Paper 1

• Transformers

  Used to increase or decrease the voltage of alternating currents
• Step up

  Increases voltage
• Step down

  Decreases voltage
• Transformers


  • Consist of two coils of wire wound on a metal core
• The National Grid is a powerstation that generates electricity
• Diode


  Makes it so that the charge can only flow through in one direction, it can't go backwards
• LDR

  Light dependent resistor
• Thermistor

  Thermal resistor, works depending on certain temperatures
• Series circuit

  • Current is the same through each component
  • Total potential difference is shared between the components
• Parallel circuit

  • Current is split between the different loops
  • Potential difference is the same for every component
• UK main supply

  230 volts and frequency of 50Hz.
• Nuclear radiation

  Fast moving particles or electromagnetic waves
• Types of nuclear radiation

  • Alpha
  • Beta
  • Gamma
• Alpha radiation

  • Small nucleus of two protons and two neutrons (nucleus of a helium atom)
• Beta radiation

  • A singular electron
• Gamma radiation

  • Electromagnetic wave
• Irradiation

  The process by which an object is exposed to radiation. The object doesn't become radioactive.
• Nuclear Fission

  When a nucleus splits into two daughter nuclei and releases energy
• Nuclear Fusion

  When two smaller nuclei join together to make a bigger and heavier nucleus
• Alpha


  Most ionising, don't travel far, worst at penetrating materials
• Beta


  Intermediate ionising, travel intermediate distance, intermediate at penetrating materials
• Gamma

  Least ionising, travel the furthest distance, best at penetrating materials
• Plum pudding model

  A sphere of positive charge with negatively charged electrons in it
• To raise the pressure

  1. Increase the concentration

  2. Increase the temperature

  3. Decrease the volume of the container
• Increasing the concentration

  There are more gas particles
• Resistor

  An electrical component that is used to control the flow of electric current in a circuit
• Renewable energy

  An energy source that can be replenished whilst it is being used
• Renewable energy sources


  • solar
  • wind
  • geothermal
  • waves
  • bio-fuel
  • hydroelectricity
• Non renewable energy

  An energy source that will run out or will not be replenished
• Non renewable energies

  • fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas)
  • nuclear fuel (uranium and plutonium)
• Specific heat capacity

  The energy required to raise one kg of the material by one degree c°
• Calculating specific heat capacity

  change in thermal energy / (mass × temperature change)
• Current

  Measured with an ammeter
• Power

  Measured with a wattmeter
• Voltage

  Measured with a voltmeter
• Ionising radiation

  Radiation that has so much energy that it can free electrons from atoms
• Atomic number- smaller number- the number of protons and electrons
• Mass number- bigger number- the number of protons and neutrons together
• Subatomic particles

  Protons, neutrons and electrons
• Nucleus

  In the middle of an atom, made up of protons and neutrons