Key term
AQA GCSE Physics 8463
Atomic Structure
Topic overviewThe structure of an atomMass number, atomic number and isotopesFrom the plum pudding model to the nuclear modelChadwick, the neutron, and comparing the modelsRadioactive decay and nuclear radiationNuclear equationsHalf-lives and the random nature of radioactive decayRadioactive contaminationBackground radiationUses of nuclear radiation, and how half-life affects hazardNuclear fission and nuclear fusion
Electricity
Topic overviewCircuit symbols, electrical charge and currentCurrent, resistance and potential differenceOhmic conductors, filament lamps, diodes and thermistorsLight-dependent resistors, and investigating resistanceCurrent and potential difference in series and parallelConstructing circuits, and calculating in series circuitsDirect and alternating potential difference, and mains electricityPower and efficiencyAppliances, and the energy transferred by electrical workPower, and the power ratings of domestic appliancesThe National GridStatic chargeElectric fields
Energy
Forces
Topic overviewScalars, vectors, forces and the resultant forceGravityWork done and energy transferStretching, compressing, and the spring constantLinear and non-linear extension, and work done on a springMoments, levers and gearsPressure at a surface, and the equation p = F over AAtmospheric pressureDistance, displacement and speedThe speed of sound, and the distance-speed-time equationVelocity and the distance-time relationshipAcceleration, deceleration and velocity-time graphsArea under a velocity-time graph, and the uniform acceleration equationNewton's First LawNewton's Second and Third LawsStopping distance and reaction timeFactors affecting braking distanceBraking force, deceleration and the dangers of stopping quickly
Magnetism and Electromagnetism
Particle Model of Matter
Space Physics
Waves
Topic overviewTransverse and longitudinal waves, and the wave equationWave properties, and refraction at a boundaryReflection of wavesTypes and uses of electromagnetic wavesRadio waves, and the hazards of ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma raysLensesVisible lightEmission and absorption of infrared radiation, and black bodies
Electricity
- 13 subtopics
- 39 things to know
- Paper 1
What Electricity covers
Electricity is examined in Physics Paper 1. It covers circuit symbols, electrical charge and current, current, resistance and potential difference, ohmic conductors, filament lamps, diodes and thermistors, light-dependent resistors, and investigating resistance, current and potential difference in series and parallel, constructing circuits, and calculating in series circuits, direct and alternating potential difference, and mains electricity, power and efficiency, appliances, and the energy transferred by electrical work, power, and the power ratings of domestic appliances, the National Grid, static charge and electric fields.
Where it is assessed
Paper 1
Physics Paper 1: 1 hour 45 minutes, 100 marks, 50% of the GCSE.
Check the AQA specification ↗The 13 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- Circuit symbols, electrical charge and currentCircuit symbols for cells, batteries, meters, resistors and diodes, where ammeters and voltmeters are connected, reading series and parallel circuit diagrams, closed circuits and electric current as a rate of flow of charge, the equation Q = It with its units and calculations, and why the current is the same all round a single loop.Open →
- Current, resistance and potential differenceWhat the current through a component depends on, potential difference and resistance, the equation V = IR with its rearrangement, units and calculations, investigating how the resistance of a wire depends on its length, and how adding resistors in series or in parallel changes the total resistance.Open →
- Ohmic conductors, filament lamps, diodes and thermistorsConstant and changing resistance, ohmic conductors at constant temperature and calculations with them, components whose resistance is not constant, why the resistance of a filament lamp rises as it heats, current against potential difference graphs for lamps and diodes, one-way current through a diode, and thermistors in thermostats and other uses.Open →
- Light-dependent resistors, and investigating resistanceHow the resistance of a light-dependent resistor changes with brightness and where that is used, then the circuit, meters and variable resistor for measuring resistance and plotting current against potential difference.Open →
- Current and potential difference in series and parallelThe two ways of joining components and how to identify series and parallel circuits, how current and potential difference are shared in each, adding resistances in series with calculations, the total current drawn by a parallel circuit, and why resistors in parallel have a total resistance smaller than the smallest of them.Open →
- Constructing circuits, and calculating in series circuitsBuilding a circuit from its diagram and checking it, what happens when one lamp fails in series or parallel, why resistance adds in series, and calculating current and potential difference in series.Open →
- Direct and alternating potential difference, and mains electricityMains electricity as an alternating supply at 50 Hz and about 230 V, direct and alternating potential difference, the three-core cable with its colour-coded live, neutral and earth wires, the job and potential of each wire, and why the live wire is dangerous even when a switch is open.Open →
- Power and efficiencyEfficiency in terms of energy transfer and of power with calculations, and power in terms of potential difference and current and in terms of current and resistance as P = I²R, with the units each equation uses.Open →
- Appliances, and the energy transferred by electrical workWhat everyday appliances are designed to do, the energy transfers in kettles, drills and toasters, how power and time decide the energy an appliance transfers, the work done when charge flows and why resistors warm up, and calculating energy transferred from power and time or from charge flow and potential difference.Open →
- Power, and the power ratings of domestic appliancesThe units of energy, power, time, charge and potential difference in energy calculations, what the power of a circuit device means and how it relates to potential difference, current and energy transferred per second, power ratings on domestic appliances, and comparing the energy transferred by appliances of different power.Open →
- The National GridThe National Grid as a system of cables and transformers, step-up and step-down transformers and why both are needed, energy wasted by the current heating transmission cables, and why transmitting at a high potential difference and low current makes the grid efficient.Open →
- Static chargeCharging insulators by rubbing as electrons move, positive and negative charge, why a hand-held metal rod keeps no charge, attraction and repulsion between charges as non-contact forces, static electricity and sparks, showing that charged rods repel, and why touching a door handle after crossing a carpet gives a shock.Open →
- Electric fieldsThe field around a charged object and where it is strongest, how the force changes with distance, the pattern and direction of field lines, and how a strong field causes a spark.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
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What is static electricity, and how does a highly charged object produce a spark?
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What does the 50 Hz frequency of the mains mean, and how does a direct potential difference differ from an alternating one?
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What kind of symbols are used in a circuit diagram, and why?
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On what two things does the current through a component depend?
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What is the relationship between current and potential difference for an ohmic conductor at constant temperature?
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A lamp is moved closer and closer to a light-dependent resistor in a circuit. Describe how the current changes.
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How does the current through each component in a series circuit compare?
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What must you be able to do with a circuit diagram before you can build the circuit it shows?
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What does the efficiency of a device tell you?
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Describe the energy transfer that takes place in an electric kettle.
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What is the unit of energy transferred and its symbol?
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What exists in the space around a charged object?
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Describe the circuit symbol for a cell, and say how the symbol for a battery differs from it.
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What happens to the current through a component if its resistance rises while the potential difference across it is kept the same?
Numbers
A resistor at constant temperature carries 0.2 A when 4 V is applied. Calculate the current when 10 V is applied.
Key term
Explain how a light-dependent resistor can switch a street lamp on at dusk.
Numbers
A 4 Ω resistor and a 6 Ω resistor are joined in series. Calculate the total resistance.
Evaluation
Give one advantage of wiring household lights in parallel rather than in series.
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Is mains electricity a direct supply or an alternating supply?
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State the equation for efficiency in terms of energy transfer.
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What two things decide how much energy an appliance transfers?
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What is the unit of power, and which symbol represents the quantity itself?
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What is the National Grid?
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Which particles move when two insulating materials are rubbed together?
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Where is the electric field around a charged object strongest?
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Which components are shown by a circle containing the letter A and a circle containing the letter V?
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State the word equation linking potential difference, current and resistance.
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Name four components whose resistance is not constant.
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Suggest one use for a light-dependent resistor other than a street light.
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Write in symbols the rule for the total resistance of two resistors in series, and give the unit.
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Explain why adding a resistor in series increases the total resistance of a circuit.
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What does a frequency of 50 Hz mean for the mains supply?
Numbers
A motor is supplied with 800 J and transfers 200 J usefully. Calculate its efficiency.
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Two appliances are switched on for the same length of time. Which one transfers more energy?
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What is meant by the power of a circuit device?
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Name the two kinds of component that make up the National Grid.
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What type of charge is left on a material that has gained electrons?
Evaluation
What happens to the strength of an electric field as the distance from the charged object increases?
Take Electricity further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
Series vs Parallel
Series: components joined one after another in a single loop. Parallel: Components joined side by side on separate branches.
Live wire vs Neutral wire
Live wire: the brown conductor carrying the alternating potential difference from the supply. Neutral wire: The blue conductor that completes the circuit at about earth potential.
Step-up transformer vs Step-down transformer
Step-up transformer: device that raises the potential difference before power is transmitted. Step-down transformer: Device that lowers the potential difference before power reaches homes.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What kind of symbols are used in a circuit diagram, and why?
Model answer
Standard agreed symbols, so that the same diagram means the same circuit to everyone who reads it.
- 2
Describe the circuit symbol for a cell, and say how the symbol for a battery differs from it.
Model answer
A cell is a long thin line beside a short thick line, the long line being the positive terminal, and a battery is two or more of these cell symbols in a row.
- 3
Which components are shown by a circle containing the letter A and a circle containing the letter V?
Model answer
An ammeter and a voltmeter.
- 4
How does the symbol for a variable resistor differ from the symbol for a fixed resistor?
Model answer
A fixed resistor is a plain rectangle in the wire, while a variable resistor is that rectangle with an arrow drawn through it.
- 5
Describe the circuit symbol for a diode.
Model answer
A triangle pointing at a straight bar, the triangle pointing in the direction in which current can pass.
- 6
Where must an ammeter be connected if it is to measure the current through a lamp?
Model answer
In series with the lamp, in the same loop, so that all the current through the lamp passes through the meter.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Electricity revision questions
- What does Electricity cover in AQA GCSE Physics?
- 13 subtopics: circuit symbols, electrical charge and current, current, resistance and potential difference, ohmic conductors, filament lamps, diodes and thermistors, light-dependent resistors, and investigating resistance, current and potential difference in series and parallel, constructing circuits, and calculating in series circuits, direct and alternating potential difference, and mains electricity, power and efficiency, appliances, and the energy transferred by electrical work, power, and the power ratings of domestic appliances, the national grid, static charge and electric fields. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Electricity organised?
- By the AQA 8463 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Electricity, 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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