Home > Subjects > Physics > Level 3 > 3.5 Atoms, photons, and nuclei > Achievement criteria
- Subject: Physics
- AS: AS90522
- Level: 3
- Credits: 3
- External
Physics 3.5 Demonstrate understanding of atoms, photons, and nuclei
Achievement criteria
The level of performance that you will gain will be determined by both the complexity of the situation and problem-solving process of aspects of atoms, photons, and nuclei.
Minor errors (computational or transcription) will not be penalised if the process used to determine the solution is clearly indicated and is valid.
Achievement
Make sure you can:
- Identify or describe aspects of phenomena, concepts, or principles.
- Solve straightforward problems which involve a single-step process.
- Recognise correct concept/phenomenon/principle and give a simple descriptive answer in both written and diagrammatic form, for example:
- how binding energy relates to nuclear stability
- photoelectric effect from described situation
- how emission spectra are created
- Recognise the correct concept and apply reasonable mathematical skills, for example:
- the relationship between nuclear mass and total mass of constituent nucleons
- the relationship between the wavelength of a spectral line and the electron jump that caused it.
Achievement with Merit
Make sure you can:
- Meet criteria for Achievement.
- Give explanations in terms of phenomena, concepts, principles, and/or relationships.
- Solve problems which may involve using a complex formula or rearrangement or some deduction as to the relevant concept or principle.
Achievement with Excellence
Make sure you can:
- Meet criteria for Merit.
- Give concise and accurate explanations that show full understanding clearly, in terms of phenomena, concepts, principles, and/or relationships. Your answers will typically have minimal irrelevancies. In other words you cannot include any explanations that are not relevant. Do not guess!
- Solve complex problems which will involve more than one process and concept.
- Show numerical accuracy, correct rounding and use SI units in answers.
