Tips!

Here I will post a few tips and hints to remember when answering SQA Higher Papers, hopefully they’ll be quick, snappy and memorable. You’ve got the whole of the Scottish Physics Teachers’ Community Wisdom Below!

  1. How to remember Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (spell the whole lot not CMBR, as this isn’t a name) However, the way to remember CuMBRia.
  2. Conservation of Momentum IN THE ABSENCE OF EXTERNAL FORCES, MOMENTUM BEFORE THE COLLISION IS EQUAL TO THE MOMENTUM AFTER THE COLLISION.
  3. Obviously you know- no secs in Physics, just stick to unit symbols and save all the problems of spelling.
  4. Fundamental Particles: Key point: it is not that they can be used to make bigger ‘things’, but rather that they are not made from smaller things.
  5. Strong force (associated with the gluon) acts over a very short distance.
  6. The gravitational force extends over very large/infinite distances.
  7. Neutrons don’t carry/have (net) charge so cannot be accelerated/guided/ deflected by magnetic fields.
  8. Remember: SIG FIG, your final answer should be rounded up to the same number of significant figures as the LEAST significant measurement.
  9. Don’t forget to revise your uncertainties.
  10. Make sure you see the words “end of question paper”. Don’t assume you’ve got to the end and there are no questions on the very last page!
  11. “Show” questions – means show correct formula, working and numerical answer stated as given in the question.
  12. Don’t leave anything blank! If you really don’t know, give it a go – you never know.
  13. The questions in the exam sections (MC and then extended answers) are in approximately the same order as the equation sheet.
  14. LIST: given numbers with the correct symbols before doing a calculation. Or as we say IESSUU (information, Equation, Substitution, Solution, Units and Underline)
  15. Substitute then rearrange.
  16. Read all of the question, especially that bit you skipped over at the start.
  17. Don’t forget units! It’s now worth at least 33% of a calculation!
  18. This will do for now more to come as they arise……Check out the past paper marking instructions for do’s and  don’ts- its full of them in that second column!

Here are some top tips for Revision from Mr Dawson from Wallace Hall Academy- thanks

H Revision Pupil Questions pdf version

H Revision Pupil Questions word version

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