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CIE IGCSE Physics > General physics > Flashcards

General physics Flashcards

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1
Q

What are rulers used for?

A

To measure small distances

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2
Q

What unit are rulers able to measure to?

A

mm

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3
Q

What is the accuracy of a ruler?

A

0.1 cm

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4
Q

What is a micrometer screw gauge used for?

A

To measure very small distances that a ruler cannot

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5
Q

What unit is a micrometer screw gauge able to measure to?

A

mm

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6
Q

What is the accuracy of a micrometer screw gauge?

A

0.01 mm

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7
Q

What are vernier calipers used for?

A

To measure very small distances that a ruler cannot

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8
Q

What unit are vernier calipers able to measure to?

A

mm

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9
Q

What is the accuracy of a vernier caliper?

A

0.02 mm

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10
Q

When measuring very small distances which apparatus is most appropriate?

A

Micrometer screw gauge

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11
Q

What is used to measure large distances?

A

Tape measure

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12
Q

What unit is a tape measure able to measure to?

A

m

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13
Q

What is used to measure very large distances?

A

Trundle wheel

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14
Q

What unit is a trundle wheel able to measure to?

A

m

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15
Q

What is used to measure volume?

A

Measuring cylinder

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16
Q

What 2 things does measure cylinder measure?

A
  1. Volume of a liquid

2. Volume of an irregular-shaped object

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17
Q

What are used to measure intervals of time

A

Stop-clocks and stopwatches

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18
Q

How do you measure things that would be difficult to get accurate readings?

A
  1. Measure multiples

2. Average

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19
Q

Define speed

A

Change in distance per unit time

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20
Q

What is the formula for speed?

A

Distance ÷ time taken

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21
Q

Define velocity

A

Displacement per unit time

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22
Q

What is the formula for velocity?

A

Displacement ÷ time taken

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23
Q

Define acceleration

A

Change in velocity per unit time

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24
Q

What is the formula for acceleration?

A

Change in velocity ÷ time taken

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25
Q

What does the gradient of a distance-time graph represent?

A

Speed

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26
Q

What does the gradient of a speed-time graph represent?

A

Acceleration

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27
Q

What does the area underneath a speed-time graph with constant acceleration represent?

A

Distance

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28
Q

What is deceleration?

A

Negative acceleration

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29
Q

What is the acceleration of free fall for a body near to the Earth?

A

Constant at 10 m/s

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30
Q

What is mass?

A

The amount of matter contained in an object

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31
Q

What is weight?

A

A gravitational force

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32
Q

What is the unit of mass?

A

kg

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33
Q

What is the unit of weight

A

N

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34
Q

What does mass resist?

A

Change in motion or change in direction

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35
Q

What is the resistance to change in motion or change in direction by mass called?

A

Inertia

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36
Q

What is the effect of a gravitational field on a mass?

A

Weight

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37
Q

Exam tip ; )

A
  1. In the absence of air resistance, all objects fall with the same acceleration, regardless of their mass
  2. So long as air resistance remains insignificant, the speed of a falling object will increase at a steady rate, getting larger the longer it falls for.
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38
Q

Describe terminal velocity

A
  1. There is a downwards unbalanced force and the skydiver accelerates
  2. As the skydiver speeds up, the air resistance increases
  3. Eventually the air resistance balances the weight and so the skydiver travels at a constant speed
  4. When the parachute is opened the increase air resistance on the parachute creates an upwards unbalanced force, making the parachuting the slow down
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39
Q

What term is used when air resistance and weight cause a body to move at constant speed?

A

Terminal velocity

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40
Q

How can weight (and hence mass) be compared?

A

Using a balance

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41
Q

What is the formula for density?

A

ρ = mass ÷ volume

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42
Q

Which object will float based on density?

A

The less dense object will float on a more dense object

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43
Q

What are 3 effects of forces?

A
  1. Change in size
  2. Change in motion
  3. Change in direction
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44
Q

What is Hooke’s Law?

A

The extension of a spring is proportional to the applied force

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45
Q

What is the formula for Hooke’s Law?

A

F = kx

*where k is the spring constant

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46
Q

What is the limit of proportionality?

A

Point at which load and extension are no longer proportional

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47
Q

What is the elastic limit?

A

Point at which the spring will no longer return to its original position after being stretched

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48
Q

What is the formula for force?

A

F = ma

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49
Q

Exam tip ; )

A

A relationship is said to be proportional if the graph is a straight line going through the origin.

If a graph is a straight line but does not go through the origin the relationship is said to be linear.

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50
Q

Describe circular motion

A

An object at steady speed in circular orbit is always accelerating as it’s changing direction but gets no closer to the center

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51
Q

What quantity stays constant for circular motion?

A

Speed

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52
Q

What causes circular motion

A

A force acting at 90 degrees to an object’s direction of travel

53
Q

Which factors affect the force needed to make something follow a circular path?

A
  1. Mass
  2. Speed
  3. Radius
54
Q

How does mass affect force that makes an object follow a circular path?

A

A greater mass requires greater force

55
Q

How does speed affect force that makes an object follow a circular path?

A

A greater speed requires greater force

56
Q

How does radius affect force that makes an object follow a circular path?

A

A greater radius requires greater force

57
Q

What is centripetal force?

A

A force acting towards the centre of a circle

58
Q

What is centrifugal force?

A

A force acting away from the centre of a circle

59
Q

What is the result of a body not having a resultant force?

A
  1. Continues to travel at constant speed in a straight line

2. Stays at rest

60
Q

What is friction?

A

The force between two surfaces which impedes motion and results in heating

61
Q

What is a form of friction?

A

Air resistance

62
Q

What is a moment ?

A

A measure of the turning effect of a force

63
Q

What increases the moment of a force?

A
  1. Increasing force

2. Increasing distance from a pivot

64
Q

What is the formula for moment?

A

Nm = Force × perpendicular distance from the pivot

65
Q

What is the principle of moments?

A

For a system to be balanced, the sum of clockwise moments must be equal to the sum of anticlockwise moments

66
Q

What are 2 conditions for equilibrium?

A
  1. No resultant force

2. No turning effect

67
Q

What is the centre of mass?

A

The point through which the weight of an object acts

68
Q

Where is the centre of mass of a symmetrical object found?

A

The point of symmetry

69
Q

Describe an experiment to find the centre of mass of a plane lamina

A
  1. Make a hole in the lamina
  2. Hang it so it can swing freely
  3. Hang a plumb line in the hole
  4. Use a pencil to draw a vertical line from the pivot
  5. Repeat the process, suspending the object from a different point
  6. Centre of mass is locating where the lines cross
70
Q

When is an object stable?

A

When its centre of mass lies above its base

71
Q

When is an object unstable?

A

When its centre of mass does not lie above its base

72
Q

How does an object’s centre of mass affect its stability?

A

A lower centre of mass will make the object more stable

73
Q

What can an object’s stability be increased?

A
  1. Increase surface area

2. Make the object shorter

74
Q

What is a scalar?

A

A quantity with only magnitude

75
Q

What is a vector?

A

A quantity with both magnitude and direction

76
Q

What are 4 examples of scalar quantities?

A

Distance, time, energy and mass

77
Q

What are 4 examples of vector quantities?

A

Acceleration, momentum, displacement and force

78
Q

How do you find the resultant vector when 2 vectors point to different direction?

A
  1. Draw an arrow representing the first vector
  2. Starting at the tip of the first vector, draw an arrow representing the second vector
  3. Resultant vector is found by going from the tail of the first vector to the tip of the second vector
79
Q

What is the formula for momentum?

A

p = mass × velocity / mv

80
Q

What are 2 formulas for impulse?

A
  1. impulse = force × time

2. impulse = change in momentum / Ft = mv - mu

81
Q

What is the principle for the conservation of momentum?

A

In the absence of external forces, the total momentum of a system remains the same

82
Q

Give 6 examples of energy

A
  1. Kinetic
  2. Gravitational potential
  3. Internal
  4. Elastic (strain)
  5. Chemical
  6. Nuclear
83
Q

What is the formula for kinetic energy?

A

kinetic energy = 0.5mv^2

84
Q

What is the formula for gravitational potential energy?

A

gravitational potential energy = mg∆h

85
Q

What is the principle of conservation of energy?

A

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only change from one form to another

86
Q

Bonus question

What is energy?

A

The capacity of something to do work

87
Q

What are 4 ways in which energy is transferred during processes and events?

A
  1. Forces (mechanical working)
  2. Electrical currents (electrical working)
  3. Heating
  4. Waves
88
Q

What 3 forms of energy end up dissipating?

A

Heat, sound and light

89
Q

Describe how electricity is obtained from fuels

A
  1. Fuels are burnt to produce heat
  2. Heat is used to convert water into steam
  3. Steam turns turbines
  4. Turbines generate electricity
90
Q

Describe how electricity is obtained from water

A
  1. Hydroelectric and tidal power use GPE of water
  2. This turns turbines
  3. Turbines generate electricity
91
Q

Describe how electricity is obtained from waves

A
  1. Kinetic energy of waves is used to turn turbines

2. Turbines generate electricity

92
Q

Describe how electricity is obtained from geothermal resources

A
  1. Heat from underground rocks used to generate steam
  2. Steam turns turbines
  3. Turbines generate electricity
93
Q

Describe how electricity is obtained by nuclear fission

A
  1. Uranium atoms split by firing neutrons at them
  2. Releases heat used to generate steam
  3. Steam turns turbines
  4. Turbines generate electricity
94
Q

Describe how electricity is obtained from light from the Sun

A

Photovoltaic cells use light to generate electricity

95
Q

Describe how electricity is obtained from heat from the Sun

A

Heat is used to warm water moving through black pipes

96
Q

Describe how electricity is obtained from wind

A
  1. Kinetic energy of wind used to turn wind turbines

2. Wind turbines generate electricity

97
Q

What are the advantages of using chemical energy stored in fuel to generate electricity?

A
  1. Cost-effective
  2. Produce energy on a large-scale
  3. Reliable
98
Q

What are the disadvantages of using chemical energy stored in fuel to generate electricity?

A
  1. Produces greenhouse gases

2. Non-renewable

99
Q

What are the advantages of using water to generate electricity?

A
  1. Renewable
  2. No greenhouse gases produced
  3. Produces energy on a large-scale
  4. Hydro is reliable
100
Q

What are the disadvantages of using water to generate electricity?

A
  1. Expensive to build

2. Tidal is not reliable

101
Q

What are the advantages of geothermal resources used to generate electricity?

A
  1. Reliable

2. Cost-effective

102
Q

What are the disadvantages of geothermal resources used to generate electricity?

A
  1. Does not produce energy on a large-scale
  2. Produces greenhouse gases
  3. Non-renewable
103
Q

What are the advantages of generating electricity by nuclear fission?

A
  1. Reliable
  2. Produces energy on a large-scale
  3. No greenhouse gases produced
104
Q

What are the disadvantage of generating electricity by nuclear fission?

A
  1. Produces radioactive waste

2. Expensive to build

105
Q

What are the advantages of using heat and light from the Sun to generate electricity?

A
  1. Renewable

2. No greenhouse gases produced

106
Q

What are disadvantages of using heat and light from the Sun to generate electricity?

A
  1. Unreliable
  2. Does not produce energy on a large-scale
  3. Expensive to set up
107
Q

Which 3 energy resources is the Sun not a source of?

A
  1. Geothermal
  2. Nuclear
  3. Tidal
108
Q

By what process does the Sun release energy?

A

Nuclear fusion

109
Q

What is efficiency?

A

How much useful work is done from the total energy supplied

110
Q

What is the formula for efficiency in terms of energy?

A

Efficiency = useful energy output ÷ total energy input

111
Q

What is the formula for efficiency in terms of power?

A

Efficiency = useful power output ÷ total power input

112
Q

What is work done equal to?

A

Energy transferred

113
Q

What 2 things are used to calculate work done?

A
  1. Magnitude of the force

2. Distance moved in the direction of the force

114
Q

What is the formula for work done?

A

W = Fd = ∆E

115
Q

What is the unit for work done?

A

Joules (J) or Newtonmetres (Nm)

116
Q

What is power?

A

Amount of energy transferred per second

117
Q

What is the formula for power?

A

P = ∆E/t

118
Q

What does kilo mean?

A

1,000

119
Q

What does mega mean?

A

1,000,000

120
Q

What does giga mean?

A

1 billion

121
Q

What is pressure?

A

The concentration of a force

122
Q

What is the formula for pressure?

A

p = F/A

123
Q

What is used to measure atmospheric pressure?

A

Mercury barometer

124
Q

What is used to measure pressure difference?

A

Manometer

125
Q

What does the height difference show?

A

Extra pressure the gas supply has

126
Q

What is the formula of pressure in liquids?

A

p = hρg

127
Q

What are 2 factors of pressure in liquids?

A
  1. Depth of the liquid

2. Density of the liquid

128
Q

State Boyle’s Law?

A

For a fixed mass of gas at constant temperature, the pressure is inversely proportional to volume

CIE IGCSE Physics (6 decks)

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