GCSE Physics (Triple) AQA

This subject is broken down into 93 topics in 9 modules:

  1. Energy 12 topics
  2. Electricity 10 topics
  3. Particle Model of Matter 5 topics
  4. Atomic Structure 8 topics
  5. Forces 20 topics
  6. Waves 14 topics
  7. Magnetism and Electromagnetism 7 topics
  8. Space Physics 4 topics
  9. Scalar and Vector Quantities 13 topics
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  • 9
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  • 93
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  • 33,239
    words of revision content
  • 4+
    hours of audio lessons

This page was last modified on 9 January 2025.

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Physics (Triple)

Energy

Energy: Energy Stores & Systems

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Energy: Energy Stores & Systems

Energy Stores

  • Energy is the capacity to do work and it can be stored in various forms.

  • Energy may be stored in kinetic, thermal, chemical, or nuclear stores when work is done on the system.

  • Gravitational potential, elastic potential, electrostatic, and magnetic stores are energy stores related to an object's position in a field or its deformation.

  • Energy stores do not include 'light energy', 'sound energy' or 'electrical energy'. These are usually ways in which energy is transferred (e.g. light transfers energy from the Sun to Earth, electrical transfers energy along a wire).

Energy Transfers

  • Energy is transferred from one store to another by mechanical work, electrical work, by heating, or by radiation (including sound and light).energy is transferred from one store to another.

  • The rate of transfer of energy depends on the difference in temperature between the heat source and the object, and properties like the object’s surface area and the type of material it is made up of.

  • Energy transfers may be useful transfers (e.g., electrical energy transferring to light in a light bulb) or wasteful (e.g., thermal energy transferring to the surrounding air from a light bulb).

Energy Systems

  • An energy system is a physical system or process where energy transfers occur. For example, a car engine, a heating system, or a solar cell.

  • Closed systems are those where neither matter nor energy can enter or leave. The net change in the total energy of a closed system is always zero.

  • Diagrams called sankey diagrams can be used to represent energy transfers in a system. The wider the arrow, the more energy it represents.

  • Energy can only be changed from one form to another or transferred from one place to another; it cannot be created or destroyed, this is the principle of conservation of energy.

  • The total energy of a system is always conserved unless work is done on or by the system. In a closed system, the total amount of energy is a constant if considered over large time scales.

Course material for Physics (Triple), module Energy, topic Energy: Energy Stores & Systems

Physics (Triple)

Forces

Forces: Velocity-Time Graphs

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Forces: Velocity-Time Graphs

Forces: Velocity-Time Graphs

Understanding Velocity-Time Graphs:

  • A velocity-time graph represents the velocity of an object against time.
  • Time is usually on the x-axis and velocity on the y-axis.
  • The gradient of a velocity-time graph shows the acceleration of the object. Steeper gradient means a higher acceleration. A horizontal line indicates constant velocity.
  • A negative gradient shows deceleration or slowing down.

Calculating Distance:

  • The area under the graph between the time axis (x-axis) and the graph line represents the distance travelled by the object.
  • The total area under the line can be calculated by dividing it into appropriate shapes such as rectangles or triangles, calculating the area of each shape and adding these areas together.
  • While calculating the distance, remember that the area of a rectangle is given by base x height and the area of a triangle is given by 1/2 x base x height.

Acceleration:

  • Acceleration is the rate at which velocity changes with time.
  • Acceleration is calculated using the formula: acceleration = change in velocity / time taken.
  • It can be determined from a velocity-time graph by finding the gradient of the graph.
  • If a graph line slants upwards, the object is accelerating. If it slants downwards, it’s decelerating.
  • Acceleration due to gravity is a special case and is approximately 9.8 m/s² downwards.

Deceleration and Negative Acceleration:

  • Deceleration or negative acceleration refers to reducing speed i.e., the object is slowing down.
  • On a velocity-time graph, deceleration is represented by a line sloping downwards.

Understanding Stationary Objects:

  • A horizontal line on the graph (where gradient = 0) shows that the object is moving at a constant velocity, or it may be stationary. If the line is along the x-axis (velocity = 0), the object is stationary.

Course material for Physics (Triple), module Forces, topic Forces: Velocity-Time Graphs

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