CP 1🚀
Investigating Motion
Trolley on a ramp, light gates and ticker tape. Plot distance–time and velocity–time graphs. Measure acceleration.
Forces & Motion→
CP 2🪝
Extension & Hooke's Law
Add masses to a spring, measure extension, plot force–extension graph and verify Hooke's Law. Find the spring constant.
Forces & Motion→
CP 3⚡
Electrostatic Charging
Charge insulating materials by friction. Observe iron filings, gold-leaf electroscope, balloon on wall, and water stream deflection.
Electricity→
CP 4a🔲
Refraction — Rectangular Slab
Trace rays through a glass rectangular block. Measure angles of incidence and refraction. Verify Snell's Law.
Waves & Optics→
CP 4b🌓
Refraction — Semicircular Slab
Investigate total internal reflection. Find the critical angle by varying incidence from the curved face.
Waves & Optics→
CP 4c🔺
Refraction — Triangular Prism
Trace rays through a glass prism. Observe dispersion of white light into a spectrum. Measure deviation angle.
Waves & Optics→
CP 5📐
Measuring Refractive Index
Plot sin i vs sin r for multiple angles. Gradient of the best-fit line gives the refractive index of glass.
Waves & Optics→
CP 6🔊
Speed of Sound
Two microphones, expanding wavefronts. Plot distance vs time delay — gradient gives the speed of sound in air.
Waves & Optics→
CP 7📺
Frequency of Sound
Oscilloscope connected to a microphone. Strike tuning forks or use signal generator. Read period from the trace and calculate frequency.
Waves & Optics→
Thermal Physics, Matter & Energy
CP 8🔥
Thermal Energy Transfer
Conduction (metal bars), convection (KMnO₄ dye) and radiation (black vs silver bulb thermometers). Three experiments in one.
Thermal Physics→
CP 9⚗️
Measuring Density
Regular solids (ruler and calipers) and irregular solids (displacement can). Animate mass measurement and water displacement.
Matter→
CP 10🔋
Specific Heat Capacity
Immersion heater in aluminium block or water. Record temperature every 60 s. Plot T–t graph, find gradient, calculate c.
Thermal Physics→
CP 14🌡️
Temperature–Time Graph
Heating ice through melting and boiling, cooling stearic acid, and dry ice sublimation. Observe latent heat plateaus.
Thermal Physics→
Electricity, Magnetism & Radioactivity
CP 13🔌
I–V Characteristics
Plot current–voltage graphs for a resistor, filament lamp and diode. Identify ohmic and non-ohmic behaviour.
Electricity→
CP 11🧲
Magnetic Fields
Bar magnet, current wire and solenoid. Sprinkle iron filings, tap paper, place plotting compasses, and reveal field lines.
Magnetism→
CP 12☢️
Radiation Penetrating Power
GM tube and counter. Test alpha, beta and gamma with paper, aluminium and lead absorbers. Measure background, identify unknown sources.
Radioactivity→
Concept Studio

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

STUDIO🛰️
Orbit Lab
Explore comet, moon and planet orbits, measure v = 2πr/T for a real satellite, then design and release your own satellite and watch it crash, orbit or escape.
Space→