The Perfect Answer Physics Revision Guide Edexcel IGCSE 9 1 1st Edition

The Perfect Answer
Revision Guide To…

Physics
Edexcel IGCSE
9-1
Triple Award
1st Edition
Copyright © 2019 Hazel Lindsey & Martin Bailey 1
Hazel Lindsey, Martin Bailey

For use by Lu?ka Koprivnjak lucka.koprivnjak@gmail.com ONLY. Not for redistribution.
Contents
Units and symbols ....................................................................................................3

1. Forces and motion ...............................................................................................4
Movement and position ..........................................................................................................4
Forces, movement, shape and momentum ...........................................................................4
2. Electricity ..............................................................................................................8
Mains electricity ..................................................................................................................... 8
Energy and voltage in circuits ................................................................................................ 9
Electric charge (static electricity) ..........................................................................................12
3. Waves ..................................................................................................................14
Properties of waves ..............................................................................................................14
Electromagnetic spectrum ................................................................................................... 15
Light and sound ................................................................................................................... 16
4. Energy resources and energy transfers ...........................................................18

Energy transfers ................................................................................................................... 18
Work and power ................................................................................................................... 19
Energy resources and electricity generation ........................................................................20
5. Solids, liquids and gases ...................................................................................21

Density and pressure ............................................................................................................21
Change of state .................................................................................................................... 21
Ideal gas molecules ..............................................................................................................23
6. Magnetism and electromagnetism ................................................................... 24

Magnetism ............................................................................................................................24
Electromagnetism ................................................................................................................. 24
Electromagnetic induction .................................................................................................... 25
7. Radioactivity and particles ................................................................................27

Radioactivity .........................................................................................................................27
Fission and fusion ................................................................................................................ 30
8. Astrophysics ....................................................................................................... 32
Motion in the universe ..........................................................................................................32
Stellar evolution .................................................................................................................... 33
Cosmology ...........................................................................................................................34
Equations ................................................................................................................ 35
Copyright © Hazel Lindsey & Martin Bailey 2019. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission from Science with Hazel Ltd 

Note: Content in italics will not be examined on Paper 1
Units and symbols
SI unit Symbol
Power Watts W
Work done joules J
Energy joules J
Current amps A
Charge coulombs C
Resistance ohms Ω
Voltage volts V
Pressure pascal Pa or N/m2
Distance metres m
Time seconds s
Speed or velocity - m/s
Momentum - Kg m/s
Moment - Nm
Acceleration - m/s2
Force newtons N
Density - Kg/cm3
Weight newtons N
Frequency hertz Hz
Radioactivity Becquerel Bq
Temperature Celsius or Kelvin °C or K

1. Forces and motion
Movement and position
Average speed = distance moved

time taken
How do you find speed on a distance-time graph?
- Calculate gradient
Acceleration = change in velocity
time taken
a = (v - u)
t
How do you find the distance travelled in a speed-time graph?
- Calculate area under the graph
How do you find acceleration on a speed-time graph?
- Calculate gradient
Relationship between final speed (v), initial speed (u), acceleration (a) and distance (s)
v2 = u2 + 2as
Forces, movement, shape and momentum
What effect does a force have on an object?
- Changes object’s speed
- Changes object’s direction
- Changes object’s shape
List the different types of forces
- Gravitational
- Electrostatic
- Weight
- Normal reaction
- Friction
- Air resistance
- Upthrust
- Nuclear
- Magnetic
What is the difference between scalar and vector?
- Scalar - magnitude only

- Vector - magnitude and direction

There are only 6 vector quantities (assume everything else is scalar!)
- Displacement
- Velocity
- Acceleration
- Force
- Weight
- Momentum
What is Newton’s 1st Law?
- If forces acting on an object are balanced, the resultant force is zero

- Object at rest, stays stationary
- Object moving, continues to move in same direction and at same speed
What is Newton’s 2nd Law?
- Acceleration is proportional to resultant force

- Inversely proportional to mass of object
How to calculate resultant force acting along a line
- Add up all forces acting in useful direction

- Subtract all forces acting in the opposite direction
Force = mass x acceleration
F=mxa
Weight = mass x gravitational field strength

W=mxg
Stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance
Define stopping distance
- The distance travelled by a vehicle after a hazard has been spotted until it comes to a
complete rest
- Stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance

What factors affect braking distance?
- Speed vehicle is travelling

- Mass of vehicle
- Condition of road
- Tyres and brakes
How is braking distance increased?
- If vehicle is travelling at higher speed

- Worn brakes
- Icy road

What factors affect thinking distance?
- Reaction time
- Tiredness
- Drink and drugs
How is thinking distance increased?
- Tiredness
- Driving under the influence of drink and drugs
Describe the process of terminal velocity
- Weight acts downwards
- Drag acts upwards
- Object accelerates downwards
- Eventually weight = drag
- No resultant force, no acceleration, forces are balanced
- Terminal velocity (constant velocity) is reached
What is Hooke’s law?
- The extension of a spring is directly proportional to the force applied, provided its limit
of proportionality is not exceeded
Define elastic behaviour
- The ability of a material to revert to its original shape after the forces causing deforma-
tion have been removed
What happens if elastic limit is exceeded?
- Material will no longer revert to original shape after the forces have been removed
What is the equation for momentum?
- Momentum = mass x velocity
- p=mxv
What is the unit of momentum?
- kg m/s
Explain how seat belts/crumple zones/air bags prevent serious injury
- Same momentum change
- But time of impact increases
- Reducing force felt
- Seat belt stretches increasing area over which force acts
- Pressure on body reduces
When 2 vehicles collide:
- They exert equal and opposite forces on each other
- Their total momentum is unchanged

Force = change in momentum
Time
F = (mv - mu)
t
What is Newton’s 3rd Law?

- Two objects exert equal and opposite forces on each other
What is a moment?
- The turning effect of a force
Moment = force x perpendicular distance from pivot
How do you increase the moment of a force?

- Increase distance
- Increase force
Define ‘centre of mass’
- The point where the mass appears to be concentrated

2. Electricity
Mains electricity
Power = current x voltage
P = I x V
Energy transferred = current x voltage x time
E = I x V x t
What is an electric current?
- A flow of negatively charged electrons
Why does resistance increase in a filament when the temperature increases?
- Positive ions vibrate faster
- Inhibit flow of electrons
Define alternating current
- A current which changes direction continuously
Define direct current
- A current which flows in one direction only
What is a circuit breaker?
- A device which stops the current flowing in a circuit when the current is too high
What is a fuse?
- A wire which melts if the current is too high

Why are fraying cables, long cables and water dangerous when using mains electricity in
the home?
- Fraying cables: potential electrocution risk

- Long cables: tripping hazard
- Water (and metal objects): conduct electricity and could electrocute you
What are the various wires in a plug?
- Green and yellow - earth

- Brown - live
- Blue - neutral
What is double insulation and why is it used?
- Both the wires inside a device and the outer case of the device are insulated
- No chance of electrocution

Energy and voltage in circuits
Voltage = current x resistance
V = I x R
Charge = current x time
Q = I x t
Energy transferred = charge x voltage
E = Q x V
You must be able to recognise and draw the following circuit symbols:
What is Ohm’s law?
- The current through a resistor at constant temperature is directly proportional to the

potential difference across the resistor

Sketch and explain the current-voltage graph of an ohmic resistor
- Resistance is always constant
- Linear graph where current is directly proportional to voltage
current
potential
difference
What is the difference between a standard resistor and variable resistor?
- standard resistors have a fixed resistance
- variable resistors can have their resistance changed
Why does resistance increase in a filament when the temperature increases?
- Positive ions vibrate faster
- Inhibit flow of electrons
Sketch the current-voltage graph of a filament lamp
current
potential
difference
What is a thermistor?
- A temperature dependent resistor
- Its resistance decreases when temperature increases
What can thermistors be used for?
- Thermostats
- Keep engines at optimum temperatures
What is an LDR?
- Light dependent resistor
- Its resistance decreases when light intensity increases
What can LDRs be used for?
- Automatically switching on lights when it gets dark
What is a diode?
- A device which allows current to flow in one direction only

Sketch the current-voltage graph of a diode
current
potential
difference
What are the current and voltage rules in a series circuit?
- Current is the same everywhere
- Total voltage is the sum of all the individual components’ voltage
What are the current and voltage rules in a parallel circuit?
- Voltage is the same everywhere
- Total current is the sum of the individual components’ current
Why is current conserved at a junction?
- In parallel circuit, current is shared between each component

- Total amount of current flowing into the junction is equal to the total current flowing out
- Current is described as being conserved
How is an ammeter connected?
- In series
How is a voltmeter connected?
- In parallel
What is the advantage of connecting lamps in parallel?
- Each bulb gets the same P.D despite differing current
- Both lamps glow brightly

Electric charge (static electricity)
Provide some examples of electrical conductors

- Metals
Provide some examples of electrical insulators
- Plastic
- Wool
- Wood
How may a substance become charged?
- Friction
- Transfer of electrons
How is a positive electrostatic charge produced?
- Through loss of negatively charged electrons
How is a negative electrostatic charge produced?
- Through gain of negatively changed electrons
What are the advantages of using an electrostatic paint sprayer to paint a bike?
- Bike given positive charge
- Paint given negative charge - paint droplets repel - form a fine mist - less paint wasted
- Better finish to bike
Why do your hairs stand up on end when you slide down a plastic slide?
- Charging due to friction
- All hairs are the same charge and repel
What problems are associated with static electricity?
- Aeroplanes become charged due to friction with clouds —> spark from plane could ig-
nite fuel tanker and lead to an explosion
- TV monitors become charged and attract dust
- Clothing may become charged —> electric shock
Describe how a photocopier works
- Drum is charged
- Image of object to be copied is projected onto the drum
- Charge stays only where image is dark
- Toner drops onto drum
- Toner sticks to charged areas only
- Excess toner removed
- Paper rolled onto drum
- Toner sealed onto paper using heat
Describe how an inkjet printer works
- Ink is given a charge
- Inkjets fire a stream of ink droplets onto paper
- Deflecting plates direct the ink to the correct place
- Charges on deflecting plates change hundreds of times each second

Describe how electrostatic precipitators work
- Smoke leaving factories contains soot and dust
- Smoke is given charge
- Metal plates in precipitator given opposite charge
- Soot and dust sticks to metal plates
- Plates knocked together regularly to remove smoke and dust

3. Waves
Properties of waves
What is a transverse wave?
- A wave where vibrations occur perpendicular to the direction the wave is travelling
What is a longitudinal wave?
- A wave where vibrations occur parallel to the direction the wave is travelling
Define amplitude
- The maximum distance between the peak or trough of a wave and its equilibrium point.
Define wavefront
- A horizontal line drawn linking all the peaks in a set of waves

Define wavelength
- The distance from point on a wave to the same point on the next wave
Define frequency
- Number of waves per second

Define the period of a wave
- Time taken to complete one wave cycle

Equation for wave speed
- Wave speed = frequency x wavelength

Equation for wave frequency
- Frequency = 1 .
time period
What property do all waves have in common?
- They can be reflected and refracted
What is the Doppler effect?
- The change in frequency and wavelength caused by relative movement of the source of
wave or observer
Give an example of the Doppler effect in sound waves
- When an ambulance goes past you the siren decreases in pitch

- This is because the wavelength of the sound waves increases
Give an example of the Doppler effect in light waves
- Light from distant planets looks red (it’s red-shifted)

- Because planets are moving away from us so wavelength becomes longer and there-
fore moves to the red spectrum

Electromagnetic spectrum
Which EM waves can be used in cooking?
- Microwaves and infrared radiation

Which EM wave causes burns?
- Infra-red radiation
Which EM wave causes skin cancer?
- UV
What are the dangers of X-rays and gamma rays?
- Ionising radiation
- Mutation leading to cancer
What do all EM waves have in common?
- All transfer energy

- All travel at the same speed in a vacuum
- Can be reflected, refracted and diffracted
- All transverse waves
Dangers and how they

EM wave Use
may be overcome
- Longest wavelength
- Lowest energy Radiowaves - broadcasting
- Lowest frequency - communications
- cooking
- internal heating of
Microwaves - satellite communica-
body tissues
tion
- heaters/cooking
Infra-red - remote controls

- skin burns
- night vision
Visible - optical fibres
- photography
- damaged to surface
- detecting forged cells (e.g. skin can-
bank notes
cer)
Ultra violet
- fluorescent lamps in - blindess
sun beds - protective goggles,

glasses, suncream
- observing internal - mutation leading to

cancer
Xrays structures of objects
- medicine e.g. X-rays - lead screen, protect-

ive clothing
- Shortest wavelength
- sterilising surgical - mutation leading to
cancer
- Highest energy
Gamma rays equipment
- Highest frequency - killing cancer - lead screens, boxes

and aprons

What are the advantages of optic fibres?
- Carry more information per second

- More secure
How are x-rays and gamma rays similar?
- Both short wavelength EM waves

- Carry lots of energy per second
How do x-rays and gamma rays differ?
- X-rays are made when electrons moving at high speeds are stopped
- Gamma rays are released from unstable nuclei
- Gamma is more penetrative
- Gamma has shorter wave length
Light and sound
Describe the properties of light waves
- Transverse wave
- Transfer energy
- Can be reflected, refracted, diffracted
- A wave where vibrations occur perpendicular to the direction the wave is travelling
What is a normal line?
- A line drawn perpendicular to the mirror

What is the law of reflection?
- Angle of incidence = angle of reflection

What is refraction?
- A change in direction of waves when they travel across a boundary from one medium
to another
Describe how a light ray changes direction when it enters and leaves a glass block
- Bends towards the normal as it enters the block

- Bends away from the normal as it leaves the block
n = sin i
sin r
Define critical angle
- Angle of incidence beyond which rays of light are totally internally reflected
Define total internal reflection
- When the angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle
- All light is reflected, none is refracted
How do optical fibres work?
- Total internal reflection

- Core of fibre made out of glass with high refractive index
- Cladding is made out of glass with lower refractive index
- Light entering core is at an angle greater than the critical angle so light is TIR
Give examples of the use of optical fibres
- Endoscope - used in keyhole surgery
- Communication as less energy is lost when compared to using copper wiring
Sin c = 1
Describe the properties of sound waves
- Longitudinal waves
- Transfer energy
- Can be reflected, refracted and diffracted
What is the the range of human hearing?

- 20 Hz - 20,000Hz
How are pitch and frequency related?
- The higher the pitch, the higher the frequency of a sound wave
How are loudness and amplitude related?
- The louder the sound, the higher the amplitude
What is an oscilloscope?
- A machine used to view sound waves

4. Energy resources and energy transfers
Energy transfers
Different types of energy stores:
- Chemical energy e.g. fuel, food, batteries

- Kinetic energy e.g. man running
- Gravitational e.g. sitting on a ski lift
- Elastic e.g. elastic bands
- Nuclear energy e.g. uranium fuel
- Thermal energy e.g. hot water
- Magnetic energy
- Electrostatic
How may energy be transferred?
- Mechanically
- Electrically
- By heating
- By radiation (light and sound)
Define conservation of energy
- Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be converted from one form into
another
Describe the energy changes in an object falling to ground
- Kinetic energy increases

- Gravitational potential energy decreases
Describe the energy changes when a falling object hits the ground
- Kinetic energy decreases

- Wasted energy is thermal and sound energy
How may thermal energy transfer take place?
- By conduction, convection and radiation

Describe the process of conduction
- Heat makes the particles vibrate more
- Particles collide with each other and pass their kinetic energy along
- Eventually the energy will be spread through the solid

Describe the process of convection
- Heat causes particles to gain kinetic energy

- Particles vibrate and spread out
- Particles become less dense
- Particles rise
- Particles cool and sink setting up a convection current
- Process repeats

Radiation summary:
- White, shiny surfaces reflect radiation

- Dark, matt surfaces absorb radiation
- The hotter the substance, the more radiation that occurs
How does heat transfer occur in a vacuum?
- By radiation only
How does a vacuum flask prevent heat loss?
- Shiny walls reflect infra-red radiation
- Plastic lid is a good insulator

- Vacuum prevents heat loss by conduction and convection
How may the rate of energy transfer be reduced at home?
- Loft insulation - fibreglass is a good insulator
- Cavity wall insulation - foam is a good insulator and prevents convection currents being
set up
- Aluminium foil behind radiators - reflects IR
- Double glazed windows - vacuum between glass slows conduction and stops IR
Work and power
work done = force x distance
W = F x d
work done = energy transferred
gravitational potential energy = mass x gravitational field strength x height
GPE = m x g x h
kinetic energy = 1/2 x mass x velocity2
KE = 0.5 x m x v2
Define power
- The rate of energy transfer (or rate of doing work)
Power = work done
time taken
P = W

Energy resources and electricity generation
Summary Advantages Disadvantages
- expensive
- lots of cables
an electricity generator on - renewable
Wind power needed
top of tall tower - little pollution
- unreliable
- visual pollution
waves turn a floating gener- - renewable

Wave power - unreliable
ator - little pollution
- renewable
generators are turned by - expensive
Hydroelectric - reliable
water running downhill - destroys habitats
- little pollution
traps high tide and uses it to - renewable - unreliable

Tidal power
turn generators - little pollution - expensive
flat solid cells that convert - good for remote

- unreliable
Solar cells solar energy directly into places
- expensive
electricity - little pollution
- good for remote

use Sun’s energy to heat - unreliable
Solar heating panels places
water directly - expensive
- little pollution
water pumped into hot rocks

- reliable
Geothermal underground produces - rare
- little pollution
steam to turn turbines

5. Solids, liquids and gases
Density and pressure
density = mass
volume
How do you measure the density of a solid object?
- Use a balance to measure its mass

- Use a ruler to measure the volume of a regular solid or
- Lower an irregular solid into a known volume of liquid and measure its new volume
- Density = mass/volume
How do you measure the density of a liquid?
- Measure mass of empty beaker using a balance

- Measure mass of beaker now containing liquid
- Density = mass/volume
pressure = force
area
How does pressure at any point in a gas or liquid act?
- Equally in all directions
Summary of atmospheric pressure
- Pressure at a point in a gas or liquids acts in all directions
- Atmospheric pressure increases the lower down you go because there is more air
above you
- Atmospheric pressure is 100,000 Pa at sea level
pressure difference = height x gravitational field strength x density
Change of state
Explain why heating a system will change the energy stored within the system and raise its
temperature or produce changes of state
- As temperature is increased, particles gain more kinetic energy
- Some of this energy can be transmitted to other particles during collisions, increasing
their energy too
- A substance must absorb heat energy in order to melt or boil
- The temperature of a substance will not change during the process of melting, boiling
or freezing, even though energy is still being transferred
Give the proper name for the following conversions:

- Solid —> liquid (melting)
- Liquid —> gas (boiling)
- Gas —> liquid (condensing)
- Liquid —> solid (freezing)

Describe the structure of solids, liquids and gases
- Solids - particles arranged regularly and packed closely together. Vibrate in fixed posi-
tions. Strong forces between particles
- Liquids - particles are mostly touching with some gaps. Particles move about about at
random. Medium forces between particles
- Gases - particles move at random (Brownian motion) and quickly. Particles are far apart.
Weak forces between particles.
Describe the process of boiling

- Thermal energy is absorbed —> molecules gain energy —> temperature rises
- Regions within a liquid turning to gas
- Gas rises through the liquid releasing vapour from the surface
- At boiling point - temperature stays the same despite continued energy input
- Continued energy input separates the molecules to form gas
Describe the process of melting
- Solid turns to liquid
- Thermal energy is absorbed —> molecules gain energy —> temperature rises
- Energy eventually sufficient to overcome molecular attraction
- At this point more energy does not increase temperature, but separates the molecules
faster
Explain the relationship between temperature of an object and its internal energy
- Temperature measures how hot something is, measured in Celsius or Kelvin
- Higher temperatures means more internal energy
- Thermal energy makes the molecules of a substance vibrate more (increases kinetic
energy)
- This vibration means each molecule is carrying more energy
What happens to the temperature of a substance as it changes state (e.g. from liquid to a
gas)?
- It remains constant
Define specific heat capacity
- The energy required to change the temperature of an object by 1C per kilogram of
mass (J/KgC)
Change in thermal energy = mass x specific heat capacity x change in temperature

ΔQ = m × c × ΔT

Ideal gas molecules
How is pressure created by gas in a container?
- Random movement
- Gas particles collide with walls of container
- Creating small force
Why does the pressure of a gas increase with increased temperature?
- Molecules move faster so they hit the walls with more force
- Number of impacts per second increases
- Total force increases
What is absolute zero?
- -273C
- This is when the pressure of gas is zero
- 0C = 273K
What is 20C in K?
- 293K
What is 50K in C?
- -223C
The Kelvin temperature of a gas is proportional to the average kinetic energy of the mole-
cules
- p1 = p2
T1 T2
The relationship between the pressure and volume of a fixed mass of gas at constant
temperature:
- p1V1 = p2V2

6. Magnetism and electromagnetism
Magnetism
Summary of magnetism
- South poles attract north poles (and vice versa)
- Some material may become magnetised when placed in a magnetic field
- Iron, steel, nickel, cobalt are magnetic
What is the difference between steel and iron’s magnetism?
- Steel - hard magnetic material - retains magnetism
- Iron - soft magnetic material - loses magnetism
Define magnetic field line
- The space around a magnet where magnetism can be detected
- Magnetic field line can be seen through use of either plotting compasses or iron filings
What are the properties of a uniform magnetic field?
- Field lines are parallel
- Field lines are evenly spaced
How may an objects’ magnetism be induced (created)?
- Place a magnetic object e.g. one made from steel or iron into a magnetic field
- Object becomes a magnet (magnetism has been induced)
- The magnetism is temporary as the object loses its magnetism when it’s removed from
the magnetic field
Electromagnetism
How is a simple electromagnet constructed?

- Connect a wire to a current, add an iron core, wrap wire around a solenoid
What is a solenoid?
- Coil of wire
How can the magnetic field around a current carrying wire be made stronger?
- Increasing current
- Wrapping the wire into a coil (solenoid)
- Add an iron core
How can the magnetic field around a solenoid be made stronger?
- Increasing the number of turns on the solenoid
- Increasing the current
Describe the movement of a charged particle in a magnetic field
- The particle will move
- As long as its motion is not parallel to the field

Explain why a force is experienced by a wire when a current flows through it
- A current flows through the wire creating a magnetic field around the wire
- This temporary magnetic field interacts with the permanent magnetic field of the bar
magnets
- A force is created
Describe how a motor works
- this temporary magnetic field interacts with the permanent magnetic field of the bar
magnets
- The force turns the coil of wire
- A motor has been made
How may the motor be made to spin faster?
- Increase the current
- Increase the number of turns of wire
- Increasing the strength of the magnetic field
Describe how a loud speaker works
- This temporary magnetic field interacts with the permanent magnetic field of the bar
magnets
- The force moves the speaker cone
- This vibrates air particles creating sound waves
- When the direction of the current changes, the direction of the force changes
Electromagnetic induction
Describe how voltage (or current) may be induced
- If a wire is moved across a magnetic field at right angles
- A voltage is induced
- If the wire is attached to a complete circuit, a current is induced
- This is electromagnetic induction
How may the size of the induced voltage (and current) be increased?
- Wrapping the wire into a coil
- Using a stronger magnet
- Moving the wire more quickly
Describe how a dynamo works in a bicycle light
- Simple generator
- As bicycle moves, the wheel turns a magnet inside a coil
- The magnetic field cuts through the surrounding coil inducing a current

Describe the structure of a transformer
- Laminated core made from iron
- 2 coils found on opposite sides
- Step-up transformers have more turns on the secondary coil than primary
- Step-down transformers have fewer turns on the secondary coil than the primary
What is the role of transformer?
- To change the size of the alternating voltage
- There are a different number of turns on the input and output sides
What is the difference between Step-Up and Step-Down transformers?
- Step-up used to step up power station voltages to grid voltage
- Step-down used to step down the grid voltage to a voltage that can be used safely in
our homes (230V)
input (primary) voltage = primary turns

output (secondary) voltage = secondary turns
Vp = np
Vs ns
input power = output power
VpIp = VsIs
(for 100% efficiency)

7. Radioactivity and particles
Radioactivity
Mass Charge
Electron 1/2000 -1
Proton 1 +1
Neutron 1 0
E.g.
23
Na
11
Na - sodium
Mass number = 23
Atomic number = 11
Proton number = 11
Neutron number = 12
Define atomic number
- Number of protons
Define mass number
- Number of protons + number of neutrons in the nucleus of an atom
Define nucleon number
- Number of protons + number of neutrons in the nucleus of an atom
What is an isotope?
- An atom of the same element with the same number of protons but different number of
neutrons
How may ionising radiation be emitted from an atom?
- Random process
- Alpha, beta, gamma may be emitted from an unstable nucleus
How is alpha, beta, and gamma radiation stopped?
- Alpha - few cms of air, paper
- Beta - 10cm air, aluminium foil
- Gamma - several inches thick lead, metres of concrete
List alpha, beta and gamma in order, starting with the most ionising
- Alpha, beta, gamma

What is the nature of an alpha particle and what happens when a nucleus emits alpha?
- Alpha is a helium nucleus
- 2 protons and 2 neutrons are emitted
- Mass number decreases by 4, atomic number (proton number) decreases by 2
What is the nature of a beta particle and what happens when a nucleus emits beta?
- Fast moving electron
- A neutron turns into a proton and stays in the nucleus
- Mass number unchanged, atomic number (proton number) increases by 1
What device is used to measure the amount of radioactivity?
- Geiger-Muller detector
What is background radiation?
- Radiation which is always present
Give some sources of background radiation
- Cosmic rays
- Medicine
- Food and drink
- Radon gas
- Ground and buildings
What is the unit for measuring radioactivity?
- Becquerel (Bq)
Define half life
- Time taken for half the radioactive nuclei to decay
Describe the nature of radioactive decay
- Random process
Why is tossing a coin a good model for radioactive decay?
- Random
- Unable to predict whether you will land on a head or tail - with radioactive decay you
don’t know when the nuclei will breakdown (decay)
What are the limitations of tossing a coin as a model for radioactive decay?
- You can only toss the coin at most 1000 times really
- In radioactive material there are millions of nuclei that have the potential to decay

Describe how alpha is used in smoke alarms
- Alpha source ionises the air creating small current
- Picked up by a detector
- In a fire, alpha is stopped by smoke.
- Alarm sounds
Describe the properties of medical tracers
- Short half life
- Stable product
- Decays not so fast that can’t be used as a tracer but not so long that it has damaging
effects
Describe the use of radiation in carbon dating
- C-14 is a radioactive isotope. Found in carbon dioxide
- There is a small amount of radioactive carbon-14 in all living organisms because it en-
ters the food chain.
- Once an organism dies, it stops taking in carbon-14.
- Over time radioactivity of the material decreases.
- Age of organism can be worked out by measuring the amount of carbon-14 left in its
remains compared to the amount in living organisms.
How can your reduce your risk of radiation?
- Limit exposure time
- Shielding e.g. lead
- Using tongs to handle radiation
What is the difference between irradiation and contamination?

Contamination Irradiation
When the radioactive source is on the ob- When an object is exposed to a source of
ject radiation
Radiation can not be blocked using lead Radiation can be blocked using lead
shielding shielding
The object is radioactive as long as the Doesn’t cause the object to become ra-
source is on the object dioactive
Radiation remains as long as the source Radiation stops as soon as radioactive

is on it source is removed

Fission and fusion
List some examples of nuclear reactions which can provide energy?
- Nuclear fission (in nuclear reactors)
- Nuclear fusion (occurs in stars)
- Radioactive decay
What fuel is used in a nuclear reactor?
- Uranium-235
What is nuclear fission?
- Splitting of atomic nuclei
Where is nuclear fission carried out?
- In a nuclear generator
What is the role of the control rods?
- Absorb neutrons to slow down the reaction
What is the role of the moderator in a nuclear reactor?
- Slows the neutrons, increases likelihood of successful collisions
What is the role of the water in the nuclear reactor?
- Moderator - slows down the neutrons
What is the role of the lead shielding in a nuclear reactor?
- Stops radiation causing cancer in employees
How may a chain reaction be set up in a nuclear reactor?
- Fast moving neutron collides with uranium nuclei
- Nuclei split forming 2 radioactive daughter nuclei and 2-3 neutrons
- Neutrons hit other uranium nuclei
- Chain reaction set up
How does nuclear fission lead to the production of electricity?
- Thermal energy released used to heat water to create steam
- Steam turns a turbine
- Turbine turns a generator
What are the disadvantages of using a nuclear reactor?
- High decommissioning costs
- Radioactive waste - dangerous- may cause cancer
- Long term storage due to very long half lives of radioactive materials
What is nuclear fusion?
- Joining of atomic nuclei
- Creates larger nuclei, resulting in the loss of mass from small nuclei
- Releases energy

What is the difference between nuclear fission and nuclear fusion?
- Nuclear fusion - a reaction where 2 nuclei combine releasing energy (occurs on stars)
- Nuclear fission - splitting of atomic nuclei (occurs in nuclear reactors) What is the
source of energy for stars
What is the source of energy for stars?
- Nuclear fusion
Why does nuclear fusion not occur at low temperature?
- Nuclear fusion involves 2 nuclei joining
- But nuclei are positively charged and therefore repel
- Therefore needs extremely high temperature to overcome the repulsion
- These temperatures are only currently found in stars

8. Astrophysics
Motion in the universe
What does our solar system consist of?
- Sun
- Planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune)
- Comets and asteroids
- Moons
What is the order of planets (starting from closest to the Sun)?
- My (Mercury) Very (Venus) Easy (Earth) Method (Mars) Just (Jupiter) Speeds (Saturn) Up
(Uranus) Naming (Neptune)
What is a universe?
- Large collection of billions of galaxies

What is a galaxy?
- Large collection of billions of stars

What is the name of our galaxy?
- The Milky Way
What is a satellite?
- An object which orbits a planet - can be either natural (moon) or artificial (man-made)
What is a comet
- Ball of ice and dust that orbits the sun
What is a day?
- time taken for Earth to rotate once on its axis
What is a month?
- time taken for the Moon to orbit the Earth once
What is a year?
- time taken for the Earth to complete one orbit of the Sun
What does the size of the gravitational force depend on?
- masses of objects
- distance between the objects
Why do larger planets exert larger gravitational forces?
- Larger masses (not larger size!)

Why does our weight vary on Earth and on the Moon?
- Gravitational field strength is weaker on the moon

- Weight = mass x gravitational field strength
- Mass is unchanged

Gravitational force causes the following:
- Moons to orbit planets

- Planets to orbit the Sun
- Artificial satellites to orbit the Earth
- Comets to orbit the Sun
Compare the orbit of planets and comets
- Planets and comets both orbit the Sun

- Comets have very elliptical orbits
Orbital speed = 2 x pi x orbital radius
time period
Stellar evolution
What can the colour of a star tell you?
- Its temperature
What do the following colours tell you about a star’s temperature?
- Blue = very hot star

- Yellow = medium hot star
- Red = cooler star
What is a nebula?
- A cloud of dust and gas in outer space

- Gets pulled together by gravitational forces
Describe the life cycle of a small star
- Nebula - cloud of dust and gas in outer space are pulled together by gravitational force
- Main sequence - forces are balanced and hydrogen nuclei join (nuclear fusion). Huge
amounts of thermal and light energy released
- Hydrogen fuel runs out
- Star expands to become red giant
- Heavier elements formed by fusion
- Star shrinks to become white dwarf
- Star cools to become black dwarf
Describe the life cycle of a large star
- Nebula - cloud of dust and gas in outer space are pulled together by gravitational force
- Main sequence - forces are balanced and hydrogen nuclei join (nuclear fusion). Huge
amounts of thermal and light energy released
- Hydrogen fuel runs out
- Star expands to become red supergiant
- Explosion - supernova
- Star becomes neutron star
- Very large stars become black holes - light can’t escape

What does the brightness of a star depend on?
- Distance of the star from the Earth
- What the star is made from
- Type of nuclear reactions taking place
What are the 3 ways astronomers decide the brightness of a star?
- The luminosity of a star - a measure of the amount of light energy released from the
star’s surface every second
- Measure how bright the star is from Earth - ‘apparent brightness’
- Measure how bright the stars are if they were all placed the same distance from the
Earth - ‘absolute brightness’ - allows us to make comparisons
Cosmology
What is the Big Bang Theory?

- The universe is expanding after exploding suddenly in a Big Bang from a very small
point
- Space, time and matter were created in the Big Bang.
What is the evidence for the universe expanding/Big Bang Theory?
- Red shift
- CMBR (cosmic microwave background radiation)
What is red shift?
- Light from distant galaxies is red shifted (wavelength increases) indicating that these
galaxies are moving away from us
- Galaxies furthest away are red shifted the most
Relationship between wavelength, galaxy velocity and speed of light
- change in wavelength = velocity of galaxy
reference wavelength speed of light

Equations
You will need to learn…
Acceleration = change in velocity
time taken
Moment = force x perpendicular distance from pivot
power = current x voltage
p = I x V
charge = current x time
Q = I x t
voltage = current x resistance
V = I x R
wave speed = frequency x wavelength
v = f x λ

law of refraction: refractive index
n = sin i/sin r (sin i = sin angle of incidence, sin r = angle of refraction)
efficiency = useful energy output from system/ total energy output into system x 100
work = force x distance
w=Fxd
GPE = mass x gravitational field strength x height
GPE = m x g x h
KE = ½ mass x speed²
KE = ½mv²
density = mass/ volume
p = m/v
pressure = force/ area
p = F/A
pressure difference = height x density x gravitational field strength
p = h x p x g (in liquids)
input voltage/ output voltage = primary turns/ secondary turns
Vp/Vs = n1/n2
Input power = output power (for 100% efficiency)
Vp Ip = Vs Is
You will be given (but need to know how to use)…
v2 = u2 + 2as
where v = final speed
u = initial speed
a = acceleration
s = distance
energy = current x voltage x time
E = I x V x t
pressure is proportional to absolute temperature
P1/T1 = P2/T2
pressure x volume = constant
P1 x V1 = P2 x V2
Frequency = 1 / time period
F = 1 / T
power = work done/ time taken
P = W/t

energy = power x time
E = p x t
total internal reflection: refractive index,
n = 1/sin c
orbital speed = (2π x orbital radius) / time period

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The Perfect Answer Physics Revision Guide Edexcel IGCSE 9 1 1st Edition

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The Perfect Answer

Revision Guide To…

Hazel Lindsey, Martin Bailey

Units and symbols ....................................................................................................3

Forces, movement, shape and momentum ...........................................................................4

Energy and voltage in circuits ................................................................................................ 9

Electric charge (static electricity) ..........................................................................................12

Electromagnetic spectrum ................................................................................................... 15

Light and sound ................................................................................................................... 16

4. Energy resources and energy transfers ...........................................................18

Work and power ................................................................................................................... 19

Energy resources and electricity generation ........................................................................20

5. Solids, liquids and gases ...................................................................................21

Change of state .................................................................................................................... 21

Ideal gas molecules ..............................................................................................................23

6. Magnetism and electromagnetism ................................................................... 24

Electromagnetic induction .................................................................................................... 25

7. Radioactivity and particles ................................................................................27

Fission and fusion ................................................................................................................ 30

Stellar evolution .................................................................................................................... 33

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For use by Lu?ka Koprivnjak lucka.koprivnjak@gmail.com ONLY. Not for redistribution.

Units and symbols

Work done joules J

Pressure pascal Pa or N/m2

Speed or velocity - m/s

Temperature Celsius or Kelvin °C or K

Copyright © 2019 Hazel Lindsey & Martin Bailey 3

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Movement and position

Average speed = distance moved

How do you find speed on a distance-time graph?

Acceleration = change in velocity

How do you find the distance travelled in a speed-time graph?

- Calculate area under the graph

How do you find acceleration on a speed-time graph?

Forces, movement, shape and momentum

What eﬀect does a force have on an object?

- Changes object’s speed

- Changes object’s direction

- Changes object’s shape

List the diﬀerent types of forces

What is the diﬀerence between scalar and vector?

- Scalar - magnitude only

Copyright © 2019 Hazel Lindsey & Martin Bailey 4

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- If forces acting on an object are balanced, the resultant force is zero

- Acceleration is proportional to resultant force

- Add up all forces acting in useful direction

Weight = mass x gravitational field strength

Stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance

Define stopping distance

- Stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance

- Speed vehicle is travelling

- If vehicle is travelling at higher speed

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- Drink and drugs

How is thinking distance increased?

- Weight acts downwards

- Drag acts upwards

- Object accelerates downwards

- Eventually weight = drag

- No resultant force, no acceleration, forces are balanced