Grade 9 Semester Exam Physics

You will be given an exam with all the questions from previous iGCSE exam papers. It will last 1 hour The exam will be approximately split into 3 sections: A. B. C. 30% Multiple Choice 50% Extended answer questions, 20% Practical questions 1. Motion Distance, Speed/Velocity, Acceleration, Motion graphs. Understand what the slope of the graphs mean. Make sure you remember that the area under a v-t graph is the distance travelled. This is commonly asked on exams. Learn the equations!! speed=distance/time, acceleration=Change in Speed/time 2. Forces & Motion F=ma, Resultant forces, Parachutists falling, cars moving forward. Learn how to cancel out the forces 3. Pressure P=F/A, Why are ski's wide? Knives sharp? 4. Materials Basic stuff like compression squashes bonds between atoms, tension stretches bonds, when things are bent there are compression forces on the shorter side and tension forces on the stretched side. 5. Springs Hooke's Law, Force-Extension graphs, Force-Length graphs, Elastic limit. 6. Changes of State You need to know that when things melt or boil the temperature doesn't change. Recognise the graph!! Energy is being used to break the bonds so it can't be used to raise the temperature (increase particle KE) 7. Kinetic Theory Heating an object increases the kinetic energy of the particles. At Absolute zero particles have stopped. Convert C into K (+273). Apply this knowledge. Explain the following using Kinetic Theory: (use: Particle/Kinetic Energy/Collisions/Force) Expansion of solids (eg. railway tracks, thermometers, bridges) Evaporation of liquids If T then V If T then P If V then P 8. Gas Laws Learn the gas law and make sure you can apply it in calculations. Always use Kelvins for temperature. Don't forget! 9. Heat Transfer Conduction - solids, metals (because of their free electrons), particles vibrating. Air is a brilliant insulator because the particles are far apart, a vacuum is the best Convection - liquids, warm means less dense, cold means more dense, convection currents move the heat, the wind is caused by them, sea breezes, Why are heaters low down? Air con high up? Radiation infra-red, heat as waves, only one that doesn't need particles, black/dull good absorber and emitter, Shiny white or silver - good reflector and bad emitter. Evaporation transfers heat by the hottest liquid particles escaping as a gas, leaves colder liquid behind 10.Difference between heat and temperature Why can you catch a 10,000K spark, but a hot bath at 50C could burn you? 11.Heat Capacity An object with a high heat capacity stores a lot of heat without the temperature rising much 12.Specific Heat Capacity Heat = m * c * T this is the heat needed to raise 1 Kg of a material by 1 C (or K) Learn how to use the equation. What is unusual about water? 13.Energy Resources Non-Renewable Fossil Fuels, Nuclear Renewable Wind, Solar, Wave, Tidal, Geothermal, Hydro-Electric, Biomass Learn how they work and the advantages and disadvantages of each method. 14.Types of Energy & Energy Conservation Sound, Light, Heat (Thermal), Electrical, Kinetic, Chemical Potential, Gravitational Potential, Strain/Elastic Potential.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, just changed from one type into another. 15.Efficiency Everything wastes heat, so nothing is 100% efficient. Most machines are about 35% efficient, they waste lots of heat energy (and sometimes a bit of sound). Efficiency = output/input. It can be a number like 0.5 or we can write 50%. They mean the same thing. Old lightbulbs are about 2% efficient. 16.Kinetic Energy & Potential Energy Falling objects turn their Potential Energy into Kinetic Energy as they fall. The KE just before they hit the ground = the PE at the top. KE=mv. PE = mgh or Weight x height 17.Work & Power Doing Work means using energy to move something. Work is measured in Joules. Work = Force x distance & Power = Work/Time. 18.Density Density = mass / volume. Learn how to find the density of an irregular and regular shaped object.

Equations
Learn them and write them in words if you are unsure about the correct symbols. Remember the units too!
s

Speed = DistanceTime v= t Taken

a= vu t

Acceleration = Change in SpeedTime

Force = Mass x Acceleration Pressure = Force Area

F P= A

F=ma
Density = Mass Volume
D=

m V

Work = Force x (distance moved in direction of force) Power = Work Time Weight = mass x gravity
P= W t

Wk=Fs

or

P=

E t

Wt=mg

(g=10N/Kg) Efficiency = Useful OutputTotal

K.E.=mv
Input
e= o i

P.E.=Wth

Heat = mass x specific heat capacity x temperature change

mcT
Gas Law
P 1V 1 P 2 V 2 = T1 T2

Q=

Remember that the Temperature should be in

Kelvins (+273)
(This equation nearly always has one variable that cancels out)

Units
mass, Kg Force, N Weight, N Time, s Heat, J, kJ Specific Heat Capacity J/KgC Temperature, C or K Volume, cm, m Density, Kg/m Pressure, N/m, Pascals, Atmospheres, Bar, mbar

distance, m Work, J

velocity, m/s acceleration, m/s Power, W efficiency, none or %