This document contains summary notes needed for the AQA GCSE Physics Exam (HIGHER/SEPERATE SCIENCE) that allowed me and others to achieve a grade 9, and so can you!
Physics
Paper 1
Energy:
● A system is an object or group of objects
● When a system changes, there are changes in the way energy is stored
● The Sankey diagram can be used to show energy changes:
○
● Specific Heat Capacity and Internal energy:
○ Internal energy is the total kinetic and potential energy of all the particles that make up a system
○ Doing work on a system increases the energy stored in a system
○ Heating changes the energy stored in a system, by increasing the energy of the particles within it
○ As the energy increases, this will either increase the temperature or produce a change of state
○ If the temperature increases it depends on:
■ The mass of the substance heated
■ What the substance is
■ The energy input
○ The specific heat capacity of substance is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one
kilogram of the substance by one degree celsius
● Practical (Investigate the specific heat capacity of materials, linking the decrease of one energy store (or work done)
to the increase in temperature and subsequent increase in thermal energy stored:
○ Method:
■ Set up the equipment as shown
■ Measure the start temperature
■ Switch on the electric heater for 1 minute
■ Measure the end temperature
■ Measure the voltage and current to find the power
■ Repeat for different liquids
■ Calculate the specific heat capacity
■ Compare results to see if it is reproducible
○ Variables:
■ Independent - type of liquid
■ Dependent - temperature
■ Control - volume of liquid used and energy provided
○ Considerations:
■ The energy provided by the heater is calculated as power x time. However, it can also be found
using a joulemeter
■ The specific heat capacity is calculated from the energy provided, the mass of the liquid and and
the temperature change
■ If the temperature rise is too high, energy loss to the surroundings will affect the results
, ○
● Energy transfers:
○ Energy can be transferred usefully, stored or dissipated (spread out of the surroundings)
○ Energy cannot be created or destroyed
○ In a closed system the total energy never changes, but it can be transferred from one store to another
○ Wasted energy is caused by unwanted energy transfers
○ These unwanted transfers can be reduced in several ways:
■ Lubrication - reduces the friction that produces heat
■ Tightening any loose parts - prevents unwanted vibration that wastes energy as sound
■ Thermal insulation - reduces heat loss
● Required Practical (Investigate the effectiveness of different materials as thermal insulators)
○ Method:
■ Take four test tubes and wrap each one in a different type of insulation
■ Fill each test tube with hot water and measure the start temperature of each one
■ Start the stopwatch and record the temperature every minute for 10 minutes
■ Plot the results on a graph of time against temperature
○ Consideration:
■ Time and temperature are continuous data, so a line graph should be drawn
○ Variables:
■ Independent - type of insulation
■ Dependent - temperature
■ Control - times at which the temperature is measured, volume of water in each tube and the
thickness of each insulating material
, ● Global and National energy resources:
Category Energy Resource Main uses Environmental impacts,
Ethics, Reliability and
other information
Renewable Biofuel Transport and electricity Large areas of land are
generation needed for growing fuel
crops. This can be at the
expense of food crops in
poor countries
Renewable Wind Electricity generation Does not provide a
constant source of
energy. Turbines can be
noisy and dangerous to
birds. Some people think
they cause visual
pollution
Renewable Water (hydro-electricty) Electricity generation Requires large areas of
land to be flooded,
altering ecosystems and
displacing some people
that live there
Renewable Geothermal Electricity generation and Only available in a limited
heating number of places where
hot rocks can be found
close to the surface
Renewable Tidal Electricity generation Variations in tide affect
the output. They have a
high initial set up cost.
They can alster habitats
and cause problems for
shipping
Renewable Solar Electricity generation and Depends on light
some heating intensity, so no power
produced at night. High
cost in relation to power
output
Renewable Water waves Electricity generation Output depends on
waves, so can be
unreliable
Non-renewable Nuclear fuel Electricity generation and Produces radioactive
some military transport waste but no other
emissions. Costly to build
and decommission.
Reliable output
Non-renewable Coal Electricity generation, Burning produces
heating and some greenhouse gases and
transport contributes to acid
rain.Reliable output
Non-renewable Gas Electricity generation, Reliable output. Burning
heating and some produces carbon dioxide
transport but not sulphur dioxide
Non-renewable Oil Transport and heating Reliable output. Provides
a compact source of
energy for transport.
Nursing produces carbon
dioxide, nitrogen oxide
and sulphur oxide.
Serious environmental
damage if split
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