1. Working as a Physicist

Working as a Physicist

SI Units

Practical Skills

Estimating Physical Quantities

Limitations of Measurements

Scientific Communication

Applications of Science

The Scientific Community

Science & Society

2. Mechanics

Motion

Equations of Motion

Motion Graphs

Properties of Motion Graphs

Scalars & Vectors

Resolving Vectors

Finding the Resultant Vector

Projectiles

Forces as Vectors

Forces & Momentum

Force & Acceleration

Mass, Weight & Gravitational Field Strength

Core Practical 1: Investigating the Acceleration of Freefall

Newton's Third Law of Motion

Momentum

Conservation of Linear Momentum

Moments

Moments

Centre of Gravity & The Principle of Moments

Work, Energy & Power

Work

Kinetic Energy

Gravitational Potential Energy

The Principle of Conservation of Energy

Power

Efficiency

3. Electric Circuits

Current, Potential Difference, Resistance & Power

Electric Current

Potential Difference

Ohm's Law

Charge Conservation in Circuits

Energy Conservation in Circuits

Resistance in Series & Parallel

Electrical Power

Current-Potential Difference Graphs

Resistance, Resistivity & Potential Dividers

Electrical Resistivity

Core Practical 2: Investigating Resistivity

Current & Drift Velocity

Potential Difference & Conductor Length

Potential Dividers

Potential Dividers & Variable Resistance

E.M.F & Modelling Resistance

Electromotive Force

Internal Resistance

E.M.F. vs. Terminal Potential Difference

Core Practical 3: Investigating E.M.F. & Internal Resistance

Resistance & Temperature

Resistance & Illumination

4. Materials

Density, Upthrust & Viscous Drag

Density

Upthrust

Viscous Drag

Core Practical 4: Investigating Viscosity

Stretching Materials

Hooke's Law

Stress, Strain & The Young Modulus

Force-Extension Graphs

Stress-Strain Graphs

Core Practical 5: Investigating Young Modulus

Elastic Strain Energy

5. Waves & Particle Nature of Light

Transverse & Longitudinal Waves

Properties of Waves

The Wave Equation

Longitudinal Waves

Transverse Waves

Representing Waves on Graphs

Core Practical 6: Investigating the Speed of Sound

Interference & Stationary Waves

Interference & Superposition of Waves

Phase & Path Difference

Stationary Waves

Wave Speed on a Stretched String

Core Practical 7: Investigating Stationary Waves

Refraction, Reflection & Polarisation

Equation for the Intensity of Radiation

Refraction & Refractive Index

Critical Angle

Total Internal Reflection

Measuring Refractive Index

Converging & Diverging Lenses

Using Ray Diagrams

Power of a Lens

Thin Lenses in Combination

Real & Virtual Images

The Lens Equation

Magnification

Plane Polarisation

Waves, Electrons & Photons

Diffraction

The Diffraction Grating Equation

Core Practical 8: Investigating Diffraction Gratings

The Wave Nature of Electrons

The de Broglie Equation

Transmission & Reflection of Waves

Pulse-Echo Technique

Wave-Particle Duality

Energy of a Photon

The Photoelectric Effect & Atomic Spectra

The Photoelectric Effect

The Photoelectric Equation

The Electronvolt

The Particle Nature of EM Radiation

Atomic Line Spectra

6. Further Mechanics

Momentum & Impulse

Impulse

Core Practical 9: Investigating Impulse

Applying Conservation of Linear Momentum

Core Practical 10: Investigating Collisions using ICT

Elastic & Inelastic Collisions

Energy-Momentum Relation

Circular Motion

Radians & Angular Displacement

Angular Velocity

Centripetal Acceleration

Maintaining Circular Motion

Centripetal Force

7. Electric & Magnetic Fields

Electric Fields

Defining an Electric Field

Electric Field Strength

Electric Force between Two Charges

Electric Field due to a Point Charge

Electric Field & Potential

Electric Field between Parallel Plates

Electric Potential for a Radial Field

Representing Radial & Uniform Electric Fields

Capacitance

Capacitance

Energy Stored by a Capacitor

Charge & Discharge Curves

Core Practical 11: Investigating Capacitor Charge & Discharge

Exponential Discharge in a Capacitor

Magnetic Fields

Magnetic Flux Density, Flux & Flux Linkage

Magnetic Force on a Charged Particle

Magnetic Force on a Current-Carrying Conductor

Electromagnetic Induction & Alternating Currents

Induced E.M.F in a Moving Coil

Induced E.M.F between Linked Coils

Lenz's Law

Faraday's Law

Alternating Currents & Potential Differences

Root-Mean-Square Current & Potential Difference

8. Nuclear & Particle Physics

Exploring the Structure of Matter

Nucleon & Proton Number

The Nuclear Model of the Atom

Thermionic Emission

Particle Accelerators & Detectors

Radius of a Charged Particle in a Magnetic Field

Interpreting Particle Tracks

High Energy Particle Collisions

Annihilation of Matter & Antimatter

Unit Conversions for Energy & Mass

Relativistic Situations

Particle Interactions & Conservation

The Standard Model

Antimatter

Conservation Laws in Particle Physics

Particle Interaction Equations

9. Thermodynamics

Thermal Energy Transfer

Specific Heat Capacity & Latent Heat

Core Practical 12: Calibrating a Thermistor

Core Practical 13: Investigating Specific Latent Heat

Kinetic Theory & Ideal Gases

Internal Energy

Temperature & Absolute Zero

Kinetic Theory of Gases Equation

Ideal Gas Equation

Core Practical 14: Investigating Gas Pressure & Volume

Average Molecular Kinetic Energy

Black Body Radiation

Black Body Radiation

Stefan-Boltzmann Law

Wien’s Law

10. Space

Astronomy

Inverse Square Law of Flux

Parallax

Standard Candles

The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

The Life Cycle of Stars

Cosmology

Doppler Shift

Equations for Cosmology

Cosmology

11. Nuclear Radiation

Nuclear Fusion & Fission

Nuclear Binding Energy & Mass Deficit

Atomic Mass Unit

Binding Energy per Nucleon Graph

Nuclear Fusion

Radioactivity Decay

Background Radiation

Alpha, Beta & Gamma Radiation

Nuclear Decay Equations

Core Practical 15: Investigating Gamma Radiation Absorption

The Random Nature of Nuclear Decay

Equations for Nuclear Physics

12. Gravitational Fields

Gravitational Fields

Gravitational Fields

Gravitational Field Strength

Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation

Gravitational Field due to a Point Mass

Gravitational Potential for a Radial Field

Comparing Electric & Gravitational Fields

Orbital Motion

13. Oscillations

Simple Harmonic Motion

Conditions for Simple Harmonic Motion

Equations for Simple Harmonic Motion

Period of Simple Harmonic Oscillators

Displacement-Time Graph for an Oscillator

Velocity-Time Graph for an Oscillator

Resonance

Resonance

Core Practical 16: Investigating Resonance

Damped & Undamped Oscillating Systems

Free & Forced Oscillations

Resonance Graphs

Damping & Plastic Deformation

Exam boards

• OCR A Level Physics
• AQA A Level Physics
• Cambridge (CIE) A Level Physics

Study tools

• Edexcel A Level Physics · Exam Questions
• Edexcel A Level Physics · Past Papers

Related links

• A Level Physics · Revision Notes
• A Level Physics · Exam Questions
• A Level Physics · Past Papers
• A Level Physics · Glossary