Questions on everyday items welcome in physics exam

EVERYDAY items were to be found in exams for Leaving Certificate physics and Junior Certificate technical graphics students yesterday.

Teachers’ Union of Ireland physics spokesman Michael Gillespie said higher level students may have been under pressure with the diagrams and graphs needed in the opening section on experiments.

But Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) physics spokes-woman Edel McInerney said the higher level exam was strong on practical applications of the subject, such as mobile phone users’ exposure to radiation. She said the ordinary level paper had the welcome inclusion of the physics formulae and equations needed for certain questions.

ASTI’s subject spokeswoman Áine Ní Chéidigh said the higher level exam was even longer and more time-consuming than normal.

She cited in particular the two questions on the third section, one of which usually has two parts but had three this year.

Maureen Shanahan of the Business Teachers’ Association of Ireland also complained about a particularly long question 8 and said students would have been more used to a different method of calculating depreciation than the one asked for. She said the ordinary level exam was of a suitable standard.

ASTI’s Noel Scott said the higher level Junior Certificate materials technology (wood) exam covered the breadth of the syllabus. He said ordinary level students were set a paper with a very practical focus, with emphasis on skills such as wood turning and carving.

ASTI’s John O’Sullivan said the higher and ordinary level Junior Certificate technical graphics papers continued the pattern of well-designed papers.

TUI subject spokesman Micheál Martin said both papers were fair.