A Level Physics WJEC

This subject is broken down into 30 topics in 4 modules:

  1. Motion, Energy and Matter 7 topics
  2. Electricity and Light 8 topics
  3. Oscillations and Nuclei 6 topics
  4. Fields and Options 9 topics
Study this subject in the Adapt App →
  • 4
    modules
  • 30
    topics
  • 12,440
    words of revision content
  • 1+
    hours of audio lessons

This page was last modified on 28 September 2024.

A preview of A Level Physics WJEC in the Adapt app

Adapt is a revision planning app with full content coverage and unlimited past paper questions for 1,200+ GCSE and A Level subjects.

Study this subject in the Adapt app →

Physics

Motion, Energy and Matter

Motion, Energy and Matter: Basic Physics

🤓 Study

📖 Quiz

Play audio lesson

Motion, Energy and Matter: Basic Physics

Basics of Motion

  • Displacement is the actual distance moved in a specific direction; it is a vector quantity and can be negative.
  • Speed is the rate of change of distance without considering direction. It is a scalar quantity.
  • Velocity is speed in a given direction, hence it is a vector quantity.
  • Acceleration denotes the rate of change of velocity. A resultant force is required to accelerate an object.
  • Newton's first law states an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion remains in motion with same speed and direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
  • Newton's second law describes how the velocity of an object changes when it is subjected to an external force.
  • Newton's third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Fundamentals of Energy

  • Energy is the ability to do work or produce heat and cannot be created or destroyed but can change form, according to the law of conservation of energy.
  • Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its motion.
  • Potential energy is the energy that an object possesses because of its position in a force field, such as gravitational force field of the Earth.
  • Mechanical energy is the energy that is possessed by an object due to its motion or due to its position.
  • Work done is the energy transferred by a force and is calculated as force times the distance in the direction of the force.
  • Power quantifies the rate at which work is done or energy is transferred.

Principles of Matter

  • Matter is any substance that has mass and takes up space by having volume.
  • All matter is composed of atoms, which are the smallest unit that defines the chemical elements.
  • Three basic states of matter are solid, liquid and gas.
  • The particle model of matter describes the movement and arrangement of particles in solids, liquids and gases.
  • Heat plays a significant role in changes of state (e.g., melting, freezing, evaporation, condensation) where energy is transferred.
  • Thermal energy is the total potential and kinetic energy of all the microscopic particles in an object.
  • Density specifies how much mass is in a given volume. This can cause buoyancy in fluid due to pressure difference.
  • Pressure indicates the force exerted per unit area and it increases when temperature or volume is increased in a gas (provided other variables remain constant).

Course material for Physics, module Motion, Energy and Matter, topic Motion, Energy and Matter: Basic Physics

Physics

Oscillations and Nuclei

Oscillations and Nuclei: Circular motion

🤓 Study

📖 Quiz

Play audio lesson

Oscillations and Nuclei: Circular motion

Understanding Circular Motion

  • Circular motion refers to the movement of an object along the circumference of a circle.
  • An object in circular motion is constantly changing direction, and thus is always experiencing an acceleration, even if its speed remains constant.

Key Terms

  • Angular speed (ω): This is the rate at which an object moves through an angle. It's measured in radians per second (rad/s).
  • Linear speed: This is the tangential speed of an object moving along a circular path.
  • Centripetal acceleration: This refers to the acceleration of an object moving in a circular path. It always acts parallel to the radius of circle, directed towards the centre.

Equations of Circular Motion

  • Remember the equation for centripetal acceleration, a = ω²r, where 'a' is acceleration, 'ω' is angular speed, and 'r' is the radius of the circular path.
  • An object's linear speed, 'v' is given by v = rω, where 'r' is radius of the circular path and 'ω' is angular speed.

Centripetal Force

  • Centripetal force refers to the force that keeps an object moving along a circular path.
  • The equation for centripetal force is F = mω²r, where 'F' is force, 'm' is mass of the object, 'ω' is angular speed, and 'r' is radius of the circular path.

Application of Circular Motion

  • Circular motion principles apply to several real-world scenarios, including planetary motion, satellites, and amusement park rides.
  • Understanding circular motion can aid understanding of other physics concepts, such as gravity and electromagnetism.

Nitty-gritty of Nuclei

  • Nuclear physics is the branch of physics that studies atomic nuclei and their interactions.
  • It started with the discovery of radioactivity and the nuclear theory of the atom.
  • Basic constituents of a nucleus include protons and neutrons, together known as nucleons.

Nuclear Forces

  • Nuclear forces are the forces that act between two or more nucleons.
  • Strong nuclear force is about 100 times stronger than electromagnetic force but operates over a very short range of about 1 femtometer (10^-15 meter).
  • Weak nuclear force is responsible for beta decay.

Nuclear Reactions

  • Nuclear fission and fusion are two types of nuclear reactions.
  • Nuclear fission refers to the splitting of a large nucleus into two smaller ones, while nuclear fusion involves combining two small nuclei into one larger nucleus.
  • Both reactions release a large amount of energy.

Course material for Physics, module Oscillations and Nuclei, topic Oscillations and Nuclei: Circular motion

Can I trust Adapt’s expertise?

Adapt is already used by over 600,000 students and trusted by over 3,000 schools. Our exam-specific content and assessments are meticulously crafted by expert teachers and examiners.

Find out more about the Adapt app →

Planner

An always up-to-date revision timetable.

A personalised, flexible revision timetable that stays up-to-date automatically.

Content

All the exam resources, in one place.

Over 20,000 topics broken down into manageable lessons with teacher-written, exam-specific lessons.

Assessment

Past-paper questions, with instant feedback.

Unlimited past paper questions with instant examiner feedback on how to improve.

Progress

Track progress, together.

Progress tracking to stay motivated, with real-time updates to the Parent Portal.

Download the app today to start revising for free.