Wales · WJECQ&A
PhysicsQ&A by dot point
A short Q&A bank for every Wales Physics syllabus dot point. Each question and answer is drawn directly from our worked dot-point page, so you can scan key concepts before opening the long-form answer.
Unit 1: Electric circuits and electromagnetism
- Electric current as the rate of flow of charge, the charge equation, potential difference as energy transferred per unit charge, resistance, and the equation linking potential difference, current and resistance.2Q&A pairs
- Domestic mains electricity, the live, neutral and earth wires, fuses, circuit breakers, earthing and double insulation, electrical power and the cost of electrical energy.2Q&A pairs
- Magnetic fields around magnets and current-carrying wires and coils, electromagnets, the motor effect, the force on a current-carrying conductor, and the electric motor.2Q&A pairs
- Electromagnetic induction, the a.c. generator, the transformer, the turns ratio and transformer equation, and why transformers are used in the National Grid.2Q&A pairs
- Series and parallel circuits, the current and potential difference rules for each, total resistance, circuit symbols, and the I-V characteristics of components.2Q&A pairs
Unit 2: Forces and motion
- Speed, velocity and acceleration, the equations of motion, and reading distance-time and velocity-time graphs.2Q&A pairs
- Momentum, the equation momentum equals mass times velocity, and conservation of momentum in collisions and explosions.2Q&A pairs
- Newton's laws of motion, the equation force equals mass times acceleration, weight, balanced forces and terminal velocity.2Q&A pairs
- Thinking distance, braking distance and stopping distance, the factors that affect them, and how vehicle safety features work.2Q&A pairs
- Work done, power, kinetic and gravitational potential energy, energy conservation, and Hooke's law for springs.2Q&A pairs
Unit 1: Generating electricity and energy
- Renewable and non-renewable energy resources, how power stations generate electricity, and the advantages and disadvantages of different resources.2Q&A pairs
- Energy stores and transfers, the conservation of energy, wasted energy, and the calculation of efficiency as the useful output over the total input.2Q&A pairs
- Conduction, convection and radiation, the factors affecting heat loss, methods of insulating a house, and judging cost-effectiveness using payback time.2Q&A pairs
- The National Grid, step-up and step-down transformers, and why high-voltage transmission reduces energy losses in the cables.2Q&A pairs
Unit 1: Kinetic theory
- Gas pressure as the result of particle collisions, the link between temperature and particle speed, and how pressure, volume and temperature are related.2Q&A pairs
- The particle model of solids, liquids and gases, density, changes of state as physical changes, and internal energy.2Q&A pairs
- Specific heat capacity and its equation, specific latent heat of fusion and vaporisation, and heating and cooling curves.2Q&A pairs
Unit 2: Radioactivity and nuclear energy
- The random nature of radioactive decay, activity, half-life, reading half-life from a decay curve, and applications such as dating and medicine.2Q&A pairs
- Nuclear decay equations, nuclear fission and the chain reaction, the nuclear reactor, and nuclear fusion.3Q&A pairs
- The structure of the atom, alpha, beta and gamma radiation, their penetrating power and ionising effect, background radiation, and the uses and hazards of radiation.2Q&A pairs
Unit 2: Space and the Universe
- The life cycle of a star from nebula to main sequence, and the different fates of low-mass and high-mass stars.2Q&A pairs
- The structure of the solar system, the difference between stars, planets and other bodies, and the balance of forces in a stable star.2Q&A pairs
- Red shift of light from distant galaxies, the expanding Universe, the Big Bang theory and the cosmic microwave background radiation.2Q&A pairs
Unit 1: Waves
- Transverse and longitudinal waves, amplitude, wavelength, frequency and period, and the wave equation linking speed, frequency and wavelength.2Q&A pairs
- Reflection and the law of reflection, refraction at a boundary, the critical angle, total internal reflection, and the use of optical fibres.2Q&A pairs
- P-waves and S-waves, how they travel through the Earth, the shadow zones, and the evidence they give for the layered structure and liquid outer core.2Q&A pairs
- The electromagnetic spectrum from radio waves to gamma rays, the shared properties of EM waves, and the uses and hazards of each region.2Q&A pairs