Key term
OCR A-Level Physics B H557
Planning
Implementing
Analysis
Evaluation
Practical Skills
Use of Apparatus and Techniques
Fundamental Data Analysis
Imaging and Signalling
Topic overviewReal images and the curvature of wave-frontsLens power and focal lengthThe thin lens equation and the Cartesian conventionLinear magnificationMeasuring the power and focal length of a converging lensImages as arrays of numbersBits, bytes and the information in an imageEnhancing a digital imageWave-forms, frequency and wave speedSampling and digitising an analogue signalNoise, resolution and digital transmissionPolarisation of electromagnetic waves
Sensing
Topic overviewCurrent and the flow of chargePotential difference, e.m.f. and energy transferResistance, conductance and Ohm's lawSeries and parallel combinationsPower and energy in electric circuitsInternal resistance and e.m.f.Kirchhoff's laws and conservation in circuitsResistivity and conductivityCharge carrier number density in metals, semiconductors and insulatorsCurrent-potential difference characteristics and circuit componentsThe potential dividerSensing circuits and calibration
Mechanical Properties of Materials
Topic overviewElastic and plastic deformation and fractureHooke's law and force-extension graphsElastic strain energyStress, strain and the Young modulusMeasuring the Young modulus and fracture stress of a metalDescribing and comparing materialsMetals, ceramics and polymersDirect evidence for the size and spacing of particles
Waves and Quantum Behaviour
Topic overviewWaves, phase and superpositionStanding waves on stringsStanding waves in air columns and the speed of soundRefraction, refractive index and Snell's lawTwo-slit interferenceDiffraction at a narrow apertureThe diffraction gratingMeasuring the wavelength of lightPhotons and the quantum E = hfEvidence that photons exchange energy in quantaQuantum behaviour: phasors and probability of arrivalElectron diffraction and the de Broglie wavelength
Space, Time and Motion
Topic overviewScalars, vectors and their representationResolving and adding vectorsDescribing motion: displacement, velocity and accelerationMotion graphsThe kinematic equations for constant accelerationProjectiles and motion in two dimensionsMeasuring motion in the laboratoryDetermining the acceleration of free fallNewton's laws of motionTerminal velocity and resistive forcesMomentum and impulseConservation of momentum and collisionsWork, energy and its conservationPower and modelling motion in small time steps
Creating Models
Topic overviewCapacitance and charge storageEnergy stored on a capacitorCapacitor discharge and the exponential modelThe time constant of an RC circuitCharging a capacitorInvestigating capacitor charge and dischargeRadioactive decay as a random processActivity, decay constant and half-lifeDetermining the half-life of an isotopeIterative numerical models of exponential changeExponential curves on linear and logarithmic scalesSimple harmonic motion: the defining relationshipSolutions and graphs of simple harmonic motionModelling oscillations step by stepEnergy in simple harmonic motionPeriod of a mass–spring system and a simple pendulumFree and forced vibrations, damping and resonance
Out Into Space
Topic overviewGravitational and kinetic energy changesMotion in a uniform gravitational fieldGravitational force and the radial fieldGravitational field strengthGravitational potential energy in a radial fieldGravitational potential and equipotentialsGraphs and diagrams of gravitational fieldsAngular velocity and motion in a horizontal circleCircular gravitational orbits
Our Place in the Universe
Matter: Very Simple
Topic overviewEnergy transfer and specific thermal capacityFinding specific thermal capacity by an electrical methodIdeal gases and the gas lawsInvestigating the gas laws and absolute zeroMoles, the Avogadro constant and the Boltzmann constantThe equation of state for an ideal gasImpulse and force–time graphsThe kinetic theory of ideal gasesTemperature, average energy per particle and internal energyRandom walk of molecules in a gas
Matter: Hot or Cold
Electromagnetism
Topic overviewMagnetic flux, B-fields and flux linkageElectromagnetic induction: Faraday's and Lenz's lawsGraphs of current, flux and induced e.m.f.The dynamoThe transformerEddy currents and real transformersForces on current-carrying conductorsMagnetic circuits, permeance and machine designInvestigating induction, flux density and transformers
Charge and Field
Topic overviewThe uniform electric fieldRadial fields and the inverse square lawElectric potential and potential energyField and potential graphsField lines and equipotential surfacesThe electronvolt and accelerating chargesMillikan's experiment and the discreteness of chargeMoving charges in magnetic fieldsComparing electric and gravitational fields
Probing Deep Into Matter
Topic overviewParticle accelerators and high-energy beamsScattering and the nuclear atomPaths of scattered particles and closest approachDiscrete energy levels in atomsElectron standing waves and the confined electronQuarks, hadrons and leptonsConservation laws and nuclear equationsCharged particles in detectors and magnetic fieldsRelativistic energy and the relativistic factor
Ionising Radiation and Risk
Topic overviewThe nature of ionising radiationsEffects on living tissue and radiation safetyAbsorbed dose, effective dose and riskBinding energy and nuclear stabilityThe Nuclear Valley and modes of decayFission, fusion and nuclear powerActivity, half-life and the decay constantInvestigating absorption and half-life
Mechanical Properties of Materials
- 8 subtopics
- 24 things to know
- Components 01, 02 and 03
What Mechanical Properties of Materials covers
Mechanical Properties of Materials is examined in all three written papers — the specification states that Components 01, 02 and 03 each assess content from across all the teaching modules, so nothing is confined to one paper. It covers elastic and plastic deformation and fracture, Hooke's law and force-extension graphs, elastic strain energy, stress, strain and the Young modulus, measuring the Young modulus and fracture stress of a metal, Describing and comparing materials, metals, ceramics and polymers and direct evidence for the size and spacing of particles.
Where it is assessed
Components 01, 02 and 03
Every module can be assessed on any of the three papers.
Check the OCR specification ↗The 8 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- Elastic and plastic deformation and fractureRecall questions on elastic and plastic deformation, the elastic limit, yield stress, fracture and fracture stress, brittle and ductile fracture, necking, elastic and plastic behaviour in terms of atoms and dislocations, tension and compression, tough, hard and strong materials, and the behaviour of a rubber band.Open →
- Hooke's law and force-extension graphsRecall questions on Hooke's law and F = kx, stiffness from a force–extension graph, the limit of proportionality, springs joined end to end and side by side, rubber band loading loops and the energy they represent, polythene strips, measuring a spring's force–extension characteristic, unloading, plotting extension, and safety precautions and pointers.Open →
- Elastic strain energyRecall questions on elastic strain energy, the area under a force–extension graph, E = ½kx² and why it is ½Fx rather than Fx, calculations for springs, bungee cords and catapults, doubling the extension, materials that do not obey Hooke's law, energy beyond the elastic limit, and why a stretched rubber band warms.Open →
- Stress, strain and the Young modulusRecall questions on tensile stress and strain and their units, the Young modulus and its typical size for metals, why it beats stiffness for comparing materials, calculating stress, strain, Young modulus, extension and fracture stress, the stress–strain graph of a ductile metal, and why stress–strain graphs compare wires of different thickness.Open →
- Measuring the Young modulus and fracture stress of a metalRecall questions on the wire arrangement and reference wire, measuring diameter at several points, what is plotted, safety and clamping, readings taken while unloading, and finding fracture stress.Open →
- Describing and comparing materialsRecall questions on the meanings of stiff, strong, tough, brittle, ductile and hard, telling stiffness from strength, why glass fracture stress varies, and properties wanted in concrete or cutting tools.Open →
- Metals, ceramics and polymersRecall questions on the structure of metals, dislocations and slip, ductility, hardening a metal with foreign atoms, work hardening and annealing, the structure of ceramics and why they are brittle and stronger in compression, polymer chains and their large extensions, stiffening rubber, cross-links, brittle cold polymers, and metal grains.Open →
- Direct evidence for the size and spacing of particlesRecall questions on scanning tunnelling microscope images and how the microscope works, why the tunnelling current is so sensitive to the gap, the atomic spacing it shows, Rayleigh's oil drop experiment and its single-layer assumption, calculating film thickness, measuring the drop and the patch, its errors and upper estimate, and why particle size matters for materials.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Key term
What does it mean to call a material strong, tough, brittle or ductile?
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Describe an arrangement for measuring the Young modulus of a metal in wire form.
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State Hooke's law.
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State the relationship for the energy stored in a specimen obeying Hooke's law.
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Define tensile stress.
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Describe the structure of a metal.
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Outline how a scanning tunnelling microscope works.
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What is elastic deformation?
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Write Hooke's law as a relationship and define the constant in it.
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Explain why the energy stored is ½Fx rather than Fx.
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State the unit of stress.
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Why is a long, thin wire chosen when measuring the Young modulus?
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What does it mean to describe a material as stiff?
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Explain how the movement of dislocations allows slip in a metal.
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Why can a scanning tunnelling microscope only be used on conducting or semiconducting samples?
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What is plastic deformation?
Numbers
A spring extends by 50 mm when a force of 4.0 N is applied. Calculate its stiffness.
Numbers
A spring of stiffness 80 N m⁻¹ is stretched by 50 mm. Calculate the energy stored.
Key term
Define tensile strain.
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Which quantity is measured with a micrometer, and why does it matter most?
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What does it mean to describe a material as strong?
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Explain how adding atoms of a different size makes a metal harder.
Key term
Describe Rayleigh's oil drop experiment.
Take Mechanical Properties of Materials further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
Stiffness k vs Young modulus E
Stiffness k: the gradient of the force–extension graph for one particular specimen, in N m⁻¹, so it depends on that specimen's length and cross-sectional area. Young modulus E: Tensile stress divided by tensile strain within the limit of proportionality, in pascals, and the same figure for every specimen cut from one material.
Elastic limit vs Limit of proportionality
Elastic limit: the greatest load beyond which a specimen no longer returns to its original length once that load is removed. Limit of proportionality: The point beyond which the force–extension graph stops being a straight line, reached slightly before recovery stops being complete.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What is elastic deformation?
Model answer
Deformation from which the material returns completely to its original shape and size once the load is removed.
- 2
What is plastic deformation?
Model answer
Deformation that remains after the load has been removed, so the material is permanently changed in shape.
- 3
What is meant by the elastic limit of a material?
Model answer
It is the greatest load or extension beyond which the material no longer returns to its original length when unloaded.
- 4
Define yield stress.
Model answer
Yield stress is the stress at which a material starts to deform plastically, extending greatly for very little extra stress.
- 5
What is fracture?
Model answer
Fracture is the separation of a material into pieces when the load applied exceeds what it can carry.
- 6
Define fracture stress.
Model answer
Fracture stress is the stress at which a material breaks, calculated from the greatest force it carried and its original cross-sectional area.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Mechanical Properties of Materials revision questions
- What does Mechanical Properties of Materials cover in OCR A-Level Physics B?
- 8 subtopics: elastic and plastic deformation and fracture, hooke's law and force-extension graphs, elastic strain energy, stress, strain and the young modulus, measuring the young modulus and fracture stress of a metal, describing and comparing materials, metals, ceramics and polymers and direct evidence for the size and spacing of particles. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Mechanical Properties of Materials organised?
- By the OCR H557 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Mechanical Properties of Materials, 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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