AQA A LEVEL PHYSICS
Marlowe Taylor
Page 0 of 82
,Contents
TOPIC 1 – Measurements and their errors ......................................................................................... 4
Uses of SI units and their prefixes (1.1) .......................................................................................... 4
Limitation of physical measurements (1.2) .................................................................................... 4
Estimation of physical quantities (1.3) ........................................................................................... 4
TOPIC 2.1 – Particles ........................................................................................................................ 5
Constituents of the atom (2.1.1) .................................................................................................... 5
Stable and unstable nuclei (2.1.2) ................................................................................................. 5
Particles, antiparticles, and photons (2.1.3)................................................................................... 6
Particle interactions (2.1.4) ........................................................................................................... 6
Classification of particles (2.1.5) ................................................................................................... 7
Quarks and antiquarks (2.1.6) ....................................................................................................... 8
Applications of conservation laws (2.1.7) ...................................................................................... 8
TOPIC 2.2 – Electromagnetic radiation and quantum phenomena ...................................................... 9
The photoelectric effect (2.2.1) ..................................................................................................... 9
Collisions of electrons with atoms (2.2.2) ...................................................................................... 9
Energy levels and photon emission (2.2.3) ................................................................................... 10
Wave particle duality (2.2.4) ........................................................................................................ 11
TOPIC 3.1 – Progressive and stationary waves ................................................................................. 12
Progressive waves (3.1.1) ............................................................................................................ 12
Longitudinal and transverse waves (3.1.2) ................................................................................... 12
Principle of superposition of waves and formation of stationary waves (3.1.3) ............................... 13
TOPIC 3.2 – Refraction, diffraction, and interference........................................................................ 15
Interference (3.2.1) ..................................................................................................................... 15
Diffraction (3.2.2) ....................................................................................................................... 16
Refraction at a plane surface (3.2.3) ............................................................................................ 17
TOPIC 4.1 – Force, energy, and momentum ..................................................................................... 18
Scalars and vectors (4.1.1).......................................................................................................... 18
Moments (4.1.2) ......................................................................................................................... 18
Motion along a straight line (4.1.3) ............................................................................................... 19
Projectile motion (4.1.4) ............................................................................................................. 20
Newton’s laws of motion (4.1.5) .................................................................................................. 20
Momentum (4.1.6) ...................................................................................................................... 21
Page 1 of 82
, Work, energy, and power (4.1.7) .................................................................................................. 21
Conservation of energy (4.1.8) .................................................................................................... 21
TOPIC 4.2 - Materials...................................................................................................................... 22
Bulk properties of solids (4.2.1) ................................................................................................... 22
The Young’s modulus (4.2.2) ....................................................................................................... 23
Materials Definitions .................................................................................................................. 23
TOPIC 5 - Electricity ....................................................................................................................... 24
Basics of electricity (5.1.1) .......................................................................................................... 24
Current-voltage characteristics (5.1.2) ........................................................................................ 24
Resistivity (5.1.3) ........................................................................................................................ 24
Circuits (5.1.4) ........................................................................................................................... 25
Potential dividers (5.1.5) ............................................................................................................. 25
Electromagnetic force and internal resistance (5.1.6) .................................................................. 26
TOPIC 6.1 – Periodic motion ........................................................................................................... 27
Circular motion (6.1.1)................................................................................................................ 27
Simple harmonic motion (6.1.2) .................................................................................................. 27
Simple harmonic systems (6.1.3) ................................................................................................ 28
Forced vibrations and resonance (6.1.4) ...................................................................................... 29
TOPIC 6.2 – Thermal physics .......................................................................................................... 30
Thermal energy transfer (6.2.1).................................................................................................... 30
Ideal gases (6.2.2) ...................................................................................................................... 31
Molecular kinetic theory model (6.2.3) ........................................................................................ 31
TOPIC 7.1 – Fields .......................................................................................................................... 32
TOPIC 7.2 – Gravitational fields ....................................................................................................... 33
Newton’s Law (7.2.1) .................................................................................................................. 33
Gravitational field strength (7.2.2) ............................................................................................... 33
Gravitational potential (7.2.3)...................................................................................................... 33
Orbits of planets and satellites (7.2.4) ......................................................................................... 35
TOPIC 7.3 – Electric fields............................................................................................................... 37
Coulomb’s Law (7.3.1) ................................................................................................................ 37
Electric field strength (7.3.2) ....................................................................................................... 37
Electric potential (7.3.3) ............................................................................................................. 38
Page 2 of 82
, TOPIC 7.4 – Capacitance ................................................................................................................ 39
Capacitance (7.4.1) .................................................................................................................... 39
Parallel plate capacitor (7.4.2) .................................................................................................... 39
Energy stored by a capacitor (7.4.3) ............................................................................................. 40
Capacitor charge and discharge (7.4.4) ....................................................................................... 40
TOPIC 7.5 – Magnetic fields ............................................................................................................ 43
Magnetic flux density (7.5.1) ....................................................................................................... 43
Moving charges in a magnetic field (7.5.2) ................................................................................... 45
Magnetic flux and flux linkage (7.5.3) ........................................................................................... 46
Electromagnetic induction (7.5.4) ............................................................................................... 46
Alternating current (7.5.5) ........................................................................................................... 49
The operation of a transformer (7.5.6) .......................................................................................... 49
TOPIC 8.1 – Radioactivity................................................................................................................ 51
Rutherford scattering (8.1.1) ....................................................................................................... 51
α, β, and γ radiation (8.1.2) .......................................................................................................... 52
Radioactive decay (8.1.3)............................................................................................................ 55
Nuclear instability (8.1.4) ............................................................................................................ 58
Nuclear radius (8.1.5) ................................................................................................................. 59
Mass and energy (8.1.6) .............................................................................................................. 60
Induced fission (8.1.7) ................................................................................................................ 62
Safety aspects (8.1.8) ................................................................................................................. 63
REQUIRED PRACTICALS ................................................................................................................. 64
Required Practical 1 ................................................................................................................... 65
Required Practical 2 ................................................................................................................... 66
Required Practical 3 ................................................................................................................... 67
Required Practical 4 ................................................................................................................... 68
Required Practical 5 ................................................................................................................... 69
Required Practical 6 ................................................................................................................... 70
Required Practical 7 ................................................................................................................... 71
Required Practical 8 ................................................................................................................... 75
Required Practical 9 ................................................................................................................... 77
Required Practical 10 ................................................................................................................. 79
Required Practical 11 ................................................................................................................. 80
Required Practical 12 ................................................................................................................. 82
Page 3 of 82
Marlowe Taylor
Page 0 of 82
,Contents
TOPIC 1 – Measurements and their errors ......................................................................................... 4
Uses of SI units and their prefixes (1.1) .......................................................................................... 4
Limitation of physical measurements (1.2) .................................................................................... 4
Estimation of physical quantities (1.3) ........................................................................................... 4
TOPIC 2.1 – Particles ........................................................................................................................ 5
Constituents of the atom (2.1.1) .................................................................................................... 5
Stable and unstable nuclei (2.1.2) ................................................................................................. 5
Particles, antiparticles, and photons (2.1.3)................................................................................... 6
Particle interactions (2.1.4) ........................................................................................................... 6
Classification of particles (2.1.5) ................................................................................................... 7
Quarks and antiquarks (2.1.6) ....................................................................................................... 8
Applications of conservation laws (2.1.7) ...................................................................................... 8
TOPIC 2.2 – Electromagnetic radiation and quantum phenomena ...................................................... 9
The photoelectric effect (2.2.1) ..................................................................................................... 9
Collisions of electrons with atoms (2.2.2) ...................................................................................... 9
Energy levels and photon emission (2.2.3) ................................................................................... 10
Wave particle duality (2.2.4) ........................................................................................................ 11
TOPIC 3.1 – Progressive and stationary waves ................................................................................. 12
Progressive waves (3.1.1) ............................................................................................................ 12
Longitudinal and transverse waves (3.1.2) ................................................................................... 12
Principle of superposition of waves and formation of stationary waves (3.1.3) ............................... 13
TOPIC 3.2 – Refraction, diffraction, and interference........................................................................ 15
Interference (3.2.1) ..................................................................................................................... 15
Diffraction (3.2.2) ....................................................................................................................... 16
Refraction at a plane surface (3.2.3) ............................................................................................ 17
TOPIC 4.1 – Force, energy, and momentum ..................................................................................... 18
Scalars and vectors (4.1.1).......................................................................................................... 18
Moments (4.1.2) ......................................................................................................................... 18
Motion along a straight line (4.1.3) ............................................................................................... 19
Projectile motion (4.1.4) ............................................................................................................. 20
Newton’s laws of motion (4.1.5) .................................................................................................. 20
Momentum (4.1.6) ...................................................................................................................... 21
Page 1 of 82
, Work, energy, and power (4.1.7) .................................................................................................. 21
Conservation of energy (4.1.8) .................................................................................................... 21
TOPIC 4.2 - Materials...................................................................................................................... 22
Bulk properties of solids (4.2.1) ................................................................................................... 22
The Young’s modulus (4.2.2) ....................................................................................................... 23
Materials Definitions .................................................................................................................. 23
TOPIC 5 - Electricity ....................................................................................................................... 24
Basics of electricity (5.1.1) .......................................................................................................... 24
Current-voltage characteristics (5.1.2) ........................................................................................ 24
Resistivity (5.1.3) ........................................................................................................................ 24
Circuits (5.1.4) ........................................................................................................................... 25
Potential dividers (5.1.5) ............................................................................................................. 25
Electromagnetic force and internal resistance (5.1.6) .................................................................. 26
TOPIC 6.1 – Periodic motion ........................................................................................................... 27
Circular motion (6.1.1)................................................................................................................ 27
Simple harmonic motion (6.1.2) .................................................................................................. 27
Simple harmonic systems (6.1.3) ................................................................................................ 28
Forced vibrations and resonance (6.1.4) ...................................................................................... 29
TOPIC 6.2 – Thermal physics .......................................................................................................... 30
Thermal energy transfer (6.2.1).................................................................................................... 30
Ideal gases (6.2.2) ...................................................................................................................... 31
Molecular kinetic theory model (6.2.3) ........................................................................................ 31
TOPIC 7.1 – Fields .......................................................................................................................... 32
TOPIC 7.2 – Gravitational fields ....................................................................................................... 33
Newton’s Law (7.2.1) .................................................................................................................. 33
Gravitational field strength (7.2.2) ............................................................................................... 33
Gravitational potential (7.2.3)...................................................................................................... 33
Orbits of planets and satellites (7.2.4) ......................................................................................... 35
TOPIC 7.3 – Electric fields............................................................................................................... 37
Coulomb’s Law (7.3.1) ................................................................................................................ 37
Electric field strength (7.3.2) ....................................................................................................... 37
Electric potential (7.3.3) ............................................................................................................. 38
Page 2 of 82
, TOPIC 7.4 – Capacitance ................................................................................................................ 39
Capacitance (7.4.1) .................................................................................................................... 39
Parallel plate capacitor (7.4.2) .................................................................................................... 39
Energy stored by a capacitor (7.4.3) ............................................................................................. 40
Capacitor charge and discharge (7.4.4) ....................................................................................... 40
TOPIC 7.5 – Magnetic fields ............................................................................................................ 43
Magnetic flux density (7.5.1) ....................................................................................................... 43
Moving charges in a magnetic field (7.5.2) ................................................................................... 45
Magnetic flux and flux linkage (7.5.3) ........................................................................................... 46
Electromagnetic induction (7.5.4) ............................................................................................... 46
Alternating current (7.5.5) ........................................................................................................... 49
The operation of a transformer (7.5.6) .......................................................................................... 49
TOPIC 8.1 – Radioactivity................................................................................................................ 51
Rutherford scattering (8.1.1) ....................................................................................................... 51
α, β, and γ radiation (8.1.2) .......................................................................................................... 52
Radioactive decay (8.1.3)............................................................................................................ 55
Nuclear instability (8.1.4) ............................................................................................................ 58
Nuclear radius (8.1.5) ................................................................................................................. 59
Mass and energy (8.1.6) .............................................................................................................. 60
Induced fission (8.1.7) ................................................................................................................ 62
Safety aspects (8.1.8) ................................................................................................................. 63
REQUIRED PRACTICALS ................................................................................................................. 64
Required Practical 1 ................................................................................................................... 65
Required Practical 2 ................................................................................................................... 66
Required Practical 3 ................................................................................................................... 67
Required Practical 4 ................................................................................................................... 68
Required Practical 5 ................................................................................................................... 69
Required Practical 6 ................................................................................................................... 70
Required Practical 7 ................................................................................................................... 71
Required Practical 8 ................................................................................................................... 75
Required Practical 9 ................................................................................................................... 77
Required Practical 10 ................................................................................................................. 79
Required Practical 11 ................................................................................................................. 80
Required Practical 12 ................................................................................................................. 82
Page 3 of 82
