Leaving Cert physics & chemistry: ‘A good balance between calculations and theory’

The higher level physics and chemistry paper struck a good balance between calculations and theory, according to a physics and chemistry teacher.

Eve Prendergast, subject representative for the Teachers’ Union of Ireland, and a teacher at Clogher Road Community College in Crumlin, Dublin, said that students who covered all aspects of the topics will have done very well.

“Total internal reflection in optics was one question on the paper,” Ms Prendergast said.

“It was a surprise to a question on the history of the periodic table and the name of the scientist.

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“The calculations on momentum worked out very nicely and it would have given confidence to students that their calculations were correct.

The ordinary level had nice simple language which was great for EAL learners, Ms Prendergast said.

“Question 12 was a difficult combination and atomic theory was challenging asking about bonding,” she added.

Just 463 students sat the combined physics and chemistry, compared to 8,120 for physics and 10,106 for chemistry.

Try this one at home:

Leaving Cert physics & chemistry, higher level

In April 2021 the tiny Mars helicopter Ingenuity became the first aircraft to make a powered controlled flight on a planet other than Earth. The mass of Ingenuity on Earth is 1.80 kg. The acceleration due to gravity on the surface of Mars is 3.72 m s–2. What is (i) the mass, (ii) the weight, of Ingenuity on the surface of Mars?