Physical World resources

In this practical task students predict, and then measure the temperature of water from a range of familiar sources.

Task: Explain how to use the magnet to remove a drawing pin out of a glass of water without putting the magnet in the glass, touching the glass with hands, or spilling the water. Assessment focus: using knowledge of magnetism to solve a problem.

Task: Make a sound gun and use it to investigate what happens to a candle when the end of the sound gun is tapped. Assessment focus: sound waves.

Students describe the images seen in flat and convex mirrors.

Students investigate energy transfer by colliding marbles, explaining their observations, and what happens to the energy of the moving marble on impact.

For this practical task students investigate convection currents when tea leaves are placed into a beaker of water that is being heated. They are asked to make observations and to provide an explanation of what they have observed.

Students predict and investigate the way in which a concave and a convex lens distort the image of a pencil.

Students carry out a simple experiment to illustrate refraction. They then explain why this happened.

For this practical task students write a plan to find out if a microwave has a 'hot spot'. Students carry out their plan, collect, and interpret results.

This practical task is about heat absorption. From a given list students choose the equipment they would use to heat cold tap water as much as possible. Students complete the investigation, explain why each piece of equipment was selected, and record their results.

Task: Interpret data from tables. Assessment focus: data interpretation.

Task: Answer questions about data in a table. Assessment focus: pulleys.

Task: Answer questions about the relationship between mass and stretch. Assessment focus: graph interpretation.

Task: Answer questions about relationships between mass and stretch. Assessment focus: identifying patterns in data.

Task: investigate reflection of light using a torch and mirror. Assessment focus: angle of reflection.

Decide if a described investigation is a fair test, and explain the decision. Assessment focus: identifying fair testing.

Task: students investigate the rolling distance of marbles on different surfaces. Assessment focus: processing information to answer a question.

Task: Identify colours and surfaces that keep things cool. Assessment focus: heat absorption.

This practical task requires students to plan a method to determine which magnet is the strongest. Students carry out their plan, record results and write a conclusion.

For this practical task students make observations about the effect of coloured lights on different coloured objects. Students then draw some conclusions about their findings.

Task: Answer a multiple choice question about the material attracted to magnets, select which magnet of four is strongest, and give a reason for choice. Assessment focus: magnetism.

Task: Predict which of three balls dropped from different heights will squash most, explain why, and design an investigation to test prediction. Assessment focus: acceleration and fair testing.

Task: Predict, observe, and explain where a piece of wood floats in a container of water and oil. Assessment focus: flotation related to density; explaining predictions.

Task: select a card to show how to control the variables of an investigation into the rolling distance of marbles on different surfaces. Assessment focus: controlling variables.

This practical task requires students to test a number of circuits and to give reasons why some of the circuits do not work while others do. Students also look at other circuits and explain what happens to the brightness of the bulb.