Physics Flashcards
546 flashcards across 73 topics
Why flashcards work for A-Level Physics
Cambridge A-Level Physics 9702 demands fluency with SI base and derived units, defined quantities (work done, gravitational potential, capacitance), and the named equations sets you need to apply without prompts (kinematics, SHM, RC discharge, Bohr-style line spectra). AS covers mechanics, waves, electricity and DC circuits across Papers 1 to 3; A2 adds gravitational and electric fields, capacitance, magnetism, alternating current, quantum physics and medical physics across Papers 4 and 5.
Physics 9702 question papers reward "definition + equation + correct unit" answers. A defined-quantity card like "gravitational potential = work done per unit mass" earns its mark instantly when the wording is locked in. Flashcards build that mass: you spend exam time on the working, not on remembering what an examiner expects you to call the thing.
Top mark-loser this 9702 deck targets: dropping the unit on the final answer, applying SHM equations with the wrong reference (displacement from equilibrium vs from the end of motion), and confusing "fundamental" with "first harmonic" in stationary-wave questions.
How spaced repetition keeps this deck out of your blind spots
Every card uses an SM-2 spaced-repetition schedule (the same algorithm Anki uses). After flipping a card you rate your recall and the algorithm reschedules each card individually, so your study time concentrates on what you actually struggle with rather than what you already know. After about three successful Easy reviews and a 21-day-or-longer interval, a card is tagged mastered. Progress lives in your browser only — no account, no signup, no data sent anywhere.
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AS Level Year 12 / Grade 11 content
Unit 1: Physical quantities and units
This foundational unit covers SI base quantities, derived units, and the distinction between precision and accuracy alongside scalar and vector manipulation. These concepts are examined across all AS Level components, appearing frequently as Paper 1 multiple-choice items and forming the mathematical basis for calculations throughout Paper 2 and the Paper 3 practical test. Students often lose marks by neglecting to include a unit with their final answer or by failing to correctly assess absolute and percentage uncertainties in derived quantities through the simple addition of component values.
Unit 2: Kinematics
Kinematics explores the description of motion through displacement, velocity, and acceleration, utilizing both algebraic equations of motion and the interpretation of gradients and areas on motion graphs. It carries significant weight in Paper 1 and Paper 2, where candidates must frequently derive equations for uniformly accelerated motion or determine vertical and horizontal components for projectiles. A common area of failure involves the incorrect application of signs for vectors in equations, particularly when solving problems involving bodies falling in a uniform gravitational field without air resistance.
Unit 3: Dynamics
This unit examines the causes of motion through Newton's laws, the concept of mass as a property resisting change, and the principle of conservation of linear momentum in both elastic and inelastic interactions. It is a core component of Paper 2 structured questions, often worth ten or more marks when combined with kinematics, and is heavily featured in the first half of Paper 1. Candidates frequently lose marks by failing to recognise that resultant force and acceleration must always act in the same direction or by neglecting to account for the vector nature of momentum in two-dimensional collisions.
Unit 4: Forces, density and pressure
Candidates study the turning effects of forces, including moments and couples, alongside the properties of fluids through density, hydrostatic pressure derivations, and the calculation of upthrust using Archimedes’ principle. This unit is regularly examined in Paper 2 through structured derivations and in Paper 1 via vector triangle problems for systems in static equilibrium. Marks are commonly lost when students fail to identify the perpendicular distance from the pivot when calculating torque or when they provide insufficient detail when explaining that upthrust arises from pressure differences on an object's surfaces.
Unit 5: Work, energy and power
Work, energy, and power focuses on energy conservation, the derivation of kinetic and gravitational potential energy formulae, and the quantitative analysis of system efficiency and power output. These topics appear prominently in Paper 2, often requiring multi-step calculations of work done against resistive forces, and contribute several marks to the multiple-choice items on Paper 1. Students frequently lose marks by confusing total energy input with useful energy output or by neglecting to state the principle of conservation of energy before beginning a calculation involving energy transfers.
Unit 6: Deformation of solids
This unit introduces the mechanical properties of materials, covering Hooke’s law, the Young modulus, and the distinction between elastic and plastic deformation under tensile or compressive forces. It is typically examined in Paper 2 through experimental descriptions of determining the Young modulus or calculations involving stress and strain, while Paper 1 tests the interpretation of force-extension graphs. Candidates often lose marks by failing to recognise that the area under a force-extension graph represents elastic potential energy only when the material is within its limit of proportionality.
Unit 7: Waves
Waves explores the properties of progressive motion, including the Doppler effect for sound, the electromagnetic spectrum, and the phenomenon of polarisation as evidence for the transverse nature of electromagnetic waves. This unit is a major component of the AS Level syllabus, appearing in Paper 1 and Paper 2, where candidates must apply Malus’s law and use a cathode-ray oscilloscope to determine frequency. Marks are often lost when students fail to correctly identify the source and observer signs in the Doppler effect expression or incorrectly suggest that longitudinal waves can be polarised.
Unit 8: Superposition
Superposition covers the interaction of waves through interference and diffraction, the formation of stationary waves in strings and air columns, and the use of diffraction gratings to determine wavelength. It is heavily examined in Paper 2, often through structured questions on the double-slit experiment and coherence, and provides several multiple-choice items for Paper 1. Candidates frequently lose marks by confusing the conditions for constructive and destructive interference or by miscalculating the number of orders visible in a diffraction grating pattern due to the trigonometric limit of ninety degrees.
Unit 9: Electricity
Electricity introduces the flow of charge carriers, the quantisation of charge, and the relationships between potential difference, resistivity, and I-V characteristics for components like diodes and thermistors. These topics are central to Paper 2 structured questions and Paper 1, often requiring the use of the expression for current in terms of number density and drift velocity. Students frequently lose marks by failing to account for temperature changes when explaining why the resistance of a filament lamp increases or by incorrectly defining potential difference as the energy transferred per unit charge.
Unit 10: D.C. circuits
D.C. circuits focuses on the application of Kirchhoff’s laws to networks, the effect of internal resistance on terminal potential difference, and the practical use of potential divider and potentiometer circuits. This unit carries significant weight in Paper 2 and is a frequent source of challenging multiple-choice questions in Paper 1 regarding null methods and galvanometer readings. Candidates commonly lose marks by incorrectly applying Kirchhoff’s second law to loops containing multiple electromotive force sources or by failing to explain how thermistors provide a potential difference dependent on temperature.
Unit 11: Particle physics
Particle physics examines the structure of the atom through alpha-scattering, the composition of nucleons in terms of quarks, and the classification of fundamental particles like leptons and hadrons. This unit is examined through concise structured questions in Paper 2 and conceptual multiple-choice items in Paper 1, focusing on radioactive decay equations and quark flavours. Students typically lose marks by failing to conserve both charge and nucleon number in nuclear equations or by confusing the quark composition of baryons and mesons during beta-minus and beta-plus decay processes.
A2 Level Year 13 / Grade 12 content
Unit 12: Motion in a circle
Motion in a circle introduces the radian as a measure of angular displacement alongside the concepts of angular speed and centripetal acceleration in uniform circular motion. This A2 unit is primarily examined in Paper 4, where candidates must perform calculations involving centripetal force and relate these to other field forces like gravity or electromagnetism. Students often lose marks by incorrectly identifying the direction of the centripetal force as outwards or by failing to convert between degrees and radians when calculating the period from angular velocity.
Unit 13: Gravitational fields
Gravitational fields explores the interaction between point masses, the definition of field strength, and the concept of gravitational potential as work done per unit mass. This is a core topic for Paper 4, often appearing as a full structured question involving satellite orbits, geostationary positioning, and the derivation of field equations. Marks are frequently lost when candidates use the height above the surface instead of the radius from the centre of the planet in the inverse square law or by neglecting the negative sign in potential calculations.
Unit 14: Temperature
Temperature covers thermal equilibrium, the thermodynamic temperature scale in kelvin, and the quantitative measurement of energy transfer through specific heat capacity and specific latent heat of fusion or vaporisation. This unit is examined in Paper 4, usually through structured problems requiring candidates to calculate energy changes during phase transitions where temperature remains constant. Students often lose marks by failing to distinguish between the heat required for a change in state versus a change in temperature or by using the incorrect conversion of 273.15 when moving between scales.
Unit 15: Ideal gases
Ideal gases investigates the macroscopic behaviour of gases through the equation of state and the microscopic models provided by the kinetic theory, specifically the derivation of pressure. It is a major component of Paper 4, frequently involving the mean-square speed of molecules and calculations using the Boltzmann and molar gas constants. Candidates often lose marks by failing to state all the basic assumptions of the kinetic theory when prompted or by confusing the number of moles with the number of molecules when selecting the version of the gas law to apply.
Unit 16: Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics focuses on the internal energy of a system as a distribution of kinetic and potential energies and the application of the first law of thermodynamics to gas volume changes. This unit is a recurring feature of Paper 4, requiring candidates to perform calculations for work done and to relate temperature rises to internal energy increases. Marks are most commonly lost due to the incorrect application of signs for work and heating, particularly when failing to distinguish between work done by the gas and work done on the gas.
Unit 17: Oscillations
This unit explores simple harmonic motion, focusing on the proportional relationship between acceleration and displacement, energy transformations, and the effects of damping and resonance on oscillating systems. It is heavily examined in Paper 4, where candidates must interpret displacement-time graphs and calculate maximum velocity or angular frequency for various oscillators. Students frequently lose marks by providing an incomplete definition of simple harmonic motion that omits the requirement for acceleration to act towards a fixed point or by incorrectly sketching the amplitude of forced oscillations.
Unit 18: Electric fields
Electric fields examines the force between point charges through Coulomb’s law, the definition of electric field strength as force per unit positive charge, and the concept of electric potential. This unit carries substantial weight in Paper 4, often appearing in questions that require the comparison of gravitational and electric potentials for spherical conductors. Candidates frequently lose marks by failing to include the negative sign when relating field strength to potential gradient or by drawing field lines that do not meet the surface of a conductor at right angles.
Unit 19: Capacitance
Capacitance covers the storage of charge and energy in capacitors, the combination of components in series or parallel, and the exponential nature of discharge through a resistor. It is a central topic for Paper 4, often requiring candidates to derive formulae for combined capacitance or to determine the time constant from potential-time graphs. Students frequently lose marks by using the series resistance formula for capacitors in series or by failing to show the clear logarithmic working required to solve equations for potential difference, charge, or current.
Unit 20: Magnetic fields
Magnetic fields explores the forces acting on current-carrying conductors and moving charges, the Hall effect, and the principles of electromagnetic induction through Faraday’s and Lenz’s laws. This unit is a major part of Paper 4, involving complex calculations of magnetic flux linkage and the direction of induced electromotive forces using Fleming’s left-hand rule. Candidates commonly lose marks by failing to distinguish between magnetic flux and magnetic flux linkage or by neglecting to explain that the induced e.m.f. acts in a direction to oppose the change producing it.
Unit 21: Alternating currents
Alternating currents focuses on the characteristics of sinusoidal voltages, the calculation of root-mean-square values for power, and the processes of rectification and smoothing using diodes and capacitors. It is examined in Paper 4, often through questions requiring candidates to distinguish between peak and r.m.s. values or to analyse bridge rectifier circuits. Students frequently lose marks by failing to use the factor of the square root of two when moving between peak and r.m.s. quantities or by incorrectly drawing the orientation of diodes in full-wave rectification diagrams.
Unit 22: Quantum physics
Quantum physics investigates the particulate nature of electromagnetic radiation through the photoelectric effect, wave-particle duality, and the discrete energy levels that produce line spectra in isolated atoms. This is a highly conceptual unit for Paper 4, requiring candidates to explain threshold frequency and the use of electronvolts as a unit of energy. Marks are often lost when students confuse the evidence for the particulate nature of radiation with the evidence for the wave nature of particles, such as electron diffraction, or by miscalculating photon momentum.
Unit 23: Nuclear physics
Nuclear physics examines the equivalence of mass and energy, the stability of nuclei through binding energy per nucleon, and the spontaneous and random nature of radioactive decay. It is a staple of Paper 4, where candidates must solve exponential decay problems using the decay constant and activity, or calculate energy released in nuclear reactions. Students frequently lose marks by failing to distinguish between total binding energy and binding energy per nucleon or by neglecting to account for the random fluctuations in count rate during experimental descriptions.
Unit 24: Medical physics
Medical physics covers the production and application of ultrasound, X-rays, and positron emission tomography, including the use of tracers and the principles of computed tomography. This unit is examined in Paper 4, often through questions on the specific acoustic impedance of tissues or the calculation of the minimum X-ray wavelength from accelerating potentials. Candidates typically lose marks by failing to correctly apply the intensity reflection coefficient formula at boundaries or by providing inadequate detail when explaining the annihilation process between positrons and electrons in PET scanning.
Unit 25: Astronomy and cosmology
Astronomy and cosmology explores the properties of stars through luminosity and standard candles, the application of Wien’s and Stefan-Boltzmann laws, and the evidence for the Big Bang. This final A2 unit is examined in Paper 4, requiring candidates to calculate stellar radii and to relate redshift to the expansion of the Universe via Hubble’s law. Marks are often lost by confusing luminosity with radiant flux intensity or by failing to use SI units for distance and time when calculating the Hubble constant from the recession speed of galaxies.
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Other Cambridge A-Level flashcard decks
Browse flashcards for the other A-Level subjects we cover. Each deck is built to the same Cambridge syllabus structure.