Physics GCSE, IGCSE

GCSE & IGCSE Curriculum

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GCSE Edexcel Physics Revision Notes

Paper-1

Paper-2

1. Key Concepts of Physics

8. Energy: Force Doing Work

2. Motion & Forces

  • Scalars and Vectors
  • Speed
  • Velocity
  • Distance-time graph
  • Acceleration 
  • Calculating uniform acceleration
  • Velocity-time graph
  • Area under the velocity-time graph
  • Measuring speed
  • Newton’s first law
  • Newton’s 2nd law
  • Newton’s 3rd law
  • Weight, mass & gravity
  • Circular motion
  • Momentum 
  • Conservation of momentum 
  • Force and momentum 
  • Mass & Inertia
  • Stopping distance
  • Measuring Reaction Time
  • Factors affecting stopping   distance 
  • Factors affecting braking distance 
  • Estimating decelerating forces

9. Forces & Their Effects

  • Contact and Non-Contact forces
  • Forces as Vectors
  • Scale drawings
  • Free body diagram
  • Balanced forces
  • Moments
  • The principle of moments
  • Levers & Gears

3. Conservation of Energy

  • Wasted energy 
  • Conduction of heat 
  • Efficiency
  • Improving Efficiency
  • Energy resources
  1.  

10. Electricity & Circuits

  • Atomic structure
  • Circuit diagrams
  • Potential difference 
  • Current
  • Current in circuits
  • Resistance
  • Resistors in series and parallel
  • Comparing series and parallel circuit 
  • Electrical components
  • Testing components
  • Kinetic theory
  • Pressure and volume
  • Work on gas
  • Heating in circuits
  • Reducing heating in circuits
  • Uses & danger of electric heating
  • Calculating electric energy
  • Energy and power
  • Electricity and power
  • Energy transfer in appliances
  • AC & DC
  • Mains electricity
  • Dangers of mains electricity

4. Waves

  • Introduction to waves
  • Describing wave motion 
  • Transverse & longitudinal waves
  • The wave equation
  • Measuring the speed of waves
  • Calculating depth and distance 
  • Transmission of sound waves
  • Wave interaction
  • Refraction
  • Refraction & Speed
  • Wave interactions & wavelength
  • Sound waves
  • Ultrasound & Infrasound
  • Transmission of sound

12. Static Electricity

  • Electric charge
  • Examples of static electricity
  • Uses and dangers of static electricity
  • Electric fields
  • Fields & Static

5. Light & the Electromagnetic Spectrum

  • Reflection & Refraction 
  • Total Internal reflection 
  • Light & Surfaces
  • Lenses 
  • Real & Virtual Images
  • Radio Waves
  • Properties of electromagnetic waves
  • The electromagnetic spectrum 
  • EM waves and Matter
  • Dangers of High-Energy EM Waves
  • Applications of EM waves
  • EM Waves & Atoms
    •  
  • Thermal radiations 
  • Radiation & Temperature change

 

13. Magnetism & the Motor Effect

  • Magnetism
  • Permanent & Induced magnets
  • Magnetic fields 
  • The Earth’s magnetic fields
  • Magnetic fields in wires and 
  • Magnetic fields in solenoids
  • The motor effect
  • Fleming’s left-hand rule
  • Calculating magnetic force
  • Electric motor

6. Radioactivity

  • Inside Atom 
  • Protons, Neutrons & electrons
  • Atomic and mass number 
  • Isotopes
  • Electron structure
  • Positive ions
  • Developing model of atom
  • Types of radiation 
  • Properties of radiation
  • Background radiation 
  • Detecting radiations
  • Beta decay 
  • Decay & Transformation
  • Nuclear equations
  • Random nature of radioactive decay 
  • Activity & Decay
  • Half life
  •  
  • Dangers of radiation
  • Contamination & Irradiation 
  • Uses of radiation 
  • Half-life & risk
  • Medical uses of radiation
  • Nuclear energy
  • Nuclear fission 
  • Nuclear reactors
  • Energy & waste
  • Advantages & Disadvantages of Nuclear Power
  • Nuclear fusion 
  • The conditions for fusion

14. Electromagnetic Induction

  • Generating electricity
  • Factors Affecting EM Induction
  • Applications of the Generator Effect
  • Loudspeakers and Headphones 
  • Transformers
  • Transformer equations
  • The national grid
  • The ideal transformer equation
  • High voltage transmission

7. Astronomy

  • Gravity & weight 
  • The solar system
  • Circular orbits
  • Non-circular orbits 
  • The formation of the Sun
  • Fusion in Stars
  • The life Cycle of Solar Mass Stars
  • The life Cycle of Larger Stars
  • Theories of the Universe
  • The Doppler Effect
  • Galactic red shift
  • The Cosmic Microwave Background
  • Observing the universe
  •  

15. Particle Model

  • Density
  • Solids, liquids & gases
  • Changes of state
  • Thermal energy
  • Specific heat & Latent heat
  • Specific heat capacity
  • Specific latent heat 
  • Thermal insulation
  • Kinetic Theory
  • Absolute Zero 
  • Pressure & Volume 
  • Boyle’s Law
  • Doing work on gas

16. Forces & Matter

  • Changing shapes
  • Hooke’s law
  • Elastic potential energy
  • Pressure in fluids
  • Pressure & Forces 
  • Pressure in a liquid
  • Calculating pressure in a liquid
  • Upthrust
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