My daughter has just started physics A level and her enthusiasm levels are high. I’m taking a week off at 1/2 term and am looking for ideas of physics related days out, power station visit and the usual museums is all I came up with. We’re in S Wales, so around there or London based would be good.

TBH I’m not sure. A-level physics is about maths and formulae relating to everyday objects. The most relevant physics is all around you!

http://www.techniquest.org/20120320137/education/secondary.html

Have you been here? It’s quite cool.

Techniquest is a fair bit below A-level though.

Science Museum, or MOSI if you can make it to Manchester?

Perfect excuse for a trip to La Palma in the Canaries?
http://orm.astrocamp.es/index_en.html

Or perhaps a long weekend in Madrid?
http://www.mdscc.nasa.gov/

But if it really has to be Wales or London, don’t forget the Royal Observatory (and the Maritime Museum while you’re there) in London, or perhaps the Planetarium.

jodrell bank?

MOSI if you can make it to Manchester?

MOSI is ace. They’ve got a big section about particle accelerators on at the moment too. You could combine it with a jaunt to Jodrell Bank, and make a day of it.

Go to the park and try and figure out how come you can start a swing going from a complete standstill without touching anything else…

You will not have a better excuse for buying Lego Mindstorms than this!

How about Electric Mountain, the pumped storage power station in Llanberis?
Bonus: lunch in Pete’s Eats 🙂

Rock climbing. Plenty to learn about gravity and friction. Plus if you fall she can measure pendulum effects while you swing from your protection!

molgrips – Member
Techniquest is a fair bit below A-level though.

From the Techniquest website

Secondary
Secondary school pupil with one of Techniquest’s exhibitsTechniquest hosts a range of events for secondary students in Cardiff Bay, from Planetarium shows tailored to KS3 and KS4 students, to A Level laboratory workshops,

Leicester Space Centre

And for balance, some work experience at a decent accountancy firm; That’s where most of my fellow graduates ended up 😉

Something near you on nerdydaytrips?

Some great advice thanks. We’ve done Techniquest and I agree it’s not really focused at A level standard. MOSI and Jodrell Bank looking good for a day trip.
Loving the nerdydaytrips site

You’ve just missed one here, but worth keeping an eye out for RAL open days in the future:

http://www.stfc.ac.uk/76.aspx

Wouldn’t recommend the space centre. It’s great for kids but once they’re into their teens it’s a bit meh

its a bit fred dibhnah, but good fun

Welcome to The London Museum of Water & Steam

A bit if a treck but Danfoss Universe is excellent

There’s a power station you can do tours of in Wales. I think it’s near dolgellau…

In fact, it is! Transfynydd Power Station

no good for half term but: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/psa-british-science-festival-brum-starts-saturday

Alton Towers – with worksheets on Energy, Forces and Speed

Kempton Steam Museum is good…

Is that where they made the joysticks?