IB Physics/Digital Technology Option

C.1 Analogue and digital signals

C.1.1 Solve problems involving the conversion between binary numbers and decimal numbers

C.1.2 Describe different means of storage of information in both analogue and digital forms

C.1.3 Explain how interference of light is used to recover information stored on a CD

C.1.4 Calculate an appropriate depth for a pit from the wavelength of the laser light

C.1.5 Solve problems on CDs and DVDs related to data storage capacity

C.1.6 Discuss advantage and disadvantage of the storage of information in digital rather than analogue form

C.1.7 Discuss the implications for society of ever-increasing capability of data storage

C.2 Data capture; digital imaging using charge-coupled devices (CCDs)

C.2.1 Define capacitance.

C.2.2 Describe the structure of a charge-coupled device (CCD).

C.2.3 Explain how incident light causes charge to build up within a pixel.

C.2.4 Outline how the image on a CCD is digitized.

C.2.5 Define quantum efficiency of a pixel.

Quantum efficiency is the ratio of the number of photoelectrons emitted to the number of photons incident on the pixel.

C.2.6 Define magnification.

C.2.7 State that two points on an object may be just resolved on a CCD if the images of the points are at least two pixels apart.

C.2.8 Discuss the effects of quantum efficiency, magnification and resolution on the quality of the processed image.

C.2.9 Describe a range of practical uses of a CCD, and list some advantages compared with the use of film.

C.2.10 Outline how the image stored in a CCD is retrieved.

C.2.11 Solve problems involving the use of CCDs.

C.3 Electronics

C.3.1 State the properties of an ideal operational amplifier (op-amp).

C.3.2 Draw circuit diagrams for both inverting and non-inverting amplifiers (with a single input) incorporating operational amplifiers.

C.3.3 Derive an expression for the gain of an inverting amplifier and for a non- inverting amplifier.

C.3.4 Describe the use of an operational amplifier circuit as a comparator.

C.3.5 Describe the use of a Schmitt trigger for the reshaping of digital pulses.

C.3.6 Solve problems involving circuits incorporating operational amplifiers.

C.4 The mobile phone system

C.4.1 State that any area is divided into a number of cells (each with its own base station) to which is allocated a range of frequencies.

Every area is divided into a number of cells (each with its own base station) to which is allocated a range of frequencies

C.4.2 Describe the role of the cellular exchange and the public switched telephone network (PSTN) in communications using mobile phones.

C.4.3 Discuss the use of mobile phones in multimedia communication.

• Vocal communication • Text communication (SMS, chatting etc.) • Communication through social networks on mobile phone (facebook, twitter etc.) • Communication can be one-to-one or one-to-many

Advantages: • Time efficient • Cost efficient • Best way to reach lots of people • Easy

Disadvantages: • No information is private • Lack of control of information • Less real life communication

C.4.4 Discuss the moral, ethical, economic, environmental and international issues arising from the use of mobile phones.

Moral / Ethical – Firstly, less human interaction in between adolescents as they are now able to lie at home and speak through their phones. Secondly, employees are distracted by their mobile phones when at their workplace. Economic- Not every one are able to afford mobile phones. International- It is now faster and simpler to communicate with people around the world. Environmental- Disposing of 15m phones each year just in the UK. Mobile phones contain cadmium, rhodium, palladium, beryllium and lead solder, which are all highly toxic.