3.3 Prescribed Practicals P1-P5
Runway slope and speed, spring extension, Principle of Moments, density of liquids and regular solids, and personal power.
How to study for CCEA GCSE Physics
Link every equation to a physical model and unit, interpret graphs and evidence, and prepare each prescribed practical from method through evaluation.
Core concepts
Concept 1
P1 varies runway slope and measures average speed; P2 relates force to spring extension up to the proportional limit.
Exam cue: Confirm the CCEA unit, tier and whether the task tests a model, calculation, explanation or practical judgement.
Concept 2
P3 balances clockwise and anticlockwise moments; P4 links measured mass and volume through density.
Exam cue: For each practical, state the official variable relationship, apparatus readings, graph or calculation and a procedure-specific control.
Concept 3
P5 calculates personal power from work against gravity divided by time for stairs or step-ups.
Exam cue: Show substitutions and units, connect evidence to the physical model and limit the conclusion to the stated conditions.
Risk pitfalls and guardrails
Memorising a generic method that omits the official dependent variable, graph axes or calculation.
Guardrail: Do not import an England board, Single Award or Double Award structure, and do not replace a causal physical explanation with an equation alone.
Importing an equation sheet, Higher-only boundary or paper convention from an England 9-1 board.
Guardrail: Use the current CCEA formatting to confirm Higher-only content and the correct paper duration; do not infer tier scope from another exam board.
Giving a calculator display or named law without the working, units, causal explanation or evidence the command word requires.
Guardrail: Do not import an England board, Single Award or Double Award structure, and do not replace a causal physical explanation with an equation alone.
Memory anchors
P1
Investigate average runway speed as runway slope changes.
P2
Investigate spring extension against applied force.
P3
Verify the Principle of Moments.
P4
Investigate mass and volume for liquids and regular solids.
P5
Measure personal power using stairs or step-ups.
Prescribed practical
A CCEA-listed activity that should be taught and may inform either Unit 3 booklet.
Checkpoint rule
Do the check-up only after you can summarize each concept in one sentence and identify one dangerous pitfall from memory.
Knowledge Check (after reading)
Short check-up to confirm understanding of this module.
Check-up Questions
P1 changes the slope of a runway. Which dependent variable is specified?
In a P1 trial a trolley travels 0.80 m in 1.6 s. What is its average speed?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Continue learning
Move forward only after this module is stable.
What is Pass Harbor?
Completely free exam prep for 247 UK exams.
- Practice questions
- Flashcards
- Study guides
- Mock exams
- No registration
- No paywall
- Start instantly
“No more expensive exam prep. Quality study tools should be accessible to everyone.”