Skip to main content

OCR homepage

  • OCR sites
  • About
  • Contact us

Administration

  • Active Results
  • Interchange
  • Log in to the OCR Repository

Support

  • ExamBuilder

Qualification sites

  • GCSE English Literature Digital Anthology

Main navigation

  • Subjects
    • Mathematics
    • English
    • Geography
    • History
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Physics
    • Science
    • Computer science and ICT
    • Business
    • PE and sport
    See all subjects
  • Qualifications
    • AS and A Level
    • GCSE
    • Entry Level
    • Cambridge Technicals
    • Cambridge Nationals
    • Core Maths
    See all qualifications
  • Administration
    • Overviews
    • Preparation
    • Entries
    • Assessment
    • Results
    • Post-results services
    • Certificates
    • Support and tools
    Administration
    • Interchange
    • Basedata
    • Grade boundaries
    • Key dates and timetables
  • More
  • Students
    • Past papers
    • Replacement certificates
    • Exam dates and timetables
    • Getting your results
    • Convert raw marks to UMS
    • Private candidates
    More for students
  • Students
    • Past papers
    • Replacement certificates
    • Exam dates and timetables
    • Getting your results
    • Convert raw marks to UMS
    • Private candidates
    More for students
  • OCR Sites
  • About
  • Contact us
  • Home
  • Qualifications
  • GCSE
  • Twenty First Century Science Suite - Physics B (9-1) - J259 (from 2016)

GCSE Twenty First Century Science Suite - Physics B (9-1) - J259 Teaching from 2016

Twenty First Century Science Suite - Physics B (9-1) - J259 (from 2016)

Quick Links

  • Specification at a glance
  • New to OCR
  • Planning and teaching
  • Assessment
  • Administration
  • Textbooks & endorsed resources
    • More about science >
    • Sign up for updates >
    • Professional development >
    Contact the team >
    • 01223 553998
    • science@ocr.org.uk
    • @OCR_Science

Specification at a glance

Assessment overview

There are six teaching chapters of physics content plus one chapter of ideas about science and one practical skills chapter:

  • P1: Radiation and waves
  • P2: Sustainable energy
  • P3: Electric circuits
  • P4: Explaining motion
  • P5: Radioactive materials
  • P6: Matter - models and explanations
  • P7: Ideas about science
  • P8: Practical skills

Foundation tier (grades 5 to 1)

PaperMarksDurationWeightinginsert text

Breadth in physics (01)

901 hour 45 mins50%Assesses content from all eight chapters

Depth in physics (02)

901 hour 45 mins50%Assesses content from all eight chapters

Higher tier (grades 9 to 4)

PaperMarksDurationWeightinginsert text

Breadth in physics (03)

901 hour 45 mins50%Assesses content from all eight chapters

Depth in physics (04)

901 hour 45 mins50%Assesses content from all eight chapters

Students must complete either the foundation tier (components 01 and 02) or the higher tier (components 03 and 04) to be awarded the OCR GCSE (9-1) in Physics B (Twenty First Century Science).

Content overview

Students develop their understanding of how the ideas of physics can describe the complex and diverse phenomena of the natural world in terms of a small number of key ideas which are of universal application.

The chapters are further subdivided:

  • P1: Radiation and waves
    • What are the risks and benefits of using radiations?
    • What is climate change and what is the evidence for it?
    • How do waves behave?
    • What happens when light and sound meet different materials?
  • P2: Sustainable energy
    • How much energy do we use?
    • How can electricity be generated?
  • P3: Electric circuits
    • What is electric charge?
    • What determines the current in an electric circuit?
    • How do series and parallel circuits work?
    • What determines the rate of energy transfer in a circuit?
    • What are magnetic fields?
    • How do electric motors work?
    • What is the process inside an electric generator?
  • P4: Explaining motion
    • What are forces?
    • How can we describe motion?
    • What is the connection between forces and motion?
    • How can we describe motion in terms of energy transfers?
  • P5: Radioactive materials
    • What is radioactivity?
    • How can radioactive materials be used safely?
    • How can radioactive material be used to provide energy?
  • P6: Matter - models and explanations
    • How does energy transform matter?
    • How does the particle model explain the effects of heating?
    • How does the particle model relate to material under stress?
    • How does the particle model relate to pressure in fluids?
    • How can scientific models help us understand the Big Bang?
  • P7: Ideas about science
    • What needs to be considered when investigating a phenomenon scientifically?
    • What conclusions can we make from data?
    • How are scientific explanations developed?
    • How do science and technology impact society?
  • P8: Practical skills
    • A practical-based topic which provides students with the skills required for the 15% practical content in the examinations
    • Students complete at least eight practical activities and have the opportunity to use all the apparatus and techniques listed in the specification
    • This will include awareness of safety procedures and the use of appropriate scientific diagrams to record apparatus and procedures
    • Practical skills are embedded within all the teaching chapters.
Download GCSE specification
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

© OCR

  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Accessibility
  • Statement on modern slavery
  • Use of cookies
  • Copyright statement

© OCR

We use cookies. By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies Accept