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
Waves
The principle of superposition
- 5 things to know
- Papers 2 and 3
Overview
Recall questions on the principle of superposition, finding a resultant wave graphically, in-phase and antiphase superposition, interference, and the waves used to demonstrate superposition including microwaves.
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Key term
Explain how the resultant wave is determined when superposing two waves graphically.
Key term
What is the resultant amplitude when two waves in antiphase are superposed graphically?
Key term
When two waves that are in phase are superposed, what is the resultant amplitude?
Key term
Name three types of waves that can be used to demonstrate superposition and interference experimentally.
Questions from this subtopic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
State the principle of superposition for waves.
Model answer
When two or more waves meet at a point, the resultant displacement equals the vector sum of the individual displacements at that instant.
- 2
Why must the resultant displacement in superposition be found using vector addition rather than simple arithmetic addition?
Model answer
Because displacement is a vector quantity with both magnitude and direction, so the individual displacements must be added as vectors.
- 3
Describe how interference patterns are created and detected in a microwave superposition experiment.
Model answer
A microwave transmitter with a metal reflector or two slits creates interference patterns, which are detected by a microwave probe receiver.
- 4
Explain how the resultant wave is determined when superposing two waves graphically.
Model answer
The displacements of the two waves are added point by point along the horizontal axis to produce the resultant wave.
- 5
What is the resultant amplitude when two waves in antiphase are superposed graphically?
Model answer
The resultant amplitude equals the difference of the individual amplitudes.
- 6
Define interference in the context of wave behaviour.
Model answer
Interference is the phenomenon that occurs when two waves meet and their displacements combine according to the principle of superposition.
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