Cambridge International AS and A Level Physics

How to use this book

Each chapter begins with a short list of the There is a short context at the beginning of each chapter, containing an example of
facts and concepts that are explained in it. how the material covered in the chapter relates to the ‘real world’.
AS Level Physics

1 Describing movement
Chapter 1: Our eyes are good at detecting movement. We notice
even quite small movements out of the corners of

Kinematics –
our eyes. It’s important for us to be able to judge
movement – think about crossing the road, cycling or
driving, or catching a ball.

describing motion Figure 1.1 shows a way in which movement can

be recorded on a photograph. This is a stroboscopic
photograph of a boy juggling three balls. As he juggles,
a bright lamp flashes several times a second so that
the camera records the positions of the balls at equal
Learning outcomes intervals of time.
If we knew the time between flashes, we could Figure 1.1 This boy is juggling three balls. A stroboscopic
You should be able to: measure the photograph and calculate the speed of a lamp flashes at regular intervals; the camera is moved to one
ball as it moves through the air. side at a steady rate to show separate images of the boy.
■ define displacement, speed and velocity
■ draw and interpret displacement–time graphs
■ describe laboratory methods for determining speed
The text and illustrations describe and explain all of the facts and concepts
■ use vector addition to add two or more vectors Speed
that We
you need to know. The chapters, and often
can calculate the average speed of something moving if
the content within them as
If you look at the speedometer in a car, it doesn’t
well,weare arranged
know the distance itin a similar
moves sequence
and the time it takes: to your
tell yousyllabus, but
the car’s average with
speed; AS
rather, and
it tells you its
AS Level Physics A Levelaverage
content clearly
distance separated into the two speed halves of the
at the instant when book.
you look at it. This is the car’s
speed = instantaneous speed.
time
2
In symbols, this is written as:
Figure 13.3 or a similar graph of displacement against
Questions
QUESTION throughout the text
QUESTION d
time illustrates the following important definitions about v=
t give you a chance to check that
1 Look at Figure 1.2. The runner ran 10 000 m, and
waves and wave motion: Determine
1where v is thethe wavelength
average speed and amplitude of eachtravelled
d is the distance youthehave understood
clock shows the Calculate
the total time taken. topic his
■■ The distance of a point on the wave from its undisturbed in of thet.two
time Thewaves shown in
photograph Figure1.2)
(Figure 13.5.shows Ethiopia’s youaverage
havespeedjust read
during about. You
the race.
viii position or equilibrium position is called the displacement x. Kenenisa6 Bekele posing next to the scoreboard after
can find the answers to these
Displacement / cm

■■ The maximum displacement of any point on the wave breaking4 the world record in a a men’s 10 000 metres race.
from its undisturbed position is called the amplitude A.
The amplitude of a wave on the sea is measured in units
The time2 on the clock in the photograph
b enables us to questions on the CD-ROM.
Units
work out0 his average speed.
–2 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
of distance, e.g. metres. The greater the amplitude of the In the Système Internationale d’Unités (the SI system),
If the
–4 object is moving at a constant speed, this
wave, the louder the sound or the rougher the sea! distance is measured in metres (m) and time in seconds (s).
equation Distance
–6 will give us its speed / cm the time taken. If its
during
■■ The distance from any point on a wave to the next exactly Therefore, speed is in metres per second. This is written as
similar point (e.g. crest to crest) is called the wavelength λ speed is changing, then the equation gives us its average
Figure 13.5 Two waves – for Question 1. m s−1 (or as m/s). Here, s−1 is the same as 1/s, or ‘per second’.
(the Greek letter lambda). The wavelength of a wave on the speed. Average speed is calculated over a period of time.
There are many other units used for speed. The choice of
sea is measured in units of distance, e.g. metres.
unit depends on the situation. You would probably give the
■■ The time taken for one complete oscillation of a point in a
wave is called the period T. It is the time taken for a point to BOX 13.1: Measuring frequency This
speed of abook does units
snail in different notfromcontain
the speed of a racing
car. Table 1.1 includes
AS Level some alternative units of speed.
Physics
move from one particular position and return to that same
position, moving in the same direction. It is measured in
detailed instructions for doing
Note that in many calculations it is necessary to work
You can measure the frequency of sound waves
units of time, e.g. seconds.. using a cathode-ray oscilloscope (c.r.o.). Figure 13.6 inparticular
SI units (m s−1). experiments, but you
■■ The number of oscillations per unit time of a point in a
wave is called its frequency f. For sound waves, the higher
shows how. will find background
m s−1 metresinformation
per second
the frequency of a musical note, the higher is its pitch.
A microphone is connected to the input of the about
cm s−1 the practical
QUESTIONS workperyou
centimetres second WORKED EXAMPL
c.r.o. Sound waves are captured by the microphone
Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz), where 1 Hz = one
oscillation per second (1 kHz = 103 Hz and 1 MHz = 106 Hz). and converted into a varying voltage which has the need
km s−1
7 to do inhow
Calculate these Boxes.
muchkilometres There
per second
gravitational potential 3 Calculate the in
The frequency f of a wave is the reciprocal of the period T: same frequency as the sound waves. This voltage is are
km also
h−1 or km/h two
energy chapters,
is gained if you climbP1
kilometres aper and
hour
flight of stairs. mass 800 kg wh
displayed on the c.r.o. screen. mph Assume that you have a mass
miles of 52 kg and that the
per hour 30 m s−1.
180
f=
1 Figure 1.2 Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele set a new world record P2, which height provide detailed
you lift yourself is 2.5 m.
T forItthe
is best tometres
10 000 think ofrace
a c.r.o. as a voltmeter which
in 2005. Table 1.1 Units of speed. Step 1 Calcula
Waves are called mechanical waves if they need a is capable of displaying a rapidly varying voltage. To information
8 A climber of about
mass 100the practical
kg (including the equipment Ek = 12 mv2 = 12 ×
substance (medium) through which to travel. Sound is one do this, its spot moves across the screen at a steady skills you need to develop during
she is carrying) ascends from sea level to the top
of a mountain 5500 m high. Calculate the change = 160 kJ
speed, set by the time-base control. At the same
example of such a wave. Other cases are waves on strings,
time, the spot moves up and down according to the
your course.
in her gravitational potential energy. Step 2 Calcula
seismic waves and water waves (Figure 13.4).
voltage of the input. 9 a A toy car works by means of a stretched rubber Ek = 12 mv2 = 12 ×
Some properties of typical waves are given on page 183
Hence the display on the screen is a graph of the band. What form of potential energy does the = 360 kJ
in Table 13.1.
varying voltage, with time on the (horizontal) x-axis. car store when the band is stretched?
Step 3 Calcula
If we know the horizontal scale, we can determine b A bar magnet is lying with its north pole next
change in k.e. =
the period and hence the frequency of the sound to the south pole of another bar magnet. A
student pulls them apart. Why do we say that Hint: Take care
wave. Worked example 1 shows how to do this. (In
the magnets’ potential energy has increased? by squaring the
Chapter 15 we will look at one method of measuring Where has this energy come from? change in speed
the wavelength of sound waves.) incorrect value

Kinetic energy
As well as lifting an object, a force can make it accelerate. QUESTIONS
Important
Again, work isequations
done by the forceand other
and energy is transferred
76
facts
to theare shown
object. inwe
In this case, highlight
say that it hasboxes.
gained kinetic 10 Which has mo
travelling at 1
energy, Ek. The faster an object is moving, the greater its
250 kg travell
kinetic energy (k.e.).
11 Calculate the
mass 200 g w
Figure 13.6 Measuring the frequency of sound waves For an object of mass m travelling at a speed v, we have: the ground w
Figure 13.4 The impact of a droplet on the surface of a liquid
from a tuning fork. kinetic energy = 12 × mass × speed2 it at 12.2 m s−1
creates a vibration, which in turn gives rise to waves on the
surface. Ek = 12 mv2

g.p.e.–k.e. t
Deriving the formula for kinetic energy A motor drags the ro
The equation for k.e., Ek = 12mv2, is related to one of the hill. The car runs dow
equations of motion. We imagine a car being accelerated as it goes (see Figure
from rest (u = 0) to velocity v. To give it acceleration a, it to reach the top of th