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Physics Paper 1 > Energy > Flashcards

Energy Flashcards

1
Q

What happens if we apply too great a force to a spring?

A

The extension will no longer be directly proportional to the force applied to the spring, as it has stretched beyond the limit of proportionality.
It will not return to its original length if we remove the forces.

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2
Q

What is the unit for spring constant?

A

N/m

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3
Q

What is gravitational potential energy?

A

The energy stored in an object due to its position above the earth’s surface.

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4
Q

What is the unit for gravitational field strength?

A

N/kg

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5
Q

What is meant by specific heat capacity?

A

The amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1kg of a substance by 1 degrees Celsius.

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6
Q

What is the unit for specific heat capacity?

A

J/kg *C

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7
Q

What is the Law of Conservation of Energy?

A

Energy can be transferred usefully, stored or dissipated but it cannot be created or destroyed.

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8
Q

What is the Law of Conservation of Energy?

A

Energy can be transferred usefully, stored or dissipated but it cannot be created or destroyed.

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9
Q

What is meant by a system?

A

An object or a group of objects.

In a closed system, no energy can enter or leave.

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10
Q

How do you reduce unwanted energy transfers?

A

Reducing friction:

  • use a lubricant eg oil
  • remove air particles
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11
Q

How do you reduce unwanted energy transfers?

A

Reducing friction:

  • use a lubricant eg oil
  • remove air particles
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12
Q

Bungee Jumper:

A

At the start, all of the energy in the system is gravitational potential energy.
As the jumper falls, energy is transferred from the gravitational potential energy store to the kinetic energy store.
When the rope tightens, the kinetic energy store is now at its maximum.
When the rope is fully extended, the kinetic energy is zero as they’re not moving.
All of the energy has been transferred to the elastic potential energy store.
The bungee rope recoils and energy is transferred back to the kinetic energy store.
During the ascent, energy transfers from the kinetic energy store back to the gravitational potential energy store.

The bungee jumper never returns to the original position because energy is dissipated as thermal energy:
Due to friction with air particles.
And stretching effects in the bungee rope which is not fully elastic.

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13
Q

What is work?

A

This is done whenever energy is transferred from one store to another.
Mechanical work: using a force to move an object.
Electrical object: involves a current transferring energy.

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14
Q

What is work?

A

This is done whenever energy is transferred from one store to another.
Mechanical work: using a force to move an object.
Electrical object: involves a current transferring energy.

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15
Q

What happens when a driver applies the brakes?

A

The brake presses against the wheel. This creates friction between the brake and the wheel.
The kinetic energy store of the car is transferred to the thermal energy store in the brakes. The temperature of the brakes increases and the car slows down and stops.

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16
Q

What is power?

A

The rate at which energy is transferred or the rate at which work is done.

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17
Q

How do you increase the efficiency of energy transfer?

A

Use pan with a wider base and a lid- reduce unwanted transfer of thermal energy.

Using a pan to heat water means a lot of thermal energy goes into heating the pan itself- so we can use a heating element inside the water like in a kettle.

Metal is a good conductor of heat so thermal energy will escape the pan into the air.
Plastic has a lower thermal conductivity.

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18
Q

How do you increase the efficiency of energy transfer?

A

Use pan with a wider base and a lid- reduce unwanted transfer of thermal energy.

Using a pan to heat water means a lot of thermal energy goes into heating the pan itself- so we can use a heating element inside the water like in a kettle.

Metal is a good conductor of heat so thermal energy will escape the pan into the air.
Plastic has a lower thermal conductivity.

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19
Q

Thermal conductivity:

A

The higher the thermal conductivity of a material, the higher the rate of energy transfer by conduction across that material.

20
Q

How are modern houses built?

A

Two layers:
External brick wall and internal breezeblock wall.
Between the walls is a cavity. This gives these homes a high thermal conductivity. A lot of thermal energy transfers out of the house, so we spend a lot of money heating homes.
To correct this, builders pack the cavity with an insulating material with very low thermal conductivity.

21
Q

How else can thermal energy escape in a house?

A

Windows:
Single glazed windows have a very high thermal conductivity.
Double glazed windows have low thermal conductivity.

Roof:
Use loft insulation. This has a low thermal conductivity, reducing the rate thermal energy passes through

22
Q

How do you reduce thermal energy transfer from a house?

A

Use materials with a low thermal conductivity.

Thick walls.

23
Q

Required Practical: Specific Heat Capacity

A

Place a beaker on a balance and press zero.
Now add oil to the beaker and record the mass of the oil.
Place a thermometer and an immersion heater into the oil.
Read the starting temperature of the oil.
Wrap the beaker in insulating foam to reduce thermal energy transfer to the surroundings.
Connect a joulemeter to the immersion heater.
Time for thirty minutes to allow the temperature to rise enough.
Read the total number of joules of energy that passed into the immersion heater.
Read the final temperature of the oil.
Calculate specific heat capacity.

24
Q

What are the sources of inaccuracy in the SHC practical?

A

Thermal energy passing out of the beaker into the air: use an insulator with a lower thermal conductivity.

Not all thermal energy passing into the oil: Ensure that the immersion heater is fully submerged.

Incorrect reading of thermometer: electronic temperature probe

Thermal energy not being spread through the oil: Stir.

25
Q

Required Practical: Thermal Insulation

A

Place a small beaker inside a large beaker.
Use a kettle to boil water.
Transfer 8cm^3 of hot water into the small beaker.
Then use a piece of cardboard as a lid for the large beaker.
Place the thermometer through the hole in the lid- the bulb must be inside the water.
Record the starting temperature of the water and start a stopwatch.
Record the temperature of water every three minutes for fifteen minutes.
Repeat the experiment using the same volume of hot water. This time use an insulating material to fill the gap between the two beakers.
Test a range of materials e.g. cotton or polystyrene

IV: type of insulating material
DV: temperature
CV: volume of water, mass of insulating
material.

Testing how the thickness of a material affects thermal insulation:

  1. Beaker with 80cm^3 of hot water.
  2. Measure the the temperature of the water every 3 minutes for fifteen minutes.
  3. Repeat the experiment but this time wrap two layers of newspaper around the beaker.
  4. Repeat two more times using four layers then six layers.

IV: number of layers
DV: temperature of water
CV: volume of water

26
Q

What does burning diesel cause?

A

Release of carbon particles and nitrogen oxides which are very dangerous for human health.

27
Q

What does burning coal cause?

A

Release of sulphur dioxide which leads to acid rain- damages buildings and trees.

28
Q

Describe everything about nuclear power:

A

Non-renewable.
The power plants run on uranium and plutonium.

Advantages:
Once the power plant is running it releases no CO2. It doesn’t contribute to climate change.
It is extremely reliable so it generates a lot of electricity when we want it.

Disadvantages:
Contains dangerous radioactive material. If there is an accident, they could be released into the environment.
Decommissioning a nuclear power plant takes many years and it is extremely expensive.
Produces large amounts of dangerous radioactive waste which must be stored for thousands of years before it’s safe.

29
Q

The switch from coal to gas:

A

Burning gas generates less carbon dioxide than burning coal. This contributes less to climate change.
Gas-fired power stations can be switched on quickly during periods of high demand.
Coal-fired power stations have a very long start-up time.

30
Q

The switch from coal to gas:

A

Burning gas generates less carbon dioxide than burning coal. This contributes less to climate change.
Gas-fired power stations can be switched on quickly during periods of high demand.
Coal-fired power stations have a very long start-up time.

31
Q

Wind power and solar power:

A

Not reliable as they rely on weather.

32
Q

Hydroelectric power:

A

Very reliable.
Habitats are destroyed when dams are built and valleys are flooded.
Only useful in countries with lots of rivers.

33
Q

Tidal power:

A

Reliable as we know the tide will come in and go out twice a day.
Could be harmful to wildlife.

34
Q

Wave power

A

Reliable and useful in the UK due to the extensive coastline.
Very small-scale and experimental.

35
Q

Geothermal:

A

Uses heat from the earth. Reliable.

36
Q

Biofuels:

A

Produced from plant materials.
Releases carbon dioxide. However the growing plants took in CO2, so it doesn’t add any extra carbon (carbon neutral).

However, if we use land for fuel, it could increase the price of food.

37
Q

Describe the energy transfers in a blender or fan.

A

Powered by electrical energy.
The electrical energy is transferred into the kinetic energy of the electric motors.
Small amount of thermal energy produced as well due to friction in the motors.

38
Q

Describe energy transfers in an iron or kettle.

A

Transfers electrical energy to thermal energy.

39
Q

Describe energy transfers in a hair dryer and washing machine.

A

Transfers electrical energy into the kinetic energy of electric motors and thermal energy.

40
Q

Describe energy transfers in a hair dryer and washing machine.

A

Transfers electrical energy into the kinetic energy of electric motors and thermal energy.

41
Q

What is 1 watt?

A

An energy transfer of 1 joule per second.

42
Q

How does the power of appliances differ?

A

Appliances which are meant for producing thermal energy have higher power. eg kettle or iron.

43
Q

What is the National Grid?

A

Consists of a system of transformers and high voltage cables.

Energy is always lost in the power cables due to the resistance of the wires. The bigger the distance between the power station and the homes, the more energy lost.

We can reduce the energy loss by boiling power stations near homes- but people don’t really want this.

44
Q

How do we reduce the energy loss in the National Grid using transformers?

A

The electricity passes through step-up transformers which increase the potential difference to several hundred thousand volts. That’s because less energy is lost in the power cables when the PD is very high.

This can’t be passed into homes due to the high PD, so the electricity passes through step-down transformers.

45
Q

Static electricity in a cloth and plastic rod.

A

Cloth is an insulator which is covered in electrons. The electrons cannot move through the cloth.

Plastic also an insulator covered in electrons.

When we rub them together, electrons move from the plastic onto the cloth. So now the cloth has an overall negative charge.
The plastic has lost electrons so it has an equal positive charge.

Physics Paper 1 (3 decks)

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