Edexcel GCSE Physics Paper 1 Review

Overview

• Applicable to: Higher and Foundation Tier, Double Combined, Triple Separate Physics
• Topics Covered:
  1. Key Concepts
  2. Motion and Forces
  3. Conservation of Energy
  4. Waves
  5. Light and the EM Spectrum
  6. Radioactivity
  7. Astronomy

Key Concepts

• Every measurement has a unit (e.g., meters for distance), can be abbreviated with prefixes (e.g., km for kilometers).
• Conversion: To convert units, multiply or divide by conversion factors depending on whether the target is a larger or smaller unit.
• Standard Form: Used to express very large or small numbers (e.g., 5 micrometers in meters = 5 * 10^-6 meters).*

Motion and Forces

• Forces: Push or pull, can be contact (e.g., friction) or non-contact (e.g., gravity).
• Vectors: Represent forces showing direction and magnitude.
• Resultant Force: Combination of all forces acting on an object. Use vector addition.
• Newton's Laws of Motion:
  • First Law: Object will maintain constant velocity if no resultant force is applied.
  • Second Law: F = ma (force equals mass times acceleration).
  • Third Law: For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction.
• Momentum: p = mv (mass times velocity). Conserved in collisions.

Conservation of Energy

• Work Done = Force x Distance.
• Types of Energy: Kinetic, gravitational potential, elastic potential, thermal.
• Energy Transfer: No energy can be created or destroyed.
• Energy Equations:
  • Kinetic Energy = 1/2 mv^2
  • Gravitational Potential Energy = mgh
  • Elastic Potential Energy = 1/2 ke^2
  • Thermal Energy = mcΔT

Waves

• Types of Waves: Longitudinal (e.g., sound), Transverse (e.g., light).
• Characteristics: Amplitude, wavelength, frequency, speed.
• Wave Equation: v = fλ (wave speed = frequency x wavelength).

Light and the EM Spectrum

• Spectrum Includes: Radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, UV, X-rays, gamma rays.
• Reflection & Refraction: Light changes direction when it enters a different medium.
• Lenses: Convex lenses converge light rays, concave lenses diverge them.

Radioactivity

• Types of Radiation: Alpha, beta, gamma.
• Decay Equations: Balance mass and atomic numbers.
• Half-life: Time for half the radioactive nuclei to decay.
• Applications: Smoke detectors (alpha), thickness monitoring (beta), medical imaging (gamma).

Astronomy

• Solar System: Includes the Sun, planets, moons, asteroids.
• Star Life Cycle: Nebula -> Main Sequence -> Red Giant/Supernova -> White/Neutron Star/Black Hole.
• Big Bang Theory Evidence: Red shift, cosmic microwave background radiation.

Additional Notes

• Exam Strategy: Understand equations and their applications, practice problem-solving, and familiarize with key concepts and laws.
• Practice: Use past papers to get familiar with exam format and typical questions.

Good Luck with Your Exams!