Physics GCSE (Single, Higher) - Paper 1

What are the different stores of energy?

Energy can be kept in chemical, kinetic, gravitational potential, thermal, elastic potential, vibrational, nuclear, and magnetostatic/electrostatic energy stores.

What is the chemical energy store?

Different chemical bonds store different amounts of energy.

What is the kinetic energy store?

Anything which is moving has a kinetic energy store.

What is the gravitational potential energy store?

Anything above the surface of a planet has a gravitational potential energy store.

What is the thermal energy store?

Anything which is above -273°C has a thermal energy store.

What is the elastic potential energy store?

Anything which is stretched out of its resting shape has an elastic potential energy store.

What is the vibrational energy store?

Anything that moves to and fro has a vibrational energy store.

What is the nuclear energy store?

Atoms being split apart or fused together represent a nuclear energy store.

What is the magnetostatic/electrostatic energy store?

When magnets and electric charges are attracting or repelling, it represents a magnetostatic/electrostatic energy store.

What is a system in terms of energy?

A system is an object or group of objects where energy can move between stores when it changes.

What happens to the kinetic energy store of a ball thrown upwards?

The kinetic energy store of the ball changes to the gravitational potential energy store of the ball.

What happens to the kinetic energy store of a moving object hitting an obstacle?

The kinetic energy store of the moving object changes to the kinetic energy store of the obstacle.

What happens to the gravitational potential energy of a skydiver?

The gravitational potential energy of the skydiver changes to the kinetic energy of the skydiver as they accelerate.

What happens to the kinetic energy store of a car applying brakes?

The kinetic energy store of the car changes to the thermal energy store of the brake pads.

What happens when water is brought to a boil in an electrical kettle?

The thermal energy store of the element changes to the thermal energy store of the water in the kettle.

What causes changes in the amount of energy stored in a system?

Changes can be caused by heating, work done by forces, or work done when a current flows.

What is the equation for change in thermal energy?

ΔE = mcΔθ, where ΔE is change in thermal energy, m is mass, c is specific heat capacity, and Δθ is change in temperature.

What is the equation for work done by forces?

W = Fd, where W is work done, F is force, and d is distance.

What is the equation for work done when a current flows?

W = IVt, where W is work done, I is current, V is potential difference, and t is time.

What is the equation for kinetic energy?

EK = 0.5 x m x v², where EK is kinetic energy, m is mass, and v is velocity.

What is the equation for elastic potential energy?

Ee = 0.5 x k x e², where Ee is elastic potential energy, k is spring constant, and e is extension.

What is the equation for gravitational potential energy?

EP = m x g x h, where EP is gravitational potential energy, m is mass, g is gravitational field strength, and h is height.

What is the specific heat capacity of a substance?

It is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of the substance by one degree Celsius.

What is power?

Power is defined as the rate at which energy is transferred or the rate at which work is done.

What is the equation for power?

P = E ÷ t, where P is power, E is energy transferred, and t is time.

What is an energy transfer of 1 joule per second equal to?

It is equal to a power of 1 watt.

What is efficiency?

Efficiency is a measure of how much something does what we want it to do.

What is the equation for energy efficiency?

Efficiency = useful output energy transfer ÷ total input energy transfer.

What is a renewable energy resource?

A renewable energy resource is one that is being (or can be) replenished as it is used.

What are the environmental impacts of fossil fuels?

Fossil fuels emit greenhouse gases when burned.

What are the uses of fossil fuels?

They are used for electricity generation and transport.

What are the reliability characteristics of fossil fuels?

Fossil fuels are considered reliable energy sources.

What are the environmental impacts of nuclear energy?

Nuclear energy produces radioactive waste.

What are the uses of nuclear energy?

It is used for electricity generation.

What are the reliability characteristics of nuclear energy?

Nuclear energy is considered reliable.

What are the environmental impacts of biofuels?

Biofuels are considered carbon-neutral.

What are the uses of biofuels?

They are used for electricity generation, heating, and transport.

What are the reliability characteristics of biofuels?

Biofuels are considered reliable energy sources.

What are the environmental impacts of wind energy?

Wind energy can create noise pollution.

What are the uses of wind energy?

It is used for electricity generation.

What are the reliability characteristics of wind energy?

Wind energy is considered reliable but can be variable.

What are the environmental impacts of hydroelectric energy?

Hydroelectric energy can cause flooding of habitats.

What are the uses of hydroelectric energy?

It is used for electricity generation.

What are the reliability characteristics of hydroelectric energy?

Hydroelectric energy is considered reliable.

What are the environmental impacts of geothermal energy?

Geothermal energy has no significant environmental impact.

What are the uses of geothermal energy?

It is used for electricity generation and heating.

What are the reliability characteristics of geothermal energy?

Geothermal energy is considered reliable.

What are the environmental impacts of tidal energy?

Tidal energy can cause flooding of habitats.

What are the uses of tidal energy?

It is used for electricity generation.

What are the reliability characteristics of tidal energy?

Tidal energy is considered reliable.

What are the environmental impacts of solar energy?

Solar energy has no significant environmental impact.

What are the uses of solar energy?

It is used for electricity generation and heating.

What are the reliability characteristics of solar energy?

Solar energy is considered unreliable due to variability.

What are the environmental impacts of wave energy?

Wave energy has no significant environmental impact.

What are the uses of wave energy?

It is used for electricity generation.

What are the reliability characteristics of wave energy?

Wave energy is considered reliable.

What is the required practical for thermal insulators?

Wrap boiling tubes in insulation, measure temperature change over time to determine the best insulator.

What is the required practical for specific heat capacity?

Measure and record the mass of the copper block in kg, wrap insulation around the block, place the heater in the larger hole, connect the ammeter, power pack, and heater in series, and connect the voltmeter across the heater. Use a pipette to put a small amount of water in the other hole and insert a thermometer. Set the power pack to 12 V, switch on the heater, and record readings. Measure temperature every minute for 10 minutes, calculate power and energy transferred, plot a graph of temperature against work done, calculate the gradient, and use it to find specific heat capacity.

What is the equation for charge flow?

Q = I x t

What is Ohm's law?

V = I x R

What happens in a series circuit?

In a series circuit, the current is the same through each component, the total potential difference is shared, and the total resistance is the sum of the resistances of each component.

What happens in a parallel circuit?

In a parallel circuit, the potential difference across each component is the same, the total current is the sum of the currents through each component, and the total resistance is less than the smallest individual resistor.

What is the insulation covering for the live, neutral, and earth wires?

Live wire – brown, neutral wire – blue, earth wire – green and yellow.

What is the equation linking power, energy transferred, and time?

E = P x t

What is the equation linking power, potential difference, and current?

P = V x I

What is the equation linking power, resistance, and current?

P = I² x R

What is the equation linking energy transferred from potential difference and charge?

E = Q x V

What is the National Grid?

The National Grid is a system of cables and transformers linking power stations to consumers.

What is the purpose of step-up and step-down transformers?

Step-up transformers increase potential difference for transmission, while step-down transformers decrease potential difference for domestic use.

What is the particle model for solids, liquids, and gases?

Solids have closely packed particles in a regular arrangement, liquids have closely packed but randomly arranged particles, and gases have widely spaced particles in random arrangement.

What is the equation for density?

Density = mass ÷ volume

What happens during a change of state?

During a change of state, mass is conserved, and energy is used to change the state without changing temperature.

What is the equation for change in thermal energy?

ΔE = m x c x Δθ

What is the specific heat capacity?

The specific heat capacity is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of a substance by one degree Celsius.

What is latent heat?

Latent heat is the energy needed for a change of state without changing temperature.

What is the equation for latent heat?

E = m x L

What is the relationship between temperature and gas pressure?

As temperature increases, the average kinetic energy of gas molecules increases, leading to more collisions and higher pressure.

What is the structure of an atom?

An atom consists of a positively charged nucleus (protons and neutrons) surrounded by negatively charged electrons.

What is the mass number and atomic number?

The mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons, while the atomic number is the number of protons in an atom.

What is radioactive decay?

Radioactive decay is the random process by which unstable atomic nuclei emit radiation to become more stable.

What is the half-life of a radioactive isotope?

The half-life is the time it takes for the number of nuclei in a sample to halve or for the activity to fall to half its initial level.

What is radioactive contamination?

Radioactive contamination is the unwanted presence of materials containing radioactive atoms on other materials.

What is the difference between irradiation and contamination?

Irradiation is exposing an object to nuclear radiation, while contamination involves radioactive materials being present on other materials.

What are the uses of nuclear radiation in medicine?

Nuclear radiation is used for exploring internal organs and destroying unwanted tissue.

What is nuclear fission?

Nuclear fission is the splitting of a large, unstable nucleus, releasing energy and emitting neutrons.

What is nuclear fusion?

Nuclear fusion is the joining of two light nuclei to form a heavier nucleus, converting some mass into energy