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Northern IrelandPhysics

AS 1 Forces, Energy and Electricity

7 dot points across 7 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How do Kirchhoff's laws and the idea of e.m.f. explain DC circuits?

Kirchhoff's two laws, series and parallel resistor combinations, electromotive force and internal resistance, and the potential divider.
A CCEA A-Level Physics answer on Kirchhoff's current and voltage laws, combining resistors in series and parallel, electromotive force and internal resistance, and how a potential divider splits a voltage.
11 min answer →

How do Newton's laws and momentum describe and predict motion?

The equations of motion for uniform acceleration, Newton's three laws, linear momentum and impulse, and the conservation of momentum in collisions.
A CCEA A-Level Physics answer on the equations of motion for uniform acceleration, Newton's three laws, linear momentum and impulse, and the conservation of momentum in elastic and inelastic collisions.
11 min answer →

What is electric current, and what determines a conductor's resistance?

Electric charge and current, potential difference, Ohm's law and resistance, resistivity, and the I-V characteristics of components.
A CCEA A-Level Physics answer on electric charge and current, potential difference, Ohm's law and resistance, the resistivity of a material, and the current-voltage characteristics of a resistor, a filament lamp and a diode.
11 min answer →

When is an object in equilibrium, and how do moments and forces balance?

Forces as vectors, the moment of a force and the principle of moments, couples, centre of gravity, and the conditions for the equilibrium of a body.
A CCEA A-Level Physics answer on forces as vectors, the moment of a force and the principle of moments, couples and torque, centre of gravity, and the two conditions a body must meet to be in equilibrium.
11 min answer →

How do physicists measure quantities and check that equations make sense?

Physical quantities, SI base and derived units, prefixes and standard form, homogeneity of equations, and estimating and handling uncertainties.
A CCEA A-Level Physics answer on physical quantities, SI base and derived units, prefixes and standard form, checking the homogeneity of equations by units, and handling absolute, fractional and percentage uncertainties.
11 min answer →

How do we add quantities that have direction, and split them into components?

The difference between scalars and vectors, adding vectors by scale diagram and calculation, and resolving a vector into perpendicular components.
A CCEA A-Level Physics answer on the difference between scalars and vectors, adding vectors by scale drawing and by Pythagoras and trigonometry, and resolving a vector into perpendicular components, with worked calculations.
9 min answer →

How are work, energy and power linked, and when is energy conserved?

Work done by a force, kinetic and gravitational potential energy, the principle of conservation of energy, power, and efficiency.
A CCEA A-Level Physics answer on work done by a force, kinetic and gravitational potential energy, the principle of conservation of energy, the definition of power, and how efficiency is calculated.
11 min answer →