Key term
OCR A-Level Physics A H556
Practical Skills in the Written Papers
The Practical Endorsement
Topic overviewAnalogue and digital measuring instrumentsImproving accuracy with repeat timing, fiducial markers and plumb linesTiming, calipers and micrometersConstructing and testing circuitsSignal generators and oscilloscopesGenerating and measuring wavesData loggers, modelling software and ionising radiation
Physical Quantities and Units
Making Measurements and Analysing Data
Nature of Quantities
Motion
Forces in Action
Work, Energy and Power
Materials
Newton’s Laws of Motion and Momentum
Charge and Current
Energy, Power and Resistance
Electrical Circuits
Waves
Topic overviewProgressive waves and their propertiesThe wave equationReflection, refraction and diffractionWave graphs and intensityThe electromagnetic spectrumPolarisationRefraction and refractive indexCritical angle and total internal reflectionThe principle of superpositionInterference, coherence and path differenceTwo-source interference, Young's double-slit experiment and the diffraction gratingForming stationary wavesStationary waves on strings and in air columnsMeasuring the speed of soundNode spacing, amplitude and phase in stationary wavesHarmonics and the fundamental mode
Quantum Physics
Thermal Physics
Topic overviewThermal equilibrium and absolute temperatureThe kinetic model of solids, liquids and gasesBrownian motion and internal energySpecific heat capacityMeasuring specific heat capacitySpecific latent heatMeasuring specific latent heatMoles, the Avogadro constant and kinetic theoryGas laws, the ideal gas equation and r.m.s. speedMaxwell-Boltzmann distribution, Boltzmann constant and internal energy
Oscillations
Gravitational Fields
Astrophysics and Cosmology
Topic overviewThe solar system and the birth of a starThe death of a low-mass starSupernovae, neutron stars and black holesThe Hertzsprung-Russell diagramEnergy levels and emission spectraAbsorption spectra and spectral linesPhoton energy and the diffraction gratingWien's law and Stefan's lawAstronomical distances, parallax and the cosmological principleDoppler shift and Hubble's lawThe expanding universe and the Big BangEvidence for the Big Bang and dark energy
Capacitors
Topic overviewCapacitance and charging a capacitorCapacitors in seriesCapacitors in parallel and combined circuitsEnergy stored by a capacitorCharging and discharging through a resistorInvestigating capacitor dischargeThe time constantIterative modelling, exponential decay and the constant-ratio property
Electric Fields
Electromagnetism
Nuclear and Particle Physics
Topic overviewAlpha-particle scattering and the nuclear modelProton number, nucleon number and isotopesThe strong nuclear force and nuclear radiusParticles, antiparticles and hadronsLeptons and the quark modelQuark composition and chargesBeta decay in the quark modelRadioactive decay and the three radiationsNuclear decay equationsActivity, decay constant and half-lifeExponential decay and radioactive datingMass-energy equivalenceAnnihilation, mass defect and binding energyBinding energy per nucleon and induced fissionThe fission reactor and nuclear wasteNuclear fusion and balancing nuclear equations
Oscillations
- 5 subtopics
- 15 things to know
- Papers 1, 2 and 3
What Oscillations covers
Simple harmonic motion: how it is defined, the relationships between displacement, velocity and acceleration, the interchange of energy, and what happens when an oscillator is damped or driven.
Where it is assessed
Papers 1, 2 and 3
Newtonian world, astrophysics and particles, drawn on across the papers.
Check the OCR specification ↗The 5 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- Describing simple harmonic motionRecall questions on displacement, amplitude, period, frequency, angular frequency and phase difference for an oscillation, and calculating angular frequency from period or frequency.Open →
- The defining equation of simple harmonic motion and timing oscillationsRecall questions on defining simple harmonic motion, a = −ω²x and its negative sign, x = A cos ωt and x = A sin ωt, and measuring the period of a mass-spring system or pendulum using repeat timings and a fiducial marker.Open →
- Velocity, period and graphical relationshipsRecall questions on velocity and maximum velocity in simple harmonic motion with calculations, isochronous oscillators, gradients of displacement-time and velocity-time graphs, and the phase relationships between displacement, velocity and acceleration.Open →
- Energy in a simple harmonic oscillatorRecall questions on the interchange of kinetic and potential energy in simple harmonic motion and the shapes of the kinetic, potential and total energy curves on an energy-displacement graph.Open →
- Damping, forced oscillations and resonanceRecall questions on damping and light, heavy and critical damping, free and forced oscillations, natural frequency, resonance and how damping changes the resonance peak, examples of resonance, and investigating forced and damped oscillations.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Evaluation
How is the period of an oscillation measured, and how are timing multiple oscillations and a fiducial marker used to improve the measurement?
Key term
For simple harmonic motion, what do the gradients of the displacement-time and velocity-time graphs represent, and what happens to the period if the amplitude is increased?
Numbers
State the equation relating angular frequency to period.
Numbers
State the equation for maximum velocity in SHM.
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Describe the behaviour of a lightly damped oscillating system.
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What would happen to the amplitude at resonance if there were no damping?
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Define amplitude for an oscillating system.
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What is the distribution of energy at maximum displacement in SHM?
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What is the distribution of energy at the equilibrium position in SHM?
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What is the period of an oscillation?
Numbers
Calculate the angular frequency when frequency = 7.5 Hz.
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What is meant by displacement in oscillatory motion?
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On an energy-displacement graph for SHM, at what positions is kinetic energy maximum and at what positions is it zero?
Key term
What are free oscillations?
Take Oscillations further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
Free oscillation vs Forced oscillation
Free oscillation: oscillation at a body's own natural frequency with no driving force. Forced oscillation: oscillation driven at a frequency imposed from outside.
Resonance vs Damping
Resonance: the large-amplitude response when the driving frequency matches the natural frequency. Damping: the loss of energy from an oscillator to its surroundings.
Amplitude vs Angular frequency
Amplitude: the greatest displacement from the equilibrium position. Angular frequency: two pi times the number of oscillations per second.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
Define amplitude for an oscillating system.
Model answer
The maximum displacement from the equilibrium position.
- 2
What is the period of an oscillation?
Model answer
The time taken for one complete oscillation.
- 3
What is angular frequency and what are its units?
Model answer
The rate of change of phase angle with time, measured in radians per second.
- 4
What does phase difference describe and how can it be expressed?
Model answer
The fraction of a cycle between two oscillating quantities, expressed as an angle in radians or degrees.
- 5
State the equation relating angular frequency to period.
Model answer
ω = 2π/T
- 6
Calculate the angular frequency when period = 7.5 s.
Model answer
Angular frequency = (2 × 3.14159) ÷ 7.5 = 0.838 rad s⁻¹.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Oscillations revision questions
- What does Oscillations cover in OCR A-Level Physics A?
- 5 subtopics: describing simple harmonic motion, the defining equation of simple harmonic motion and timing oscillations, velocity, period and graphical relationships, energy in a simple harmonic oscillator and damping, forced oscillations and resonance. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Oscillations organised?
- By the OCR H556 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Oscillations, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
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