Physics
Energy
Energy stores
Thermal energy
Kinetic energy
Gravitational potential energy
Elastic potential energy
Chemical energy
Magnetic energy
Electrostatic energy
Nuclear energy
Specific Heat Capacity
The amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a substance by 1 °C
Conservation of Energy
Energy can be transferred usefully, stored or dissipated, but never be created or destroyed
Power
Rate of energy trasnfer
Measured in watts
1 watt = 1 joule of energy transferred per second
Conduction & Convection
Convection
Conduction
Where energetic particles move away from hotter to cooler regions
Where vibrating particles transfer energy to neighbouring particles
Energy Resources
Non-renewable
Renewable
Oil
Natural Gas
Coal
Hydro-electricity
Water waves
Wind
Electricity
Current
Formulae
Kinetic energy = 0.5 x mass x velocity²
G.P.E = mass x gravitational field strength
E.P.E = 0.5 x spring constant x extension²
Change in thermal energy = mass x specific heat capacity x temperature change
Power = energy transferred ÷ time
Power = work done ÷ time
Efficiency = useful power output ÷ total power input
A flow of electrical charge
electrical charge will only flow round a complete circuit if there is a potential difference
Measured in amperes
Potential Difference
The driving force that pushes the charge around
Measured in volts
Resistance
Anything that slows the flow down
Measured in ohms
Current depends on the potential difference across it and the resistance of the component
Voltmeter
Ammeter
Measures the potential difference across the test wire
Must be placed in parallel with whatever you're investigating
Measures the current through the test wire
Must be placed in series with whatever you're investigating
Series Circuits
Parallel circuits
Components are connected in a line, end to end between the +ve and -ve of the power supply
If you remove or disconnect one component the circuit is broken
Not very handy only used for a few things
Potential difference is shared, Vtotal = V1 + V2 + ...
Current is the same everywhere, I1 = I2 = ...
Resistance adds up, Rtotal = R1 + R2
Each component is separately connected to the +ve and -ve of the supply
If you remove or disconnect one component it will hardly affect the rest
How most things are connected e.g. in cars and in household electrics
Potential difference is the same everywhere, V1 = V2 =...
Current is shared between branches, Itotal = I1 + I2 +...
Adding a resistor in parallel reduces the total resistance
Electricity at home
Direct Current
Alternating Current
Current is constantly changing direction
UK mains supply at around 230 V
ac mains supply is 50 Hz
Cells and batteries
Always flowing in the same direction
Cables
Live wire
Earth wire
Neutral wire
Blue
Completes the circuit and carries away current
Electricity flows in through the live wire and out through the neutral wire
Around 0 V
Brown
Provides the alternating potential difference
About 230 V
Shocks you
Protects the wiring
Green & yellow
Stops the appliance casing from becoming live
0 V
Only carries current if there is a fault
National Grid
High potential difference and low current
lose loads of energy with high current
cheaper to boost up pd (400000 V) and keep current low
More efficient
Supply and demand
Demand is high in the morning, when people come home from school/work, and when it's dark or cold. Also when there are popular events on TV
Static Electricity
Only electrons move
Caused by friction
Sparks are caused when the electrons jump across the gap between the charged object and the earth
Formulae
Potential difference = current x resistance
Charge Flow = Current x Time
Energy transferred = power x time
Energy transferred = charge flow x potential difference
power = potential difference x current
Power = current² x resistance
Particle Model of Matter
Density of materials
Compactness of a substance
Solids
Liquids
Gases
Strong forces of attraction
Fixed, regular arrangement
Particles can only vibrate about their fixed positions
Density is generally the highest
Weaker forces of attraction
Particles are close together but can move past each other
Irregular arrangements
Move in random directions at low speeds
Generally less dense than solids
Particles have more energy than liquids and solids
Particles are free to move
Almost no forces of attraction
Particles travel in random directions at high speeds
Generally less dense than liquids
How to find density of a liquid
2) Pour another 10 ml into the measuring cylinder, repeating the process until the cylinder is full and record the total volume and mass each time
3) For each measurement use the formula to find the density ----> Density = mass ÷ volume (1 ml = 1 cm³)
1) Pour 10 ml of liquid into measuring cylinder and record the liquid's mass
4) Take an average of your calculated densities
Specific Latent Heat
The amount of energy needed to change 1 kg of a substance from one state to another without changing its temperature
SLH for changing between a solid and a liquid is called the SLH of fusion
SLH for changing between a liquid and a gas is called the SLH of vaporisitaion
Particle Motion in Gases
When they collide with something they exert a force and pressure on it
In a sealed container, the outward gas pressure is the total force exerted by all of the particles in the gas on a unit area of the container walls
Increasing the temperature will increase the speed, and so pressure (if volume kept constant)
Formulae
Density = mass ÷ volume
Energy = mass x specific latent heat
Magnetism and Electromagnetism
Generator Effect
Generators
Loudspseakers
The coil surrounds one pole of a permanent magnet, and is surrounded by the other pole, so the current causes a force on the coil (which causes the cone to move)
When the current reverses, the force acts in the opposite direction, which causes the cone to move in the opposite direction too
An alternating current is sent through a coil of wire attached to the base of a paper cone
So variations in the current make the cone vibrate, which makes the air around the cone vibrate and creates vibrations in pressure that cause a sound wave
The frequency of the sound wave is the same as the frequency of the ac, so by controlling the frequency of the ac you can alter the sound wave produced
The induction of a potential difference (and current if there's a complete circuit) in a wire which is moving relative to a magnetic field, or experiencing a change in magnetic field.
You can create a potential difference by moving a magnet in a coil of wire r moving a conductor in a magnetic field
Shifting the magnet side to side creates a little blip of current if the conductor is part of a complete circuit
If you move the magnet in the opposite direction, then the pd/current will be reversed. Likewise if the polarity of the magnet is reversed, then the pd/current will be reversed too
If you keep the magnet (or coil) moving backwards and forwards, you produce a potential difference that keeps swapping direction - an alternating current
Alternators
Dynamos
They produce an alternating current
They use slip rings and brushes instead of a split-ring commutator so the contacts don't swap every half turn
Generators rotate a coil in a magnetic field
As the coil (or magnet) spins, a current is induced in the coil. This changes direction every half turn
They use split-ring commutators
This swaps the connection every half turn to keep the current flowing in the same direction
Microphones
Basically loudspeakers in reverse
Sound waves hit a flexible diaphragm that is attached to a coil of wire, wrapped around a magnet
This causes the coil of wire to move in the magnetic field, which generates a current
The movement of the coil depends on the properties of the sound wave
Transformers
Changes the size of the potential difference of an alternating current
All have two coils of wire, primary and secondary coil
When an alternating pd is applied across the primary coil, the iron core magnetises and demagnetises quickly. This changing magnetic field induces an alternating pd in the secondary coil
If the second coil is part of a complete circuit, this causes a current to be indduced
The ratio between the primary and secondary potential differences is the same as the ratio between the number of turns on the primary and secondary coils.
Formulae
Force = magnetic flux density x current x length
Waves
Transverse
Longitudinal
Oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer
Electromagnetic waves, ripples in water, waves on a string
Oscillations are parallel to direction of energy transfer
Sound waves, shock waves
Refraction
Reflection
Specular
Diffuse
When a wave is reflected in a single direction by a smooth surface
E.g. when light is reflected by a mirror
When a wave is reflected by a rough surface and he reflected rays are scattered in different directions
E.g. a piece of paper
When a wave crosses a boundary between two materials at an angle it changes direction - refraction
Wavelength of a wave changes but frequency remains the same
How much it's refracted depends on the density of a material - higher the density the slower it travels
If the wave is travelling along the normal it will change speed but it will not be refracted
Electromagnetic waves
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Radio waves
Microwaves
Infrared
Visible light
Ultraviolet
X-rays
Gamma rays
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