In this learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, students look at the different features of the core of a nuclear reactor. They consider the critical mass, chain reactions and explain the core's operation using knowledge of nuclear physics.

The activities in this learning episode examine:
*...

Through discussion and a worked example, these activities from the Institute of Physics, help students to look at neutron diffraction. Students calculate the de Broglie wavelength of a neutron and see the sources and uses of neutrons.

In a worked example, using the de Broglie equation, students consider the...

Protons, neutrons and electrons are familiar particles of matter. However, students are also likely to have heard of other particles. This learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, introduces some of the other sub-atomic particles.

The activities in this episode include:
* establishing students...

In this learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, students consider both hadrons and leptons in particle reactions. They must take account of both conservation of lepton number and conservation of baryon number.

The activities include:
* applying conservation rules
* considering the...

Produced by the Institute of Physics, this learning episode considers exchange particles and different types of interactions. Feynman diagrams are used, although these may not be required by all specifications.

The activities in this learning episode examine:
* exchange particles
* interactions...

In this learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, students follow work on Rutherford scattering to look at diffraction graphs and calculate nuclear diameters.

The activities include:
* student experiment using an optical analogue to show diffraction around spherical objects
* diffraction...

In this learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, students use an analogue experiment to illustrate electron scattering by quarks. In the model, magnets are concealed in a box. Their poles represent ‘charges’ which are probed using a freely-suspended magnet. This helps to demonstrate that each of the...

From the Institute of Physics, this learning episode encourages students to investigate the quark model, which creates relative order out of the chaos of particle classification.

Quarks have three ‘colour’ charges, and the rule for stability is that combinations must be colourless.

The activities...

This learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, establishes the ideal gas law and how to use it. Worked examples and questions allow students to look at the behaviour of an ideal gas and see that an ideal gas is one that obeys Boyle’s law with complete precision.

The activities include:
* a...

Produced by the Institute of Physics, this learning episode allows students to relate the gas laws to the behaviour of the particles of a gas.

The activities look at:
* explaining pressure in terms of particles
* deriving an equation for the pressure of a gas
* the link between kinetic...

In this learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, students look at heat engines to find out about their efficiency and this leads into a discussion of the second law of thermodynamics.

The activities include:...

This learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, guide students to measure specific heat capacities experimentally and then see how energy must be supplied (or rejected) to increase (or decrease) the temperature of a material. Calculations are used to quantify the...

In this learning episode, produced by the Institute of Physics, students investigate how energy is involved in changes of phase, even though there is no change of temperature.

Using discussion, examples and...

From the Institute of Physics, these activities encourage students to discuss the origins, history and future of the universe. Through a range of discussions and activities, students look at:
• the hot big bang
• the age of the Universe
• cosmic microwave background radiation
• the future of...

Produced by the Centre for Science Education, this Science Assessment Task for More Able Students, comprises of two investigations with a space-related theme. Students investigate what needs to be considered if humans are to colonise our solar system.

They look at:

* forces and the force of gravity...