Key term
OCR GCSE Physics A J249
Electricity
Topic overviewCharge, and producing static electricityTransfer of electrons, and electric fieldsCurrent as a rate of flow of chargeCharge, current and timeSeries and parallel circuits, and circuit symbolsCurrent, potential difference and resistanceResistors whose resistance changes, and investigating themLinear and non-linear circuit elements from graphsNet resistance in series and parallelCircuits for measurement, and electrical power
Energy
Topic overviewConservation of energy, and energy storesEnergy changes on heating, and calculating themEnergy of a moving body, a spring and a raised objectDissipation, and energy transfer in domestic devicesPower ratings, efficiency, and increasing itReducing unwanted energy transfer, and the rate of cooling
Forces
Topic overviewMeasuring distance and time, and calculating speedConverting units, and ratesVectors and scalars in motionDistance-time and velocity-time graphsAverage speed, and the equations of uniform motionHow objects interact, and forces as vectorsNewton's first lawResolving forces, and free body diagramsResultant forces, and balanced forcesNewton's second law, and inertiaMomentum, and force as a change in momentumWork done, and stored energyPower, and Newton's third lawCircular motion and changing velocityStretching, bending and compressing; elastic and plasticForce and extension, linear and non-linearThe spring constant, and work done in stretchingGravitational fields, weight and free fallCalculations with weight and gravitational field strengthTurning forces and the moment of a forceLevers and gearsPressure in fluids, and the force on a surface
Global Challenges
Topic overviewTypical speeds and everyday accelerationsReaction time, stopping distance and the dangers of large decelerationsEstimating stopping distances and the forces in a collisionEnergy resources, and trends in their useThe national grid, and step-up and step-down transformersWhy the national grid is efficient, and the transformer equationMains electricity: a.c., d.c. and the domestic supplyLive, neutral and earth wires, and electrical dangerRed-shift and the Big BangThe formation of the Sun, and radiation from bodiesThe solar systemCircular orbits and stable orbitsRadiation and the temperature of a body, and seismic waves and sonar
Magnetism and Magnetic Fields
Topic overviewPermanent and induced magnets, and magnetic polesMagnetic fields, and the dipping compassThe magnetic effect of a current, and solenoidsThe motor effect and Fleming's left-hand ruleThe force on a conductor, and how a motor turnsInduced potential, alternators and dynamosTransformers and the turns ratioThe microphone
Matter
Topic overviewHow the atomic model changed, and the structure of the atomThe size of atoms, and defining densityDensity of the states of matter, and density calculationsConservation of mass in changes of stateHeating a system, and specific heat capacityCalculations with specific heat capacity and latent heatGas molecules, temperature and pressureCompressing a gas, and changing its volumeDoing work on a gasAtmospheric pressure and why it varies with heightFloating, sinking and pressure in a liquid
Radioactivity
Topic overviewProtons, neutrons and isotopesUnstable nuclei and the emissions they give outBalancing nuclear equationsElectron energy levels, and radiation from atomsHalf-life and the randomness of decayPenetration of alpha, beta and gammaContamination and irradiation, and half-life as a hazardUses of nuclear radiationNuclear fission and fusion
Waves in Matter
Topic overviewAmplitude, wavelength, frequency and periodThe wave equationTransverse and longitudinal wavesSound crossing a boundary; reflection, transmission and absorptionConverting sound to vibrations, and the range of hearingModelling waves with ripples and soundElectromagnetic waves as transverse, and energy transferFrequency and wavelength across the spectrumWhat our eyes detect, and light as an electromagnetic waveUses of electromagnetic wavesHazards of ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma raysExploring structures with waves, and producing radio wavesAbsorption, transmission, refraction and reflectionRay diagrams for reflection and refractionHow colour arises
Matter
Doing work on a gas
- 3 things to know
- Paper 3
Overview
Why compressing a gas raises its temperature, why a bicycle pump barrel warms, which store gains energy, how molecules speed up against a moving piston, and why an expanding gas cools.
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Key term
Why does the barrel of a bicycle pump become warm while a tyre is being inflated?
Key term
How does a gas molecule gain kinetic energy when a piston is pushed in on the gas?
Questions from this subtopic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What happens to the temperature of a gas when work is done on it by compressing it?
Model answer
Its temperature rises.
- 2
Explain why compressing a gas quickly raises its temperature.
Model answer
Work is done on the gas, transferring energy to its internal energy store, so the molecules move faster and the temperature rises.
- 3
Why does the barrel of a bicycle pump become warm while a tyre is being inflated?
Model answer
Work is done on the air as it is compressed, raising its internal energy and its temperature, and the warm air then warms the pump.
- 4
Which energy store of a gas increases when work is done on the gas?
Model answer
Its internal energy store.
- 5
How does a gas molecule gain kinetic energy when a piston is pushed in on the gas?
Model answer
The piston is moving towards the molecules as they rebound from it, so each molecule bounces off faster than it arrived.
- 6
What happens to the temperature of a gas that expands and does work on its surroundings?
Model answer
Its temperature falls, because energy is transferred out of its internal energy store.
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