use equations of the form x = x0 e–(t / RC) where x could represent current, charge or potential difference for a capacitor discharging through a resistor
distinguish between root-mean-square (r.m.s.) and peak values and recall and use I r.m.s. = I0 / 2 and Vr.m.s. = V0 / 2 for a sinusoidal alternating current
show an understanding of experiments that demonstrate diffraction including the qualitative effect of the gap width relative to the wavelength of the wave; for example diffraction of water waves in a ripple tank
explain how molecular movement causes the pressure exerted by a gas and derive and use the relationship pV = 31Nm<c2>, where < c2> is the mean-square speed (a simple model considering one-dimensional collisions and then extending to three dimensions
understand and explain experiments that demonstrate: • that a changing magnetic flux can induce an e.m.f. in a circuit • that the induced e.m.f. is in such a direction as to oppose the change producing it • the factors affecting the magnitude of the
describe and use the concept of weight as the effect of a gravitational field on a mass and recall that the weight of an object is equal to the product of its mass and the acceleration of free fall
show an understanding of experiments that demonstrate stationary waves using microwaves, stretched strings and air columns (it will be assumed that end corrections are negligible; knowledge of the concept of end corrections is not required)
show a qualitative understanding of frictional forces and viscous/drag forces including air resistance (no treatment of the coefficients of friction and viscosity is required, and a simple model of drag force increasing as speed increases is sufficie
understand that a tracer is a substance containing radioactive nuclei that can be introduced into the body and is then absorbed by the tissue being studied
define magnetic flux as the product of the magnetic flux density and the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic flux density
recall that, for an elastic collision, total kinetic energy is conserved and the relative speed of approach is equal to the relative speed of separation
explain that X-rays are produced by electron bombardment of a metal target and calculate the minimum wavelength of X-rays produced from the accelerating p.d.
explain that, in PET scanning, positrons emitted by the decay of the tracer annihilate when they interact with electrons in the tissue, producing a pair of gamma-ray photons travelling in opposite directions
understand that resonance involves a maximum amplitude of oscillations and that this occurs when an oscillating system is forced to oscillate at its natural frequency
understand that the resistance of a thermistor decreases as the temperature increases (it will be assumed that thermistors have a negative temperature coefficient)
understand that a satellite in a geostationary orbit remains at the same point above the Earth’s surface, with an orbital period of 24 hours, orbiting from west to east, directly above the Equator
understand the exponential nature of radioactive decay, and sketch and use the relationship x = x0e–λt, where x could represent activity, number of undecayed nuclei or received count rate
recall and use the charge of each flavour of quark and understand that its respective antiquark has the opposite charge (no knowledge of any other properties of quarks is required)
understand that a physical property that varies with temperature may be used for the measurement of temperature and state examples of such properties, including the density of a liquid, volume of a gas at constant pressure, resistance of a metal, e.m
understand that α-particles have discrete energies but that β-particles have a continuous range of energies because (anti)neutrinos are emitted in β-decay
understand that an antiparticle has the same mass but opposite charge to the corresponding particle, and that a positron is the antiparticle of an electron
use molar quantities where one mole of any substance is the amount containing a number of particles of that substance equal to the Avogadro constant NA
understand and use the terms displacement, amplitude, period, frequency, angular frequency and phase difference in the context of oscillations, and express the period in terms of both frequency and angular frequency
apply the principle of conservation of momentum to solve simple problems, including elastic and inelastic interactions between objects in both one and two dimensions (knowledge of the concept of coefficient of restitution is not required)
understand that the photoelectric effect provides evidence for a particulate nature of electromagnetic radiation while phenomena such as interference and diffraction provide evidence for a wave nature
understand that the gamma-ray photons from an annihilation event travel outside the body and can be detected, and an image of the tracer concentration in the tissue can be created by processing the arrival times of the gamma-ray photons
understand that when a source of sound waves moves relative to a stationary observer, the observed frequency is different from the source frequency (understanding of the Doppler effect for a stationary source and a moving observer is not required)
recall and use the first law of thermodynamics ∆U = q + W expressed in terms of the increase in internal energy, the heating of the system (energy transferred to the system by heating) and the work done on the system
recall and use W = p∆V for the work done when the volume of a gas changes at constant pressure and understand the difference between the work done by the gas and the work done on the gas
recall and use Malus’s law ( I = I0 cos2θ ) to calculate the intensity of a plane-polarised electromagnetic wave after transmission through a polarising filter or a series of polarising filters (calculation of the effect of a polarising filter on the
understand that a piezo-electric crystal changes shape when a p.d. is applied across it and that the crystal generates an e.m.f. when its shape changes
understand that computed tomography (CT) scanning produces a 3D image of an internal structure by first combining multiple X-ray images taken in the same section from different angles to obtain a 2D image of the section, then repeating this process a
recall and use the equation of state for an ideal gas expressed as pV = nRT, where n = amount of substance (number of moles) and as pV = NkT, where N = number of molecules
recall and use the following prefixes and their symbols to indicate decimal submultiples or multiples of both base and derived units: pico (p), nano (n), micro ( μ), milli (m), centi (c), deci (d), kilo (k), mega (M), giga (G), tera (T)
explain the use of thermistors and light-dependent resistors in potential dividers to provide a potential difference that is dependent on temperature and light intensity
solve problems using equations that represent uniformly accelerated motion in a straight line, including the motion of bodies falling in a uniform gravitational field without air resistance
understand that internal energy is determined by the state of the system and that it can be expressed as the sum of a random distribution of kinetic and potential energies associated with the molecules of a system
derive, from Newton’s law of gravitation and the definition of gravitational field, the equation g = GM / r 2 for the gravitational field strength due to a point mass
understand how the reflection of pulses of ultrasound at boundaries between tissues can be used to obtain diagnostic information about internal structures