AQA
AQA GCSE Physics (8463)
Spec code 8463 · v2016 · valid from 2016
8 domains · 67 topics
Mastered In progress Not started Higher tier
P1
Energy
8 topics- P1.1Energy stores and systems: kinetic, gravitational, elastic, chemical, thermal, magnetic, nuclear and electrostatic stores; energy transfers between stores
- P1.2Changes in energy: kinetic energy ½mv², gravitational potential mgh, elastic potential ½ke², specific heat capacity ΔE = mcΔθ
- P1.3Energy changes in systems involving heating: required practical 1 — measuring specific heat capacity of a metal block or liquid
- P1.4Power: power as the rate of energy transfer or work done; P = E/t and P = W/t; the watt
- P1.5Energy transfers in a system: work done, heating, electric current; conservation of energy and dissipation as wasted thermal energy
- P1.6Efficiency: useful output / total input as a decimal or percentage; methods to reduce unwanted transfers (lubrication, insulation)
- P1.7Thermal conductivity and rate of cooling: factors affecting cooling rate of a building; required practical 2 — investigating insulation
- P1.8National and global energy resources: fossil fuels, nuclear, biofuel, wind, hydro, geothermal, tidal, solar, water waves; reliability and environmental impact
P2
Electricity
9 topics- P2.1Standard circuit symbols and circuit diagrams: cell, battery, switch, lamp, ammeter, voltmeter, resistor, variable resistor, fuse, diode, LED, LDR, thermistor
- P2.2Electrical charge and current: I = Q/t; current is rate of flow of charge; charge is conserved at junctions
- P2.3Current, resistance and potential difference: V = IR; Ohm’s law for an ohmic conductor at constant temperature; required practical 3 — IV characteristics
- P2.4Resistors and IV characteristics: filament lamp, diode, fixed resistor; non-linear behaviour explained by temperature change in the lamp
- P2.5Series and parallel circuits: rules for current, potential difference and total resistance; required practical 4 — combining resistors
- P2.6Mains electricity: ac vs dc; UK mains is 230 V, 50 Hz ac; live, neutral and earth wires in a three-core cable
- P2.7Energy transfers in everyday appliances: power, energy transfer E = Pt = QV; efficiency of appliances and the cost of running
- P2.8The National Grid: step-up and step-down transformers; high voltage transmission to reduce energy lost as heat
- P2.9Static electricity (Physics-only): charging by friction, electric fields, sparks and discharge; field lines and force on a charge
P3
Particle model of matter
7 topics- P3.1Density of materials: ρ = m/V; required practical 5 — density of regular and irregular solids and of a liquid
- P3.2Changes of state: solid–liquid–gas, conservation of mass; physical changes are reversible and the substance keeps its chemical identity
- P3.3Internal energy: total kinetic plus potential energy of all particles; effect of heating on internal energy and temperature
- P3.4Specific heat capacity (SHC): ΔE = mcΔθ; calculations and links to required practical 1
- P3.5Specific latent heat (SLH): E = mL for melting (fusion) and boiling (vaporisation); plateaux on a temperature–time graph
- P3.6Particle motion in gases: temperature is a measure of average kinetic energy; constant volume → temperature ∝ pressure
- P3.7Pressure in gases (Physics-only HT): pV = constant at constant temperature; explaining gas pressure with collisions; work done on or by a gas
P4
Atomic structure
9 topics- P4.1The structure of an atom: tiny dense positive nucleus of protons and neutrons surrounded by electrons in shells; sizes 10⁻¹⁰ m and 10⁻¹⁴ m
- P4.2Mass number, atomic number and isotopes: A, Z and the symbol notation; isotopes are nuclides with the same Z but different A
- P4.3Development of the model of the atom: plum pudding, alpha-scattering, Bohr, neutron discovery — how evidence changes accepted models
- P4.4Radioactive decay and nuclear radiation: random nature; alpha (α), beta (β), gamma (γ) and neutron emission; ionising power and penetration
- P4.5Nuclear equations: balancing mass and atomic numbers in α, β⁻ and γ emissions; the products of decay
- P4.6Half-lives and the random nature of radioactive decay: definition; using activity–time graphs and net-decline calculations
- P4.7Radioactive contamination vs irradiation: hazards, peer review and limiting exposure; medical uses (Physics-only)
- P4.8Background radiation, hazards and uses (Physics-only): natural and artificial sources; medical tracers, sterilisation, and risk
- P4.9Nuclear fission and fusion (Physics-only): induced fission of uranium, chain reactions, control in a reactor; fusion in stars
P5
Forces
13 topics- P5.1Scalars and vectors: scalars (mass, distance, speed, energy) vs vectors (displacement, velocity, acceleration, force, momentum)
- P5.2Contact and non-contact forces: friction, air resistance, normal contact, tension; gravity, magnetic, electrostatic; weight W = mg
- P5.3Resultant forces: free-body diagrams; resolving and combining co-linear forces; (HT) resolving 2D forces with scale drawings
- P5.4Work done and energy transfer: W = Fs; one joule = one newton-metre; work done against friction transferred to thermal energy
- P5.5Forces and elasticity: elastic vs inelastic deformation; Hooke’s law F = ke; elastic potential energy ½ke²; required practical 6 — force–extension
- P5.6Moments, levers and gears (Physics-only): M = Fd; principle of moments for a balanced object; gears as force/distance multipliers
- P5.7Pressure and pressure differences in fluids (Physics-only): p = F/A; pressure with depth p = hρg; floating, sinking and atmospheric pressure (HT)
- P5.8Distance, displacement, speed and velocity: typical values; uniform acceleration and the SUVAT equation v² − u² = 2as
- P5.9Distance–time and velocity–time graphs: gradient = speed/acceleration; area under a velocity–time graph = distance travelled
- P5.10Newton’s laws of motion: 1st law (constant velocity unless resultant force), 2nd law F = ma, 3rd law (action–reaction pairs); inertia
- P5.11Stopping distances: thinking + braking; factors affecting reaction time and braking distance; large braking forces and dangers
- P5.12Momentum (HT): p = mv; conservation of momentum in collisions and explosions; safety devices reducing rate of change of momentum
- P5.13Required practical 7 — investigating acceleration: using a trolley/light gates or data-logger to test F = ma and verify the relationship
P6
Waves
11 topics- P6.1Transverse and longitudinal waves: properties (amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period); wave equation v = fλ; oscillations transfer energy not matter
- P6.2Properties of waves: required practical 8 — measuring frequency, wavelength and speed of waves on water and on a string
- P6.3Reflection of waves (Physics-only): angle of incidence = angle of reflection; specular vs diffuse reflection; required practical 9
- P6.4Sound waves (Physics-only): longitudinal pressure waves; conversion between pressure and vibration in the ear; range 20 Hz–20 kHz
- P6.5Waves for detection and exploration (Physics-only): ultrasound, echo sounding, seismic P and S waves; layered structure of the Earth
- P6.6Electromagnetic waves: continuous spectrum from radio (longest λ) to gamma (shortest); all transverse, all travel at 3 × 10⁸ m/s in vacuum
- P6.7Properties of electromagnetic waves: refraction, absorption, transmission; required practical 10 — radiation absorbed/emitted by different surfaces
- P6.8Uses and applications of EM waves: communications, cooking, vision, suntan, X-rays, sterilisation; hazards (skin burns, ionisation, mutation)
- P6.9Lenses (Physics-only): converging and diverging lenses; ray diagrams; magnification = image height / object height; real and virtual images
- P6.10Visible light (Physics-only): colour and reflection; opaque, translucent and transparent objects; colour filters and perceived colour
- P6.11Emission and absorption of infrared (Physics-only): perfect black body radiation; temperature regulation of the Earth and greenhouse effect
P7
Magnetism and electromagnetism
5 topics- P7.1Permanent and induced magnetism: poles, attraction/repulsion; permanent vs induced magnets; magnetic field lines (N to S, strength shown by density)
- P7.2Magnetic compasses and the Earth’s field: compass needle alignment; evidence the Earth’s core is magnetic; using a plotting compass to map a field
- P7.3The motor effect: F = BIl; using Fleming’s left-hand rule; turning effect and the dc motor; the loudspeaker as an application
- P7.4Induced potential and the generator effect (Physics-only): Faraday’s and Lenz’s ideas; alternator (ac) and dynamo (dc); microphone
- P7.5Transformers (Physics-only HT): step-up and step-down; turns ratio Vp/Vs = np/ns; ideal transformer Vp Ip = Vs Is; role in the National Grid
P8
Space physics (Physics-only)
5 topics- P8.1Our solar system: the Sun (a main-sequence star), eight planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids and comets; gravity holds it together
- P8.2Life cycle of a star: nebula → protostar → main sequence → red giant/super-giant → white dwarf or supernova → neutron star or black hole
- P8.3Orbital motion, satellites and natural moons: gravitational force as centripetal force; faster orbital speeds at smaller orbital radii (HT)
- P8.4Red-shift and the expanding universe: light from distant galaxies is shifted to longer wavelengths; further galaxies move faster
- P8.5Origin of the universe and the Big Bang theory: evidence — red-shift and cosmic microwave background; dark matter and dark energy as open questions