P_20210207_123307

Interactive Self-Study GCSE Physics Course

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Course Navigation

  • Electricity
    • Static Electricity & Electric Fields
    • Current, potential difference and resistance
    • Circuits
    • Electrical Energy transfers
    • The National Grid
    • Domestic uses and safety
  • Kinetic Theory of Matter
    • The ‘Particle Model’
    • Temperature & the Gas Laws
    • Temperature, internal energy and heat
    • Thermal energy transfers
    • Heating and cooling
    • Changes of state
    • Heating & Insulating Buildings
    • Pressure and gases
    • Density
  • Atomic Structure
    • Development of the atomic model
    • Atoms and isotopes
    • Radioactive decay
    • Types of nuclear radiation
    • Hazards & applications
    • Nuclear fission
    • Nuclear fusion
  • Mechanics
    • Resultant Force & Newton’s Laws
    • Work done by forces
    • Moments, gears & levers
    • Gravity & centre of mass
    • Forces & elasticity
    • Speed, distance & time
    • Velocity & acceleration
    • Equations for constant acceleration
    • Friction, Drag & Terminal Velocity
    • Momentum
    • Forces and vehicle safety
    • Circular motion
    • The Pendulum
    • Pressure in liquids
    • Pressure in Fluids
  • Waves
    • General properties of waves
    • Sound
    • Ultrasound
    • Seismic Waves & Earthquakes
    • EM waves, light and its applications
    • Reflection & mirrors
    • Refraction & lenses
    • The eye
    • Infrared
    • UV Light & Ozone
    • X-rays
    • Radio & Microwaves (Communication & Heating)
  • Magnetism & Electromagnetism
    • Magnets and magnetic fields
    • The motor effect
    • The generator effect
    • Transformers
  • Astronomy, Astrophysics & Cosmology
    • Our solar system
    • Stars and their “life-cycles”
    • Redshift & the origin of the universe
  • Energy
    • Defining and categorising energy
    • Work & the conservation of energy
    • Mechanical Kinetic Energy
    • Elastic Potential Energy
    • Gravitational Potential Energy
    • Solving Mechanics Problems With Energy
    • Internal Energy & Heat
    • Electrical Energy
    • Work, Power & Efficiency
    • Generating Electrical Power

Below is a list of the individual lessons within each topic of this GCSE physics course, with an outline of what each lesson covers.

Click on a lesson to get started, or click the ‘course navigation’ button above.

Electricity

A lesson introducing charge as a fundamental property of matter; electrostatic forces of attraction & repulsion; electric fields around point charges; charging by friction; the phenomenon of static electricity.

Definition & explanation of electric current and how it relates to charge; conditions required for current flow & concept of potential difference; relationship between current, p.d. and resistance (Ohm’s Law).

Standard symbols for electrical circuit components; series & parallel circuit diagrams; I-V graphs for Ohmic & non-Ohmic resistors; behaviour of current, p.d. and resistance in series & parallel circuits.

General definition of power and application to electrical circuits; calculation of cost of electrical power (kWh); using equations to calculate p.d., current, resistance, power, work done and time in circuits.

National Grid as a system of cables and transformers linking power stations to consumers which is used to transfer electrical power; use of step-up & step-down transformers allowing efficient transfer of power.

Direct vs. alternating p.d.; colours & functions of live, neutral & earth wires in three-core cables of mains supply; hazards of mains electricity, safety devices & precautions (earthed casings, RCD’s & fuses).

The 'Particle Model' (Kinetic Theory of Matter)

The characteristic properties of solids, liquids and gases in terms of the arrangements, motion and attractive forces between particles; the definition, calculation & experimental determination of density.

Definition of temperature & its scales; gas pressure in terms of particle motion; Boyle’s Law; Charles’ Law; Gay-Lussac’s Law; the “Combined” Gas Law; calculation of pressure, volume or temperature of gases.

Definition and distinction between the terms temperature, internal energy, thermal energy and heat; variation in these quantities under heating and cooling, and how these quantities relate to particle motion.

Thermal energy transfer by conduction, convection & infrared radiation; explanation of these modes of thermal energy transfer in terms of changes in kinetic energies of particles, internal energy & heat transfer.

Definition and calculation of specific heat capacity; how internal energy is altered by heating and cooling; distinction between changes in temperature and changes of state in terms of heat energy transfers.

Explanation of changes of state in terms of heat transfer, particle motion & attractive forces between particles; definition & calculation of specific latent heat and heat energy transfer during changes of state.

Distinction between a thermal conductor and a thermal insulator; thermal conductivity of various materials in terms of the particle model; applying the particle model to explain thermal insulation of buildings.

How the motion of the molecules in a gas is related both to its temperature and its pressure; work done on/by gases and relationship to gas pressure, volume & temperature; explanation of atmospheric pressure.

In this lesson we review the concept of density, including its calculation from volume and mass of an object, with a number of examples of calculations involving regular and irregular shaped objects.

Atomic Structure & Nuclear Physics

How and why the atomic model has changed over time; basic structure of atoms in terms of sub-atomic particles (protons, neutrons and electrons), including their relative charges, masses and arrangement in atoms.

Differences between atoms of different elements & between isotopes of an element; definitions of atomic number, mass number & relative atomic mass; typical size & scale of atoms & molecules (orders of magnitude).

Concept of nuclear instability and emission of nuclear radiation by unstable nuclei; standard symbols for alpha, beta and gamma emissions and use of nuclear decay equations; concept of half-life & its application.

Standard notation and balanced nuclear decay equations for alpha, beta & gamma emission; ionisation of atoms by alpha, beta and gamma radiation; penetrating & ionising powers of these types of nuclear radiation.

Differences between nuclear contamination and irradiation hazards; how hazards nuclear materials differ with half-life & type of emission; applications of nuclear radiation (e.g. in medical & industrial contexts).

Fission in terms of inducing increased nuclear instability through neutron absorption; nuclear chain reactions; description of fission using nuclear equations; generating electrical power in nuclear reactors.

Fusion in terms of combination of smaller nuclei to form more stable larger nuclei; conditions for nuclear fusion; description of fission using nuclear equations; conversion of mass to energy during fusion reactions.

Mechanics (Forces & Motion)

Concepts of force, resultant force and the effects of forces on objects in both qualitative and quantitative terms; Newton’s Laws of motion; forces as vector quantities; resolution & summation of force vectors.

Relationships between work, force, & displacement, and the energy transfer involved; distinction between internal & external work, and between positive & negative work, and how these affect energy stored in systems.

Definition of the moment of a force and its calculation, including for forces at angles other than perpendicular to objects; types of gears & transmission of moments of forces by gears, to include gear ratios.

Gravitational fields, dependency of field strength on mass; definition of weight and its calculation near the surface of Earth, concept of centre of mass and its determination for regular and irregular-shaped objects.

Hooke’s Law & elastic potential energy, and the dependency of the latter on work done by forces in elastic deformation of objects; definition of spring constant in linear cases; elastic vs plastic deformation.

Vector/scalar distinction as applied to distance and displacement; calculation of average speed for non-uniform motion; distance-time graphs; conversion between standard (SI) & non-standard units of speed.

The vector/scalar distinction as it applies to velocity and speed; velocity vs. time graphs (including interpreting slopes & enclosed area under such graphs); the definition & calculation of acceleration.

Calculation of acceleration given appropriate velocity, displacement, and time data using “VUSTA” equations for constant (uniform) acceleration; numerous examples of use of equations for constant acceleration.

A lesson outlining examples of frictional and drag forces acting on objects (including examples of objects that reach terminal velocity, for example skydivers) and applying similar ideas to the motion of vehicles.

Inertia as a measure of how difficult it is to change the velocity of an object; mass defined as the ratio of force over acceleration; definition of momentum; elastic collisions; law of conservation of momentum.

Factors affecting vehicle safety; stopping distance, thinking distance & braking distance, and the factors affecting these in terms of forces, momentum, impulse & acceleration; measurement of reaction times.

Explanation of why an object moving in a circular path at constant speed has a changing velocity (and is therefore accelerating) & requirement for resultant (centripetal) force towards centre of the circular path.

Properties of a pendulum; the relationships between length, amplitude, frequency & period of oscillation of a pendulum; transfer of gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy during motion of a pendulum.

Explanation of pressure in liquids and its dependency on depth, gravitational field strength and density of liquid; factors affecting floating & sinking; calculation of pressure differences at different depths; hydraulics.

Derivation of the equation for & calculation of pressure at a given depth in a liquid, how pressure in a liquid determines buoyancy of immersed objects, how pressure varies with altitude in the atmosphere.

Waves

Waves as oscillatory phenomena which transfer energy; categorisation of waves (longitudinal vs. transverse); definitions & relationships between amplitude, wavelength, frequency, time period & speed.

Sound as longitudinal waves in matter; variation in velocity, frequency & wavelength in transmission of sound waves from one medium to another; perceived qualities of sound vs. frequency, wavelength, amplitude.

Effects of reflection, transmission, and absorption of ultrasound at material interfaces; applications of ultrasound (medical & industrial); including calculating distances between material interfaces from ultrasound probe data.

The detection of earthquakes and other geological events by means of seismic waves (L, R, P & S-waves), including the features of seismic waves and how they are used in exploration of the Earth’s structure.

EM waves as transverse waves in electric & magnetic fields; parts of EM spectrum (ranges of wavelength & frequency); colour as differential absorption, reflection & transmission of visible light; specular reflection & scattering.

Law of reflection; using ray diagrams to illustrate reflection at plane & curved (convex & concave mirror) surfaces, including production of real & virtual images, positions & sizes of objects & images relative to reflecting surface.

Explanation of refraction in terms of changes in velocity of EM waves in different media; using ray diagrams to illustrate refraction at material boundaries (including convex & concave lenses and their uses in correction of vision).

Parts of the mammalian eye and their functions, with specific reference to the role of refraction in the functions of the cornea and lens in focussing vision; eye defects and their correction using convex or concave lenses in more depth.

Dependency of intensity & wavelength of EM radiated on temperature & explanation of how the temperature of a body is related to the balance between incoming radiation absorbed and radiation emitted; examples to illustrate.

Emission of ultraviolet light and its interaction with the ozone layer; role of the ozone layer in protecting living organisms from harmful effects of ultraviolet EM waves, and an overview and explanation of these harmful effects.

Properties of X-Rays (including the inverse square law and absorption & emission); differences in absorption, velocity & reflection of X-rays used for detection & imaging of structures in the body; applications in the medical context.

Connection between radio wave emission & absorption and oscillations of electrical current; how radio waves & microwaves are used in communications; explanation of use of microwaves in heating (microwave ovens etc.).

Magnetism & Electromagnetism

Description & explanation of magnetic fields as fields of force around magnetic objects; poles of magnets and forces of attraction/repulsion; explanation of magnetic field of Earth and behaviour of magnetic compass.

Relationship between electric current & magnetic field; Fleming’s left-hand rule; force on conductor, magnetic field strength, length of conductor & current; dependency of strength of field on distance from conductor.

Explain how a change in the magnetic field around a conductor causes an induced p.d., generating a magnetic field that would oppose the original change; application to a.c. generator & d.c. dynamo.

Explanation of the structure & operation of transformers in terms input/output voltage and primary/secondary coils, current, etc.; applications of principles of electromagnetic induction to microphones & loudspeakers.

Astronomy, Astrophysics & Cosmology

Formation of the solar system; Similarities & distinctions between the planets, their moons & artificial satellites; Formation of the Sun (gravitational attraction, fusion reactions & the balance between these forces).

The possible stages in the “life-cycles” of stars; importance of fusion reactions & gravitational collapse; possible changes in structure of stars & dependence on mass of star (including giants/dwarves, supernovae etc.).

Red-shift in terms of changes in frequency/wavelength; relationship between red-shift & speed of recession of galaxies; Evidence for “Big Bang” cosmological model (red-shift & microwave background radiation).

Energy

The concept of energy as a mathematical abstraction given meaning through calculation, the categorisation of energy stored in systems as kinetic or potential, and the definition of these terms; transfer of energy as work.

Work defined as change in the total energy stored in a system; Defining and categorising work as internal vs. external (external work as positive or negative); conservation of energy in terms of internal/external work.

Redistribution of energy in a system when work is done by forces; work defined as the product of force and parallel displacement; calculation of work, potential & kinetic energy in systems using appropriate equations.

Definition of elastic potential energy stored in objects under elastic deformation (extension & compression) by forces, in terms of force, work done, extension/compression and spring constant; examples of calculations.

Potential energy arising as a result of the ability of fields to do work by exerting forces at a distance; gravitational fields; calculations of gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy & work done by gravity.

In this lesson we bring together the ideas from the previous lessons in this topic to easily solve what would otherwise be complex problems in mechanics involving systems undergoing changes.

Changes in energy involved when a system is changed by heating in terms of temperature change, specific heat capacity, mass and changes in the thermal energy of the system (i.e. change in internal energy of the object).

In this lesson we explore the application of the concept of energy to electrical systems; the electrical potential energy of charged objects in electric fields & the energy transferred by an electric current.

Definition of power as rate of energy transfer; specific calculation of power in electrical systems; concept of dissipation of energy into non-useful forms by devices; concept of efficiency; calculation of efficiency.

Description & evaluation of energy sources for generation of electrical power; renewable vs. non-renewable sources; the National Grid and explanation of the use high voltage for efficient transfer of electrical power.