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Required practicals

In the UK, the new curriculum (2016) stipulates a number of Core Practicals that replace Controlled assessments. These are going to be assessed through the Written Exams. Different Exam boards will have different approaches to these but the Practicals are the same as they are supposed to test similar skills and knowledge.

This section gives you key information on these practicals. To complement this, The Rifi Student Guide (soon to be published) will give you hints on the Examination points that will be based on each of the Core practicals.

Below is a list of the practicals. Links will be live shortly to give you extra guidance on each of the practicals.

Physics Biology Chemistry
Determining the specific heat capacity of a material

Microscopy-observing and drawing plant and animal cells

Calculating magnification, using a Line Scale

 Making a soluble salt from an insoluble oxide
Investigating effectiveness of materials as thermal insulators Effects of antibiotics and antiseptics on the growth of bacteria on algal plates Acid-base titrations
Factors affecting resistance in a circuit Osmosis- Effects of concentration on the mass of living material (potato cells) Electrolysis of aqueous solutions
I-V characteristics of components of an electrical circuit, including diodes and constant temperature resistors Qualitative and semi-quantitative Food tests- Iodine test, Biuret test, Benedict test Chemical energetics- endothermic and exothermic reactions
Measuring density of regular and irregular objects Effect of pH on the rate of an enzyme controlled reaction-Amylase Rates of reaction- how changes in concentration affect the rate of a reaction
Extension of a spring- Hook's Law Effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis Chromatography and Rf values
Investigating force and acceleration Reaction time- measuring the... Identifying ions- Flame tests and precipitation
  Plant hormones i.e. Photo and geo/gravitropism- effect of light and gravity on the growth of plant seedlings Water purification
  Sampling techniques- Quadrats and transects  
  factors affecting decay/respiration