Scottish National 4 (Nat 4) Physics (National 4) Syllabus

Physics (National 4) syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Physics (National 4) in Scottish National 4 (Nat 4), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Electricity and Energy

   4 topics

   • Conservation of energy
     • Energy transformations
     • Renewable and non-renewable sources
   • Electrical circuits
     • Series and parallel circuits
     • Current, voltage and resistance
   • Electrical power and energy use
     • Power ratings of appliances
   • Gas laws and heat
     • Specific heat capacity
     • Change of state
2. 2

   Waves and Radiation

   3 topics

   • Wave properties
     • Wavelength, frequency and amplitude
     • The electromagnetic spectrum
   • Sound waves
     • Speed of sound and applications
   • Nuclear radiation
     • Alpha, beta and gamma radiation
     • Uses and safety of radiation
3. 3

   Dynamics and Space

   4 topics

   • Speed and acceleration
     • Calculating average speed
     • Distance-time and speed-time graphs
   • Forces and their effects
     • Friction and balanced forces
     • Newton's laws basics
   • Space exploration
     • The solar system
     • Satellites and space travel
   • Cosmology
     • Light years and the expanding universe
4. 4

   Practical Skills and Scientific Inquiry

   3 topics

   • Planning an investigation
     • Variables and fair testing
   • Carrying out experiments
     • Measuring and recording data
     • Working safely
   • Analysing and evaluating results
     • Drawing conclusions from evidence

Physics (National 4) flashcards for Scottish National 4 (Nat 4)

24 of 52 cards from the Physics (National 4) deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. State the principle of conservation of energy.

   Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form into another or transferred from one object to another; the total amount of energy stays constant.

2. Name five forms (stores) of energy a National 4 student should know.

   Kinetic, gravitational potential, chemical, electrical, thermal (heat). Others: light, sound, nuclear, elastic potential.

3. When a ball falls, which energy transformation takes place (ignoring air resistance)?

   Gravitational potential energy is transformed into kinetic energy: $E_{p} \rightarrow E_{k}$.

4. What does it mean for a device to be efficient in terms of energy?

   An efficient device transfers a large fraction of the input energy into the useful output form, wasting little energy (usually as heat or sound).

5. In a filament lamp, what is the useful energy output and what is the main wasted output?

   Useful output: light energy. Main wasted output: heat (thermal) energy.

6. What is the difference between a series circuit and a parallel circuit?

   In a series circuit components are connected in one single loop (one path); in a parallel circuit components are connected on separate branches (more than one path).

7. In a series circuit, how do the currents at different points compare?

   The current is the same at every point in a series circuit.

8. In a parallel circuit, how does the voltage across each branch compare to the supply voltage?

   The voltage across each parallel branch is the same as (equal to) the supply voltage.

9. What happens to the other bulbs if one bulb breaks in a series circuit versus a parallel circuit?

   Series: all other bulbs go off (broken circuit). Parallel: the other bulbs stay lit because they are on separate branches.

10. State Ohm's law as an equation relating voltage, current and resistance.

    $V = I R$, where $V$ is voltage (V), $I$ is current (A) and $R$ is resistance ($\Omega$).

11. What instrument measures current, and how is it connected in a circuit?

    An ammeter measures current and is connected in series with the component.

12. What instrument measures voltage, and how is it connected in a circuit?

    A voltmeter measures voltage (potential difference) and is connected in parallel across the component.

13. Give the unit and symbol for current, voltage and resistance.

    Current: ampere (A); Voltage: volt (V); Resistance: ohm ($\Omega$).

14. Write the equation linking electrical power, voltage and current.

    $P = I V$, where $P$ is power (W), $I$ is current (A) and $V$ is voltage (V).

15. Write the equation linking energy, power and time, and state the units.

    $E = P t$, where $E$ is energy (J), $P$ is power (W) and $t$ is time (s).

16. What does the power rating of an electrical appliance tell you?

    It tells you how much electrical energy the appliance transforms each second, measured in watts (joules per second).

17. Calculate the power of a device that draws $3\,\text{A}$ at a voltage of $230\,\text{V}$.

    $P = IV = 3 \times 230 = 690\,\text{W}$.

18. How much energy does a $2000\,\text{W}$ heater use in $30\,\text{s}$?

    $E = Pt = 2000 \times 30 = 60000\,\text{J}$ ($60\,\text{kJ}$).

19. State the equation for the heat energy needed to change the temperature of a substance (specific heat capacity).

    $E_{h} = c m \Delta T$, where $c$ is specific heat capacity, $m$ is mass and $\Delta T$ is the change in temperature.

20. What is meant by the specific heat capacity of a material?

    The amount of heat energy needed to raise the temperature of $1\,\text{kg}$ of the material by $1\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ (or $1\,\text{K}$).

21. What happens to the particles of a gas when it is heated in a sealed, fixed-volume container?

    The particles gain kinetic energy and move faster, hitting the container walls more often and harder, so the pressure increases.

22. For a fixed mass of gas at constant temperature, how are pressure and volume related?

    They are inversely related: as volume decreases, pressure increases (and vice versa) — $p \propto \dfrac{1}{V}$.

23. Define the amplitude of a wave.

    The maximum displacement of a point on the wave from its rest (undisturbed) position.

24. Define the wavelength of a wave.

    The distance between two consecutive corresponding points on a wave, e.g. crest to crest or trough to trough.

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