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
Out Into Space
Gravitational potential energy in a radial field
- 3 things to know
- Components 01, 02 and 03
Overview
Recall questions on E = −GMm/r and why it is negative, the zero at infinite separation, how potential energy changes with distance, satellite and spacecraft calculations, constant energy in a circular orbit, when mgh is enough, escape velocity v = √(2GM/r) and why it does not depend on mass, negative total energy in a bound orbit, and the energy–distance graph.
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Key term
Why can mgh be used near the surface while −GMm/r is needed for a rocket leaving the Earth?
Key term
What is the gravitational potential energy of a mass m at a distance r from a mass M?
Questions from this subtopic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What is the gravitational potential energy of a mass m at a distance r from a mass M?
Model answer
The energy is E = −GMm/r.
- 2
Why is gravitational potential energy defined as negative?
Model answer
The zero is taken at infinite separation, and work must be done against the attraction to reach infinity, so the energy at any finite separation is less than zero.
- 3
What is the gravitational potential energy of two masses infinitely far apart?
Model answer
It is zero, which is the chosen reference level.
- 4
How does the gravitational potential energy of a satellite change as it moves further from a planet?
Model answer
It increases towards zero, in other words it becomes less negative.
- 5
A 1200 kg satellite is 4.22 × 10⁷ m from the Earth's centre, where GM is 3.98 × 10¹⁴ N m² kg⁻¹. What is its gravitational potential energy?
Model answer
E = −GMm/r = −3.98 × 10¹⁴ × 1200 / 4.22 × 10⁷ = −1.13 × 10¹⁰ J.
- 6
A 2000 kg spacecraft moves from 2.0 × 10⁷ m to 4.0 × 10⁷ m from the Earth's centre, where GM is 3.98 × 10¹⁴ N m² kg⁻¹. What is the change in its gravitational potential energy?
Model answer
The energy rises from −3.98 × 10¹⁰ J to −1.99 × 10¹⁰ J, an increase of 1.99 × 10¹⁰ J.
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