Physics · QCAA
Full Physics syllabus
Drill from units to topics, subtopics and individual learning objectives. Every LO is wired up to AI-marked practice questions.
▶1 — Thermal, nuclear and electrical physics67 LOs
▶Heating processes20 LOs
▶Kinetic particle model and specific heat capacity20 LOs
●Describe the concept of efficiency.
●Describe the concept of specific heat capacity.
●Describe the concept of specific latent heat.
●Describe the concept of thermal equilibrium in terms of the temperature and average kine tic energy of the particles in each of the systems.
●Describe the concepts of thermal energy, temperature, kinetic energy, heat and internal energy.
●Describe the kinetic particle model of matter.
●Explain heat transfers in terms of conduction, convection and radiation.
●Explain how a system with thermal energy has the capacity to do mechanical work.
●Explain how energy transfers and transformations in mechanical systems always result in some heat loss to the environment, so that the amount of useable energy is reduced.
●Explain that a change in temperature is due to the addition or removal of energy from a system (without phase change).
●Explain that the change in the internal energy of a system is equal to the energy added or removed by heating plus the work done on or by the system, and recognise this as the first law of thermodynamics and that this is a consequence of the law of conservation of energy.
●Explain the process in which thermal energy is transferred between two systems until thermal equilibrium is achieved, and recognise the relevance of this to the laws of thermodynamics.
●Explain, in terms of the internal energy of a system and the kinetic particle model of matter, why the temperature of a system remains the same during the process of state change.
●Interpret data from specific heat capacity experiments. Phase changes and energy conservation
●Solve problems involving specific heat capacity using 𝑄 = 𝑚𝑐∆𝑇 (using but not limited to 𝑐𝑖 = 2.05 × 103 J kg−1 K−1, 𝑐𝑠 = 2.00 × 103 J kg−1 K−1 and 𝑐𝑤 = 4.18 × 103 J kg−1 K−1.
●Solve problems involving specific heat capacity, specific latent heat and thermal equilibrium.
●Solve problems involving specific latent heat using 𝑄 = 𝑚𝐿.
●Solve problems involving the efficiency of heat transfers using Δ𝑈 = 𝑄 + 𝑊 and 𝜂 = energy output energy input × 100 1 %.
●Use digital and other measuring devices to collect data, ensuring measurements are recorded using the correct symbol, SI unit, number of significant figures and associated measure ment uncertainty (absolute and percentage); all experimental measurements should be recorded in this way.
●Use 𝑇𝐾 = 𝑇𝐶 + 273 to convert temperature measurements.
▶Ionising radiation and nuclear reactions24 LOs
▶Nuclear model and stability24 LOs
●Describe alpha, beta positive, beta negative and gamma radiation, including the properties of penetrating ability, charge, mass and ionisation ability.
●Describe energy in terms of electron volts (eV) and joules (J).
●Describe nuclear fission and nuclear fusion with the aid of nuclear equations.
●Describe nuclides using XZ A nomenclature.
●Describe spontaneous alpha, beta positive and beta negative decay using decay equations.
●Describe the concept of artificial transmutation.
●Describe the concept of half-life.
●Describe the concept of the strong nuclear force.
●Describe the concepts of mass defect, binding energy and binding energy per nucleon.
●Describe the mass–energy equivalence relationship.
●Describe the nuclear model of the atom characterised by a small nucleus surrounded by electrons.
●Distinguish between artificial transmutations and natural radioactive decay.
●Examine exponential decay graphs and use these graphs to estimate half -lives.
●Explain a fission chain reaction.
●Explain a neutron-induced nuclear fission reaction, including references to extra neutrons produced from many of these reactions.
●Explain how a radionuclide will, through a series of spontaneous decays, become a stable nuclide.
●Explain how an excess of mass, protons, or neutrons in a nucleus can result in alpha, beta positive and beta negative decay.
●Explain natural radioactive decay in terms of stability.
●Explain that more energy is released per nucleon in nuclear fusion than in nuclear fission because a greater percentage of the mass is transformed into energy.
●Explain the stability of a nuclide in terms of the operation of the strong nuclear force over very short distances, electrostatic repulsion, and the relative number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
●Explain why protons in the nucleus repel each other.
●Solve problems involving balancing nuclear equations.
●Solve problems involving the mass–energy equivalence relationship using ∆𝐸 = ∆𝑚𝑐2.
●Solve radioactive decay problems using 𝑁 = 𝑁𝑜 (1 2)𝑛 and other arithmetic or graphical methods. Energy and mass defect
▶Electrical circuits23 LOs
▶Current, potential difference and energy flow23 LOs
●Compare characteristics of ohmic and non-ohmic resistors experimentally.
●Construct electrical circuit diagrams using the following symbols
●Describe electric charge as positive or negative.
●Describe electric current as carried by discrete electric charge carriers.
●Describe series and parallel connections of components in electrical circuits.
●Describe simple series, parallel and series/parallel circuits.
●Describe the concept of power dissipation over resistors in a circuit.
●Describe the concept of resistance.
●Describe the concepts of electrical potential difference and power within a circuit.
●Describe the law of conservation of electric charge.
●Discuss the differences between ohmic and non-ohmic resistors.
●Explain in qualitative terms why electric charge separation produces an electrical potential difference.
●Explain that electric charge is conserved at all points in an electrical circuit.
●Explain that the energy available to electric charges moving in an electrical circuit is measured using electrical potential difference.
●Explain that the energy inputs in a circuit equal the sum of energy output from loads in the circuit.
●Interpret experimental data to determine the resistance across an ohmic resistor. Circuit analysis and design
●Interpret graphical representations of electrical potential difference versus electric current data to find resistance using the gradient and its uncertainty.
●Solve problems involving electric current, electric charge and time using 𝐼 = 𝑞 𝑡.
●Solve problems involving electrical potential difference using 𝑉 = 𝑊 𝑞.
●Solve problems involving electrical potential difference, electric current, resistance and power.
●Solve problems involving finding equivalent resistance, electrical potential difference and electric currents in series and parallel circuits using 𝑃 = 𝑉𝐼, 𝑃 = 𝐼2 𝑅, 𝑉𝑡 = 𝑉1 + 𝑉2 + ⋯ 𝑉𝑛, 𝑅𝑡 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + ⋯ 𝑅𝑛, 𝐼𝑡 = 𝐼1 + 𝐼2 + ⋯ 𝐼𝑛, 1 𝑅𝑡 = 1 𝑅1 + 1 𝑅2 + ⋯ 1 𝑅𝑛.
●Solve problems involving power using 𝑃 = 𝑊 𝑡.
●Solve problems using 𝑉 = 𝐼𝑅.
▶2 — Linear motion and w aves55 LOs
▶Linear motion and force27 LOs
▶Linear motion27 LOs
●Analyse the area under a force–displacement graph using geometric methods.
●Analyse the area under a force–time graph using geometric methods. Energy
●Calculate resultant vectors through the addition and subtraction of two vectors in one dimension.
●Compare instantaneous and average velocity.
●Construct free-body diagrams representing forces such as the force due to gravity (weight), the normal force, tension, friction, drag and applied forces acting on an object.
●Contrast vectors and scalars, and use these terms to categorise physical quantities, e.g. velocity and speed.
●Describe the concepts of displacement, velocity and acceleration.
●Describe the concepts of mechanical work, kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy.
●Describe the concepts of momentum and impulse.
●Describe the principle of conservation of momentum.
●Describe the three laws of motion of classical mechanics and give examples of each.
●Determine the resultant force acting on an object in one dimension.
●Discuss the differences between elastic and inelastic collisions.
●Identify forces acting on an object.
●Interpret energy–time graphs.
●Interpret experimental data to determine the value of acceleration due to gravity on the Earth’s surface. Classical mechanics
●Interpret linear motion graphs to describe the motion of an object, referring to the - intercepts, gradients and uncertainties (using minimum and maximum lines of best fit) of displacement–time and velocity–time graphs - areas under velocity–time and acceleration–time graphs using simple geometry.
●Linearise a dataset that suggests a non-linear relationship (e.g. t2 versus s) and calculate the equation of the linear trend line.
●Solve problems involving elastic collisions and inelastic collisions (including explosions) using ∑ 1 2 𝑚𝑣𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 2 = ∑ 1 2 𝑚𝑣𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 2.
●Solve problems involving kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy using 𝐸𝑘 = 1 2 𝑚𝑣2 and ∆𝐸𝑝 = 𝑚𝑔∆ℎ.
●Solve problems involving momentum, impulse, the conservation of momentum and collisions in one dimension using 𝑝 = 𝑚𝑣 and ∑ 𝑚𝑣𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 = ∑ 𝑚𝑣𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟.
●Solve problems involving work done by a force using 𝑊 = ∆𝐸 and 𝑊 = 𝐹𝑠.
●Solve problems relating to uniformly accelerated motion in one dimension using 𝑣 = 𝑢 + 𝑎𝑡, 𝑠 = 𝑢𝑡 + 1 2 𝑎𝑡 2 and 𝑣2 = 𝑢2 + 2𝑎𝑠.
●Solve problems using the laws of classical mechanics and 𝑎 = 𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 𝑚.
●Symbolise vectors graphically and algebraically, e.g. F, F̃ and F⃗.
●Understand the study of biomechanics applies the laws of forces and motion, and through direct measurement, computer simulation and mathematical modelling lead to a better understanding of human movement and improved athletic performance.
●Use vertical error bars when plotting data to determine the uncertainty of the gradient and intercepts using minimum and maximum lines of best fit.
▶Waves28 LOs
▶Wave properties28 LOs
●Analyse the amplitude, period, frequency and wavelength from graphs of transverse and longitudinal waves.
●Compare light to a mechanical wave.
●Compare transverse waves and longitudinal waves.
●Construct ray diagrams to demonstrate the reflection and refraction of light.
●Contrast the speed of light and the speed of mechanical waves.
●Describe examples of transverse and longitudinal waves, such as sound, seismic waves and vibrations of stringed instruments.
●Describe polarisation using a transverse wave model.
●Describe the concept of intensity and its proportionality to the square of the amplitude.
●Describe the concept of mechanical waves.
●Describe the concept of resonance in a mechanical system.
●Describe the concept of Snell’s Law.
●Describe the concepts of compression, rarefaction, crest, trough, displacement, amplitude, period, frequency, wavelength and velocity and identify them on graphical and visual representations of a wave.
●Describe the concepts of fundamental (or first) harmonic and natural frequency.
●Describe the concepts of reflection, refraction, diffraction and superposition.
●Describe the reflection and refraction of a wave at a boundary between two media.
●Describe the transfer of energy through waves.
●Determine the refractive index of a transparent substance from experimental data.
●Determine the resultant amplitude of two simple waves interacting using the principle of superposition.
●Explain constructive interference and destructive interference of two simple waves.
●Explain phenomena related to reflection and refraction using the wave model of light.
●Explain the concepts of reflection, refraction, total internal reflection, dispersion, diffraction and interference in relation to the wave model of light.
●Explain the formation of standing waves in terms of superposition with reference to constructive and destructive interference, and nodes and antinodes. Sound
●Identify that energy is transferred efficiently in resonating systems. Light
●Solve problems involving standing wave formation in pipes open at both ends, closed at one end, and on stretched strings using 𝐿 = 𝑛 𝜆 2 and 𝐿 = (2𝑛 − 1) 𝜆 4.
●Solve problems involving the period, frequency, wavelength, and velocity of a wave using 𝑣 = 𝑓𝜆 and 𝑓 = 1 𝑇 and using but not limited to 𝑣𝑠 = 346 m s−1.
●Solve problems involving the proportional relationship between intensity of light and the inverse-square of the distance from the source using 𝐼 ∝ 1 𝑟2.
●Solve problems involving the reflection of light on single plane mirrors and refraction of light through a single convex or concave lens using ray diagrams to identify the location, orientation and size of an image.
●Solve problems involving the refraction of light at the boundary between two mediums using sin 𝑖 sin 𝑟 = 𝑣1 𝑣2 = 𝜆1 𝜆2 = 𝑛2 𝑛1.
▶3 — Gravity and electromagnetism42 LOs
▶Gravity and motion21 LOs
▶Projectile motion21 LOs
●Apply vector analysis to resolve a vector into two perpendicular components.
●Describe how horizontal and vertical components of a velocity vector are independent of each other.
●Describe the concept of gravitational fields.
●Describe the concept of normal force.
●Describe the concept of uniform circular motion.
●Describe the concepts of average speed and period.
●Describe the concepts of centripetal acceleration and centripetal force.
●Describe the forces acting on an object on an inclined plane (e.g. force due to gravity, normal force, tension, frictional force and applied force) through the use of free -body diagrams.
●Describe the Law of Universal Gravitation.
●Describe the relationship between the Law of Universal Gravitation and uniform circular motion and recognise this as the third law of planetary motion.
●Determine the net force acting on an object on an inclined plane using vector analysis.
●Interpret data relating to the horizontal distance travelled by an object projected at various angles from the horizontal. Inclined planes and circular motion
●Solve problems involving force due to gravity (weight) and mass using 𝐹𝑔 = 𝑚𝑔.
●Solve problems involving forces acting on objects in uniform circular motion using 𝐹𝑐 = 𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝑚𝑣2 𝑟. Orbital mechanics
●Solve problems involving objects undergoing uniform circular motion at a constant speed using 𝑣 = 2𝜋𝑟 𝑇 and 𝑎𝑐 = 𝑣2 𝑟.
●Solve problems involving projectile motion in the absence of drag effects using 𝑣𝑦 = 𝑢𝑦 + 𝑔𝑡, 𝑠𝑦 = 𝑢𝑦 𝑡 + 1 2 𝑔𝑡2, 𝑣𝑦 2 = 𝑢𝑦 2 + 2𝑔𝑠𝑦, 𝑣𝑥 = 𝑢𝑥 and 𝑠𝑥 = 𝑢𝑥𝑡.
●Solve problems involving the gravitational field strength at a distance from an object using 𝑔 = 𝐹 𝑚 = 𝐺𝑀 𝑟2.
●Solve problems involving the magnitude of the gravitational force between two masses using 𝐹 = 𝐺𝑀𝑚 𝑟2.
●Solve problems involving the third law of planetary motion using 𝑇𝑎2 𝑟𝑎3 = 𝑇𝑏 2 𝑟𝑏 3 = 4𝜋2 𝐺𝑀. The following subject matter may be assessed in the internal assessments.
●Solve vector problems by resolving vectors into components, adding or subtracting the components and recombining them to determine the resultant vector.
●State the three laws of planetary motion.
▶Electromagnetism21 LOs
▶Electrostatics21 LOs
●Describe Coulomb’s Law.
●Describe the concept of a magnetic field.
●Describe the concept of an electromagnetic wave.
●Describe the concepts of electric fields, electric field strength and electrical potential energy.
●Describe the concepts of magnetic flux, magnetic flux density, electromagnetic induction, electromotive force (EMF), Faraday’s Law and Lenz’s Law.
●Describe the force experienced by electric current-carrying conductors and moving electric charges when placed in a magnetic field.
●Describe the generation of a magnetic field from a moving electric charge.
●Describe the process of inducing an EMF across a moving conductor in a magnetic field.
●Explain how Lenz’s Law is consistent with the principle of conservation of energy.
●Explain how transformers work in terms of Faraday’s Law and electromagnetic induction.
●Explain the relationship between oscillating electric charges and electromagnetic waves. The following subject matter may be assessed in the internal assessments.
●Interpret data relating to the force acting on a conductor in a magnetic field.
●Interpret data relating to the strength of a magnet at various distances. Electromagnetic induction
●Sketch magnetic field lines due to a moving electric charge, electric currents and magnets.
●Solve problems involving electric field strength using 𝐸 = 𝐹 𝑄 = 1 4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑞 𝑟2 = 𝑘𝑞 𝑟2.
●Solve problems involving electromagnetic induction using 𝑒𝑚𝑓 = − 𝑁∆(𝐵𝐴⊥) ∆𝑡, 𝑒𝑚𝑓 = −𝑁 ∆𝜙 ∆𝑡, 𝐼𝑝𝑉𝑝 = 𝐼𝑠 𝑉𝑠 and 𝑉𝑝 𝑉𝑠 = 𝑁𝑝 𝑁𝑠.
●Solve problems involving the magnetic flux in an electric current-carrying loop using ∅ = 𝐵𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃.
●Solve problems involving the magnetic force on an electric current-carrying wire and moving charge in a magnetic field using 𝐹 = 𝐵𝐼𝐿𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 and 𝐹 = 𝑞𝑣𝐵𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃.
●Solve problems involving the magnitude and direction of magnetic fields around a straight electric current-carrying wire and inside a solenoid using 𝐵 = 𝜇𝑜 𝐼 2𝜋𝑟 and 𝐵 = 𝜇𝑜 𝑛𝐼.
●Solve problems involving the work done when an electric charge is moved in an electric field using 𝑉 = ∆𝑈 𝑞. Magnetic fields
●Solve problems using 𝐹 = 1 4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑄𝑞 𝑟2 = 𝑘𝑄𝑞 𝑟2.
▶4 — Revolutions in modern physics35 LOs
▶Special relativity12 LOs
▶Special relativity12 LOs
●Describe observations of natural phenomena that cannot be explained by classical physics, e.g. the presence of muons in the atmosphere and the momentum of high speed particles in particle accelerators.
●Describe the concepts of frame of reference and inertial frame of reference.
●Describe the concepts of time dilation, proper time interval, relativistic time interval, length contraction, proper length, relativistic length, rest mass and relativistic momentum.
●Describe the consequences of the constant speed of light in a vacuum, e.g. time dilation and length contraction.
●Describe the phenomena of time dilation and length contraction, including examples of experimental evidence of the phenomena.
●Explain how motion can only be measured relative to an observer.
●Explain paradoxical scenarios that may arise as a result of special relativity including the twins’ paradox, flashlights on a train, and the ladder in the barn paradox. The following subject matter may be assessed in the internal assessments.
●Explain the concept of simultaneity.
●Explain the implications of relativistic momentum of objects increasing as they approach the speed of light.
●Solve problems involving time dilations, length contraction and relativistic momentum using 𝑡 = 𝑡𝑜 √(1−𝑣2 𝑐2), 𝐿 = 𝐿𝑜 √(1 − 𝑣2 𝑐2), 𝑝𝑣 = 𝑚𝑜 𝑣 √(1−𝑣2 𝑐2) and ∆𝐸 = ∆𝑚𝑐2.
●State the mass–energy equivalence relationship.
●State the two postulates of special relativity.
▶Quantum theory11 LOs
▶Quantum theory11 LOs
●Compare the different models of the atom proposed by Rutherford and Bohr.
●Describe light as an electromagnetic wave.
●Describe the concepts of threshold frequency and work function.
●Describe the photoelectric effect in terms of the photon.
●Describe wave–particle duality of light by identifying evidence that supports the wave characteristics of light and evidence that supports the particle characteristics of light.
●Explain how Bohr’s model of the hydrogen atom integrates light quanta and atomic energy states to explain the specific wavelengths in the hydrogen line spectrum.
●Explain how the double slit experiment provides evidence for the wave model of light.
●Explain the concept of black-body radiation and the significance of the evidence it provides.
●Interpret data related to the photoelectric effect. The following subject matter may be assessed in the internal assessments.
●Solve problems involving blackbody radiation and the photoelectric effect using 𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝑏 𝑇, 𝐸 = ℎ𝑓 = ℎ𝑐 𝜆, 𝐸𝑘 = ℎ𝑓 − 𝑊,𝑊 = ℎ𝑓0.
●Solve problems involving the line spectra of simple atoms using atomic energy states or atomic energy level diagrams using 𝑛𝜆 = 2𝜋𝑟, 𝑚𝑣𝑟 = 𝑛ℎ 2𝜋, 1 𝜆 = 𝑅 ( 1 𝑛𝑓 2 − 1 𝑛𝑖 2) and 𝜆 = ℎ 𝑝.
▶The Standard Model12 LOs
▶The Standard Model12 LOs
●Compare the strong nuclear, weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces in terms of the gauge bosons.
●Contrast the fundamental forces experienced by quarks and leptons. Particle interactions
●Describe baryons and mesons.
●Describe electron/electron, electron/positron and neutron decay interactions using particle interaction diagrams.
●Describe how symmetry in particle interactions occurs to maintain the principles of conservation. The following subject matter may be assessed in the internal assessments.
●Describe the concepts of elementary particles and antiparticles.
●Describe the concepts of lepton number and baryon number.
●Examine evidence supporting theories related to particle physics.
●Identify the four gauge bosons.
●Identify the six types of leptons.
●Identify the six types of quarks.
●Solve problems relating to the conservation of lepton number and baryon number in particle interactions using 𝐵 = 𝑛𝑏 − 𝑛𝑏̅, 𝐵 = 1 3 (𝑛𝑞 − 𝑛𝑞̅) and 𝐿 = 𝑛𝑙 − 𝑛𝑙̅.
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