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Notes/GCSE/Physics (Combined Science)/Edexcel/Higher

Syllabus

Edexcel GCSE Combined Science (1SC0) — Physics — Higher

    • •SI units for physical quantities1.1
    • •Multiples and sub-multiples of units1.2
    • •Unit conversions1.3
    • •Significant figures and standard form1.4
    • •Scalar quantities2.1
    • •Vector quantities2.2
    • •Differences between scalars and vectors2.3
    • •Examples of scalar and vector quantities2.4
    • •Velocity as speed in a direction2.5
    • •Speed, distance and time equations2.6
    • •Interpreting distance–time graphs2.7
    • •Acceleration equation2.8
    • •Velocity, acceleration and distance equation2.9
    • •Interpreting velocity–time graphs2.10
    • •Measuring speed in the lab2.11
    • •Typical everyday speeds2.12
    • •Acceleration due to gravity and everyday accelerations2.13
    • •Newton’s first law2.14
    • •Newton’s second law2.15
    • •Weight, mass and gravitational field strength2.16
    • •Measuring weight2.17
    • •Relationship between weight and gravitational field strength2.18
    • •Core Practical: force, mass and acceleration2.19
    • •Circular motion and changing velocity2.20
    • •Centripetal force2.21
    • •Inertial mass2.22
    • •Newton’s third law and momentum conservation2.23
    • •Momentum and its equation2.24
    • •Momentum in collisions2.25
    • •Force and change in momentum2.26
    • •Measuring human reaction time2.27
    • •Stopping distance, thinking distance and braking distance2.28
    • •Factors affecting stopping distance2.29
    • •Factors affecting reaction time2.30
    • •Dangers of large decelerations and forces in crashes2.31
    • •Gravitational potential energy equation3.1
    • •Kinetic energy equation3.2
    • •Energy transfer diagrams3.3
    • •Conservation of energy3.4
    • •Changes in energy stores in different situations3.5
    • •Energy conservation in closed systems3.6
    • •Wasted energy and heating of surroundings3.7
    • •Energy dissipation into less useful stores3.8
    • •Reducing unwanted energy transfers3.9
    • •Building insulation and rate of cooling3.10
    • •Efficiency equation3.11
    • •Improving efficiency3.12
    • •Energy resources: renewable and non-renewable3.13
    • •Patterns and trends in energy resource use3.14
    • •Waves transferring energy and information4.1
    • •Evidence that waves, not matter, travel4.2
    • •Frequency and wavelength4.3
    • •Amplitude, period, wave velocity and wavefront4.4
    • •Longitudinal and transverse waves4.5
    • •Wave speed equations4.6
    • •Measuring wave speed in air and water4.7
    • •Refraction at boundaries: speed and direction changes4.10
    • •Wavelength-dependent absorption, transmission and reflection4.11
    • •Core Practical: measuring wave speed, frequency and wavelength4.17
    • •Transverse nature and speed of electromagnetic waves5.7
    • •Energy transfer by electromagnetic waves5.8
    • •Core Practical: refraction in glass blocks5.9
    • •Main groupings of the electromagnetic spectrum5.10
    • •Wavelength and frequency trends in the EM spectrum5.11
    • •Visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum5.12
    • •Wavelength-dependent interactions of EM waves with matter5.13
    • •Effect of medium on electromagnetic wave velocity5.14
    • •Frequency and potential danger of electromagnetic waves5.20
    • •Harmful effects of different electromagnetic radiations5.21
    • •Uses of electromagnetic radiation across the spectrum5.22
    • •Production and detection of radio waves in electrical circuits5.23
    • •Atomic and nuclear changes as sources and absorbers of radiation5.24
    • •Atomic structure and nuclear size6.1
    • •Typical size of atoms and small molecules6.2
    • •Isotopes, atomic number and mass number notation6.3
    • •Nuclear charge, isotopes and neutron number6.4
    • •Relative mass and charge of subatomic particles6.5
    • •Charge neutrality in atoms6.6
    • •Electron orbits and energy levels6.7
    • •Electron transitions and electromagnetic radiation6.8
    • •Formation of positive ions by electron loss6.9
    • •Types of nuclear radiation and unstable nuclei6.10
    • •Ionising nuclear radiations6.11
    • •Background radiation6.12
    • •Origins of background radiation from Earth and space6.13
    • •Detecting and measuring radioactivity6.14
    • •Nature of alpha, beta and gamma radiation6.15
    • •Penetration and ionisation of alpha, beta and gamma6.16
    • •Development of the nuclear model of the atom6.17
    • •β⁻ decay: neutron to proton and electron6.18
    • •β⁺ decay: proton to neutron and positron6.19
    • •Changes to atomic and mass number in nuclear decay6.20
    • •Gamma emission after nuclear decay6.21
    • •Balancing nuclear equations for mass and charge6.22
    • •Decrease in activity of a radioactive source over time6.23
    • •Unit of activity: the Becquerel6.24
    • •Definition of half-life6.25
    • •Random decay and predicting activity using half-life6.26
    • •Half-life calculations and decay graphs6.27
    • •Dangers of ionising radiation and tissue damage6.29
    • •Radiation safety precautions for patients and staff6.31
    • •Contamination versus irradiation6.32
    • •Energy stores when systems change8.1
    • •Energy transfer diagrams for forces doing work8.2
    • •Conservation of energy in closed systems8.3
    • •Ways to change the energy of a system8.4
    • •Measuring work done by a force8.5
    • •Work done equation8.6
    • •Energy changes from work done by forces8.7
    • •Gravitational potential energy calculations8.8
    • •Kinetic energy calculations8.9
    • •Energy dissipation in system changes8.10
    • •Wasteful mechanical processes and heating8.11
    • •Definition and examples of power8.12
    • •Power equation using work done and time8.13
    • •Watt as joule per second8.14
    • •Efficiency equation for energy transfers8.15
    • •Types of interactions and force pairs9.1
    • •Vector and scalar quantities with examples9.2
    • •Vector diagrams for resultant and equilibrium forces9.3
    • •Free body force diagrams9.4
    • •Resultant and balanced forces on objects9.5
    • •Reducing unwanted energy transfer with lubrication9.10
    • •Atomic structure: protons, neutrons and electrons10.1
    • •Standard circuit diagrams and component symbols10.2
    • •Series and parallel circuits10.3
    • •Voltmeter connection and measuring potential difference10.4
    • •Potential difference as energy per unit charge10.5
    • •Energy transfer equation E = QV10.6
    • •Ammeter connection and measuring current10.7
    • •Electric current as rate of charge flow10.8
    • •Charge equation Q = I t10.9
    • •Current in closed circuits with a source10.10
    • •Conservation of current at circuit junctions10.11
    • •Effect of resistance and variable resistors on current10.12
    • •Ohm’s law V = I R10.13
    • •Resistance in series and parallel combinations10.14
    • •Calculations in series circuits10.15
    • •Designing series circuits for measurements10.16
    • •Core Practical: V–I–R relationships and series/parallel circuits10.17
    • •Current–voltage graphs for different components10.18
    • •LDR resistance and light intensity10.19
    • •Thermistor resistance and temperature10.20
    • •Using circuits to investigate component resistance10.21
    • •Heating effect of current in resistors10.22
    • •Energy dissipation due to electrical resistance10.23
    • •Microscopic explanation of heating in resistors10.24
    • •Reducing energy loss with low-resistance wiring10.25
    • •Uses and drawbacks of the heating effect of current10.26
    • •Energy transfer equation E = I V t10.27
    • •Power as rate of energy transfer10.28
    • •Power equation P = E / t10.29
    • •Power transfer in circuit components10.30
    • •Electrical power equations P = IV and P = I²R10.31
    • •Energy transfers in domestic electrical devices10.32
    • •Direct vs alternating voltage10.33
    • •Direct current from cells and batteries10.34
    • •Alternating current and changing direction10.35
    • •UK domestic mains supply values10.36
    • •Functions of live and neutral wires10.37
    • •Earth wire, fuses and circuit breakers10.38
    • •Why switches and fuses are in the live wire10.39
    • •Potential differences of live, neutral and earth wires10.40
    • •Dangers of live-to-earth connections10.41
    • •Power ratings and energy changes in appliances10.42
    • •Magnetic pole interactions12.1
    • •Permanent and temporary magnetic materials12.2
    • •Permanent and induced magnets12.3
    • •Magnetic fields and field strength12.4
    • •Plotting magnetic fields12.5
    • •Magnetic compasses and the Earth’s core12.6
    • •Magnetic fields around current-carrying conductors12.7
    • •Factors affecting a conductor’s magnetic field12.8
    • •Magnetic fields inside and outside solenoids12.9
    • •Forces between magnets and current-carrying conductors12.10
    • •Interactions between magnetic fields12.11
    • •Fleming’s left-hand rule12.12
    • •Force on a current-carrying conductor12.13
    • •Induced potential difference and opposing magnetic fields13.2
    • •Mutual induction in transformers13.5
    • •Transformers and alternating voltage13.6
    • •High-voltage transmission and energy losses13.8
    • •Step-up and step-down transformers in the national grid13.9
    • •Power equation for ideal transformers13.10
    • •Kinetic theory and states of matter14.1
    • •Density equation14.2
    • •Density of solids and liquids practical14.3
    • •Particle arrangement and density14.4
    • •Changes of state and conservation of mass14.5
    • •Heating and changes in internal energy14.6
    • •Specific heat capacity and specific latent heat14.7
    • •Thermal energy and temperature change14.8
    • •Thermal energy and changes of state14.9
    • •Thermal insulation14.10
    • •Water heating and melting ice practical14.11
    • •Gas pressure and particle motion14.12
    • •Temperature and gas pressure at constant volume14.13
    • •Absolute zero14.14
    • •Kelvin and Celsius temperature scales14.15
    • •Forces and elastic deformation15.1
    • •Elastic and inelastic distortion15.2
    • •Force, extension and spring constant15.3
    • •Work done in stretching a spring15.4
    • •Linear and non-linear force–extension relationships15.5
    • •Spring extension and work done practical15.6

Syllabus

Edexcel GCSE Combined Science (1SC0) — Physics — Higher

    • •SI units for physical quantities1.1
    • •Multiples and sub-multiples of units1.2
    • •Unit conversions1.3
    • •Significant figures and standard form1.4
    • •Scalar quantities2.1
    • •Vector quantities2.2
    • •Differences between scalars and vectors2.3
    • •Examples of scalar and vector quantities2.4
    • •Velocity as speed in a direction2.5
    • •Speed, distance and time equations2.6
    • •Interpreting distance–time graphs2.7
    • •Acceleration equation2.8
    • •Velocity, acceleration and distance equation2.9
    • •Interpreting velocity–time graphs2.10
    • •Measuring speed in the lab2.11
    • •Typical everyday speeds2.12
    • •Acceleration due to gravity and everyday accelerations2.13
    • •Newton’s first law2.14
    • •Newton’s second law2.15
    • •Weight, mass and gravitational field strength2.16
    • •Measuring weight2.17
    • •Relationship between weight and gravitational field strength2.18
    • •Core Practical: force, mass and acceleration2.19
    • •Circular motion and changing velocity2.20
    • •Centripetal force2.21
    • •Inertial mass2.22
    • •Newton’s third law and momentum conservation2.23
    • •Momentum and its equation2.24
    • •Momentum in collisions2.25
    • •Force and change in momentum2.26
    • •Measuring human reaction time2.27
    • •Stopping distance, thinking distance and braking distance2.28
    • •Factors affecting stopping distance2.29
    • •Factors affecting reaction time2.30
    • •Dangers of large decelerations and forces in crashes2.31
    • •Gravitational potential energy equation3.1
    • •Kinetic energy equation3.2
    • •Energy transfer diagrams3.3
    • •Conservation of energy3.4
    • •Changes in energy stores in different situations3.5
    • •Energy conservation in closed systems3.6
    • •Wasted energy and heating of surroundings3.7
    • •Energy dissipation into less useful stores3.8
    • •Reducing unwanted energy transfers3.9
    • •Building insulation and rate of cooling3.10
    • •Efficiency equation3.11
    • •Improving efficiency3.12
    • •Energy resources: renewable and non-renewable3.13
    • •Patterns and trends in energy resource use3.14
    • •Waves transferring energy and information4.1
    • •Evidence that waves, not matter, travel4.2
    • •Frequency and wavelength4.3
    • •Amplitude, period, wave velocity and wavefront4.4
    • •Longitudinal and transverse waves4.5
    • •Wave speed equations4.6
    • •Measuring wave speed in air and water4.7
    • •Refraction at boundaries: speed and direction changes4.10
    • •Wavelength-dependent absorption, transmission and reflection4.11
    • •Core Practical: measuring wave speed, frequency and wavelength4.17
    • •Transverse nature and speed of electromagnetic waves5.7
    • •Energy transfer by electromagnetic waves5.8
    • •Core Practical: refraction in glass blocks5.9
    • •Main groupings of the electromagnetic spectrum5.10
    • •Wavelength and frequency trends in the EM spectrum5.11
    • •Visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum5.12
    • •Wavelength-dependent interactions of EM waves with matter5.13
    • •Effect of medium on electromagnetic wave velocity5.14
    • •Frequency and potential danger of electromagnetic waves5.20
    • •Harmful effects of different electromagnetic radiations5.21
    • •Uses of electromagnetic radiation across the spectrum5.22
    • •Production and detection of radio waves in electrical circuits5.23
    • •Atomic and nuclear changes as sources and absorbers of radiation5.24
    • •Atomic structure and nuclear size6.1
    • •Typical size of atoms and small molecules6.2
    • •Isotopes, atomic number and mass number notation6.3
    • •Nuclear charge, isotopes and neutron number6.4
    • •Relative mass and charge of subatomic particles6.5
    • •Charge neutrality in atoms6.6
    • •Electron orbits and energy levels6.7
    • •Electron transitions and electromagnetic radiation6.8
    • •Formation of positive ions by electron loss6.9
    • •Types of nuclear radiation and unstable nuclei6.10
    • •Ionising nuclear radiations6.11
    • •Background radiation6.12
    • •Origins of background radiation from Earth and space6.13
    • •Detecting and measuring radioactivity6.14
    • •Nature of alpha, beta and gamma radiation6.15
    • •Penetration and ionisation of alpha, beta and gamma6.16
    • •Development of the nuclear model of the atom6.17
    • •β⁻ decay: neutron to proton and electron6.18
    • •β⁺ decay: proton to neutron and positron6.19
    • •Changes to atomic and mass number in nuclear decay6.20
    • •Gamma emission after nuclear decay6.21
    • •Balancing nuclear equations for mass and charge6.22
    • •Decrease in activity of a radioactive source over time6.23
    • •Unit of activity: the Becquerel6.24
    • •Definition of half-life6.25
    • •Random decay and predicting activity using half-life6.26
    • •Half-life calculations and decay graphs6.27
    • •Dangers of ionising radiation and tissue damage6.29
    • •Radiation safety precautions for patients and staff6.31
    • •Contamination versus irradiation6.32
    • •Energy stores when systems change8.1
    • •Energy transfer diagrams for forces doing work8.2
    • •Conservation of energy in closed systems8.3
    • •Ways to change the energy of a system8.4
    • •Measuring work done by a force8.5
    • •Work done equation8.6
    • •Energy changes from work done by forces8.7
    • •Gravitational potential energy calculations8.8
    • •Kinetic energy calculations8.9
    • •Energy dissipation in system changes8.10
    • •Wasteful mechanical processes and heating8.11
    • •Definition and examples of power8.12
    • •Power equation using work done and time8.13
    • •Watt as joule per second8.14
    • •Efficiency equation for energy transfers8.15
    • •Types of interactions and force pairs9.1
    • •Vector and scalar quantities with examples9.2
    • •Vector diagrams for resultant and equilibrium forces9.3
    • •Free body force diagrams9.4
    • •Resultant and balanced forces on objects9.5
    • •Reducing unwanted energy transfer with lubrication9.10
    • •Atomic structure: protons, neutrons and electrons10.1
    • •Standard circuit diagrams and component symbols10.2
    • •Series and parallel circuits10.3
    • •Voltmeter connection and measuring potential difference10.4
    • •Potential difference as energy per unit charge10.5
    • •Energy transfer equation E = QV10.6
    • •Ammeter connection and measuring current10.7
    • •Electric current as rate of charge flow10.8
    • •Charge equation Q = I t10.9
    • •Current in closed circuits with a source10.10
    • •Conservation of current at circuit junctions10.11
    • •Effect of resistance and variable resistors on current10.12
    • •Ohm’s law V = I R10.13
    • •Resistance in series and parallel combinations10.14
    • •Calculations in series circuits10.15
    • •Designing series circuits for measurements10.16
    • •Core Practical: V–I–R relationships and series/parallel circuits10.17
    • •Current–voltage graphs for different components10.18
    • •LDR resistance and light intensity10.19
    • •Thermistor resistance and temperature10.20
    • •Using circuits to investigate component resistance10.21
    • •Heating effect of current in resistors10.22
    • •Energy dissipation due to electrical resistance10.23
    • •Microscopic explanation of heating in resistors10.24
    • •Reducing energy loss with low-resistance wiring10.25
    • •Uses and drawbacks of the heating effect of current10.26
    • •Energy transfer equation E = I V t10.27
    • •Power as rate of energy transfer10.28
    • •Power equation P = E / t10.29
    • •Power transfer in circuit components10.30
    • •Electrical power equations P = IV and P = I²R10.31
    • •Energy transfers in domestic electrical devices10.32
    • •Direct vs alternating voltage10.33
    • •Direct current from cells and batteries10.34
    • •Alternating current and changing direction10.35
    • •UK domestic mains supply values10.36
    • •Functions of live and neutral wires10.37
    • •Earth wire, fuses and circuit breakers10.38
    • •Why switches and fuses are in the live wire10.39
    • •Potential differences of live, neutral and earth wires10.40
    • •Dangers of live-to-earth connections10.41
    • •Power ratings and energy changes in appliances10.42
    • •Magnetic pole interactions12.1
    • •Permanent and temporary magnetic materials12.2
    • •Permanent and induced magnets12.3
    • •Magnetic fields and field strength12.4
    • •Plotting magnetic fields12.5
    • •Magnetic compasses and the Earth’s core12.6
    • •Magnetic fields around current-carrying conductors12.7
    • •Factors affecting a conductor’s magnetic field12.8
    • •Magnetic fields inside and outside solenoids12.9
    • •Forces between magnets and current-carrying conductors12.10
    • •Interactions between magnetic fields12.11
    • •Fleming’s left-hand rule12.12
    • •Force on a current-carrying conductor12.13
    • •Induced potential difference and opposing magnetic fields13.2
    • •Mutual induction in transformers13.5
    • •Transformers and alternating voltage13.6
    • •High-voltage transmission and energy losses13.8
    • •Step-up and step-down transformers in the national grid13.9
    • •Power equation for ideal transformers13.10
    • •Kinetic theory and states of matter14.1
    • •Density equation14.2
    • •Density of solids and liquids practical14.3
    • •Particle arrangement and density14.4
    • •Changes of state and conservation of mass14.5
    • •Heating and changes in internal energy14.6
    • •Specific heat capacity and specific latent heat14.7
    • •Thermal energy and temperature change14.8
    • •Thermal energy and changes of state14.9
    • •Thermal insulation14.10
    • •Water heating and melting ice practical14.11
    • •Gas pressure and particle motion14.12
    • •Temperature and gas pressure at constant volume14.13
    • •Absolute zero14.14
    • •Kelvin and Celsius temperature scales14.15
    • •Forces and elastic deformation15.1
    • •Elastic and inelastic distortion15.2
    • •Force, extension and spring constant15.3
    • •Work done in stretching a spring15.4
    • •Linear and non-linear force–extension relationships15.5
    • •Spring extension and work done practical15.6

Potential difference as energy per unit charge

Edexcel·Physics (Combined Science)·10.5·Higher

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