Paper 1 All Topics Physics

Flashcards for A Level Physics

What are the 6 of the 7 base SI units?

Mass, Length, Time, Current, Temperature, Amount of Substance

How do you find the uncertainty in a reading?

half the smallest division i.e. ± ½ × (resolution)

How do you find the uncertainty in a measurement?

at least ±1 smallest division

How do you find the uncertainty in repeated data?

± ½ × (largest − smallest value)

How do you find the uncertainty in digital readings?

± the last significant digit unless otherwise quoted

What does scientific communication involve?

Using terms such as accuracy, validity and stating the sources of random and systematic errors

What defines discrete data?

Only certain values can be taken, normally a whole number e.g. number of students

What defines continuous data?

Can take any value on a scale e.g. voltage in a circuit

What defines categorical data?

Values that can be sorted into categories e.g. types of material

What defines ordered data?

Data that can be put in ordered categories e.g. low, medium, high

What does effective evaluation include?

Repeating the experiment using the same instructions and Assessing reproducibility (consistent results)

What are some ways to minimize risks during practical experiments?

Wear safety goggles when needed, Avoid eating or drinking during experiments and Keep bags and chairs tucked away to prevent tripping

What are commercial Factors Influencing Scientific Decisions?

concerning money e.g. the funding for a scientific experiment

What are Legal Factors Influencing Scientific Decisions?

concerning law e.g. copyright protection for data collections

What are Ethical Factors Influencing Scientific Decisions?

concerning moral principles e.g. using animals, humans

What are Social Factors Influencing Scientific Decisions?

concerning society e.g. how the results affect all members of society (children, elderly, disabled etc.)

What is an independent variable?

the one you choose or control

What is a dependent variable?

the one that changes in response

What do the variables s, u, and v represent in SUVAT equations?

s = displacement , u = initial velocity and v = final velocity

How are graphs named?

Graphs are named based on the variables plotted

What does the slope of a graph indicate?

Indicates the rate of change (e.g., velocity or acceleration)

What does the area under the line of a graph provide?

Provides physical quantities (e.g., displacement or velocity)

What does the arrow head and length represent in vector representation?

Arrowhead indicates direction, Arrow Length represents magnitude

What is resolving vectors?

Splitting a single vector into two components (horizontal and vertical) that together have the same effect as the original vector

What is a quick tip to remember whether to use sin or cos when resolving vectors?

When the resultant is closing down onto the angle, use cos

2 steps to combining vectors using triangle method

1. link the vectors head-to-tail

2. Connect the tail of the first vector to the head of the second vector

What is the 'time of flight' of a projectile?

how long the projectile is in the air

What is the 'maximum height attained' of a projectile?

the height at which the projectile is momentarily at rest

What is the 'range' of a projectile?

the horizontal distance traveled by the projectile

What are two main considerations for solving problems involving two-dimensional motion of a projectile?

Constant velocity in the horizontal direction and Constant acceleration in a perpendicular direction

3 steps to drawing a free body force diagram

1. Draw a point in the centre of mass of the body

2. Draw the body free from contact with any other object

3. Draw the forces acting on that body using vectors with correct direction and proportional length

What is Newton's Second Law of Motion?

The acceleration of an object with constant mass is directly proportional to the resultant force on it

What is mass?

the measure of the amount of matter in an object

What is weight?

the force a body experiences due to being in a gravitational field

What is Gravitational field strength?

the force per kilogram that acts on an object

What is freefall?

used to describe falling objects where the only force is weight

What is the aim of the Acceleration of Freefall Investigations?

The overall aim of these investigations is to calculate the value of the acceleration due to gravity, g

What is Newton’s third law of motion?

Whenever two bodies interact, the forces they exert on each other are equal in size, act in opposite directions, and are of the same type

What is linear momentum?

The product of mass and velocity

What is the principle of conservation of linear momentum?

In a closed system, the total momentum before an event is equal to the total momentum after the event.

What is a moment?

The turning effect of a force

What is the centre of gravity of an object?

The point through which all the weight can be considered to act

What is the principle of moments?

For a system to be in equilibrium, the sum of clockwise moments about a point must be equal to the sum of the anticlockwise moments (about the same point)

What is work?

The amount of energy transferred when an external force causes an object to move over a certain distance

What is kinetic energy?

Energy an object has due to its motion (or velocity)

What is gravitational potential energy?

Energy stored in a mass due to its position in a gravitational field

What is the principle of conservation of energy?

The principle of conservation of energy is a law of Physics which always applies to a closed system

What is power?

The rate at which energy is transferred

What is the efficiency of a system?

The ratio of the useful power or energy transfer output from a system to its total power or energy transfer input

What is electric current?

The rate of flow of charge

What is electric charge?

A property of some particles

What is conventional current?

The flow of positive charge from the positive terminal of a cell to the negative terminal

What is potential difference?

The work done per unit charge

What is resistance?

Defined as the opposition to current

What is Ohm's Law?

The current through a component is directly proportional to the potential difference across it, providing the temperature is constant

What is the Electric Current Rule (Kirchhoff's First Law)?

The algebraic sum of the currents entering and leaving a junction is equal to zero

What is the Electrical Voltages Rule (Kirchhoff's Second Law)?

The sum of the e.m.f.s in a closed circuit loop is equal to the sum of the potential differences around that loop

Why will the ouput voltage change in a potentiometer?

Each part will have different resistances

Define electromotive force (EMF)

The amount of chemical energy converted to electrical energy per unit charge when charge passes through a power supply

What is force?

the rate of flow of change of momentum on a body

What is the the potential gradient in an electric field?

The rate of change of electric potential with respect to displacement in the direction of the field

What is the definition of the time constant for a discharging capacitor?

The time taken for the charge, current or potential difference of a discharging capacitor to decrease to 37% of its original value

What is an electric field?

a region of space in which a charged particle experiences a force

What is a radian?

The angle subtended at the centre of a circle by an arc equal in length to the radius of the circle

What is drift velocity?

The average velocity of the charge carriers travelling through the conductor

What is Electromagnetic induction?

The process in which an e.m.f is induced in a closed circuit due to changes in magnetic flux (linkage)

What is magnetic flux?

The product of the magnetic flux density and the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic flux density

Define the term Work

The amount of energy transferred when an external force causes an object to move over a certain distance

State Newton's Third Law of Motion

Whenever two bodies interact, the forces they exert on each other are equal in size, act in opposite directions, and are of the same type

How is the analysis of particule tracks important?

The radius and direction of particle tracks is used to determine momentum and charge.

What is electrical Restivity?

All materials have some resistance to the flow of charge

What is Newton’s first law of motion?

An object will remain at rest or at constant velocity unless acted upon by an external resultant force