AQA GCSE Physics Paper 1 Summary

Overview

• Covers topics 1 to 4: Energy, Electricity, Particles, and Atomic Structure (Nuclear Physics).
• Useful for High Room Foundation Tier, Double Combined Trilogy, and Triple or Separate Physics.

Energy

• Concept: Energy is a numerical value that represents the potential interactions in a system.
• Conservation: Total energy is always conserved in interactions.
• Types of Energy Stores:
  • Kinetic Energy: (E_k = \frac{1}{2}mv^2)
  • Gravitational Potential Energy: (E_p = mgh) (mass * gravitational field strength * height)
  • Elastic Potential Energy in springs: (E_e = \frac{1}{2}ke^2)
  • Thermal Energy: (\Delta E = mc\Delta T) (mass * specific heat capacity * temperature change)

Energy Transfer

• Energy must be transferred to cause a system change; in closed systems, energy is not lost to surroundings.
• Example: Roller coaster energy transformation from GPE to kinetic energy.

Efficiency and Power

• Efficiency: Ratio of useful energy output to total energy input.
• Power: Rate of energy transfer (P = \frac{E}{t}) (Energy over time).

Electricity

• Basic Concepts: Electricity is the flow of charge (electrons) carrying energy.
• Circuit Basics:
  • Components in a circuit have resistance.
  • Current measured in Amperes (A), using an ammeter.
  • Potential difference (voltage) measured in Volts (V), using a voltmeter.

Ohm's Law

• (V = IR) (Voltage = Current * Resistance)
• IV Graphs help determine resistance properties.*

Series and Parallel Circuits

• Series: Same current, voltage shared, resistances add up.
• Parallel: Same voltage, current shared, total resistance decreases.

Power Equations

• Power can be calculated: (P = VI) or (P = I^2R).

AC vs DC

• Direct Current (DC): Flows in one direction, e.g., from batteries.
• Alternating Current (AC): Changes direction, 230V in mains electricity.

National Grid

• Uses transformers to step up and step down voltage to minimize energy loss during transmission.

Particle Model of Matter

• Density: (\text{Density} = \frac{m}{V}) (mass over volume).
• States of Matter: Solid, liquid, gas.
• Specific Heat Capacity (SHC) and Latent Heat (SLH):
  • SHC: Energy to raise temperature by 1°C.
  • SLH: Energy to change state without temperature change.

Atomic Structure

• Historical Models:
  • Plum Pudding Model by J.J. Thompson.
  • Nuclear Model by Ernest Rutherford.
  • Electron shells by Niels Bohr.
  • Neutrons discovered by James Chadwick.
• Isotopes: Same element, different neutron numbers.

Radioactivity

• Types of radiation: Alpha ((\alpha)), Beta ((\beta)), and Gamma ((\gamma)).
• Decay Equations: Show transformations during nuclear decay.
• Radiation Interaction: Ionizing abilities and penetration depths.
• Half-Life: Time it takes for half of a radioactive sample to decay.

Nuclear Reactions

• Fission: Splitting a heavy nucleus into lighter ones, releasing energy.
• Fusion: Combining light nuclei to form a heavier nucleus, also releasing energy.
• Challenges in harnessing fusion energy for practical use.

This summary provides a comprehensive overview of the key concepts and equations you need to know for AQA GCSE Physics Paper 1.