Physics

1.1 Energy changes in a system

• Energy change by heating: Q = mc and Q = mL
• Energy stored in a stretched spring
• Energy stores and changes in a system
• Gravitational potential energy
• Heating a system: temperature change and changes of state
• Kinetic energy calculations
• Power as rate of energy transferHigher
• Specific heat capacity and specific latent heat (definitions)
• Specified Practical SP1.1 — Specific heat capacity of a material
• Work done by forcesFoundation
• Work done when a current flows

1.2 Conservation, dissipation and energy sources

• Conservation of energy in a closed system
• Energy dissipation in system changes
• Energy efficiency calculations
• Heat transfer by conduction, convection and radiation
• National and global energy resourcesFoundation
• Patterns and trends in energy resource use
• Reducing unwanted energy transfer; rate of cooling of a building

1.3 Energy transfers

• Energy transfers in domestic devices
• National Grid: high-voltage transmission

(single)

• Boyle's Law: pV = constantFoundation
• Changes of state and conservation of mass
• Compression of gases and pressure as a normal force
• Density and the three states of matter
• Gas pressure, temperature and molecular motion
• Specified Practical SP2A — Density of solids and liquids
• Specified Practical SP2B — Volume of a gas with temperature
• Volume-pressure at constant temperature (qualitative)
• Work done on a gas raises its temperature [HT]Higher

3.1 Forces and their interactions

• Elastic vs inelastic distortion; Hooke's Law and spring constant
• Free body diagrams and resolution of forces [HT]Higher
• Pairs of objects and types of force interaction
• Specified Practical SP3.1 — Force-extension graph for a spring
• Stretching, bending or compressing requires more than one force
• Weight, mass and gravitational field strength
• Work done equation in stretching; energy transferFoundation

3.2 Pressure and pressure differences in fluids

• Atmospheric pressure and variation with height
• Pressure due to a column of liquid: p = h rho g [HT]Higher
• Pressure in a liquid: depth, density, upthrust [HT]Higher
• Pressure in fluids: pressure = force/area

3.3 Moments, levers and gears

• Levers and gears transmitting rotational force
• Moments of forces

4.1 Speed and velocity, acceleration, motion graphs

• Circular motion at constant speed but changing velocity
• Distance-time and velocity-time graphs
• Distance, speed, time and acceleration relationships
• Equations of uniform acceleration (SUVAT) [HT]Foundation+Higher
• Typical speeds and free-fall acceleration
• Vector vs scalar: displacement/distance and velocity/speed

4.2 Forces, accelerations and Newton's laws

• Inertial mass [HT]Higher
• Momentum and conservation of momentum
• Newton's First Law
• Newton's Second Law: F = ma
• Newton's Third Law
• Specified Practical SP4.2 — Acceleration of a moving object

4.3 Safety in public transport

• Dangers of large decelerations
• Factors affecting braking distance
• Reaction times and thinking distance
• Vehicle safety features: airbags and crumple zones

5.1 Waves in air, fluids and solids

• Examples: ripples (transverse) and sound (longitudinal)
• Sound requires a medium
• Specified Practical SP5.1 — Investigation of water waves
• Transverse vs longitudinal waves
• Wave description: amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period

5.2 Waves at material interfaces

• P and S waves: seismic exploration of Earth's interior [HT]Higher
• Reflection, transmission and absorption at material interfaces
• Sound-to-vibration conversion and the human ear [HT]Higher
• Ultrasound for detection and exploration [HT]Higher

6.1 Frequency range of the spectrum

• Electromagnetic spectrum groupings
• EM waves: transverse, common velocity in vacuum, energy transfer
• Light as an electromagnetic wave

6.2 Interactions of EM radiation with matter

• Generation/absorption of radiations linked to atomic and nuclear changes
• Radio waves: production by oscillations in circuits
• Ray diagrams: reflection and refraction at plane surfaces
• Specified Practical SP6.2 — Refraction in a glass block
• Uses of EM waves and hazards of UV, X-rays and gamma
• Wavelength-dependent absorption, transmission, refraction, reflection [HT]Higher

6.3 Lenses

• Constructing scaled lens ray diagrams [HT]Higher
• Convex and concave lenses: ray diagrams (qualitative)
• Specified Practical SP6.3 — Images in convex and concave lenses

6.4 Colour and frequency

• Colour, frequency, absorption, transmission and reflection

6.5 Black body radiation

• Black body radiation: emission depends on temperature [HT]Higher
• Earth's temperature: balance of incoming/outgoing radiation [HT]Higher

7.1 Current, potential difference and resistance

• Charge, current and time: Q = It
• Electric current and circuit basics
• Electrical power and energy transfer
• Ohm's law and resistance of components (lamps non-ohmic)
• Resistance, current and potential difference
• Specified Practical SP7.1 — I-V characteristics of a component
• Variation of resistance: lamps, diodes, NTC thermistors, LDRsFoundation

7.2 Series and parallel circuits

• DC circuit calculations and circuit symbols
• Resistors in parallel: net resistance decreases [HT]Higher
• Resistors in series: net resistance increases
• Series vs parallel circuits
• Specified Practical SP7.2 — Series and parallel circuit characteristics

7.3 Static electricity

• Effect of points on charged conductors
• Electric fields and static electricity
• Electron transfer explanation of static electricity
• Static electricity: charging by friction; sparks

7.4 Domestic uses and safety

• Fuses: function and selecting an appropriate rating
• Live, neutral and earth wires; mains safety
• UK domestic mains supply: 230 V, 50 Hz; a.c. vs d.c.

8.1 Permanent and induced magnetism

• Magnetic compass and the Earth's magnetic core
• Magnetic field of a bar magnet
• Permanent vs induced magnetism; like and unlike poles

8.2 Magnetic effects of currents and the motor effect

• Electric motors: how the motor effect causes rotation
• Force on a conductor: F = B I l [HT]Higher
• Magnetic effect of currents: fields around wires, coils, solenoids
• Motor effect and Fleming's left-hand rule [HT]Higher
• Specified Practical SP8.2 — Force due to magnetic field of coils
• Strength of magnetic field around current and solenoid arrangements

8.3 Induced potential and transformers

• Alternators and dynamos [HT]Higher
• Electromagnetic induction: induced potential difference [HT]Higher
• Specified Practical SP8.3 — Output of an iron-cored transformer
• Transformer power equation V1 I1 = V2 I2 [HT]Higher
• Transformers: turns ratio [HT]Higher

8.4 Microphones and speakers; oscillating currents

• Microphones, speakers and oscillating currents [HT]Higher

9.1 Nuclear atom and isotopes

• Atomic notation and isotopes
• History of the atomic model: plum pudding to Bohr
• Nuclear atom: positively charged nucleus, electron cloud
• Protons, neutrons and characteristic nuclear charge
• Sizes of nuclei, atoms and small molecules

9.2 Absorption and emission of ionising radiations

• Balanced nuclear decay equations
• Calculating net decline in radioactive emission via half-life [HT]Higher
• Contamination vs irradiation: hazards comparison
• Electron arrangements, ionisation, EM emission/absorption
• Half-life and randomness of radioactive decay
• Penetration of alpha, beta and gamma radiationFoundation
• Unstable nuclei and types of emission

9.3 Hazards and uses of radioactive emissions

• Medical uses of nuclear radiation
• Radioactive hazards and half-life

9.4 Nuclear fission and fusion

• Fission reactor energy release and chain-reaction control
• Nuclear fission and chain reactions
• Nuclear fusion: process and mass-energy conversion

10.1 Solar system, orbital stability, satellites

• Formation of the Sun and stellar equilibrium
• Gravity, circular orbits, orbital speed [HT]Higher
• Planets, moons and artificial satellites
• Solar system structure

10.2 Red shift, Big Bang and universal expansion

• Red shift and the expanding universe; Big Bang