AQA A-Level Physics
This book is designed to help students who are studying the AQA Specification A syllabus to understand the topics covered, as well as explaining the way in which questions are asked in exams and how they differ from other examining bodies. Edited for the new Syllabus - from 2016)
AS Topics
Measurements and their Errors
- Use of SI Units
- Limitation of Physical Measurements
- Estimation of Physical Quantities
- Scalars and vectors
Particles and Radiation
Electromagnetic Radiation and Quantum Phenomena
- The photoelectric effect
- The photon
- Energy Levels and Spectra
- Mass and energy
- Waves and particles
Waves
- Progressive waves
- Longitudinal and transverse waves
- Superposition and Stationary Waves
- Interference
- Diffraction
- Reflection, refraction and optics
Mechanics
- Scalars and vectors
- Moments
- Motion along a straight line
- Projectile motion
- Newton's laws of motion
- Momentum
- Work, energy and power
- Conservation of energy
Materials
- Density
- Springs
- Deformation of Solids
- Momentum
- Materials Summary Page
Current Electricity
- Charge and Current
- Voltage and Power
- IV Characteristics
- Resistivity
- Circuits
- Potential divider
- EMF and Internal resistance
A2 Only Content
Further Mechanics
Thermal Physics
- Thermal energy
- Ideal gases
- Molecular kinetic theory model
Fields
- Gravitational Fields
- Electric Fields
- Capacitance
- Magnetic Fields
- Alternating currents
- Oscilloscope
- Comparison of Fields
Thermal Physics
Specific Heat Capacity
Latent Heats
Gas Laws
Kinetic Theory
Radioactivity
- Evidence for the nucleus
- Alpha, Beta and Gamma radiation
- Radioactive decay
- Nuclear Instability
- Nuclear Radius
Nuclear Energy
- mass and energy
- Induced fission
- Safety aspects
- Binding Energy
Optional Topics
Pupils study one of these:
Astronomy and Cosmology
- Telescopes
- Astronomical Telescopes with Two Converging Lenses
- Reflecting Telescopes
- Single Dish Telescopes (Radio, IR, UV, X-ray)
- Large Diameter Telescopes and their Merits
- Classification of Stars
- Luminosity
- Absolute Magnitude
- Temperature
- Spectral Classes
- HR Diagram
- Supernovae, Neutron Stars, and Black Holes
- Cosmology
- Doppler Effect
- Hubble's Law
- Quasars
- Detection of Exoplanets