State the SI base unit of mass, length, time, electric current, thermodynamic temperature and amount of substance.

Mass is measured in the kilogram (kg), length in the metre (m), time in the second (s), electric current in the ampere (A), thermodynamic temperature in the kelvin (K) and amount of substance in the mole (mol).

Express the newton in SI base units.

Force is mass × acceleration, so 1 N = 1 kg m s⁻².

Express the joule in SI base units.

Work done is force × distance moved, so 1 J = 1 N m = 1 kg m² s⁻².

Express the watt in SI base units.

Power is energy transferred per unit time, so 1 W = 1 J s⁻¹ = 1 kg m² s⁻³.

CCEA A-Level Physics 1210

Physical Quantities, Scalars and Vectors

Topic overview Physical quantities and SI base units Prefixes and standard form Scalars and vectors Resolving vectors and finding resultants Coplanar forces in equilibrium

Moments and Equilibrium

Topic overview Moment of a force Centre of gravity The principle of moments Determining unknown masses using moments

Linear Motion and Dynamics

Topic overview Displacement, velocity and acceleration The equations of motion for uniform acceleration Measuring the acceleration of free fall with light gates Displacement–time and velocity–time graphs Projectile motion Projectile calculations

Newton's Laws of Motion

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Linear Momentum and Impulse

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Work, Energy and Power

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Current, Charge and Potential Difference

Topic overview Electric current and the coulomb Potential difference and energy transfer Potential difference, power and current Electromotive force Comparing electromotive force and potential difference

Resistance and Resistivity

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Internal Resistance and Potential Dividers

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Waves

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Refraction

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Superposition, Interference and Diffraction

Topic overview Superposition of waves Standing waves, nodes and antinodes Standing waves on stretched strings Standing waves in a pipe closed at one end Measuring the speed of sound with a resonance tube Conditions for observable interference Path difference and phase difference Young's double slit Diffraction at a single slit The diffraction grating

Quantum Physics

Topic overview Photons and the equation E = hf The photoelectric effect Work function, threshold frequency and Einstein's equation Energy levels in atoms Line spectra and the equation hf = ΔE Laser action X-ray production, radiography and CT scanning

Wave-Particle Duality

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Astronomy

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Practical Skills and Data Analysis

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Deformation of Solids

Topic overview Hooke's law and the spring constant Elastic and plastic deformation and the elastic limit Stress, strain and the Young modulus Measuring the Young modulus of a wire Strain energy and force–extension graphs Choosing materials: strength, stiffness and cost

Thermal Physics

Topic overview Boyle's law, Charles's law and the pressure law The ideal gas equation pV = nRT The Avogadro constant, the mole and pV = NkT Internal energy and the distribution of molecular energy The kinetic theory equation pV = ⅓Nm⟨c²⟩Average molecular kinetic energy and temperature Absolute zero and the kelvin scale Specific heat capacity and the electrical method

Uniform Circular Motion

Topic overview Angular velocity, period and frequency Linear speed and angular velocity: v = rω Centripetal acceleration and centripetal force Applying F = mv²/r to motion at constant speed

Simple Harmonic Motion

Topic overview Defining simple harmonic motion and a = −ω²x Displacement, velocity and acceleration: x = A cos ωt The simple pendulum and T = 2π√(l/g)The loaded spiral spring and T = 2π√(m/k)SHM graphs and finding velocity from a gradient Free vibrations, forced vibrations and resonance Damping: light, critical and over-damping

The Nucleus and Radioactive Decay

Topic overview Alpha-particle scattering and the nuclear atom Nuclear radius and nucleon number The density of nuclear matter Alpha, beta and gamma radiation: nature, penetration and range Nuclear equations and changes in nucleon and proton number The random and exponential nature of radioactive decay Activity, the decay constant and A = −λN Exponential decay calculations with A = A₀e^(−λt)Half-life and measuring it

Nuclear Energy, Fission and Fusion

Topic overview Mass–energy equivalence and E = Δmc² Mass defect and binding energy The binding energy per nucleon curve Inside a fission reactor Nuclear power: social, environmental, security and economic issues The ITER tokamak fusion reactor Plasma confinement: gravitational, inertial and magnetic

Gravitational Fields

Topic overview Fields of force and field lines Gravitational field strength Newton's law of universal gravitation The field strength of a point mass Circular motion of planets and satellites Kepler's third law Geostationary satellites

Electric Fields

Topic overview Electric field strength Coulomb's law The field of a point charge Uniform fields between parallel plates Comparing gravitational and electric fields Field strength calculations and combined fields

Capacitors

Topic overview Capacitance and the farad Energy stored in a charged capacitor Capacitors in series and in parallel Charging and discharging a capacitor The exponential decay equations The time constant Flash guns and defibrillators Uses of capacitors in circuits Capacitor calculations and graph work

Magnetic Fields

Topic overview Magnetic fields around currents The force on a current-carrying conductor Magnetic flux density The electric motor Magnetic flux and flux linkage Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction Lenz's law The alternating current generator Transformers Power losses and high-voltage transmission

Charged Particles and Accelerators

Topic overview Charged particles in a uniform electric field Charged particles in a magnetic field Circular paths in a magnetic field Comparing electric and magnetic deflection The synchrotron Relativistic mass increase Antimatter and annihilation

Fundamental Particles

Topic overview Fundamental particles The four fundamental forces Classifying particles Quarks and the structure of hadrons Conservation laws Beta decay in the quark model

Physical Quantities, Scalars and Vectors

Physical quantities and SI base units

3 things to know
Unit AS 1

Overview

Base units of density and saying that an equation is homogeneous with respect to units.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Key term

Express the coulomb and the volt in SI base units.

Key term

What two parts must be given for a physical quantity to be fully stated?

Key term

A student records a speed simply as 25. Explain why this is not an acceptable statement of a physical quantity.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What two parts must be given for a physical quantity to be fully stated?
Model answer
A physical quantity consists of a numerical magnitude together with a unit, and both are needed before the quantity means anything.
2
A student records a speed simply as 25. Explain why this is not an acceptable statement of a physical quantity.
Model answer
A magnitude on its own is meaningless because 25 m s⁻¹ and 25 km h⁻¹ are quite different speeds, so the unit must always accompany the number.
3
State the SI base unit of mass, length, time, electric current, thermodynamic temperature and amount of substance.
Model answer
Mass is measured in the kilogram (kg), length in the metre (m), time in the second (s), electric current in the ampere (A), thermodynamic temperature in the kelvin (K) and amount of substance in the mole (mol).
4
Express the newton in SI base units.
Model answer
Force is mass × acceleration, so 1 N = 1 kg m s⁻².
5
Express the joule in SI base units.
Model answer
Work done is force × distance moved, so 1 J = 1 N m = 1 kg m² s⁻².
6
Express the watt in SI base units.
Model answer
Power is energy transferred per unit time, so 1 W = 1 J s⁻¹ = 1 kg m² s⁻³.

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