Physics year 11 start of new term cohort tests

Independent variable

The thing you change in an investigation.

Dependant variable

The thing you measure in an investigation.

Control variables

Anything you keep constant in an investigation.

Resolution of equipment

The smallest value the equipment can read, e.g. a ruler to 1mm.

Directly proportional

When one value increases, the other value increases as well.

Uncertainty in a mean result

Gives the range of values where the true value lies.

Inertia

The tendency of objects to continue in their state of rest or uniform motion.

Newton’s First Law

An object will remain at rest, or in constant motion unless acted upon by a resultant force.

Newton’s Second Law

Acceleration is directly proportional to resultant force and inversely proportional to mass.

Elastic potential energy

Stored energy when an object is stretched, bent, or squashed.

Kinetic energy

Energy of motion of an object.

Nuclear energy

Energy stored in the nucleus of an atom.

Efficiency

A measurement of how much useful energy comes out of a device compared to how much energy went in.

Potential difference (p.d.)

Energy transferred per unit charge.

Series circuit

A circuit where the current flows through the same path.

Parallel circuit

A circuit that has more than one path for current to flow.

Specific heat capacity

The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1kg of a substance by 1°C.

Specific latent heat of fusion

Energy required to change 1kg of a solid into a liquid at a constant temperature.

Pressure in a gas

Caused by particle collisions with the container walls.

Thermal conductivity

How quickly a material conducts heat.