Physics Revision Notes

A-Level Physics - CIE

Year 1

Topic 1 - Mechanics

Topic 2 - Materials

Topic 3 - Waves

Topic 4 - Electricity

Topic 5 - Particle Physics

Year 2

Topic 6 - Circular Motion

Topic 7 - Gravitational Fields

Topic 8 - Thermal Physics

Topic 9 - Oscillations

Topic 10 - Electric Fields

Topic 11 - Electromagnetism

Topic 12 - Quantum Phenomena

Topic 13 - Nuclear Physics

Topic 14 - Medical Physics

Topic 15 - Astrophysics

Year 1

1 - Mechanics

1.1 - Resolving Forces

1.2 - Speed, distance & Time

1.3 - Motion Graphs

1.4 - Projectile Motion

1.5 - Terminal Velocity

1.6 - Stopping Distance

1.7 - Newton's Laws Of Motion

1.8 - Momentum

1.9 - Principle Of Moments

1.10 - Density

1.11 - Pressure

1.12 - Work Done

1.13 - Conservation Of Energy

1.14 - Power & Efficiency

2 - Materials

2.1 - Hooke's Law

2.2 - Young Modulus

2.3 - Deformation Of Solids

3 - Waves

3.1 - Transverse & Longitudinal Waves

3.2 - Intensity

3.3 - Polarisation

3.4 - Superposition Of Waves

3.5 - Stationary Waves

3.6 - Stationary Waves In Air Columns

3.7 - Single Slit Diffraction

3.8 - Double Slit Diffraction

3.9 - Diffraction Grating

4 - Electricity

4.1 - Electric Curent

4.2 - Mean Drift Velocity

4.3 - Potential difference & Power

4.4 - I-V Characteristics

4.5 - Resistivity

4.6 - Resistance In Series & Parallel

4.7 - Internal Resistance

4.8 - Potential Dividers

4.9 - Variable Components

5 - Particle Physics

5.1 - Rutherford's Alpha Particle Scattering

5.2 - Structure Of The Atom

5.3 - Fundamental Forces

5.4 - Nuclear Stability

5.5 - Particles & Antiparticles

5.6 - Hadrons & Leptons

5.7 - Quarks & Antiquarks

5.8 - Alpha, Beta & Gamma Radiation

Year 2

6 - Circular Motion

6.1 - Circular Motion

6.2 - Centripetal Force & Acceleration

7 - Gravitational Fields

7.1 - Uniform & Radial Fields

7.2 - Newton's Law Of Gravitation

7.3 - Gravitational Field Strength

7.4 - Orbits

7.5 - Gravitational Potential

8 - Thermal Physics

8.1 - The Temperature Scale

8.2 - Changes Of State

8.3 - Specific Heat Capacity

8.4 - Specific Latent Heat

8.5 - Experimental Gas Laws

8.6 - Ideal Gas Equation

9 - Oscillations

9.1 - Simple Harmonic Motion

9.2 - Simple Harmonic Systems

9.3 - Energy In Simple Harmonic Motion

9.4 - Forced Vibrations & Resonance

9.5 - Damped Oscillations

10 - Electric Fields

10.1 - Coulomb's Law

10.2 - Electric Field Strength

10.3 - Electric Potential

10.4 - Capacitance

10.5 - Capacitors In Series & Parallel

10.6 - Energy Stored In a Capacitor

10.7 - Charging & Discharging Capacitors

11 - Electromagnetism

11.1 - Magnetic Fields

11.2 - Fleming's Left Hand Rule

11.3 - Moving Charges In A Magnetic Field

11.4 - Faraday's Law

11.5 - Lenz's Law

11.6 - Alternating Current

11.7 - Rectification

12 - Quantum Phenomena

12.1 - Photons

12.2 - The Photoelectric Effect

12.3 - Excitation & Ionisation

12.4 - Line emission spectra

12.5 - Wave-Particle Duality

13 - Nuclear Physics

13.1 - Binding Energy

13.2 - Radioactive Decay

13.3 - Activity

13.4 - Exponential Decay Equation

13.5 - Nuclear Fission

13.6 - Nuclear fusion

14 - Medical Physics

14.1 - Ultrasound

14.2 - X-Rays

14.3 - PET Scanning

15 - Astrophysics

15.1 - Stellar Radii

15.2 - Hubble's Law

15.3 - The Big Bang Theory

15.4 - Red Shift