KS3 & KS4 science curriculum

This unit builds on pupils’ prior learning from Measuring waves, where they explored the properties of waves, such as amplitude, frequency, and wavelength. It deepens their understanding by focusing on electromagnetic waves, covering their properties, uses, and how they interact with matter. As the final unit in the big question, How do we see, hear and communicate?, it reinforces pupils’ understanding of how waves are fundamental to communication technologies and sensory perception.

1. Reflection of light (including specular and diffuse)
2. Refraction through a rectangular block (including wave front diagrams)
3. Refraction through a semicircular block
4. Light and colour
5. Convex lenses (including magnification)
6. Scale diagrams for convex lenses (including magnification)
7. Virtual images from convex and concave lenses (including magnification)
8. The spectrum of electromagnetic radiation
9. Absorbing infrared radiation practical
10. Emitters of infrared & black body radiation
11. Ionising electromagnetic radiation
12. Non-ionising electromagnetic radiations

• The visible spectrum comprises red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet light.
• A glass prism can split sunlight up into colours of the visible spectrum.
• A ray of light bends at the surface as it enters glass (or water) from air.
• A ray of light bends in the opposite direction at the surface as it leaves glass (or water) into air.
• The speed of a wave depends on the medium it is travelling through.
• The speed of a wave does not depend on its amplitude or its frequency.
• For a given wave speed, the higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength.
• For a given waves speed, the longer the wavelength, the lower the frequency.
• Wave speed = frequency x wavelength.