This document contains key terms, definitions, and mnemonics to help remember key course areas. It is separated into each topic and has notes followed by frequently asked questions that have word-perfect answers and show how the marks are allocated.
Random tips:
Independent variable: what you are changing
Dependent variable: what you are PHYSICALLY measuring e.g.
length, weight
Use a graph line to determine the value of n=sini/sinr because it
allows you to use all the data rather than just two points and you
can discount anomalies more easily
On graphs look for lines being directly proportional - the points
should go through the origin
With experimental design, always state ‘repeat and
calculate an average’
Megajoules to joules x 1000,000
Past exam question: investigating how temperature affects how
high a ball bounces
Independent variable: temperature change in a water bath
container
Dependent variable: height measured in m by a measuring rule that
the ball bounces
Control variables (+3): mass of the ball the same, same floor and
same force that the ball is dropped at and height ball is dropped
from
Repeats: repeat the whole experiment five times and find an
average excluding any anomalies
High-quality data: rule with small increments, use a camera and
view is slow motion
Forces:
How to investigate Hooke’s Law:
1. Hang a spring off a clamp stand
2. Measure the original length
3. Add a weight and measure the new length of spring
4. Repeat for a range of weights
5. Repeat and calculate an average
6. Plot a graph of length vs weight
7. Graph should be a straight line and pass through the origin
,At point A the limit of proportionality has been reached. And the spring
has been irreversibly damaged.
Terminal velocity:
Parachutist jumps out of the airplane
Weight acts downwards
Air resistance acts upwards
Object accelerates downwards
Eventually weight = air resistance
There is no resultant force and no acceleration
The forces are balanced and terminal velocity has been reached
Forces around a car
, Electricity:
Structure of a metal: regular arrangement of positive ions surrounded by
a sea of delocalised electrons
As temperature increases the positive metals ions vibrate more impeding
the flow of electrons meaning there is greater resistance within the wire of
a metal.
Resistance = voltage/current
It is difficult to measure the resistance of a component. Instead we add an
ammeter in series and a voltmeter in parallel to the component and take
these readings and use them in the equation resistance= voltage/current.
(N.B you’ll also need a variable resistor to enable you to take a range of
current and voltage readings)
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