A Level Physics Eduqas

This subject is broken down into 30 topics in 3 modules:

  1. Newtonian Physics 8 topics
  2. Electricity and the Universe 8 topics
  3. Light, Nuclei and Options 14 topics
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This page was last modified on 28 September 2024.

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Physics

Newtonian Physics

Basic Physics

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Basic Physics

Newton's Laws of Motion:

  • Newton's First Law states that an object at rest will stay at rest and an object in motion will remain in motion, with a constant velocity, unless acted on by an unbalanced force. This is also known as the Law of Inertia.
  • Newton's Second Law describes how the velocity of an object changes when it is subjected to an external force. It can be mathematically expressed as Force = mass x acceleration (F = ma).
  • Newton's Third Law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that any force exerted on a body will create a force of equal magnitude but in the opposite direction on the object that exerted the first force.

Concept of Force:

  • A force is a push or pull upon an object resulting from the object's interaction with another object. The SI unit of force is the Newton (N).
  • Force can cause an object to move, stop moving, or change direction.
  • There are various types of forces including friction, gravity, normal force, and tension.

Motion and Acceleration:

  • Motion refers to any movement or change in position or place. It can be described in terms of displacement, distance, velocity, acceleration, time and speed.
  • Acceleration is a measure of how much the velocity of an object changes in a certain time period. It is calculated using the formula acceleration = (final velocity - initial velocity)/time (a = (v - u)/t).
  • The unit for acceleration is m/s^2 and it can be a positive or negative value (deceleration).

Momentum:

  • Momentum is the mass of an object multiplied by its velocity. It is calculated using the formula momentum = mass x velocity (p = mv).
  • The unit for momentum is kg m/s.
  • The Law of Conservation of Momentum states that the total momentum of a system of objects is constant if no external forces are acting on it.

Gravitational Field and Weight:

  • A gravitational field is a region of space around a mass where another mass would feel a force of attraction.
  • The weight of an object is the force of gravity acting on its mass. Weight (W) can be calculated using the formula weight = mass x gravity (W = mg).
  • Weight is a force and is measured in Newtons (N), and it is different from the mass of an object which is a scalar quantity measured in kilograms (kg).

Centripetal Force and Circular Motion:

  • Centripetal force is the force that keeps an object moving in a circular path. It acts inwards towards the centre of the circle.
  • The formula for centripetal force is F = mv^2/r, where m is the mass of the object, v is the velocity and r is the radius of the circular path.
  • Circular motion is a type of motion where an object moves along a circular path or in a circular manner.

Course material for Physics, module Newtonian Physics, topic Basic Physics

Physics

Electricity and the Universe

Orbits and the Wider Universe

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Orbits and the Wider Universe

Laws of Planetary Motion

  • Johannes Kepler formulated three laws governing the motion of planets around the Sun, known as Kepler's Laws.
  • The First Law states that each planet moves in an elliptical orbit with the Sun at one of the foci.
  • The Second Law states that an imaginary line drawn from the Sun to a planet sweeps out equal areas in equal times. This implies that planets move faster when closer to the Sun.
  • The Third Law relates the square of the orbital period (T) of a planet to the cube of its average distance (r) from the Sun, given by T² = kr³, where k is a constant for all planets in the solar system.

Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation

  • Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation states that every particle of matter in the universe attracts every other particle with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centres. This can be numerically expressed as F = G(m1m2/r²).

Scale of the Universe

  • The Universe is unimaginably vast, comprising a multitude of galaxies, each with billions of stars. Distances in the Universe are so great they are measured in light years, the distance which light, travelling at approximately 3 x 10^8 ms^-1, can travel in one year.
  • Astronomical distances are measured using various techniques, such as parallax for nearby stars, cepheid variable stars for further distances, and redshift for distances at galactic scales.

Redshift and the Expanding Universe

  • Redshift is the shift of light (or other electromagnetic radiation) towards longer wavelengths (the red end of the spectrum). It is observed when light sources are moving away from us.
  • The discovery of redshift led to the development of the Big Bang Theory - the scientific explanation for the beginning and expansion of the universe.
  • Hubble’s Law is an observational relationship between the redshift of a galaxy and its distance from us, which offers strong evidence for an expanding universe. Hubble's Law can be expressed as v = H0 x d, where H0 is the Hubble Constant.

Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation

  • The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the thermal radiation left over from the Big Bang. It provides strong evidence for this theory of the Universe's origins.
  • The CMB has a temperature of approximately 2.7 Kelvin and is almost uniform in all directions. The slight variations in its intensity, or 'anisotropies', have provided important clues about the early Universe and the formation of galaxies.
  • The precise measurements of the CMB have been made by satellites such as COBE, WMAP, and Planck.

Course material for Physics, module Electricity and the Universe, topic Orbits and the Wider Universe

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