A-level Science Changes to practical handbook Practicals, Study notes of Chemistry

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Changes to practical handbook

A-level Biology, Chemistry and Physics and combined handbook

Changes to all documents

Section Change Notes Front page Version 1.0 to 1. F. Cross-board statement on CPAC

Extensive updates. CPAC criteria will also be updated in the specifications in September 2015.

H. Cross-board apparatus and techniques and AQA required practical activities

Addition of clarification around “or” statements in the apparatus and techniques list.

For the endorsement all students must have experienced use of each of the alternatives in the apparatus and techniques list. For written exams, we suggest that teachers treat “or” statements as “and” statements. J. Significant figures Added paragraph on equipment measuring to half a unit.

Values should be quoted as. or .5, with uncertainty of ±0.

K. Uncertainties Clarification added to “measuring length” section.

Stopwatch example slightly changed.

Initial value uncertainty applies to instruments where the user can set the zero.

Previously implied reaction time ~1 s.

Changes to Biology handbook

Section Change Notes N. Statistical tests in Biology* Section added on teaching statistics in Biology.

Includes information on teaching statistics during the first (AS) year of the course. P. Practical ladders and exemplar experiments: Biology

In required practical 10, the risk assessment, trialling and additional information statements have been moved from the Student Sheet to the Teachers’ Notes.

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Changes to Chemistry handbook

Section Change Notes B. Practical work in reformed A-level Biology, Chemistry and Physics*

Additions made to the table (students who miss a practical activity).

Additions made to the row relating to practicals 1 and 9, and a new row added for practical 12. H. Cross-board apparatus and techniques and AQA required practical activities*

Updated both lists. AT d and AT h were cut short. Practical 4 has been reworded with more detail. H. Cross-board apparatus and techniques and AQA required practical activities*

Amendments to apparatus and technique references for required practicals 1, 4, 6, 9 and 11.

Also amended in the specification and the example endorsement tracker.

L. Graphing* Graph axes titles in “Manipulated data and graph” section changed.

Square root / squared / cubed shown on wrong axis.

L. Graphing* More complex relationships section small addition and typo corrected.

log(n) now log(x) log(A), as log(y) = n(log(x)) + log(A) added in example one. N. Practical ladders and exemplar experiments: Chemistry

The wording of the ‘Notes from CLEAPSS’ section has been amended.

Removed references to following supplier’s safety data sheets. Centres should follow CLEAPSS Hazcards, recipe sheets etc. N. Practical ladders and exemplar experiments: Chemistry Exemplar practical 1

Wording of point f) of method changed.

Addition of reference to AT f in practical ladder.

“Precision” previously used incorrectly. Replaced with “resolution”.

Use of acid–base indicator required. Specification and exemplar endorsement tracker also updated. N. Practical ladders and exemplar experiments: Chemistry Exemplar practical 4

On the practical ladder, reference to AT b removed.

An additional exemplar test has been added to part 1 of this practical.

Use of a water bath, electric heater or sand bath is not required in this practical. Specification and exemplar endorsement tracker also updated.

A test for hydroxide ions has been added and the list of requirements updated. N. Practical ladders and exemplar experiments: Chemistry Exemplar practical 6

On the practical ladder, reference to AT c removed.

Measurement of pH is not required in this practical. Specification and exemplar endorsement tracker also updated.

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N. Practical ladders and exemplar experiments: Chemistry Exemplar practical 9

On the practical ladder, reference to AT f removed.

Use of an acid–base indicator is not required in this practical. Specification and exemplar endorsement tracker also updated. N. Practical ladders and exemplar experiments: Chemistry Exemplar practical 11

On the practical ladder, reference to AT c removed.

Added an additional ‘unknown’ solution to the existing exemplar practical.

Measurement of pH is not required in this practical. Specification and exemplar endorsement tracker also updated.

An additional solution, S , has been added and the list of requirements updated.

Changes to Physics handbook

Section Change Notes K. Uncertainties* Added section on error bars. No need to understand confidence limits.  Plot the data point at the mean value.  Calculate the range of the data, ignoring any anomalies.  Add error bars with lengths equal to half the range on either side of the data point. L. Graphing* Graph axes titles in “Manipulated data and graph” section changed.

Square root / squared / cubed shown on wrong axis.

L. Graphing* More complex relationships section small additions and typo corrected.

Final rearrangement of g calculation added in example

log(n) now log(x) in example 2. log(A), as log(y) = n(log(x)) + log(A) added. Exemplar practical 2, diffraction experiment

White light source removed from Materials and equipment list.

Not required.

Exemplar practical 9 Typo corrected in method. lnV was missing ln and brackets added.

*Update also applied to combined handbook.