Physics Gcse Aqa Higher

Energy unit

Joules (J)

Weight unit

Newtons (N)

Gravitational field strength (on Earth)

9.8 N/kg

Energy stores

thermal, kinetic, gravitational potential, elastic potential, electrostatic, magnetic, nuclear, chemical

Energy transfers

heat, mechanical, electrical, light (radiation), sound (radiation)

switch

cell

converts chemical energy into electrical energy to provide power for the circuit

battery

two or more cells joined together that provide energy for the circuit

diode

allows current to flow one direction, but not the other

resistor

increases the resistance of a circuit

variable resistor

allows you to adjust the resistance of a circuit

LED

a diode that converts electrical energy into light

lamp

converts electrical energy into light and heat

fuse

breaks the circuit when current becomes too high, for safety reasons

voltmeter

measures the potential difference

ammeter

measures the current

thermistor

a resistor that changes its resistance based on the temperature

LDR

a resistor that increases its resistance as light intensity decreases, and vice versa

charge

the electrical property of everything

charge can be positive if there are more protons, or negative if there are more electrons

the greater the difference between the number of protons and electrons, the greater the charge

coulombs

current

the flow of electric charge (usually carried by free electrons)

amperes (how many coulombs of charge pass through a specific point every second)

potential difference

the difference between the electrical potential energy of two points in a circuit

pushes the current along the circuit

volts (joules per coulomb)

resistance

opposition to the electric current

added by every component of a circuit

ohms

series circuit

current is the same everywhere

potential difference is different in each component, depending on the resistance of the component

the total resistance is the sum of the individual resistances of each component

parallel circuit

the total current is the sum of the individual currents of each branch

the potential difference is the same across different branches

the total resistance is always less than the resistance of the branch with the least resistance

resistor

filament bulb

Diode & LED

LDR (x axis light intensity)

thermistor (x axis temperature)

power unit

Watts