GCE Advanced Level (A-Levels) Physics Syllabus

Physics syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Physics in GCE Advanced Level (A-Levels), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Mechanics and Materials

   3 topics

   • Kinematics and Motion
     • Scalars, vectors and equations of motion
     • Projectile motion
     • Motion graphs and terminal velocity
   • Forces, Energy and Momentum
     • Newton's laws and free-body diagrams
     • Work, energy and power
     • Conservation of momentum and impulse
     • Elastic and inelastic collisions
   • Materials
     • Density, Hooke's law and the Young modulus
     • Stress, strain and elastic strain energy
     • Tensile testing and material properties
2. 2

   Electricity

   3 topics

   • Current Electricity
     • Charge, current, potential difference and resistance
     • Ohm's law and I-V characteristics
     • Resistivity and superconductivity
   • DC Circuits
     • Series and parallel combinations
     • Kirchhoff's laws
     • Potential dividers
   • Electromotive Force and Internal Resistance
     • EMF and terminal potential difference
     • Energy and power in circuits
3. 3

   Waves and Optics

   4 topics

   • Properties of Waves
     • Transverse and longitudinal waves
     • Frequency, wavelength, phase and speed
     • Polarisation
   • Superposition and Stationary Waves
     • Interference and the principle of superposition
     • Stationary waves and harmonics
   • Diffraction and Interference
     • Young's double-slit experiment
     • The diffraction grating
   • Refraction and Optical Fibres
     • Refractive index and Snell's law
     • Total internal reflection and critical angle
4. 4

   Fields and Their Consequences

   4 topics

   • Gravitational Fields
     • Newton's law of gravitation and field strength
     • Gravitational potential and orbits
   • Electric Fields
     • Coulomb's law and field strength
     • Electric potential and equipotentials
   • Capacitance
     • Capacitors and energy stored
     • Charging and discharging through a resistor
   • Magnetic Fields and Electromagnetic Induction
     • Force on a current-carrying conductor and on charges
     • Faraday's and Lenz's laws
     • Alternating currents and transformers
5. 5

   Nuclear and Particle Physics

   3 topics

   • Particles and Antiparticles
     • The standard model: quarks and leptons
     • Antimatter, annihilation and pair production
     • Conservation laws in particle interactions
   • Quantum Phenomena
     • The photoelectric effect
     • Wave-particle duality and de Broglie wavelength
     • Energy levels and line spectra
   • Radioactivity and Nuclear Energy
     • Radioactive decay and half-life
     • Nuclear stability, fission and fusion
     • Mass-energy equivalence and binding energy
6. 6

   Thermal Physics and Further Mechanics

   3 topics

   • Thermal Energy and Gases
     • Internal energy, specific heat capacity and latent heat
     • The ideal gas equation and gas laws
     • Kinetic theory of gases
   • Circular Motion
     • Angular velocity and centripetal acceleration
     • Centripetal force in applications
   • Simple Harmonic Motion
     • Conditions for and equations of SHM
     • Energy in SHM
     • Free, damped, forced oscillations and resonance

Physics flashcards for GCE Advanced Level (A-Levels)

24 of 60 cards from the Physics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. Define displacement and state how it differs from distance.

   Displacement is the straight-line distance from start to finish in a given direction (a vector). Distance is the total path length travelled (a scalar). Displacement can be zero even when distance is not.

2. State the three SUVAT equations of motion for uniform acceleration (excluding the one without $t$).

   $v = u + at$, $\quad s = ut + \tfrac{1}{2}at^{2}$, $\quad s = \dfrac{(u+v)}{2}t$. (Also $v^{2} = u^{2} + 2as$.)

3. For a projectile launched at speed $u$ and angle $\theta$ (no air resistance), what are the horizontal and vertical components of initial velocity?

   Horizontal: $u_{x} = u\cos\theta$ (constant). Vertical: $u_{y} = u\sin\theta$ (changes under gravity $g$).

4. State Newton's second law in terms of momentum.

   The resultant force equals the rate of change of momentum: $F = \dfrac{\Delta p}{\Delta t} = \dfrac{\Delta(mv)}{\Delta t}$. For constant mass this reduces to $F = ma$.

5. Define impulse and state the impulse–momentum relationship.

   Impulse is the product of force and the time for which it acts: $\text{impulse} = F\,\Delta t$. It equals the change in momentum: $F\,\Delta t = \Delta p = mv - mu$. Impulse is the area under a force–time graph.

6. Distinguish elastic and inelastic collisions.

   In both, momentum is conserved. In an elastic collision kinetic energy is also conserved; in an inelastic collision kinetic energy is not conserved (some is transferred to other forms). A perfectly inelastic collision is one where the bodies stick together.

7. State the work–energy principle and the formula for work done.

   Work done by a force equals the energy transferred: $W = Fs\cos\theta$, where $\theta$ is the angle between force and displacement. The net work done on a body equals its change in kinetic energy.

8. Give the formulas for kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy (near Earth's surface).

   Kinetic energy: $E_{k} = \tfrac{1}{2}mv^{2}$. Gravitational potential energy: $\Delta E_{p} = mg\Delta h$.

9. Define the Young modulus and give its formula.

   The Young modulus is the ratio of tensile stress to tensile strain in the elastic (Hookean) region: $E = \dfrac{\sigma}{\varepsilon} = \dfrac{F/A}{\Delta L / L} = \dfrac{FL}{A\,\Delta L}$. Units: $\text{Pa}$ ($\text{N\,m}^{-2}$).

10. State Hooke's law and give the expression for elastic strain energy stored in a stretched spring.

    Hooke's law: $F = k\,\Delta L$ (extension proportional to force up to the limit of proportionality). Elastic strain energy: $E = \tfrac{1}{2}F\,\Delta L = \tfrac{1}{2}k(\Delta L)^{2}$ (area under the force–extension graph).

11. Distinguish brittle, ductile and plastic behaviour of materials.

    Brittle: breaks suddenly with little plastic deformation (e.g. glass). Ductile: can be drawn into wires, undergoing large plastic deformation before breaking (e.g. copper). Plastic deformation: permanent deformation that remains after the load is removed (beyond the elastic limit).

12. Define electric current in terms of charge.

    Current is the rate of flow of charge: $I = \dfrac{\Delta Q}{\Delta t}$. One ampere is one coulomb per second.

13. State the equation linking current to charge carriers (the transport equation).

    $I = nAvq$, where $n$ is the number density of charge carriers, $A$ the cross-sectional area, $v$ the drift velocity, and $q$ the charge per carrier.

14. Define resistance and state Ohm's law.

    Resistance $R = \dfrac{V}{I}$ (units $\Omega$). Ohm's law: for an ohmic conductor at constant temperature, current is directly proportional to potential difference, so $V \propto I$ and $R$ is constant.

15. Give the equation for the resistance of a uniform wire in terms of resistivity.

    $R = \dfrac{\rho L}{A}$, where $\rho$ is the resistivity, $L$ the length, and $A$ the cross-sectional area. Resistivity has units $\Omega\,\text{m}$.

16. State three equations for electrical power dissipation.

    $P = VI = I^{2}R = \dfrac{V^{2}}{R}$. Energy transferred: $W = VIt$.

17. State the rules for total resistance of resistors in series and in parallel.

    Series: $R_{\text{total}} = R_{1} + R_{2} + \cdots$. Parallel: $\dfrac{1}{R_{\text{total}}} = \dfrac{1}{R_{1}} + \dfrac{1}{R_{2}} + \cdots$.

18. State Kirchhoff's two circuit laws.

    First law (current): the sum of currents into a junction equals the sum of currents out (conservation of charge). Second law (voltage): around any closed loop the sum of e.m.f.s equals the sum of p.d.s, $\sum \varepsilon = \sum IR$ (conservation of energy).

19. Define electromotive force (e.m.f.).

    The e.m.f. of a source is the energy transferred from chemical (or other) energy to electrical energy per unit charge driven round the circuit: $\varepsilon = \dfrac{E}{Q}$. Units: volts (joules per coulomb).

20. State the equation relating e.m.f., terminal p.d. and internal resistance.

    $\varepsilon = I(R + r) = V + Ir$, where $r$ is the internal resistance and $V = IR$ is the terminal p.d. The 'lost volts' across the internal resistance are $Ir$.

21. How is internal resistance found from a graph of terminal p.d. $V$ against current $I$?

    Rearranging $V = \varepsilon - Ir$ shows the graph is a straight line: the y-intercept gives the e.m.f. $\varepsilon$ and the gradient is $-r$ (so internal resistance is the magnitude of the gradient).

22. Define the wavelength, frequency and period of a wave, and state the wave equation.

    Wavelength $\lambda$ is the distance between adjacent points in phase. Frequency $f$ is the number of cycles per second. Period $T = 1/f$. Wave equation: $v = f\lambda$.

23. Distinguish transverse and longitudinal waves, with an example of each.

    Transverse: oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer (e.g. light, water waves). Longitudinal: oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer, forming compressions and rarefactions (e.g. sound).

24. Define phase difference and give it for two points one wavelength apart.

    Phase difference is the difference in the stage of oscillation between two points, measured in radians or degrees. Points one wavelength apart have a phase difference of $2\pi$ rad ($360^{\circ}$), i.e. they are in phase.

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