Double Science (Physics) Retrospective Revision guide

Last updated 10 months ago
146 questions
Note from the author:
A document for students to use to identify areas of the syllabus to work on.
1 Forces and motion

(a) Units

2

1.1
use the following units: kilogram (kg), metre (m), metre/second (m/s),
metre/second2 (m/s2), newton (N), second (s) and newton/kilogram (N/kg)

(b) Movement and position

2

1.3
plot and explain distance−time graphs

2

1.4
know and use the relationship between average speed, distance moved and time
taken:

2

1.5
practical: investigate the motion of everyday objects such as toy cars or tennis balls

2

1.6
know and use the relationship between acceleration, change in velocity and time
taken:

2

1.7
plot and explain velocity-time graphs

2

1.8
determine acceleration from the gradient of a velocity−time graph

2

1.9
determine the distance travelled from the area between a velocity−time graph and
the time axis

2

1.10
use the relationship between final speed, initial speed, acceleration and distance
moved:

(c) Forces, movement, shape and momentum

2

1.11
describe the effects of forces between bodies such as changes in speed, shape or
direction

2

1.12
identify different types of force such as gravitational or electrostatic

2

1.13
understand how vector quantities differ from scalar quantities

2

1.14
understand that force is a vector quantity

2

1.15
calculate the resultant force of forces that act along a line

2

1.16
know that friction is a force that opposes motion

2

1.17
know and use the relationship between unbalanced force, mass and acceleration:
force = mass × acceleration
F = m × a

2

1.18
know and use the relationship between weight, mass and gravitational field strength:
weight = mass × gravitational field strength
W = m × g

2

1.19
know that the stopping distance of a vehicle is made up of the sum of the thinking
distance and the braking distance

2

1.20
describe the factors affecting vehicle stopping distance, including speed, mass, road
condition and reaction time

2

1.21
describe the forces acting on falling objects (and explain why falling objects reach a
terminal velocity)

2

1.22
practical: investigate how extension varies with applied force for helical springs, metal
wires and rubber bands

2

1.23
know that the initial linear region of a force-extension graph is associated with
Hooke’s law

2

1.24
describe elastic behaviour as the ability of a material to recover its original shape
after the forces causing deformation have been removed

2 Electricity

(a) Units

2

2.1
use the following units: ampere (A), coulomb (C), joule (J), ohm (Ω), second (s),
volt (V) and watt (W)

(b) Mains electricity

2

2.2
understand how the use of insulation, double insulation, earthing, fuses and circuit
breakers protects the device or user in a range of domestic appliances

2

2.3
understand why a current in a resistor results in the electrical transfer of energy and
an increase in temperature, and how this can be used in a variety of domestic
contexts

2

2.4
know and use the relationship between power, current and voltage:
power = current × voltage
P = I × V
and apply the relationship to the selection of appropriate fuses

2

2.5
use the relationship between energy transferred, current, voltage and time:
energy transferred = current × voltage × time
E = I × V x t

2

2.6
know the difference between mains electricity being alternating current (a.c.) and
direct current (d.c.) being supplied by a cell or battery

(c) Energy and voltage in circuits

2

2.7
explain why a series or parallel circuit is more appropriate for particular applications,
including domestic lighting

2

2.8
understand how the current in a series circuit depends on the applied voltage and the
number and nature of other components

2

2.9
describe how current varies with voltage in wires, resistors, metal filament lamps and
diodes, and how to investigate this experimentally

2

2.10
describe the qualitative effect of changing resistance on the current in a circuit

2

2.11
describe the qualitative variation of resistance of light-dependent resistors (LDRs)
with illumination and of thermistors with temperature

2

2.12
know that lamps and LEDs can be used to indicate the presence of a current in a
circuit

2

2.13
know and use the relationship between voltage, current and resistance:
voltage = current × resistance
V = I × R

2

2.14
know that current is the rate of flow of charge

2

2.15
know and use the relationship between charge, current and time:
charge = current × time
Q = I × t

2

2.16
know that electric current in solid metallic conductors is a flow of negatively charged
electrons

2

2.17
understand why current is conserved at a junction in a circuit

2

2.18
know that the voltage across two components connected in parallel is the same

2

2.19
calculate the currents, voltages and resistances of two resistive components
connected in a series circuit

2

2.20
know that:
• voltage is the energy transferred per unit charge passed
• the volt is a joule per coulomb.

2

2.21
know and use the relationship between energy transferred, charge and voltage:
energy transferred = charge × voltage
E = Q × V

3 Waves

(a) Units

2

3.1
use the following units: degree (°), hertz (Hz), metre (m), metre/second (m/s) and
second (s)

(b) Properties of waves

2

3.2
explain the difference between longitudinal and transverse waves

2

3.3
know the definitions of amplitude, wavefront, frequency, wavelength and period of a
wave

2

3.4
know that waves transfer energy and information without transferring matter

2

3.5
know and use the relationship between the speed, frequency and wavelength of a
wave:
wave speed = frequency × wavelength
v = f × λ

2

3.6
use the relationship between frequency and time period:

2

3.7
use the above relationships in different contexts including sound waves and
electromagnetic waves

2

3.8
explain why there is a change in the observed frequency and wavelength of a wave
when its source is moving relative to an observer, and that this is known as the
Doppler effect

2

3.9
explain that all waves can be reflected and refracted

(c) The electromagnetic spectrum

2

3.10
know that light is part of a continuous electromagnetic spectrum that includes radio,
microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-ray and gamma ray radiations and that all
these waves travel at the same speed in free space

2

3.11
know the order of the electromagnetic spectrum in terms of decreasing wavelength
and increasing frequency, including the colours of the visible spectrum

2

3.12
explain some of the uses of electromagnetic radiations, including:
• radio waves: broadcasting and communications
• microwaves: cooking and satellite transmissions
• infrared: heaters and night vision equipment
• visible light: optical fibres and photography
• ultraviolet: fluorescent lamps
• x-rays: observing the internal structure of objects and materials, including for
medical applications
• gamma rays: sterilising food and medical equipment.

2

3.13
explain the detrimental effects of excessive exposure of the human body to
electromagnetic waves, including:
• microwaves: internal heating of body tissue
• infrared: skin burns
• ultraviolet: damage to surface cells and blindness
• gamma rays: cancer, mutation and describe simple protective measures against the risks

(d) Light and Sound

2

3.14
know that light waves are transverse waves and that they can be reflected and
refracted

2

3.15
use the law of reflection (the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection)

2

3.16
draw ray diagrams to illustrate reflection and refraction

2

3.17
practical: investigate the refraction of light, using rectangular blocks, semi-circular
blocks and triangular prisms

2

3.18
know and use the relationship between refractive index, angle of incidence and angle
of refraction:


2

3.19
practical: investigate the refractive index of glass, using a glass block

2

3.20
describe the role of total internal reflection in transmitting information along optical
fibres and in prisms

2

3.21
explain the meaning of critical angle c

2

3.22
know and use the relationship between critical angle and refractive index:

2

3.23
know that sound waves are longitudinal waves which can be reflected and refracted

4 Energy resources and energy transfers

(a) Units

2

4.1
use the following units: kilogram (kg), joule (J), metre (m), metre/second (m/s),
metre/second2 (m/s2), newton (N), second (s) and watt (W)

(b) Energy transfers

2

4.2
describe energy transfers involving energy stores:
• energy stores: chemical, kinetic, gravitational, elastic, thermal, magnetic, electrostatic, nuclear
• energy transfers: mechanically, electrically, by heating, by radiation (light and sound)

2

4.3
use the principle of conservation of energy

2

4.4
know and use the relationship between efficiency, useful energy output and total
energy output:

2

4.5
describe a variety of everyday and scientific devices and situations, explaining the
transfer of the input energy in terms of the above relationship, including their
representation by Sankey diagrams

2

4.6
describe how thermal energy transfer may take place by conduction, convection and
radiation

2

4.7
explain the role of convection in everyday phenomena

2

4.8
explain how emission and absorption of radiation are related to surface and
temperature

2

4.9
practical: investigate thermal energy transfer by conduction, convection and radiation

2

4.10
explain ways of reducing unwanted energy transfer, such as insulation

(c) Work and power

2

4.11
know and use the relationship between work done, force and distance moved in the
direction of the force:
work done = force × distance moved
W = F × d

2

4.12
know that work done is equal to energy transferred

2

4.13
know and use the relationship between gravitational potential energy, mass,
gravitational field strength and height:
gravitational potential energy = mass × gravitational field strength × height
GPE = m × g × h

2

4.14
know and use the relationship:

2

4.15
understand how conservation of energy produces a link between gravitational
potential energy, kinetic energy and work

2

4.16
describe power as the rate of transfer of energy or the rate of doing work

2

4.17
use the relationship between power, work done (energy transferred) and time taken:

5 Solids, liquids and gases

(a) Units

2

5.1
use the following units: degree Celsius (°C), Kelvin (K), joule (J), kilogram (kg),
kilogram/metre3 (kg/m3), metre (m), metre2 (m2), metre3 (m3), metre/second (m/s),
metre/second2 (m/s2), newton (N) and pascal (Pa)

(b) Density and pressure

2

5.3
know and use the relationship between density, mass and volume:

2

5.4
practical: investigate density using direct measurements of mass and volume

2

5.5
know and use the relationship between pressure, force and area:

2

5.6
understand how the pressure at a point in a gas or liquid at rest acts equally in all
directions

2

5.7
know and use the relationship for pressure difference:
pressure difference = height × density × gravitational field strength
p = h × ρ × g

(c) Ideal gas molecules

2

5.15
explain how molecules in a gas have random motion and that they exert a force and
hence a pressure on the walls of a container

2

5.16
understand why there is an absolute zero of temperature which is –273 °C

2

5.17
describe the Kelvin scale of temperature and be able to convert between the Kelvin
and Celsius scales

2

5.18
understand why an increase in temperature results in an increase in the average
speed of gas molecules

2

5.19
know that the Kelvin temperature of a gas is proportional to the average kinetic
energy of its molecules

2

5.20
explain, for a fixed amount of gas, the qualitative relationship between:
• pressure and volume at constant temperature
• pressure and Kelvin temperature at constant volume.

2

5.21
use the relationship between the pressure and Kelvin temperature of a fixed mass of
gas at constant volume:

2

5.22
use the relationship between the pressure and volume of a fixed mass of gas at
constant temperature:

p1V1 = p2V2

6 Magnetism and electromagnetism

(a) Units

2

6.1
use the following units: ampere (A), volt (V) and watt (W)

(b) Magnetism

2

6.2
know that magnets repel and attract other magnets and attract magnetic substances

2

6.3
describe the properties of magnetically hard and soft materials

2

6.4
understand the term magnetic field line

2

6.5
know that magnetism is induced in some materials when they are placed in a
magnetic field

2

6.6
practical: investigate the magnetic field pattern for a permanent bar magnet and
between two bar magnets

2

6.7
describe how to use two permanent magnets to produce a uniform magnetic field
pattern

(c) Electromagnetism

2

6.8
know that an electric current in a conductor produces a magnetic field around it

2

6.12
understand why a force is exerted on a current-carrying wire in a magnetic field, and
how this effect is applied in simple d.c. electric motors and loudspeakers

2

6.13
use the left-hand rule to predict the direction of the resulting force when a wire
carries a current perpendicular to a magnetic field

2

6.14
describe how the force on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field changes
with the magnitude and direction of the field and current

(d) Electromagnetic induction

2

6.15
know that a voltage is induced in a conductor or a coil when it moves through a
magnetic field or when a magnetic field changes through it and describe the factors
that affect the size of the induced voltage

2

6.16
describe the generation of electricity by the rotation of a magnet within a coil of wire
and of a coil of wire within a magnetic field and describe the factors that affect the
size of the induced voltage

7 Radioactivity and particles

(a) Units

2

7.1 use the following units: becquerel (Bq), centimetre (cm), hour (h), minute (min) and
second (s)

(b) Radioactivity

2

7.2
describe the structure of an atom in terms of protons, neutrons and electrons and use
symbols such as
to describe particular nuclei

2

7.3
know the terms atomic (proton) number, mass (nucleon) number and isotope

2

7.4
know that alpha (α) particles, beta (β) particles, and gamma (γ) rays are ionising
radiations emitted from unstable nuclei in a random process

2

7.5
describe the nature of alpha (α) particles, beta (β) particles, and gamma (γ) rays,
and recall that they may be distinguished in terms of penetrating power and ability to
ionise

2

7.6
practical: investigate the penetration powers of different types of radiation using
either radioactive sources or simulations

2

7.7
describe the effects on the atomic and mass numbers of a nucleus of the emission of
each of the four main types of radiation (alpha, beta, gamma and neutron radiation)

2

7.8
understand how to balance nuclear equations in terms of mass and charge

2

7.9
know that photographic film or a Geiger−Müller detector can detect ionising radiations

2

7.10
explain the sources of background (ionising) radiation from Earth and space

2

7.11
know that the activity of a radioactive source decreases over a period of time and is
measured in becquerels

2

7.12
know the definition of the term half-life and understand that it is different for different
radioactive isotopes

2

7.13
use the concept of the half-life to carry out simple calculations on activity, including
graphical methods

2

7.14
describe uses of radioactivity in industry and medicine

2

7.15
describe the difference between contamination and irradiation

2

7.16
describe the dangers of ionising radiations, including:
• that radiation can cause mutations in living organisms
• that radiation can damage cells and tissue
• the problems arising from the disposal of radioactive waste and how the
associated risks can be reduced.

(c) Fission and fusion

2

7.17
know that nuclear reactions, including fission, fusion and radioactive decay, can be a
source of energy

2

7.18
understand how a nucleus of U-235 can be split (the process of fission) by collision
with a neutron, and that this process releases energy as kinetic energy of the fission
products

2

7.19
know that the fission of U-235 produces two radioactive daughter nuclei and a small
number of neutrons

2

7.20
describe how a chain reaction can be set up if the neutrons produced by one fission
strike other U-235 nuclei

2

7.21
describe the role played by the control rods and moderator in the fission process

2

7.22
understand the role of shielding around a nuclear reactor

2

7.23
explain the difference between nuclear fusion and nuclear fission

2

7.24
describe nuclear fusion as the creation of larger nuclei resulting in a loss of mass from smaller nuclei, accompanied by a release of energy

2

7.25
know that fusion is the energy source for stars

2

7.26
explain why nuclear fusion does not happen at low temperatures and pressures, due
to electrostatic repulsion of protons

8 Astrophysics

(a) Units

2

8.1
use the following units: kilogram (kg), metre (m), metre/second (m/s),
metre/second2 (m/s2), newton (N), second (s), newton/kilogram (N/kg)

(b) Motion in the universe

2

8.2
know that:
• the universe is a large collection of billions of galaxies
• a galaxy is a large collection of billions of stars
• our solar system is in the Milky Way galaxy.

2

8.3
understand why gravitational field strength, g, varies and know that it is different on
other planets and the Moon from that on the Earth.

2

8.4
explain that gravitational force:
• causes moons to orbit planets
• causes the planets to orbit the Sun
• causes artificial satellites to orbit the Earth
• causes comets to orbit the Sun.

2

8.6
use the relationship between orbital speed, orbital radius and time period:

(c) Stellar evolution

2

8.7
understand how stars can be classified according to their colour

2

8.8
know that a star’s colour is related to its temperature

2

8.9
describe the evolution of stars of similar mass to the Sun through the following
stages:
• nebula
• star (main sequence)
• red giant
• white dwarf

2

8.10
describe the evolution of stars with a mass larger than the Sun