GCSE Physics Full Spec Points (single only)

6.06 practical: investigate the magnetic field pattern for a permanent bar magnet and between two bar magnets

3.17 practical: investigate the refraction of light, using rectangular blocks, semi-circular blocks and triangular prisms

8.01 use the following units: kilogram (kg), metre (m), metre/second (m/s), metre/second2 (m/s2), newton (N), second (s), newton/kilogram (N/kg)

7.25 know that fusion is the energy source for stars

7.22 understand the role of shielding around a nuclear reactor

7.19 know that the fission of U-235 produces two radioactive daughter nuclei and a small number of neutrons

7.18 understand how a nucleus of U-235 can be split (the process of fission) by collision with a neutron, and that this process releases energy as kinetic energy of the fission products

7.17 know that nuclear reactions, including fission, fusion and radioactive decay, can be a source of energy

7.16 describe the dangers of ionising radiations, including: that radiation can cause mutations in living organisms, that radiation can damage cells and tissue, the problems arising from the disposal of radioactive waste and how the associated risks can be reduced.

7.15 describe the difference between contamination and irradiation

7.14 describe uses of radioactivity in industry and medicine

7.12 know the definition of the term half-life and understand that it is different for different radioactive isotopes

7.10 explain the sources of background (ionising) radiation from Earth and space

7.06 practical: investigate the penetration powers of different types of radiation using either radioactive sources or simulations

7.05 describe the nature of alpha (α) particles, beta (β−) particles, and gamma (γ) rays, and recall that they may be distinguished in terms of penetrating power and ability to ionise

7.04 know that alpha (α) particles, beta (β−) particles, and gamma (γ) rays are ionising radiations emitted from unstable nuclei in a random process

7.03 know the terms atomic (proton) number, mass (nucleon) number and isotope

7.02 describe the structure of an atom in terms of protons, neutrons and electrons and use symbols such as 146C to describe particular nuclei

7.01 use the following units: becquerel (Bq), centimetre (cm), hour (h), minute (min) and second (s)

6.14 describe how the force on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field changes with the magnitude and direction of the field and current

6.13 use the left-hand rule to predict the direction of the resulting force when a wire carries a current perpendicular to a magnetic field

6.12 understand why a force is exerted on a current-carrying wire in a magnetic field, and how this effect is applied in simple d.c. electric motors and loudspeakers

6.08 know that an electric current in a conductor produces a magnetic field around it

6.07 describe how to use two permanent magnets to produce a uniform magnetic field pattern

6.04 understand the term magnetic field line

6.01 use the following units: ampere (A), volt (V) and watt (W)

5.20 Explain, for a fixed amount of gas, the qualitative relationship between: pressure and volume at constant temperature, pressure and Kelvin temperature at constant volume.

5.19 know that the Kelvin temperature of a gas is proportional to the average kinetic energy of its molecules

5.18 understand why an increase in temperature results in an increase in the average speed of gas molecules

5.17 describe the Kelvin scale of temperature and be able to convert between the Kelvin and Celsius scales

5.16 understand why there is an absolute zero of temperature which is –273 °C

5.15 explain how molecules in a gas have random motion and that they exert a force and hence a pressure on the walls of a container

5.06 understand how the pressure at a point in a gas or liquid at rest acts equally in all directions

5.05 know and use the relationship between pressure, force and area:

5.01 use the following units: degree Celsius (°C), Kelvin (K), joule (J), kilogram (kg), kilogram/metre3 (kg/m3), metre (m), metre2 (m2), metre3 (m3), metre/second (m/s), metre/second2 (m/s2), newton (N) and pascal (Pa)

4.17 use the relationship between power, work done (energy transferred) and time taken:

4.16 describe power as the rate of transfer of energy or the rate of doing work

4.15 understand how conservation of energy produces a link between gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy and work

4.14 know and use the relationship: kinetic energy = 1/2×m×v^2

4.13 know and use the relationship between gravitational potential energy, mass, gravitational field strength and height: GPE = m × g × h

4.12 know that work done is equal to energy transferred

4.11 know and use the relationship between work done, force and distance moved in the direction of the force: W = F × d

4.05 describe a variety of everyday and scientific devices and situations, explaining the transfer of the input energy in terms of the above relationship, including their representation by Sankey diagrams

4.04 know and use the relationship between efficiency, useful energy output and total energy output:

4.03 use the principle of conservation of energy

4.02 describe energy transfers involving energy stores: energy stores: chemical, kinetic, gravitational, elastic, thermal, magnetic, electrostatic, nuclear and energy transfers: mechanically, electrically, by heating, by radiation (light and sound)

4.01 use the following units: kilogram (kg), joule (J), metre (m), metre/second (m/s), metre/second2 (m/s2), newton (N), second (s) and watt (W)

3.23 know that sound waves are longitudinal waves which can be reflected and refracted

3.21 explain the meaning of critical angle c

3.20 describe the role of total internal reflection in transmitting information along optical fibres and in prisms

3.15 use the law of reflection (the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection)

3.14 know that light waves are transverse waves and that they can be reflected and refracted

3.13 explain the detrimental effects of excessive exposure of the human body to electromagnetic waves, including: microwaves: internal heating of body tissue, infrared: skin burns, ultraviolet: damage to surface cells and blindness, gamma rays: cancer, mutation and describe simple protective measures against the risks

3.12 Explain some of the uses of electromagnetic radiations, including: radio waves: broadcasting and communications, microwaves: cooking and satellite transmissions, infrared: heaters and night vision equipment, visible light: optical fibres and photography, ultraviolet: fluorescent lamps, x-rays: observing the internal structure of objects and materials, including for medical applications, gamma rays: sterilising food and medical equipment.

3.11 know the order of the electromagnetic spectrum in terms of decreasing wavelength and increasing frequency, including the colours of the visible spectrum

3.10 know that light is part of a continuous electromagnetic spectrum that includes radio, microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-ray and gamma ray radiations and that all these waves travel at the same speed in free space

3.09 explain that all waves can be reflected and refracted

3.07 use the above relationships in different contexts including sound waves and electromagnetic waves

3.05 know and use the relationship between the speed, frequency and wavelength of a wave: v = f × λ

3.04 know that waves transfer energy and information without transferring matter

3.03 know the definitions of amplitude, wavefront, frequency, wavelength and period of a wave

3.01 use the following units: degree (°), hertz (Hz), metre (m), metre/second (m/s) and second (s)

2.19 calculate the currents, voltages and resistances of two resistive components connected in a series circuit

2.16 know that electric current in solid metallic conductors is a flow of negatively charged electrons

2.14 know that current is the rate of flow of charge

2.13 know and use the relationship between voltage, current and resistance: V = I × R

2.12 know that lamps and LEDs can be used to indicate the presence of a current in a circuit

2.10 describe the qualitative effect of changing resistance on the current in a circuit

2.09 describe how current varies with voltage in wires, resistors, metal filament lamps and diodes, and how to investigate this experimentally

2.08 understand how the current in a series circuit depends on the applied voltage and the number and nature of other components

2.06 know the difference between mains electricity being alternating current (a.c.) and direct current (d.c.) being supplied by a cell or battery

2.04 know and use the relationship between power, current and voltage: and apply the relationship to the selection of appropriate fuses

2.01 use the following units: ampere (A), coulomb (C), joule (J), ohm (Ω), second (s), volt (V) and watt (W)

1.20 describe the factors affecting vehicle stopping distance, including speed, mass, road condition and reaction time

1.19 know that the stopping distance of a vehicle is made up of the sum of the thinking distance and the breaking distance

1.18 know and use the relationship between weight, mass and gravitational field strength: W=mxg

1.17 know and use the relationship between unbalanced force, mass and acceleration : F = M x A

1.16 know that friction is a force that opposes motion

1.12 identify different types of force such as gravitational or electrostatic

1.11 describe the effects of forces between bodies such as changes in speed, shape or direction

1.09 determine the distance travelled from the area between a velocity-time graph and the time axis

1.08 determine acceleration from the gradiend of a velocity-time graph

1.07 plot and explain velocity-time graphs

1.06 know and use the relationship between acceleration, change in velocity and time taken

1.05 practical: investigate the motion of everyday objects such as a toy car or tennis ball

1.04 know and use the relationship between average speed, distance moved and time taken

1.03 plot and explain distance-time graphs

1.01 use the following units: kilogram (kg), metre (m), metre/second (m/s), metre/second^2(m/s^2), newton (N), second (s) and newton/kilogram(N/kg)