1Physical Quantities and Units
SI units and prefixes, errors and uncertainties, and scalars and vectors — the toolkit every other topic assumes.
6 sub-topics · Physical quantities as magnitude and unit; reasonable estimates · SI base units; derived units and homogeneity of equations …
Kinematics
Displacement, velocity and acceleration, motion graphs, the uniform-acceleration equations, free fall and projectiles.
5 sub-topics · Distance, displacement, speed, velocity, acceleration · Motion graphs: gradients and area under the graph …
Dynamics
Newton's laws, momentum as mass in motion, collisions, and friction, drag and terminal velocity.
5 sub-topics · Mass, resistance to change; F = ma · Linear momentum; force as rate of change of momentum …
Forces, Density and Pressure
Moments, couples and equilibrium, centre of gravity, plus density, pressure and upthrust.
6 sub-topics · Centre of gravity · Moment of a force; couples and torque …
Work, Energy and Power
Work done by a force, the conservation of energy, GPE and KE, efficiency and power.
5 sub-topics · Work done by a force · Conservation of energy and efficiency …
Deformation of Solids
Hooke's law, stress, strain and the Young modulus, elastic versus plastic behaviour, and stored elastic energy.
5 sub-topics · Hooke's law and the spring constant · Stress, strain and the Young modulus …
Waves
Progressive waves, the wave equation, intensity, the electromagnetic spectrum, the Doppler effect and polarisation.
7 sub-topics · Progressive waves and wave terminology · Wave equation v = f lambda …
Superposition
Stationary waves, diffraction, two-source interference and the diffraction grating.
6 sub-topics · Principle of superposition · Stationary waves; nodes and antinodes …
Electricity
Current as charge flow, charge carriers, potential difference, resistance, resistivity and I-V characteristics.
7 sub-topics · Electric current as flow of charge; Q = It · Charge carriers and I = Anvq …
D.C. Circuits
Circuit diagrams, EMF and internal resistance, Kirchhoff's laws, resistor networks and potential dividers.
6 sub-topics · Circuit symbols and circuit diagrams · Electromotive force and internal resistance …
Particle Physics
The nuclear atom from alpha-particle scattering, fundamental particles, quarks, leptons and radioactive decay.
8 sub-topics · Alpha-particle scattering and the nuclear atom · Nucleon and proton number; isotopes and nuclide notation …