Numbers
AQA A-Level Physics 7408
Measurements and Their Errors
Particles and Radiation
Topic overviewConstituents of the atomStable and unstable nucleiParticles, antiparticles and photonsParticle interactionsClassification of particlesQuarks and antiquarksApplications of conservation lawsThe photoelectric effectCollisions of electrons with atomsEnergy levels and photon emissionWave-particle duality
Waves
Mechanics and Materials
Electricity
Further Mechanics and Thermal Physics
Fields and Their Consequences
Topic overviewFieldsNewton's lawGravitational field strengthGravitational potentialOrbits of planets and satellitesCoulomb's lawElectric field strengthElectric potentialCapacitanceParallel plate capacitorEnergy stored by a capacitorCapacitor charge and dischargeMagnetic flux densityMoving charges in a magnetic fieldMagnetic flux and flux linkageElectromagnetic inductionAlternating currentsTransformers
Nuclear Physics
AstrophysicsOptional topic
Topic overviewAstronomical telescope consisting of two converging lensesReflecting telescopesSingle dish radio telescopes, I-R, U-V and X-ray telescopesAdvantages of large diameter telescopesClassification by luminosityAbsolute magnitude, MClassification by temperature, black-body radiationPrinciples of the use of stellar spectral classesThe Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagramSupernovae, neutron stars and black holesDoppler effectHubble's lawQuasarsDetection of exoplanets
Medical PhysicsOptional topic
Topic overviewPhysics of visionDefects of vision and their correction using lensesEar as a sound detection systemSensitivity and frequency responseDefects of hearingSimple ECG machines and the normal ECG waveformUltrasound imagingFibre optics and endoscopyMagnetic resonance (MR) scannerThe physics of diagnostic X-raysImage detection and enhancementAbsorption of X-raysCT scannerImaging techniquesHalf-lifeGamma cameraUse of high-energy X-raysUse of radioactive implantsImaging comparisons
Engineering PhysicsOptional topic
Turning Points in PhysicsOptional topic
Topic overviewCathode raysThermionic emission of electronsSpecific charge of the electronPrinciple of Millikan's determination of the electronic charge, eNewton's corpuscular theory of lightSignificance of Young's double slits experimentElectromagnetic wavesThe discovery of photoelectricityWave–particle dualityElectron microscopesThe Michelson-Morley experimentEinstein's theory of special relativityTime dilationLength contractionRelativistic mass and energy
ElectronicsOptional topic
Topic overviewMOSFET (metal-oxide semiconducting field-effect transistor)Zener diodePhotodiodeHall effect sensorDifference between analogue and digital signalsLC resonance filtersThe ideal operational amplifierInverting amplifier configurationNon-inverting amplifier configurationSumming amplifier configurationReal operational amplifiersCombinational logicSequential logicAstablesPrinciples of communication systemsTransmission mediaTime-division multiplexingAmplitude (AM) and frequency modulation (FM) techniques
Further Mechanics and Thermal Physics
Simple harmonic systems
- 8 things to know
- Papers 2 and 3
Overview
The mass-spring system and the simple pendulum, energy in SHM, damping, and the two required practicals.
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Numbers
What small-angle approximation is used, and when does a pendulum truly show SHM?
Numbers
Why is the potential energy curve parabolic, and how does kinetic energy vary with time?
Numbers
Why does kinetic energy vary at twice the frequency of displacement, and what is damping?
Evaluation
In the mass-spring practical, what is plotted and what does the gradient give?
Evaluation
In the pendulum practical, what is plotted and what does the gradient give?
Evaluation
Why time many oscillations rather than one in the mass-spring and pendulum practicals?
Numbers
What are the two systems used in Required Practical 7 to investigate simple harmonic motion?
Questions from this subtopic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
State the formula for the time period of a mass-spring system undergoing simple harmonic motion.
Model answer
T = 2π√(m/k), where T is the time period, m is the mass, and k is the spring constant.
- 2
In the equation T = 2π√(m/k) for a mass-spring system, what does each symbol represent?
Model answer
T is the time period, m is the mass attached to the spring, and k is the spring constant.
- 3
State the formula for the time period of a simple pendulum undergoing simple harmonic motion.
Model answer
T = 2π√(l/g), where T is the time period, l is the length of the pendulum, and g is the gravitational field strength.
- 4
In the equation T = 2π√(l/g) for a simple pendulum, identify what each variable represents.
Model answer
T is the time period, l is the length of the pendulum (from pivot to centre of mass of bob), and g is the gravitational field strength.
- 5
What factors does the time period of a mass-spring system depend on, and what factor does it not depend on?
Model answer
The time period depends on mass and spring constant, but is independent of amplitude.
- 6
If the amplitude of oscillation of a mass-spring system is doubled, what happens to the time period?
Model answer
The time period remains unchanged, as it is independent of amplitude.
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