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Practical Oscillations for Year 11 Physics
10 January 2025
Just before the Christmas holidays, Year 11 girls interested in taking A Level Physics joined an engaging twilight session on oscillations, alongside three enthusiastic students from Lordswood Girls’ School. The evening was an opportunity for these aspiring physicists to delve deeper into the fascinating world of periodic motion through hands-on experiments and lively discussions.
The session began with an exploration of simple harmonic motion, as the girls measured the gravitational constant, g, using a classic pendulum experiment. With meticulous timing and calculations, they uncovered the physics behind everyday phenomena. Excitement grew as they scaled up their experiment to the big swing in the Octagon, turning it into a giant pendulum to investigate oscillatory motion on a larger scale. They measured the speed of their friends’ oscillations on the swing, blending scientific rigour with playful discovery.
Next, they explored harmonics using slinky springs and even toothbrushes to study resonance and standing waves. As slinkies stretched and oscillated, the girls observed the creation of nodes and antinodes, bringing the principles they studied in the classroom to life. The toothbrush experiment demonstrated how everyday objects can reveal complex physical principles.
Throughout the session, the girls collaborated, asked questions, shared findings, and deepened their understanding of oscillatory motion. Guided by Physics Department staff
and Year 12 students, the experience inspired confidence and excitement for further studies in Physics.
Practical Oscillations for Year 11 Physics
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