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Nuffield Physical Science: the Options
The Nuffield Physical Science course featured two types of options. These introduced an element of choice for students and teachers.
General options The general options were introduced into the course to meet the needs of students planning to progress to higher education in specialist areas such as medicine and engineering. Each candidate was expected to select two of the seven general options, all of which arose naturally out of particular parts of the basic course. Although the treatment of certain themes was thereby extended, the level of treatment was meant to be no higher than that of the basic course. However, a greater degree of mathematical expertise was required for some of these options than for the basic course. The emphasis on the theoretical, experimental, and applied aspects also varied from one option to another.
The titles
Option Gl: An introduction to thermodynamics
Option G2: Rate processes
Option G3: Rotational motion
Option G4: The conduction of electricity
Option G5: Methods of purification and criteria of purity
Option G6: Molecular spectra and photochemistry
Option G7: Further organic chemistry
Materials options Each student was expected to study one of the three materials options. The main theme of Nuffield Physical Science was the structure and properties of materials. So the materials option were seen as one of the culminating parts of the course and one of the most satisfying for the students.
By their very nature, the materials options introduced topics such as fabrication methods. Technological considerations therefore became explicit in the these options whereas relatively little attention was given to them in other parts of the course.
The titles
Option Ml: Metals
Option M2: Polymers
Option M3: Ceramics and glasses
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Downloads
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Students workbook 3: options G5-G7 12.59 MB
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Students workbook 3: options M1-M3 15.96 MB
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Teachers' guide 3: options M1 to M3 13.03 MB