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
Thermal Physics
Gas laws, the ideal gas equation and r.m.s. speed
- 4 things to know
- Papers 1, 2 and 3
Overview
Recall questions on Boyle's law and the pressure law and investigating them, estimating absolute zero, the ideal gas equation pV = nRT, the kinetic theory equation, mean square speed and root mean square speed.
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Key term
Define mean square speed.
Key term
State Boyle's law for an ideal gas.
Key term
Define root mean square speed in terms of mean square speed.
Questions from this subtopic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
State Boyle's law for an ideal gas.
Model answer
At constant temperature, pV = constant (pressure is inversely proportional to volume)
- 2
What relationship holds for a fixed mass of gas at constant volume when temperature changes?
Model answer
P/T = constant (pressure is directly proportional to absolute temperature)
- 3
Describe how Boyle's law can be investigated experimentally.
Model answer
By measuring the pressure and volume of a fixed mass of gas at constant temperature
- 4
How can the pressure-temperature relationship for a gas be investigated experimentally?
Model answer
By measuring the pressure of a fixed volume of gas at different temperatures
- 5
How can absolute zero be estimated from experimental gas data?
Model answer
By extrapolating a graph of gas pressure against temperature to find the temperature at which pressure would reach zero
- 6
State the equation of state for an ideal gas in terms of the number of moles.
Model answer
pV = nRT, where p is pressure, V is volume, n is the number of moles, R is the molar gas constant, and T is absolute temperature
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