Physics GCSE, IGCSE

GCSE & IGCSE Curriculum

Select Your Board

GCSE OCR Physics Revision Notes

1. Matter

  • Developing models of the atom
  • Atomic structure
  • Density
  • Solids, liquids & Gases
  • Changes of state
  • Heat energy & Temperature
  • Specific heat capacity
  • Specific latent heat
  • Temperature & Pressure
  • Pressure and Volume
  • Work on a gas
  • Atmospheric pressure
  • Floating & sinking
  • Pressure in a liquid

2. Forces

  • Contact and Non-Contact forces
  • Forces as Vectors
  • Free body diagram
  • Balanced & unbalanced forces
  • Circular motion
  • Newton’s first law
  • Newton’s 2nd law
  • Newton’s 3rd law
  • Inertia
  • Momentum
  • Force & Momentum
  • Work done
  • Energy Stores & Transfers
  • Power
  • Changing shapes
  • Hook’s law
  • Force-Extension graph
  • Work done on a spring
  • Weight, mass & Gravity
  • Calculating weight
  • Moments
  • Levers & Gears
  • Forces & Pressure

3. Electricity

  • Electric charge
  • Static electricity
  • Electric fields
  • Charge & Current
  • Circuit diagrams
  • Current, resistance & Potential difference
  • Resistors
  • I-V graphs
  • Series & parallel circuits
  • Resistors in series and parallel
  • Comparing series and parallel circuit
  • Testing series and parallel circuits
  • Electrical power
  • Calculating Energy transfers

4. Magnetism & Magnetic Fields

  • Magnetism
  • Permanent & Induced magnets
  • Magnetic fields
  • The Earth’s magnetic fields
  • Magnetic fields in wires and solenoids
  • The motor effect
  • Fleming’s left-hand rule
  • Electric motor
  • Electromagnetic induction
  • Generators & Dynamos
  • Transformers
  • Transformer equations
  • Microphones, Loudspeakers and Headphones

5. Waves in Matter

  • Describing wave motion
  • The wave equation
  • Transverse & longitudinal waves
  • Measuring the speed of waves
  • Transmission of sound waves
  • Reflection, absorption & Transmission
  • Sound waves & Hearing
  • Properties of electromagnetic waves
  • The electromagnetic waves
  • Applications of EM waves
  • Dangers of High-Energy EM waves
  • Imaging using EM waves
  • Radio waves
  • EM waves and Matter
  • Convex & Concave lenses
  • Concave & Convex ray diagrams
  • Color & Light

6. Radioactivity

  • Atomic nuclei
  • Absorption & Emission of EM radiation
  • Nuclear notation
  • Isotopes
  • Radioactive decay
  • Decay equations
  • Properties of Alpha, Beta & Gamma
  • Half life
  • Calculating radioactive decay
  • Contamination & Irradiation
  • Hazards of Contamination & Irradiation
  • Medical Uses of radiation
  • Nuclear fission
  • Nuclear fusion

7. Energy

  • Wasted energy
  • Thermal Conductivity
  • Efficiency
  • Improving Efficiency
  • Energy transfers in Appliances
  • Power Ratings

8. Global Challenges

  • Estimating Speeds & Accelerations
  • Units & Calculations
  • Reaction time
  • Factors affecting stopping distance
  • Estimating decelerating forces
  • Estimating braking distance, speed & Acceleration
  • Energy resources
  • Comparing energy resources
  • The national grid
  • Use of transformer
  • AC & High voltage transmission
  • AC & DC
  • Mains Electricity
  • Dangers of mains Electricity
  • Galactic red-shift
  • Life cycle of a Star
  • Black Body radiations
  • The solar system
  • Orbital motion
  • Temperature of the Earth
  • Seismic waves
Scroll to Top