Y13 Edexcel A-Level Core Practicals Equipment Lists

Core 9 Investigate the relationship between the force exerted on an object

and its change of momentum
Equipment per student/group

Notes on equipment

dynamics trolley or air track vehicle

Vehicle must be fitted with interrupt card with

card length written on the card. A length of
0.100m is suitable.

runway or air track

A runway should be friction compensated.

bench pulley
string

Sufficient string is needed to allow the slotted

mass to fall to the floor and pull the trolley
through the light gate.

5 slotted masses (10g) and hanger

light gate and recorder

The recorder might have two inputs. The light

gate will require support from a retort stand.

stop clock

Resolution of at least 0.1s

metre rule

Core 10 Use ICT to analyse collisions between small spheres

Equipment per student/group

Notes on equipment

small spheres (it is helpful to have

spheres of two different diameters)

Ball bearings are visible on camera, but ensure they are not
too large. 9.5 mm in diameter is a good size as it can be
easily seen. It is difficult to see the edge of a glass marble,
but they can also be used.

digital camera able to record video

A phone camera may be suitable, but it must have a means

to transfer the video to the computer.

computer with Tracker installed

Tracker is available as a free download from Open Source

Physics at
http://www.opensourcephysics.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=7365.
The program is compatible with Windows or Mac.

ruler
micrometer or callipers

To measure the diameter of the spheres

means of controlling collision

between two spheres

One sphere can be stationary, and the travelling one can be

launched from a curtain track or similar.

support for camera vertically above

the collision

The field of view must be sufficient to show tracks before and

after collision. It helps if the spheres roll and collide on graph
paper or dressmaking paper. This can be achieved by using
a drawing board or simply fixing the paper to a bench with
sticky tape. It is also helpful if the surface can be set at a
slight angle to the horizontal to compensate for friction.

mass balance

To measure the mass of the spheres

graph or dressmaking paper

Core 11 Use a CRO/datalogger to display and analyse the p.d. across a

discharging capacitor
Equipment per student/group

Notes on equipment

CRO or equivalent

Suitable for observing a slow discharge in the

first part of the practical and a fast, repeated
discharge in the second

100F electrolytic capacitor

Working voltage above maximum for PSU

5F non-electrolytic capacitor
470k 0.5W resistor
1k, 470 and 220 resistors, all 0.5W

It would be helpful if the resistors for the second

part of the practical were in a resistance box to
make changing values easier.

PSU or batteries to supply 6V

This is needed for charging the capacitor at the

start. The PSU need not be smoothed.

multimeter with 2M scale

Standard laboratory multimeter, needed to

measure the resistor only

SPDT switch or flying lead

stop clock

Hand operated

source of 50Hz square waves

This is needed for a short time only, and can be

passed between students.

Core 12 Calibrate a thermistor

Equipment per student/group

Notes on equipment

thermistor

Negative temperature coefficient (NTC) with

room temperature resistance of approximately
5k, although this is not critical

ohmmeter

Standard laboratory multimeter

alcohol thermometer

Range 0100C

beaker containing water

100cm or 250cm of water would be suitable

for this practical.

PSU

Voltage must be limited to 28VAC or 40VDC.

Bunsen burner, tripod, gauze and heatproof mat

ice

Sufficient to reduce temperature of thermistor to

0C

variable resistor

The value of the resistor is to be determined by

students. A selection including 1k, 2.2k,
4.7k and 10k should suffice. Variable
resistors should be in a range offering the
student a real choice when designing the
thermostat.

Core 13 Determine the specific latent heat of a phase change

Equipment per student/group

Notes on equipment

funnel, supported by retort stand

approximately 50g of crushed ice

Ice should be crushed finely, but when melting it

should drain down the funnel without falling
through it.

container to catch melted ice

3

250cm beaker

A standard beaker may be used, but thermal

lagging will improve the outcome. A lid does not
help a great deal.

thermometer and stirrer

The thermometer should read from a few

degrees below zero Celsius up to room
temperature.

access to top pan balance

Resolution 0.1g

Core 14 Investigate the relationship between p and V of a gas at fixed T

Equipment per student/group

Notes on equipment

Boyles law apparatus

Standard apparatus

pressure pump

Tyre pump: car or bicycle

safety screen

Set up the screen directly in front of the

apparatus.
It is possible for students to do this experiment
using syringes with masses to compress the
gas, in which case the safety screen will not be
required.

safety goggles

Students should work out that they require these

as part of their risk assessment, so ensure they
are available.

Core 15 Investigate the absorption of gamma radiation by lead

Equipment per student/group

Notes on equipment

gamma ray source and handling tools

GM tube and counter

These could be connected to a datalogger but

total count must be displayed. A reset facility
makes taking the measurements simpler.

bench apparatus to support source and GM tube

The sheets of lead must be placed between the

source and the detector without varying the
separation of source and detector.

stop clock

One per student

sheets of lead

These are placed between source and detector,

and should each be a few millimetres thick to a
total of approximately 20mm, but this will
depend on the energy of the gamma rays. The
aim should be to reduce the count rate by 50%
from that measured after the first absorber is in
place. At least six count rates are required.

micrometer or callipers

This is to measure the thickness of the lead

sheets.

Core 16 Determine the value of an unknown mass using the resonant

frequencies of the oscillation of known masses
Equipment per student/group

Notes on equipment

spring

25mm expendable springs work well.

slotted masses and hanger

Five of 100g and one of 50g

stop clock

Hand operated

unknown mass

In the range 250350g. It must be possible to

attach it to the spring.

retort stand with bosses and clamps

Two each of bosses and clamps

mass balance