Year 9
Energy - Conservation and Dissipation
Energy can be described as being in different ‘stores’. It cannot be created or destroyed but it can be transferred, dissipated or stored in different ways.
Read MoreEnergy - Conservation and Dissipation
Energy is a key principle in physics, as it allows work to be done. The rate at which energy is transferred is called power and the amount of energy that is usefully transferred is called efficiency.
Read MoreEnergy - Transferred by Heating
Energy is transmitted by conduction, convection or radiation.The conductivity of materials can be compared by examining the time taken to transmit energy through them.
Read MoreEnergy - Resources
Limits to the use of fossil fuels and global warming are critical problems for this century. Physicists and
engineers are working hard to identify ways to reduce our energy usage.
Year 10
Particle Model of Matter
Changes in a material's temperature or state of matter are caused by changes to the internal energy. The energy required by different materials depends on their 'heat capacity' and 'latent heat'.
Read MoreElectricity - Circuits
Electrical current transfers energy around circuits. There are two types of current: direct and alternating.
Read MoreElectricity - In the Home
Electricity can flow either as direct or alternating current, and is used in homes to power electrical appliances. The National Grid distributes electricity throughout the country.
Read MoreAtomic Structure
The idea of the atom as the building block of matter has developed over time. What was thought of as a single particle is now known to be a collection of smaller particles.
Read MoreWaves
Waves are one way in which energy may be transferred between stores. Both mechanical and electromagnetic waves will transfer energy but not matter.
Read MoreWaves - Light
All waves will reflect and refract in the right circumstances. The reflection and refraction of light explains how people see images, colour and even optical illusions.
Year 11
Forces - Motion
Forces are responsible for all the interactions between particles and objects. They can be divided into two categories: contact forces and non-contact forces. Newton came up with the three laws of motion which link forces to objects.
Read MoreForces - Pressure
Every living thing on Earth is in balance with the pressure of the air or water around it. Pressure helps blood to move around the body and allows organisms to breathe.
Magnetism and Electromagnetism
Magnetism is due to the magnetic fields around magnets. Electromagnetism is due to the magnetic fields around electric currents. These fields can make motors spin and loudspeakers produce sound.
Read MoreSpace
Theories about the development of the Universe, such as the Big Bang theory, are based on astronomical observations and ideas such as red-shift and dark energy.
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