E Marking Notes Physics IX
E Marking Notes Physics IX
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of Secondary School
Certificate (SSC) Part I Physics. It contains comments on candidates’ responses to the 2023
SSC Part I Examination, indicating the quality of the responses and highlighting their relative
strengths and weaknesses.
E-Marking Notes
This includes overall comments on candidates’ performance on every question and some
specific examples of candidates’ responses which support the mentioned comments. Please
note that the descriptive comments represent an overall perception of the better and weaker
responses as gathered from the e-marking session. However, the candidates’ responses shared
in this document represent some specific example(s) of the mentioned comments.
Teachers and candidates should be aware that examiners may ask questions that address the
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in a manner that requires candidates to respond by
integrating knowledge, understanding and application skills they have developed during the
course of study. Candidates are advised to read and comprehend each question carefully before
writing the response to fulfil the demand of the question.
Candidates need to be aware that the marks allocated to the questions are related to the answer
space provided on the examination paper as a guide to the length of the required response. A
longer response will not in itself lead to higher marks. Candidates need to be familiar with the
command words in the SLOs which contain terms commonly used in examination questions.
However, candidates should also be aware that not all questions will start with or contain one
of the command words. Words such as ‘how’, ‘why’ or ‘what’ may also be used.
General Observations
This year, candidates performed well on questions related to importance of physics, moment
of force, Newton’s law of gravitation, kinematics and dynamics. Whereas low-scoring
candidates struggled in questions based on conversion of different scales of temperature,
concept of efficiency and state of matter.
Note: Candidates’ responses shown in this report have not been corrected for grammar,
spelling, format or factual information.
Detailed Comments
Constructed Response Questions (CRQs)
Question No. 1
Question Text Write any TWO points about the importance of physics in science and technology.
SLO No. 1.1.1
SLO Text Describe the importance of physics in science, technology and society.
Max Marks 02
Cognitive *K
Level
Checking 1 mark for each point (Any 2 required)
Hints
Overall Majority of the cohort demonstrated a good understanding of the introductory concepts of
Performance physics and their applications in society and various scientific and technological areas,
resulting in high scores. Like the electric power we use in our homes and an industry
generated at power stations is produced on the principle of induced e.m.f. due to changing
flux of the magnetic field, lasers which are used in medical science, metallurgy, astronomy
and defence derive their principles from atomic physics, electronic appliances owe to the
research in solid state physics, automobile technology is based on the principles of
thermodynamics and radar technology owes its foundation to the principles of reflection
and detection of electromagnetic waves. However, some candidates with limited
knowledge in these aspects received lower marks or none.
Description of Better responses demonstrated a sound understanding of the various uses of physics in
Better both science and technology. Candidates accurately identified and described how physics
Responses plays a pivotal role in advancing scientific knowledge and driving technological
innovations. By providing well-reasoned explanations, these candidates showcased their
ability to connect theoretical concepts with practical applications.
Image of
Better
Response
Description of In weaker responses, candidates provided irrelevant wording or points, and some even
Weaker wrote the definition of physics instead of discussing its uses. To enhance their
Responses performance, candidates should focus on understanding the specific demands of the
question and providing relevant information.
Image of
Weaker
Response
Suggestions for improvement (Highlighted part)
How to Approach SLO Pedagogy** Used for Assessment Strategies
that SLO
• Understand the • Story Board • Past paper questions
expectations of the • Cause and Effect • Discussion on E-Marking Notes
command words • Fish and Bone • AKU-EB Digital Learning
• Look at the cognitive • Concept Mapping Solution powered by Knowledge
level • Audio Visual Platform
• Identify the content that resources https://akueb.knowledgeplatform.com/logi
is required to answer • Think, Pair and n
that question (both in Share
terms of understanding • Questioning
of concepts and any Technique
skills that may be (Socratic approach)
required like analysing • Practical
or evaluating) Demonstration
• Go through the past
paper questions on that
particular concept
• Refer to the resource ** For description of each
guide for extra pedagogy, refer to
resources Annexure A
Any Additional Suggestion:
• Teacher should initiate the topic with connecting the concept with daily life. Develop connections
using everyday items with its usability while incorporating physics laws and theory.
• Encouraging exploration of practical applications of physics in everyday life and different scientific
fields can foster a deeper comprehension and showcase the significance of physics in shaping the
modern world. Providing additional resources such as charts related to the modern devices and
models of equipment whereby different processes of making and using different electronic
instruments are shown which will facilitate overall development and lead to improved performance
in future assessments.
Question No. 2
Question Text Write any THREE examples of turning effect of force from daily life.
SLO No. 4.1.2
SLO Text Explain the turning effect of force by relating it to everyday life.
Max Marks 03
Cognitive *K
Level
Checking 1 mark for each example (Any 3 required)
Hints
Overall In general, the cohort’s response to this question was very good, with many students
Performance providing relevant and correct explanations using appropriate examples from their
surroundings or daily life. Candidates wrote that pushing a swing and if it will rotate about
its pivot, applying a force to a spanner to rotate a nut, removing a bottle’s cork by pushing
down the bottle opener’s lever, applying a force to a doorknob and the door swings open
about its hinge and turning a steering wheel by applying a force on its rim. To improve the
weaker responses, candidates should focus on selecting appropriate and accurate examples
that align with the given context.
Description of In better responses, candidates demonstrated a strong understanding of the concept of
Better turning effect by providing three distinct and correct examples from everyday life. They
Responses effectively showcased how turning effect, or torque, influences various situations in our
daily experiences. These candidates excelled in relating theoretical principles to practical
applications, earning full marks.
Image of
Better
Response
Description of In weaker responses, candidates provided examples that lacked a clear link to the concept
Weaker of turning effect. Some deviated from the question’s demand and wrote about irrelevant
Responses topics such as clockwise and anticlockwise torque, equilibrium definitions, or types of
equilibrium. To enhance their performance, candidates should focus on understanding the
specific demands of the question and providing relevant examples directly related to the
turning effect or torque.
Image of
Weaker
Response
Question No. 3
Question Text Two identical balls of masses m1 and m2, whereas m1 = m2, are separated by a distance of
r.
If the distance between the two balls is doubled, then derive an equation to prove that the
gravitational force FG between them will decrease one-fourth times of the initial force.
SLO No. 5.2.2
SLO Text Solve problems using Newton’s law of gravitation.
Max Marks 02
Cognitive *U
Level
Checking 1 mark for EACH mathematical step used in the derivation (2 required)
Hints
Overall Overall, the question was challenging for the candidates and indicated that some candidates
Performance were confused between the key concepts of “doubled” and “halved”. For example, they
have taken distance as four times and then take the square root of the distance between two
identical balls. However, better responses were also observed to demonstrate a good grasp
of the subject and easily derived the correct equation for the force.
Description In better responses, candidates effectively utilised the equation of gravitational force
of Better G m m G m 2
Responses F1 = = 2 and carefully applied the given conditions demanded in the question.
r2 r
These responses also highlighted the candidates’ proficiency in applying physics principles
in problem-solving.
Image of
Better
Response
Description Candidates provided irrelevant or incorrect equations, and demonstrated difficulty with
of Weaker opening brackets and squaring, indicating a lack of knowledge in these areas. Some
Responses candidates also mixed up this topic with unrelated concepts such as the law of conservation
of momentum or cases involving moving objects and pulleys.
Image of
Weaker
Response
Suggestions for improvement (Highlighted part)
How to Approach SLO Pedagogy Used for that Assessment Strategies
SLO
• Understand the • Story Board • Past paper questions
expectations of the • Cause and Effect • Discussion on E-Marking Notes
command words • Fish and Bone • AKU-EB Digital Learning Solution
• Look at the cognitive • Concept Mapping powered by Knowledge Platform
level • Audio Visual https://akueb.knowledgeplatform.com/login
• Identify the content that resources
is required to answer • Think, Pair and
that question (both in Share
terms of understanding • Questioning
of concepts and any Technique
skills that may be (Socratic
required like analysing approach)
or evaluating) • Practical
• Go through the past Demonstration
paper questions on that
particular concept
• Refer to the resource
guide for extra
resources
Any Additional Suggestion:
• Provide additional practice questions to students that illustrate concepts like the one in the question,
where terms with doubled and halved values are used. This will enhance their understanding and
improve their performance.
• Teachers are recommended to encourage their students to focus on comprehending the specific
meanings of key terms and their implications in physics. Encouraging further practice and providing
clear explanations will help students better connect theoretical concepts with problem-solving skills,
leading to more accurate and successful responses in similar scenarios. Positive reinforcement and
recognition of their efforts will motivate them to excel in future assessments.
Question No. 4
Question Text Convert 100 F temperature into degree centigrade (oC) and Kelvin (K).
o
Description of In weaker responses, candidates applied incorrect formulas for temperature conversions
Weaker and made calculation errors. For instance, some added 373 instead of 273 to convert
Responses centigrade to Kelvin, while others wrongly divided by 2 for both conversions. These
mistakes resulted in incorrect answers and impacted their scores adversely. To improve,
candidates are encouraged to review and understand the correct conversion formulas, and
practice solving similar problems to improve their conceptual understanding of the topic.
Image of
Weaker
Response
Question No. 5
Question Text A soldering iron is shown in the given diagram that is used to melt solder, for joining wires
in an electrical circuit.
b.
c.
Description of In weaker responses, candidates used irrelevant terms like ‘cut’ or ‘slip’, indicating a
Weaker limited understanding of conductors and insulators. Some candidates lacked knowledge
Responses of different heat transfer methods, leading to incorrect applications and scoring
difficulties. To improve, candidates should strengthen their understanding of conductors,
insulators, and heat transfer mechanisms.
Image of a.
Weaker
Response
b.
c.
(Note: The examples provided in this annexure serve as illustrations of various pedagogies. It
is important to understand that these pedagogies are versatile and can be applied across subjects
in numerous ways. Feel free to adapt and explore these techniques creatively to enhance
learning outcomes in your specific context.)
Acknowledgements
The Aga Khan University Examination Board (AKU-EB) acknowledges with gratitude the
invaluable contributions of all the dedicated individuals who have played a pivotal role in the
development of the Physics SSC-I E-Marking Notes.
We extend our sincere appreciation to Mr Kashif Hussain, Lead Specialist in Physics at AKU-
EB, for taking subject lead during the entire process of e-marking.
We particularly thank to Mr Israr ul Haq, Principal Marker, The Mama Parsi Girls’ Secondary
School, Karachi, for evaluating each question’s performances, delineating strengths and
weaknesses in candidates’ responses, and highlighting instructional approaches along with
recommendations for better performance.
Additionally, we express our gratitude to the esteemed team of reviewers for their constructive
feedback on overall performance, better and weaker responses, and validating teaching
pedagogies along with suggestions for improvement.
These contributors include:
• Dr Sumera Anjum, Lead Specialist, Curriculum and Examination Development, AKU-EB
• Rabia Nisar, Specialist, Assessment, AKU-EB
• Sania Iqbal Siddiqui, Specialist, Curriculum and Examination Development, AKU-EB
• Munira Muhammad, Lead Specialist, Assessment, AKU-EB
• Zain Muluk, Manager, Examination Development, AKU-EB
• Raabia Hirani, Manager, Curriculum Development, AKU-EB
• Ali Aslam Bijani, Manager, Teacher Support, AKU-EB
• Dr Shehzad Jeeva, CEO, AKU-EB