AQA AS Physics 2009

This section of the website contains suggestions for material that could be used with the AQA Physics A AS and A2 Specification (2009 and 2010).

AQA is not affiliated with the author of the site and has had no involvement with the content of this website.

The website does not necessarily cover all topics or to the correct depth required for this specification although some sections may cover topics in more detail than is needed. It is the responsibility of the individual teacher to select the appropriate material.

References to work from the GCSE section of the site that would be useful at AS/A2 level are shown as (14-16)

I am grateful to AQA for permission to reproduce adapted versions of text from their Physics A Specification on this site.

For the full version of the DRAFT specification please see: AQA AS and A2 Physics A

Unit 1 Particles, Quantum Phenomena and Electricity

1.1 Particles and Radiation

Constituents of the atom
Atomic theories
Atomic structure (14-16)
Isotopes
Radioactive isotopes
Neutron and proton numbers
Isotopes (14-16)

Stable and unstable nuclei
The strong nuclear force
Nuclear stability
Neutrinos
Alpha particles
Beta particles
Radioactive decay

Particles, antiparticles and photons
Antimatter
Neutrinos
Quantum theory of radiation
Planck's constant

Particle interactions
Fundamental forces
Feynmann diagrams

Classification of particles
Fundamental particles
Beta particles and neutron decay

Quarks and antiquarks
Quarks

16-19/Nuclear physics physics/Nuclear structure/Problems/Solids to quarks

1.2 Electromagnetic Radiation and Quantum Phenomena

The photoelectric effect
Photoelectric effect
Potential well
Einstein's equation and potential well

16-19/Quantum physics/Problems/Photoelectric effect
16-19/Quantum physics/Problems/Photoelectric effect 2

Collisions of electrons with atoms
Electron volt
Atomic structure
Ionisation (14-16)
Ionisation
Electricity in gases

Energy levels and photon emission
Spectra and atomic structure
Energy levels in hydrogen

16-19/Atomic physics/Atomic structure/Problems/Energy levels and duality
16-19/Atomic physics/Atomic structure/Problems/Energy levels and transitions

Wave-particle duality
Wave nature of matter
Electron diffraction
De Broglie's equation
Photoelectric effect

16-19/Quantum physics/Problems/Photoelectric effect
16-19/Quantum physics/Problems/Photoelectric effect 2
16-19/Quantum physics/Problems/Waves and particles

1.3 Current Electricity

Charge, current and potential difference
Electric charge and current
Free electron motion
Charge flow
Potential and potential difference
Volts, amps and joules (14-16)
Resistance

16-19/Electricity and magnetism/Current electricity/Experiments/Ohm's Law and lamps

16-19/Electricity and magnetism/Current electricity/Problems/Flow of electrical charge
16-19/Electricity and magnetism/Current electricity/Problems/Electricity charge and current

Current / voltage characteristics
Variation of current with applied voltage
Ohm's Law
Ohm 's Law (14-16)

16-19/Electricity and magnetism/Current electricity/Problems/Ohm's Law

Resistivity
Resistivity
Resistance and temperature
Thermistor (14-16)
Resistance
Superconductivity
BCS superconductivity

16-19/Electricity and magnetism/Current electricity/Experiments/Resistivity of metals

16-19/Electricity and magnetism/Current electricity/Problems/Resistance and resistivity

Circuits
Series and parallel resistorss
Series and parallel circuits
Kirchoff's rules
Resistance networks
Electrical power

16-19/Electricity and magnetism/Current electricity/Problems/Series and parallel circuits
16-19/Electricity and magnetism/Current electricity/Problems/Electricity 1
16-19/Electricity and magnetism/Current electricity/Problems/Electricity 2

Potential divider
Potential divider

16-19/Electricity and magnetism/Current electricity/Problems/Potential divider

Electromotive force and internal resistance
EMF and internal resistance

16-19/Electricity and magnetism/Current electricity/Problems/EMF and internal resistance

Alternating currents
Alt ernating currents
Root mean square values and peak values

Experiment
Frequency of the mains

Oscilloscope
Oscilloscope
Oscilloscope (14-16)
Electron gun (14-16)

N.B References to further practical work and problems will be added later. Before that you should already be able to find suitable material on the site by searching through the appropriate folders.

Many more interesting experiments can be found in the Creative Teaching Ideas section of the schoolphysics CD.