Edexcel Igcse O Level Physics Syllabus

Edexcel IGCSE specification (4PHO)The page numbers shown in the right-hand column refer to the Physics for You Students’ Book (ISBN 978-1-4085-0922-7).

In addition there are many printable Help & Extension Sheets in the Kerboodle book (ISBN 978-1-4085-0919-7).

Specification referencePaper 1 will assess only content which is not in blue.Paper 2 will assess all content including content printed in bold blue.

Pages inPhysicsfor You

Section 1 : Forces and motiona) UnitsStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

1.1 use the following units: kilogram (kg), metre (m), metre/second (m/s), metre/second2

(m/s2), newton (N), second (s), newton per kilogram (N/kg), kilogram metre/second(kg m/s).

8-9, 67, 122, 131,

136

b) Movement and positionStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

1.2 understand and use distance-time graphs 126

1.3 recall and use the relationship between average speed, distance moved and time: 122

1.4 recall and use the relationship between acceleration, velocity and time: 122, 127

1.5 interpret velocity-time graphs 124-5

1.6 determine acceleration from the gradient of a velocity-time graph 124-5, 363

1.7 determine the distance travelled from the area between a velocity-time graph and thetime axis.

124-5

c) Forces, movement, shape and momentumStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

Edexcel IGCSE Physics for You of 11Physics specification 4PHO

1.8 express a force as a push or pull of one body on another 65, 84-5, 87

1.9 identify various types of force (for example gravitational, electrostatic etc)

65, 241

1.10 distinguish between vector and scalar quantities 86

1.11 appreciate the vector nature of a force 86

1.12 add forces that act along a line 86-7, 89

1.13 understand that friction is a force that opposes motion 82-3

1.14 recall and use the relationship between unbalanced force, mass and acceleration: 130-1

1.15 recall and use the relationship between weight, mass and g:67, 131

1.16 describe the forces acting on falling objects and explain why falling objects reach aterminal velocity

128, 89

1.17 describe the factors affecting vehicle stopping distance including speed, mass, roadcondition and reaction time

83

1.18 recall and use the relationship between momentum, mass and velocity: 136

1.19 use the ideas of momentum to explain safety features 136, 138

1.20 use the conservation of momentum to calculate the mass, velocity or momentumof objects

136-9

1.21 use the relationship between force, change in momentum and time taken: 136

1.22 understand Newton’s third law 84-5

1.23 recall and use the relationship between the moment of a force and its distance fromthe pivot:

moment = force × perpendicular distance from the pivot

90


1.24 recall that the weight of a body acts through its centre of gravity 92

1.25 recall and use the principle of moments for a simple system of parallel forcesacting in one plane

91

1.26 understand that the upward forces on a light beam, supported at its ends, varywith the position of a heavy object placed on the beam

73, 91

1.27 describe how extension varies with applied force for helical springs, metal wires andrubber bands

66

1.28 recall that the initial linear region of a force-extension graph is associated withHooke’s law

66

1.29 associate elastic behaviour with the ability of a material to recover its original shapeafter the forces causing deformation have been removed.

66

d) AstronomyStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

1.30 recall that the moon orbits the Earth and that some planets also have moons.

71, 149, 150

1.31 understand gravitational field strength, g, and recall that it is different on otherplanets and the moon from that on the Earth.

131, 151

1.32 explain that gravitational force:– causes the planets to orbit the sun– causes the moon and artificial satellites to orbit the Earth– causes comets to orbit the sun

71, 150149, 154152, 153

1.33 use the relationship between orbital speed, orbital radius and time period:

154

154

1.34 describe how the orbit of a comet differs from that of a planet 152

1.35 recall that the solar system is part of the Milky Way galaxy:– describe a galaxy as a large collection of billions of stars– state that the universe is a large collection of billions of galaxies.

157-8

Section 2 : Electricitya) UnitsStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

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

245, 250, 252-3, 266


b) Mains electricityStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

2.2 recall the hazards of electricity including frayed cables, long cables, damaged plugs,water around sockets, and pushing metal objects into sockets

268-71

2.3 describe the uses of insulation, double insulation, earthing, fuses and circuit breakers ina range of domestic appliances

268-270, 272

2.4 know some of the different ways in which electrical heating is used in a variety ofdomestic contexts

264

2.5 understand that a current in a resistor results in the electrical transfer of energy and anincrease in temperature

264

2.6 recall and use the relationship: power = current × voltage

P = I × V and apply the relationship to the selection of appropriate fuses

266

2.7 use the relationship between energy transferred, current, voltage and time:

energy transferred = current × voltage × timeE = I × V × t

266-7

2.8 recall that mains electricity is alternating current (a.c.) and understand the differencebetween this and the direct current (d.c.) supplied by a cell or battery.

298, 248

c) Energy and potential difference in circuitsStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

2.9 explain why a series or parallel circuit is more appropriate for particular applications,including domestic lighting

250-1

2.10 understand that the current in a series circuit depends on the applied voltage and thenumber and nature of other components

250, 256

2.11 describe how current varies with voltage in wires, resistors, metal filament lamps anddiodes, and how this can be investigated experimentally

255, 259

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

254-5, 259

2.13 describe the qualitative variation of resistance of LDRs with illumination and ofthermistors with temperature

319

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

248, 318

2.15 recall and use the relationship between voltage, current and resistance:

voltage = current × resistanceV = I × R

253, 261

2.16 understand that current is the rate of flow of charge 248, 260


2.17 recall and use the relationship between charge, current and time:charge = current × time

Q = I × t260

2.18 recall that electric current in solid metallic conductors is a flow of negatively chargedelectrons

248-9, 245

2.19 recall that:• voltage is the energy transferred per unit charge passed• the volt is a joule per coulomb.

261

d) Electric chargeStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

2.20 identify common materials which are electrical conductors or insulators, includingmetals and plastics

249, 243

2.21 recall that insulating materials can be charged by friction 241-2

2.22 explain that positive and negative electrostatic charges are produced on materials by the loss and gain of electrons

242

2.23 recall that there are forces of attraction between unlike charges and forces ofrepulsion between like charges

241

2.24 explain electrostatic phenomena in terms of the movement of electrons

242, 245

2.25 recall the potential dangers of electrostatic charges, eg when fuelling aircraft andtankers

246

2.26 recall some uses of electrostatic charges, eg in photocopiers and inkjet printers.

246, 315

Section 3 : Wavesa) UnitsStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

3.1 use the following units: degree (o), hertz (Hz), metre (m), metre/second (m/s),second (s).

167

b) Properties of wavesStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

3.2 describe longitudinal and transverse waves in ropes, springs and water whereappropriate

166-7

3.3 state the meaning of amplitude, frequency, wavelength and period of a wave

167

3.4 recall that waves transfer energy and information without transferring matter

166, 209, 331

3.5 recall and use the relationship between the speed, frequency and wavelength of a wave:

wave speed = frequency × wavelengthv = f × λ

167


3.6 use the relationship between frequency and time period:167

3.7 use the above relationships in different contexts including sound waves andelectromagnetic waves

167, 209, 225

3.8 understand that waves can be diffracted when they pass an edge

169

3.9 understand that waves can be diffracted through gaps, and that the extent ofdiffraction depends on the wavelength and the physical dimension of the gap.

169

c) The electromagnetic spectrumStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

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

208-9

3.11 recall the order of the electromagnetic spectrum in decreasing wavelength andincreasing frequency, including the colours of the visible spectrum

208-9

3.12 recall 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 and medicalapplications• gamma rays: sterilising food and medical equipment

209, 211, 331

209, 211-13, 216-7,

155209, 211,

213208-9

208, 212, 214

208, 214, 312

208, 214, 347

3.13 recall the detrimental effects of excessive exposure of the human body toelectromagnetic waves, including:• microwaves: internal heating of body tissue• infra-red: skin burns• ultraviolet: damage to surface cells and blindness• gamma rays: cancer, mutation.

213-4209, 214210, 214214, 341,

350

d) Light and sound


Students will be assessed on their ability to:

3.14 recall that light waves are transverse waves which can be reflected, refracted anddiffracted

166-8, 169, 171,

374

3.15 recall that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection 176-7

3.16 construct ray diagrams to illustrate the formation of a virtual image in a plane mirror

178

3.17 describe experiments to investigate the refraction of light, using rectangular blocks,semicircular blocks and triangular prisms

184-7, 206

3.18 recall and use the relationship between refractive index, angle of incidence and angleof refraction:

185

3.19 describe an experiment to determine the refractive index of glass, using a glass block

184-5

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

187-9, 192

3.21 recall the meaning of critical angle c 187

3.22 recall and use the relationship between critical angle and refractive index: 187

3.23 understand the difference between analogue and digital signals

218

3.24 describe the advantages of using digital signals rather than analogue signals

219

3.25 describe how digital signals can carry more information 218-9

3.26 recall that sound waves are longitudinal waves which can be reflected, refracted anddiffracted

225-6, 168-9

3.27 recall that the frequency range for human hearing is 20 Hz – 20 000 Hz

230

3.28 describe how to measure the speed of sound in air 227

3.29 understand how an oscilloscope and microphone can be used to display a soundwave

232-3

3.30 use an oscilloscope to determine the frequency of a sound wave

232, 311

3.31 appreciate that the pitch of a sound depends on the 230, 232


frequency of vibration of thesource

3.32 appreciate that the loudness of a sound depends on the amplitude of vibration.

232

Section 4: Energy resources and energy transfera) UnitsStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

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

8-9, 67, 122, 97,

110

b) Energy transferStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

4.2 describe energy transfers involving the following forms of energy: thermal (heat), light,electrical, sound, kinetic, chemical, nuclear and potential (elastic and gravitational)

10-12, 98

4.3 understand that energy is conserved 98

4.4 recall and use the relationship:102-3

4.5 describe a variety of everyday and scientific devices and situations, explaining the fateof the input energy in terms of the above relationship, including their representation bySankey diagrams

102-4, 116

4.6 recall that energy transfer may take place by conduction, convection and radiation

40-51

4.7 describe the role of convection in everyday phenomena 44-5, 51

4.8 describe how insulation is used to reduce energy transfers from buildings and thehuman body.

42-3, 51

c) Work and powerStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

4.9 recall and use the relationship between work, force and distance moved in the directionof the force:

work done = force × distance movedW = F × d

97

4.10 understand that work done is equal to energy transferred 99

4.11 recall and use the relationship:gravitational potential energy = mass × g × height

GPE = m × g × h108

4.12 recall and use the relationship:kinetic energy = ½ × mass × speed2

KE = ½ × m × v2

109


4.13 understand how conservation of energy produces a link between gravitationalpotential energy, kinetic energy and work

108-9

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

110

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

110-11

d) Energy resources and electricity generationStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

4.16 understand the energy transfers involved in generating electricity using:• wind• water• geothermal resources• solar heating systems• solar cells• fossil fuels• nuclear power

14, 101, 1031515

14, 48, 5014, 103

13, 102-6104-5, 348-

9

4.17 describe the advantages and disadvantages of methods of large-scale electricityproduction from various renewable and non-renewable resources.

105-6

Section 5: Solids, liquids and gasesa) UnitsStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

5.1 use the following units: degrees Celsius (oC), 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), pascal (Pa).

26-7, 67, 77

b) Density and pressureStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

5.2 recall and use the relationship between density, mass and volume:74

5.3 describe how to determine density using direct measurements of 75


mass and volume

5.4 recall and use the relationship between pressure, force and area:

77

5.5 understand that the pressure at a point in a gas or liquid which is at rest acts equally inall directions

78

5.6 recall and use the relationship for pressure difference:pressure difference = height × density × g

p = h - ρ - g78

c) Change of stateStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

5.7 understand that a substance can change state from solid to liquid by the processof melting

53

5.8 understand that a substance can change state from liquid to gas by the process ofevaporation or boiling

55-6

5.9 recall that particles in a liquid have a random motion within a close-packedirregular structure

18, 20

5.10 recall that particles in a solid vibrate about fixed positions within a close-packedregular structure.

18, 20

d) Ideal gas moleculesStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

5.11 understand the significance of Brownian motion 18

5.12 recall that molecules in a gas have a random motion and that they exert a force andhence a pressure on the walls of the container

16. 18, 34

5.13 understand that there is an absolute zero of temperature which is – 273oC

31. 34

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

27, 31

5.15 understand that an increase in temperature results in an increase in the speed of gasmolecules

18, 34

5.16 understand that the Kelvin temperature of the gas is proportional to the averagekinetic energy of its molecules

31

5.17 describe the qualitative relationship between pressure and Kelvin temperature for a

32, 34


gas in a sealed container

5.18 use the relationship between the pressure and Kelvin temperature of a fixedmass of gas at constant volume:

32, 34

32, 34

5.19 use the relationship between the pressure and volume of a fixed mass of gas atconstant temperature:

29, 34

Section 6: Magnetism and electromagnetism

a) UnitsStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

6.1 use the following units: ampere (A), volt (V), watt (W). 250, 252, 266

b) MagnetismStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

6.2 recall that magnets repel and attract other magnets, and attract magneticsubstances

280-4

6.3 recall the properties of magnetically hard and soft materials 283

6.4 understand the term ‘magnetic field line’ 282

6.5 understand that magnetism is induced in some materials when they are placed ina magnetic field

283, 287

6.6 sketch and recognise the magnetic field pattern for a permanent bar magnet and thatbetween two bar magnets

282

6.7 know how to use two permanent magnets to produce a uniform magnetic field pattern.

282

c) ElectromagnetismStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

6.8 recall that an electric current in a conductor produces a magnetic field round it

286

6.9 describe the construction of electromagnets 287

6.10 sketch and recognise magnetic field patterns for a straight wire, a flat circularcoil and a solenoid when each is carrying a current

286-7

6.11 appreciate that there is a force on a charged particle when it moves in a magneticfield as long as its motion is not parallel to the field

309, 340


6.12 recall that a force is exerted on a current-carrying wire in a magnetic field, and howthis effect is applied in simple d.c. electric motors and loudspeakers

290-3

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

290, 292

6.14 recall that the force on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field increases withthe strength of the field and with the current.

290

d) Electromagnetic inductionStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

6.15 recall that a voltage is induced in a conductor or a coil when it moves through amagnetic field or when a magnetic field changes through it; also recall the factorswhich affect the size of the induced voltage

296-7

6.16 describe the generation of electricity by the rotation of a magnet within a coil of wireand of a coil of wire within a magnetic field; also describe the factors which affect thesize of the induced voltage

297-8

6.17 recall the structure of a transformer, and understand that a transformer changesthe size of an alternating voltage by having different numbers of turns on theinput and output sides

301-3

6.18 explain the use of step-up and step-down transformers in the large-scalegeneration and transmission of electrical energy

303

6.19 recall and use the relationship between input (primary) and output (secondary)voltages and the turns ratio for a transformer: 302

6.20 recall and use the relationship:input power = output power

VP IP = Vs Isfor 100% efficiency

302

Section 7: Radioactivity and particlesa) UnitsStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

7.1 use the following units: becquerel (Bq), centimetre (cm), hour (h), minute (min),

350


second (s).

b) RadioactivityStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

7.2 describe the structure of an atom in terms of protons, neutrons and electrons and usesymbols such as 14C6 to describe particular nuclei

342-3

7.3 understand the terms atomic (proton) number, mass (nucleon) number and isotope

343

7.4 understand that alpha and beta particles and gamma rays are ionising radiationsemitted from unstable nuclei in a random process

340-1. 344-5

7.5 describe the nature of alpha and beta particles and gamma rays and recall that theymay be distinguished in terms of penetrating power

340-1

7.6 describe the effects on the atomic and mass numbers of a nucleus of the emission ofeach of the three main types of radiation

345

7.7 understand how to complete balanced nuclear equations 345

7.8 understand that ionising radiations can be detected using a photographic film or aGeiger-Muller detector

338-9

7.9 recall the sources of background radiation 350

7.10 understand that the activity of a radioactive source decreases over a period of timeand is measured in becquerels

344, 350

7.11 recall the term ‘half-life’ and understand that it is different for different radioactiveisotopes

344. 352

7.12 use the concept of half-life to carry out simple calculations on activity

344, 352

7.13 describe the uses of radioactivity in medical and non-medical tracers, in radiotherapyand in the radioactive dating of archaeological specimens and rocks

214, 346-7, 352

7.14 describe the dangers of ionising radiations, including:• radiation can cause mutations in living organisms• radiation can damage cells and tissue• the problems arising in the disposal of radioactive waste.

214, 350

c) ParticlesStudents will be assessed on their ability to:

7.15 describe the results of Geiger and Marsden’s experiments with gold foil and alphaparticles

342

7.16 describe Rutherford’s nuclear model of the atom and how it accounts for the results ofGeiger and Marsden’s experiment and understand the factors (charge and speed)which affect the deflection of alpha particles by a nucleus

342-3


7.17 understand that a nucleus of U-235 can be split (the process of fission) by collisionwith a neutron, and that this process releases energy in the form of kinetic energy ofthe fission products

348-9

7.18 recall that the fission of U-235 produces two daughter nuclei and a small number ofneutrons

348

7.19 understand that a chain reaction can be set up if the neutrons produced by one fissionstrike other U-235 nuclei

348

7.20 understand the role played by the control rods and moderator when the fission processis used as an energy source to generate electricity.

348-9

Paper 1 will assess only content which is not in blue.Paper 2 will assess all content including content in blue.


Edexcel Igcse O Level Physics Syllabus

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Transcript of Edexcel Igcse O Level Physics Syllabus