A Level Physics inc Exams and Practical

AQA Specification Code 7408

Topic 1: Measurements and their errors

• Fundamental (base) units
• mass, length, time, quantity of matter, temperature,
• Electric current
• SI units
• SI prefixes, values and standard
• Light intensity
• Prefixes
• Unit converting
• Random and systematic errors
• Uncertainty
• Graph using error bars
• Gradient uncertainties
• Straight-line graph
• Magnitude
• Values of physical quantities

Topic 2: Particles and radiation

• Constituents of the atom
• Stable and unstable nuclei
• Particles, antiparticles and photons
• Particle interactions
• Classification of particles
• Quarks and antiquarks
• Applications of conservation laws
• The photoelectric effect
• Collisions of electrons with atoms
• Energy levels and photon emission
• Wave-particle duality

Topic 3: Waves

• Progressive waves
• Longitudinal and transverse waves
• Formation of stationary waves
• Interference
• Diffraction
• Refraction at a plane surface

Topic 4: Mechanics and materials

• Scalars and vectors
• Moments
• Motion along a straight line
• Projectile motion
• Newton’s laws of motion
• Momentum
• Work, energy and power
• Conservation of energy
• Bulk properties of solids
• The Young modulus

Topic 5: Electricity

• Basics of electricity
• Current–voltage characteristics
• Resistivity
• Circuits
• Potential divider
• Electromotive force and internal resistance

Topic 6: Further mechanics and thermal physics

• Circular motion
• Simple harmonic motion (SHM)
• Simple harmonic systems
• Forced vibrations and resonance
• Thermal energy transfer
• Ideal gases
• Molecular kinetic theory model

Topic 7: Fields and their consequences

• Fields
• Newton's law
• Gravitational field strength
• Gravitational potential
• Orbits of planets and satellites
• Electric fields
• Electric field strength
• Electric potential
• Capacitance
• Parallel plate capacitor
• Energy stored by a capacitor
• Capacitor charge and discharge
• Magnetic flux density
• Moving charges in a magnetic field
• Magnetic flux and flux linkage
• Electromagnetic induction
• Alternating currents
• The operation of a transformer

Topic 8: Nuclear physics

• Rutherford scattering
• α, β and γ radiation
• Radioactive decay
• Nuclear instability
• Nuclear radius
• Mass and energy
• Induced fission
• Safety aspects

Topic 9: Astrophysics

• Astronomical telescope consisting of two converging lenses
• Reflecting telescopes
• Single dish radio telescopes, I-R, U-V and X-ray telescopes
• Advantages of large diameter telescopes
• Classification by luminosity
• Absolute magnitude, M
• Classification by temperature, black-body radiation
• Principles of the use of stellar spectral classes
• The Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram
• Supernovae, neutron stars and black holes
• Doppler effect
• Hubble's law
• Quasars
• Detection of exoplanets