The Ghost of Coursework B.....

For some of us getting used to the idea of coursework for Leaving Cert Physics students, its brought back memories of coursework for JC students. From (I think) 2004 to 2018, students got 35% for practical work, which was split up between Coursework A (10% on Mandatory experiments) and Coursework B.

For Coursework B, the department would publish a list of three investigation titles each year (one from each of physics, biology and chemistry), and students had to complete two of them. They would carry out their work in class and complete a booklet that ideally guided them to complete a full report of each investigation.

And I've heard a few teachers say over the last few months that they're using the old Coursework B titles as assignments for TY students, to give them practise at some of the key skills they will require for leaving cert science. Which strikes me as a good idea, so I've compiled a list of the old coursework B physics titles (with the aid of AI) to see what was in there.

It all brings back some memories. Of them all, I think 2017, using playdough, was my favourite.

2018

Investigate and compare the quantitative effects of changing

• hair colour, and

• the usage of shampoo or similar commercial hair treatments

on the tensile strength of hair taken from the human head.

2017

Using conductors made of children’s play (modelling) dough, investigate quantitatively the effect on resistance of

• changing the length of the conductor,

and determine whether dough colour affects its resistance, using measurements of voltage and current.

2016

Investigate and compare the quantitative effects of changing

• pendulum length, and

• mass of the pendulum bob

on the period (time of oscillation) of a simple pendulum oscillating through a small angle.

2015

Investigate and compare the quantitative effects of changing

• material type, and

• material thickness

on the level of sound insulation provided by a range of materials.

2014

Investigate the relationship between force and extension for a spring (Hooke-type investigation), typically comparing

• different masses, or

• different springs/materials.

2013

Investigate the effect of changing

• the length of a conductor

on its electrical resistance, using voltage and current measurements.

2012

Investigate the quantitative effects of changing

• surface area of an object, and

• temperature difference

on the rate of cooling of a hot body in air or water.

2011

Investigate the relationship between

• applied force, and

• acceleration

for a moving object (a Newton’s Second Law style investigation).

2010

Investigate the effect of changing

• height of release, or

• mass of object

on the speed or kinetic energy of a moving object (often using a ramp).

2009

Investigate how changing

• angle of incidence

affects the angle of reflection of light from a plane mirror.

2008

Investigate the relationship between

• length of vibrating object/string, and

• pitch/frequency of sound produced.

2007

Investigate how changing

• distance from a light source

affects the intensity/brightness of light measured by a sensor or LDR.

2006

Investigate the effect of changing

• length of a pendulum

on its period of oscillation.

Another favourite that came from Chemistry (but could have been physics) was:

Investigate the quantitative effects of changing:

• the type of seed (or granular material)

• the size of the funnel opening

on the rate at which seeds flow through a funnel

.