OCR A LEVEL PHYSICS, OCR A-LEVEL PHYSICS, PHYSICS STUDY GUIDE WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
S.I. unit and symbol for mass? - (answer)Kilogram, kg
S.I. unit and symbol for length? - (answer)Metre, m
S.I. unit and symbol for time? - (answer)Second, s
S.I. unit and symbol for temperature? - (answer)Kelvin, K
S.I. unit and symbol for electrical current? - (answer)Ampere, A
S.I. unit and symbol for amount of substance? - (answer)Mole, mol
S.I. unit and symbol for luminous intensity? - (answer)Candela, Cd
What's a physical quantity? - (answer)A physical property that can be measured or quantified
- Made up of a magnitude (value) and appropriate units
Prefix for 10^12 - (answer)Tera, T
Prefix for 10^9 - (answer)Giga, G
Prefix for 10^6 - (answer)Mega, M
Prefix for 10^3 - (answer)Kilo, k
Prefix for 10^-1 - (answer)Deci, d
,OCR A LEVEL PHYSICS, OCR A-LEVEL PHYSICS, PHYSICS STUDY GUIDE WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
Prefix for 10^-2 - (answer)Centi, c
Prefix for 10^-3 - (answer)Mili, m
Prefix for 10^-6 - (answer)Micro, μ
Prefix for 10^-9 - (answer)Nano, n
Prefix for 10^-12 - (answer)Pico, p
What is an estimate? - (answer)An educated guess at an answer
What is a random error? - (answer)An error caused by unknown, unpredictable changes during an
experiment. Human error (e.g. misreading) is also a random error - can lead to inconsistencies when
repeating
Examples of random errors? - (answer)E.g. fluctuations in light or temperature
What is a systematic error? - (answer)An error involving the measuring equipment. Often present in all
readings taken, and can be removed once identified.
- Systematic errors tend to shift all the points in the same direction
Example of a systematic error? - (answer)E.g. equipment not used or calibrated properly
What is a zero error? - (answer)A type of systematic error caused by equipment not being correctly
calibrated or 'zeroed'
What is accuracy? - (answer)How close the measured value is to the true value
, OCR A LEVEL PHYSICS, OCR A-LEVEL PHYSICS, PHYSICS STUDY GUIDE WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
What is precision - (answer)How clustered the results are/how small the spread is
absolute zero - (answer)temperature at which substances have minimum internal energy
acceleration - (answer)rate of change of velocity
acoustic impedance - (answer)product of the density of a substance and the speed of ultrasound in that
substance
impedance matching - (answer)use of two substances of similar acoustic impedances to minimise
reflection of ultrasound at the boundary between them
activity - (answer)rate at which nuclei in a radioactive source decay, measured in becquerels
alpha radiation - (answer)ionising radiation consisting of particles resembling a helium nucleus with a
charge of +2e
air resistance - (answer)resistive force experienced by objects moving through air
ammeter - (answer)device used to measure electric current placed in series, ideally has zero resistance
ampere - (answer)current flowing in two parallel wires in a vacuum 1m apart such that there is an
attractive force of 2.0x10^-7 newtons per metre length of wire between them
amplitude - (answer)maximum displacement from equilibrium position
SOLUTIONS
S.I. unit and symbol for mass? - (answer)Kilogram, kg
S.I. unit and symbol for length? - (answer)Metre, m
S.I. unit and symbol for time? - (answer)Second, s
S.I. unit and symbol for temperature? - (answer)Kelvin, K
S.I. unit and symbol for electrical current? - (answer)Ampere, A
S.I. unit and symbol for amount of substance? - (answer)Mole, mol
S.I. unit and symbol for luminous intensity? - (answer)Candela, Cd
What's a physical quantity? - (answer)A physical property that can be measured or quantified
- Made up of a magnitude (value) and appropriate units
Prefix for 10^12 - (answer)Tera, T
Prefix for 10^9 - (answer)Giga, G
Prefix for 10^6 - (answer)Mega, M
Prefix for 10^3 - (answer)Kilo, k
Prefix for 10^-1 - (answer)Deci, d
,OCR A LEVEL PHYSICS, OCR A-LEVEL PHYSICS, PHYSICS STUDY GUIDE WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
Prefix for 10^-2 - (answer)Centi, c
Prefix for 10^-3 - (answer)Mili, m
Prefix for 10^-6 - (answer)Micro, μ
Prefix for 10^-9 - (answer)Nano, n
Prefix for 10^-12 - (answer)Pico, p
What is an estimate? - (answer)An educated guess at an answer
What is a random error? - (answer)An error caused by unknown, unpredictable changes during an
experiment. Human error (e.g. misreading) is also a random error - can lead to inconsistencies when
repeating
Examples of random errors? - (answer)E.g. fluctuations in light or temperature
What is a systematic error? - (answer)An error involving the measuring equipment. Often present in all
readings taken, and can be removed once identified.
- Systematic errors tend to shift all the points in the same direction
Example of a systematic error? - (answer)E.g. equipment not used or calibrated properly
What is a zero error? - (answer)A type of systematic error caused by equipment not being correctly
calibrated or 'zeroed'
What is accuracy? - (answer)How close the measured value is to the true value
, OCR A LEVEL PHYSICS, OCR A-LEVEL PHYSICS, PHYSICS STUDY GUIDE WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
What is precision - (answer)How clustered the results are/how small the spread is
absolute zero - (answer)temperature at which substances have minimum internal energy
acceleration - (answer)rate of change of velocity
acoustic impedance - (answer)product of the density of a substance and the speed of ultrasound in that
substance
impedance matching - (answer)use of two substances of similar acoustic impedances to minimise
reflection of ultrasound at the boundary between them
activity - (answer)rate at which nuclei in a radioactive source decay, measured in becquerels
alpha radiation - (answer)ionising radiation consisting of particles resembling a helium nucleus with a
charge of +2e
air resistance - (answer)resistive force experienced by objects moving through air
ammeter - (answer)device used to measure electric current placed in series, ideally has zero resistance
ampere - (answer)current flowing in two parallel wires in a vacuum 1m apart such that there is an
attractive force of 2.0x10^-7 newtons per metre length of wire between them
amplitude - (answer)maximum displacement from equilibrium position
