AQA GCSE Physics P4 Atomic Structure | 8 Lesson Presentations and Topic Test

AQA GCSE Physics P4 Atomic Structure: 8 lessons ready to teach, with a topic test

You get every lesson for AQA GCSE Physics P4 Atomic Structure, planned and ready to teach. There are 8 teaching lessons. Each one is editable PowerPoint and matched to the AQA 8463 specification.

What your classes work through

• The structure of an atom. Pupils explain what happens to an electron as it absorbs and then emits electromagnetic radiation, including how its distance from the nucleus changes.
• Atomic number, mass number and isotopes. Pupils use the mass number, atomic number and charge of an ion to choose how many electrons it has.
• The development of the model of the atom. Pupils describe how the plum pudding model gave way to the nuclear model and explain the experimental evidence behind the change.
• Radioactive decay and nuclear radiation. Pupils evaluate an advert's claim that gamma is the safest source for a sealed household device, comparing alpha, beta and gamma radiation.
• Nuclear equations and half-life. Pupils work out the half-life of an isotope in hours from a falling count-rate, showing each step of their working.
• Radioactive contamination and irradiation. Pupils compare two laboratory workers, one contaminated and one irradiated, and explain which is still at risk after leaving.
• Background radiation, half-lives and medical uses. Pupils choose between a gamma and an alpha emitter as a kidney tracer and justify the choice with two reasons.
• Nuclear fission and fusion. Pupils judge whether the Sun releases energy by the same fission chain reaction as a power station, drawing on fission and fusion.

Who it is for

Use it to teach AQA GCSE Physics P4 Atomic Structure lessons on the atom, isotopes, radioactive decay, half-life, contamination, medical uses and nuclear fission and fusion in Year 10 and Year 11. It also gives you ready GCSE Physics revision lessons on radioactivity.

How each lesson runs

Each P4 Atomic Structure lesson starts with a Do Now that recalls earlier learning, with the answers on the next slide. It then moves through I Do, We Do and You Do, with a model answer after each task. It finishes with the AQA-style question listed above, its mark scheme and an exit ticket. A specification slide names the AQA points the lesson covers, so you can check it against your scheme of work.

Topic test

The P4 Atomic Structure topic test covers the whole unit with AQA-style questions and comes with its mark scheme, both in Word and PDF.

Free revision videos for this unit

• Atomic Structure revision (P4)
• Atomic Structure Quiz, 20 questions
• Half-Life Explained
• Paper 1 Triple whole paper walkthrough