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Edexcel AS/A level Physics Student Book 1

Edexcel AS/A level Physics Student Book 1

Miles Hudson

(2016)

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Book Details

Abstract

Edexcel AS/A level Physics Student Book 1

Table of Contents

Section Title Page Action Price
Cover Cover
Contents 4
How to use this book 6
Topic 1 8
Chapter 1: Working as a Physicist 8
1: Units 10
Base and derived quantities 10
SI units 10
Power prefixes 11
2: Estimation 12
Order of magnitude 12
Fermi questions 12
Topic 2: Mechanics 14
Chapter 2.1: Motion 14
1: Velocity and acceleration 16
Rate of movement 16
Acceleration 17
2: Motion graphs 18
Displacement-time graphs 18
Velocity-time graphs 19
Acceleration-time graphs 20
3: Adding forces 21
Adding forces in the same line 21
Adding perpendicular forces 21
Adding two non-perpendicular forces 21
Free-body force diagrams 22
4: Moments 23
Moment of a force 23
Principle of moments 23
Centre of gravity 24
5: Newton’s laws of motion 26
Newton’s first law of motion 26
Newton’s second law of motion 26
Newton’s third law of motion 28
6: Kinematics equations 29
Zero acceleration 29
Constant acceleration 29
7: Resolving vectors 32
Resolving vectors calculations 32
Alternative resolution angles 33
8: Projectiles 34
Horizontal throws 34
Recombining velocity components 34
Vertical throws 35
Thinking Bigger: Durham Castle Siege 36
Exam-style questions 38
Chapter 2.2: Energy 40
1: Gravitational potential and kinetic energies 42
Gravitational potential energy 42
Kinetic energy 42
Conversion between Ep and Ek 43
2: Work and power 45
Work 45
Work done by forces at an angle 46
Efficiency 47
Thinking Bigger: The Mechanics Of Hockey 48
Exam-style questions 50
Chapter 2.3: Momentum 52
1: Momentum 54
Momentum 54
2: Conservation of linear momentum 56
Collisions 56
Explosions 57
Newton’s third law 59
Thinking Bigger: Saving Hockey Goalkeepers 60
Exam-style questions 62
Topic 3: Electric circuits 64
Chapter 3.1: Electrical quantities 66
1: Electric current 66
Electric Charge 66
Electric Current 66
2: Electrical energy transfer 69
Voltages 69
Electrical models 70
3: Current and voltage relationships 72
Resistance calculations 72
Current–voltage characteristics 73
4: Resistivity 75
5: Conduction and resistance 77
Conduction in metals 77
The transport equation 78
Resistance 78
Resistivity 78
6: Semiconductors 80
Conduction in semiconductors 80
Insulators 82
Superconductivity 82
Thinking Bigger: Shocking Stuff 84
Exam-style questions 86
Chapter 3.2: Complete electrical circuits 88
1: Series and parallel circuits 90
Current 90
Voltages around circuits 91
Resistance 92
2: Electrical circuit rules 94
Electric current rule 94
Electrical voltages rule 94
3: Potential dividers 96
The potential divider equation 97
The potentiometer 98
Potential dividers in sensor circuits 98
4: Emf and internal resistance 100
5: Power in electric circuits 102
Electrical work 102
Electrical power 102
Efficiency 103
Thinking Bigger: Curious Voltage Drop 106
Exam-style questions 108
Topic 4: Materials 110
Chapter 4.1: Fluids 110
1: Fluids, density and upthrust 112
Fluids 112
Density 112
Upthrust 113
Floating 113
The hydrometer 114
2: Fluid movement 115
Laminar flow 115
Streamlining 116
3: Drag act 117
Viscosity 117
4: Terminal velocity 119
Stokes’ law 119
Viscous drag 121
Thinking Bigger: The Plimsoll Line 122
Exam-style questions 124
Chapter 4.2: Solid material properties 126
1: Hooke’s law 128
Hooke’s law 128
Elastic strain energy 129
2: Stress, strain and the Young modulus 131
Stress 131
Strain 131
Young modulus 131
3: Stress-strain graphs 133
Stress-strain analysis 133
Thinking Bigger: Get Roped In 136
Exam-style questions 138
Topic 5: Waves and the particle nature of light 140
Chapter 5.1: Basic waves 140
1: Wave basics 142
Energy transfer 142
Graphing waves 142
Wave measurements 143
Pulse-echo measurements 143
2: Wave types 145
Transverse waves 145
Longitudinal waves 145
Graphing waves 145
Longitudinal waves in action 145
Thinking Bigger: Earthquake! 148
Exam-style questions 150
Chapter 5.2: The behaviour of waves 152
1: Wave phase and superposition 154
Phase 154
Wavefronts 155
Wave superposition 155
2: Stationary waves 157
Standing waves 157
String wave speeds 158
3: Diffraction 160
Diffraction 160
Diffraction patterns 160
The diffraction grating 161
4: Wave interference 163
Two-source interference 163
Two-slit interference 163
Explaining two-source interference 164
Thinking Bigger: The Marimba 166
Exam-style questions 168
Chapter 5.3: Optics 170
1: Refraction 172
Refraction 172
Dispersion 173
2: Total internal reflection 174
Refraction revisited 174
Applications of TIR 175
3: Lenses 176
Refraction in a lens 176
Power of a lens 177
4: Image formation 179
What is an image? 179
Image calculations 180
Magnification 180
5: Polarisation 182
Plane polarisation 182
Polarisation by refl ection and refraction 183
Polarisation by chemical solutions 183
Thinking Bigger: Glass Forensics 184
Exam-style questions 186
Chapter 5.4: Quantum physics 188
1: Wave–particle duality 190
Huygens’ principle 190
Light is a wave 190
Light is a particle 190
Electrons are particles 191
Electrons are waves 192
Waves or particles? 192
2: The photoelectric effect 193
Photoelectrons 193
The photoelectric effect equation 194
The photoelectric cell experiment 194
3: Electron diffraction and interference 196
Electron diffraction 196
de Broglie equation 196
Two-slit electron interference 197
Electron microscopy 197
4: Atomic electron energies 198
Electron energy levels 198
Line spectra 200
Intensity of radiation 201
Thinking Bigger: Solar Cells to Power the USA? 202
Exam-style questions 204
Maths skills 206
Arithmetic and numerical computation 206
Algebra 206
Handling data 207
Graphs 207
Geometry and trigonometry 208
Applying your skills 210
Preparing for your exams 212
Glossary 217
Index 221