Define scalar quantity.

It is one which has only magnitude.

Define vector quantity.

It is one which has both magnitude and direction.

Define speed.
Rate of change of distance
OR distance per unit time.

Define velocity.
Rate of change of displacement.
OR displacement per unit time.

Define acceleration / state what is meant by uniform acceleration.

Rate of change of velocity.

State what is meant by negative acceleration.

Deceleration.

State what is meant by uniform deceleration.

Equal decrease in speed in the same time.

What feature of speed-time graph shows the:

acceleration? Answer: Gradient
distance? Answer: Area under graph

Question talking about: object falling in air and eventually reaches a constant velocity. Explain why.
Answer:
As downward speed increases, air resistance increases. When weight and air resistance are equal
and opposite, resultant force is zero. So, it travels at terminal velocity.

Question talking about: object sinking in a liquid and eventually reaches a constant velocity. Why?
Answer:
As downward speed increaes, upward force increases. When weight and upward force are equal
and opposite, resultant force is zero.

Question talking about object moving/accelerating forward but eventually reaches a maximum
speed. Why?
Answer: As forward speed increases, air resistance increases. When forward force and air
resistance are equal and opposite, resultant force is zero.

Question talking about object moving around a corner, and even if it is at constant speed, it is
accelerating. Explain why.
Answer: Speed is constant, but velocity is changing because direction is changing. Acceleration is
rate of change of velocity.

What is thinking distance?

Distance traveled during reaction time.

What is braking distance?

Distance traveled while brakes are being applied.
What is stopping distance?
Distance traveled during deceleration until coming to rest.

Factors affecting thinking distance:

Consumption of alcohol/drugs.
Driver is tired.

Factors affecting braking distance:

Poor brakes.
Slippery road.
Worn tyres.
Overloading.

State Newton's third law.

To every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction.

Question talking about object moving in one direction (Let's say to the right) and a force opposes it
(meaning opposing force is to the left.
Describe and explain the effect of the unbalanced forces on the motion of “the object”.
Answer: It accelerates because resusltant force is to the right.
(your task: replace “ to the right” with direction mentioned in question)

If forces are balanced, describe and explain motion.

It moves at constant velocity, because resultant force is zero.

Define friction.
Force that opposes motion.

Effect of force on object.

Change shape.
Change size.
NOTE: Mass does not change.

Effect of force on moving object.

Change direction of motion.
Start moving or stop moving.
NOTE: Mass does not change.

Define mass.
Amount of matter in a body.

Define density.
Mass per unit volume.

Define moment.
Product of force and perpendicular distance from the pivot.

State principle of moments.

For equilibrium, sum of clockwise moements is equal to the sum of anticlockwise moments.
What is meant by limit of proportionality.
Point beyond which extension is not directly proportional to force anymore.
Define pressure.
Force per unit area.

Question talking about pressure exerted on an object, then telling you that your calculated value is
less than the actual/real value. Explain why.
Answer: Atmospheric pressure is acting.

recall and use p1V1 = p2V2

When asked what conditions are needed to use this equation.
Answer:
Temperature constant.
Mass of gas constant / number of atoms of gas constant.

State principle of conservation of energy.

Energy can neither be created, nor destroyed, but can be converted from one form to another or
transferred from one body to another.

State what is meant by renewable enrgy.

Source of energy that does not run out.

State what is meant by non-renewable energy.

Source that runs out with time.

Define work.
Product of force and distance in direction of force.

Define power.
Work done per unit time.

State what is meant by efficiency.

Ratio of useful outpout energy to the input energy.

Handles of cooking pan is made of plastic/wood. Explain why.

Answer: Because it is a good insulator.

Base of cooking pan is made of copper/metal. Explain why.

Answer: Because it is a good conductor.

Describe how heat is transferred from the base of cooking pan to the substance.
Answer: Free electrons collide with neighbouring electrons and pass on their energy.

Describe how liquid at top is heated.

Answer: The hot, denser liquid rises while the cooler, less dense liquid falls. The process goes on
until it sets up a convection current.

Explain what is meant by radiation.

Heat transferred by infra-red, which can travel even in vacuum.

Explain why black surfaces cool faster.

Answer: They are better emitters of radiation.
Explain why black surfaces heat faster.
Answer: They are better absorbers of radiation.

For thermometer, what is sensitivity?

Change in property per unit degree celsius.

For thermometer, what is range?

Difference between largest and smallest temperature.

What is meant by linear scale?

Change in temperature is proportional to change in property.

Advantage of thermocouple.
Can read rapidly changing temperatures.
Large range of temperatures.
Can read very high temperatures.

Define heat capacity.

Amount of heat required to increase temperature of substance by 1 kelvin.

Define specific heat capacity.

Amount of heat required to change 1kg of substance by 1 kelvin.

Define latent heat.

Amount of heat required to change state of a substance at constant temperature.

Define specific latent heat.

Amount of heat required to change state of 1kg of substance at constant temperature.

Define latent heat of fusion.

Amount of heat to change from solid to liquid at constant temperature.

Define specific latent heat of fusion.

Amount of heat required to change 1kg of substance from solid to liquid at constant temperature.

Define latent heat of vaporisation.

Heat required to change from liquid to vapour at constant temperature.

Define specific latent heat of vaporisation.

Heat required to change 1kg of substance from liquid to vapour at constant temperature.

Define melting point.

Temperature at which solid changes to liquid.

Define boiling point.

Temperature at which liquid changes to gas.

Define ice point.

Temperature at which ice changes to water.
Define steam point.
Temperature at which water changes to water vapour.
Difference between boiling and evaporation.
Boiling occurs at constant temperature / evaporation occurs at any temperature.
Boiling occurs throughout liquid / evaporation occurs at surface of liquid.
Evaporation causes cooling.

When temperature changes for atoms/molecules, what quantity changes?

Kinetic energy / speed of atoms

When change in state occurs, what type of energy change of occurs?

Potential energy.

Explain evaporation in terms of molecules / explain why evaporation causes cooling.

The more energetic molecules move to the surface and escape, leaving behind the less energetic
molecules.

Factors increasing evaporation.

Larger surface area.
Draught
Increase temperature/heating.

Explain expansion.
Molecules gain energy and move further apart. So, volume increases.

Explain how pressure is exerted in a gas.

Molecules collide with the walls of the container, and create a force per unit area.

Explain how pressure changes when temperature increases, at constant volume.

Pressure increases because molecules hit the walls of the container more frequently with more force
per unit area.

Explain how volume changes when temperature increases, but pressure remains constant.
Volume increases because molecules gain energy and frequency of collisions with the walls
increases.

Explain how at constant temperature pressure changes when volume increases.

Molecules are futher apart, so frequency of collisions with the walls per unit area decreases. Hence,
pressure decreases.

Explain what is meant by wave motion.

A wave is the propagation of energy through periodic disturbances without the transfer of the
material medium.

Define amplitude.
Maximum displacement from equilibrium position.

Define period.
Time taken to complete an oscillation.

Define frequency.
Number of oscillations per unit time.
Define wavelength.
Distance between 2 consecutive crests.

Define wavefront.
Line passing through all points havibg the same phase.

Define transverse wave.

Wave for which vibrations are perpendicular to direction of propagation of wave.

Define longitudinal wave.

Wave for which vibrations are parallel to direction of propagation of wave.

Characteristics of electromagnetic waves.

They all travel at the same speed in vacuum.
They are all transverse waves.
They all obey the laws of reflection and refraction.

For electromagnetic waves, when frequency increases, wavelength decreases.

In terms of increasing frequency: You must know the exact order as follows --->
Radio wave
Microwave
Infra red
Visible light
Ultraviolet
X rays
Gamma rays

For visible light, in terms of increasing frequency: Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet

Role of the following components in the stated applications:

(1) radio waves – radio and television communications,
(2) microwaves – satellite television and telephone,
(3) infra-red – household electrical appliances, television controllers and intruder alarms,
(4) light – optical fibres in medical uses and telephone,
(5) ultra-violet – sunbeds, fluorescent tubes and sterilisation,
(6) X-rays – hospital use in medical imaging and killing cancerous cells, and engineering
applications
such as detecting cracks in metal,
(7) gamma rays – medical treatment in killing cancerous cells, and engineering applications such as
detecting cracks in metal.

State the speed of light.

3.0 x 10 Power 8 m/s

For ripple tank, during reflection, speed, frequency and wavelenth ALL remain CONSTANT.

For ripple tank, during refraction, FREQUENCY REMAINS CONSTANT.

Shallow water to deep water: Away from normal. (Speed and wavelength decrease).
Deep to shallow water: Towards normal . (Speed and wavelength increase).
Light: Define normal.
Line perpendicular to point of incidence of light on surface.

Define angle of incidence.

Angle between incident ray and the normal at the surface.

Define angle of reflection.

Angle between reflected ray and normal at the surface.

Define angle of refraction.

Angle between refracted ray and normal at the surface.
Define refractive index.
Write in this form: n = sin i / sin r , where n=refractive index , i=angle of incidence , r =angle of
refraction.

Note: n= it does not have any units!

Define critical angle.

Angle at which angle of incidence for which angle of refraction is 90 “degrees”, when light travels
from denser to less dense medium.

Define total internal reflection.

Light in a denser medium is reflected back into the denser medium itself, provided angle of
incidence is greater than critical angle.

Conditions for total internal reflection.

Light must be in denser medium.
Angle of reflection must be greater than critical angle.

Advantages of optical fibres.

More secure / data can be encrypted.
Larger amount of data per unit time.
Faster rate of transmission.

Define focal length.

Distance between the centre of the lens and the principal focus.

Define linear magnification.

Ratio of image distance to object distance.

State what is meant by real image.

If 1 mark is given: It is one which the image can be projected on a screen.
If 2 marks are given: It is one which the image can be projected on a screen because the rays meet
at the image position.

State what is meant by virtual image.

If 1 mark is given: It is one for which the image cannot be projected on a screen.
If 2 marks are given: It is one for which the image cannot be projected on a screen because the rays
do not meet at the image position.

To correct short sightedness, a diverging lens must be used. (Concave lens).

To correct long sightedness, a converging lens must be used. (Convex lens).

Describe in detail behaviour of cone of loudspeaker and air near it to produce sound.
Answer: The cone vibrates forward and backward and in turn makes the air molecules vibrate also.
This produces compressions and rarefactions near to it, and pass on energy to the neighbouring
molecules, setting up a longitudinal wave.

Define compression.
Region of higher air density/pressure.

Define rarefaction.
Region of lower air density/pressure.

Approximate range of audible frequencies for the healthy human ear as 20 Hz to 20 000 Hz.

Sound cannot travel in a vacuum because in a vacuum there are no molecules to use as medium.

Define ultrasound.
Sound with frequencies higher than 20 000 Hz, i.e. Above audible human frequency range.

Uses of ultrasound:
Ceaning, quality control and pre-natal scanning

State speed of sound in air.

You can quote any value between 300 and 350 m/s
I usually give 330 m/s.

On a CRO, loudness means amplitude (observe the y-axis) and pitch means frequency (Observe the
x-axis)

Magnetism: Read whole notes given. You will be assessed on your understanding. No definition.

Static electricity: Read whole notes given. You will be assessed on your understanding.
ONLY ELECTRONS move. Protons DO NOT.

Define earthing.
Process of connecting object to the ground, so that charges flow to the ground.

Field lines between parallel plates: Your lines must be drawn parallel, and equal distance apart.
Check last page of my notes in static electricity.

Define current.
Rate of flow of charge.

Explain electromotive force (emf).

energy dissipated by a source in driving a unit charge around a complete circuit.

Define potential difference.

Work done per unit charge between 2 points in a circuit.
Define the volt.
One volt is 1 joule per coulomb.

Define resistance.
Ratio of potential difference to current.

Define the ohm.

1 volt per ampere.

Advantage of making a battery from several equal voltage sources of e.m.f. arranged in parallel.
It runs longer.
If 1 cell fails, the circuit can still work.

State Ohm's law.

Potential difference is directly proportional to current, given temperature is constant.

Describe how current in LDR changes,

As light increases on LDR, resistance decreases. So, current increases.

Describe how current in thermistor changes.

As temperature increases, resistance decreases. So, current increases.

Current from the source is the sum of the currents in the separate branches of a parallel circuit.

Sum of the potential differences in a series circuit is equal to the potential difference across the
whole circuit.

Define the kilowatt-hour.

1kWh is the energy produced when using a power of 1 kilowatt in 1 hour.

Check chapter: practical electricity in whole.

Electromagnetism: Do not forget to check Right hand grip rule and Fleming left hand rule.
Remember: Electrons flow opposite to direction of current.

State Lenz's law.

the direction of a current produced by an induced e.m.f. opposes the change producing it.

Explain an emf/voltage/current/reading is obtained.

The rate of change of magnetic flux cutting in the coil induces an emf/current.

Explain why electrical transmissions use high voltages.

Because at high voltage and low current, energy losses are much less.

Check in my notes in electromagnetic induction: Transformers.

What particles are emitted during thermionic emission?

Electrons.

Explain why vacuum is used during thermionic emission.

To avoid collisions with air particles and be able to reach the screen.
Explain why a high potential is required during thermionic emission.
To accelrate electrons towards anode.

Purpose of low voltage during thermionic emission.

To heat the filament and emit electrons.

Effect of reversing low voltage in thermionic emission.

No effect because it only heats up the filament.

Effect of reversing direction of high voltage in thermionic emission.

No electrons flow because they will be repelled by the negative anode then.

Purpose of diode.
It allows current to flow in only one direction.

Explain what is radioactive decay.

Random and spontaneous emission of alpha, beta and gamma radiation by heavy unstable nuclei to
become more stable.

What is meant by random process?

We cannot predict which nuclei will decay in what direction per unit time.

State what is meant by fusion.

Process where 2 lighter nuclei combine to form a heavy nucleus.

State what is meant by fission.

Process where a heavy nucleus breaks into 2 lighter nuclei.

Define half-life.
Time taken for number of nuclei o=to reduce by half.

Discuss the formation of stars by fusion.

Answer: The hydrogen cloud is pulled together due to gravitational collapse. This loss in potential
enrgy causes a rise in temperature. Hence fusion occurs. An equilibrium is reached as the inward
force of gravity and the outward force due to fusion are equal.

What is background radiation?

Alpha, beta and gamma radiation from outer space or rocks.

Describe structure of atom.

Protons and neutrons inside nucleus surrounded by electrons outside it,

Define proton number.

Number of protons inside a nucleus.

Define nucleon number.

Sum of protons and neutrons inside a nucleus.

What are isotopes?

Elements having same proton number but different nucleon number.

Define nuclide.
Nucleus with a particular number of protons and neutron.