Cambridge A-level Physics Year 13 revision

Topic 12: Motion in a circle

It builds on what you learned at AS Level in Kinematics and Dynamics, and takes it further.

There are 2 parts: we start with circular motion, and finish with applications of circular motion.

1. 12.1Circular motionFree 62 questions
2. 12.2Applications of circular motion: vertical circles, conical pendulums and banked tracks61 questions

Topic 13: Gravitational fields

It builds on what you learned at AS Level in Dynamics, and takes it further.

There are 6 parts: we start with gravitational fields, and finish with escape velocity and orbital energy.

1. 13.1Gravitational fieldsFree 43 questions
2. 13.2Gravitational potential and gravitational potential energyFree 60 questions
3. 13.3Potential gradient and gravitational field strength57 questions
4. 13.4Orbital motion and Kepler's laws62 questions
5. 13.5Satellites and geostationary orbits53 questions
6. 13.6Escape velocity and orbital energy58 questions

Topic 14: Temperature

There are 4 parts: we start with temperature scales, absolute zero and thermal equilibrium, and finish with the practical on determining specific heat capacity and specific latent heat.

1. 14.1Temperature scales, absolute zero and thermal equilibriumFree 65 questions
2. 14.2Internal energy and specific heat capacity61 questions
3. 14.3Specific latent heat and changes of state55 questions
4. 14.4Practical: determining specific heat capacity and specific latent heat71 questions

Topic 15: Ideal gases

There are 6 parts: we start with boyle's law, Charles's law and the pressure law, and finish with thermal physics and gases.

1. 15.1Boyle's law, Charles's law and the pressure lawFree 58 questions
2. 15.2Practical: Boyle's law and pressure law, estimating absolute zero61 questions
3. 15.3The ideal gas equation: moles, Avogadro constant and Boltzmann constant51 questions
4. 15.4Kinetic theory of gases: assumptions, pV = ⅓Nm⟨c²⟩ and r.m.s. speed57 questions
5. 15.5Molecular kinetic energy and temperature; Brownian motion61 questions
6. 15.6Thermal physics and gases61 questions

Topic 16: Thermodynamics

It builds on what you learned at AS Level in Work, energy and power, and takes it further.

There are 2 parts: we start with the first law of thermodynamics, and finish with work done by a gas and p–V diagrams.

1. 16.1The first law of thermodynamicsFree 56 questions
2. 16.2Work done by a gas and p–V diagrams65 questions

Topic 17: Oscillations

It builds on what you learned at AS Level in Waves, and takes it further.

There are 7 parts: we start with simple harmonic motion, and finish with the practical on investigating simple harmonic motion (mass–spring and pendulum).

1. 17.1Simple harmonic motion62 questions
2. 17.2Energy changes in SHM and energy–displacement graphs55 questions
3. 17.3Mass–spring systems and the simple pendulum: periods and graphs60 questions
4. 17.4Free and forced oscillations and resonanceFree 64 questions
5. 17.5Damping: light, critical and heavy damping45 questions
6. 17.6Resonance in everyday applications and its effects25 questions
7. 17.7Practical: investigating simple harmonic motion (mass–spring and pendulum)64 questions

Topic 18: Electric fields

It builds on what you learned at AS Level in Electricity, and takes it further.

There are 6 parts: we start with electric fields, and finish with motion of charged particles in uniform electric fields.

1. 18.1Electric fields48 questions
2. 18.2Coulomb's law and radial electric field strengthFree 58 questions
3. 18.3Uniform electric fields between parallel plates and field patterns62 questions
4. 18.4Electric potential and electric potential energy55 questions
5. 18.5Potential gradient; comparing gravitational and electric fields61 questions
6. 18.6Motion of charged particles in uniform electric fields57 questions

Topic 19: Capacitance

It builds on what you learned at AS Level in D.C. circuits, and takes it further.

There are 7 parts: we start with capacitance, and finish with applications of capacitors.

1. 19.1Capacitance51 questions
2. 19.2Energy stored in a capacitor and the Q–V graphFree 64 questions
3. 19.3Capacitors in series and parallel57 questions
4. 19.4Charging and discharging a capacitor: exponential equations57 questions
5. 19.5Time constant, discharge graphs and logarithmic plots58 questions
6. 19.6Practical: charging and discharging a capacitor, determining the time constant60 questions
7. 19.7Applications of capacitors55 questions

Topic 20: Magnetic fields

There are 10 parts: we start with magnetic fields and induction, and finish with the practical on investigating electromagnetic induction with coils and magnets.

1. 20.1Magnetic fields and induction8 questions
2. 20.2Magnetic field patterns: wires, coils, solenoids; Fleming's left-hand ruleFree 73 questions
3. 20.3Magnetic flux density and force on a current-carrying conductor (F = BIl)62 questions
4. 20.4Force on a moving charge (F = Bqv) and circular paths in magnetic fields67 questions
5. 20.5Specific charge of the electron and Thomson's experiment62 questions
6. 20.6Hall effect and the Hall probe20 questions
7. 20.7Practical: measuring magnetic flux density with a current balance57 questions
8. 20.8Magnetic flux and flux linkageFree 17 questions
9. 20.9Faraday's law and Lenz's law22 questions
10. 20.10Practical: investigating electromagnetic induction with coils and magnets61 questions

Topic 21: Alternating currents

There are 3 parts: we start with generators and alternating voltages, and finish with transformers and power transmission.

1. 21.1Generators and alternating voltages16 questions
2. 21.2Peak, mean and r.m.s. values of alternating current and voltage63 questions
3. 21.3Transformers and power transmission61 questions

Topic 22: Quantum physics

It builds on what you learned at AS Level in Superposition, and takes it further.

There are 2 parts: we start with the photoelectric effect and Einstein's photon explanation, and finish with wave–particle duality.

1. 22.1The photoelectric effect and Einstein's photon explanation17 questions
2. 22.2Wave–particle duality: de Broglie wavelength and electron diffraction39 questions

Topic 23: Nuclear physics

It builds on what you learned at AS Level in Particle physics, and takes it further.

There are 8 parts: we start with radioactivity and nuclear decay, and finish with radioactive dating and other uses of radioisotopes.

1. 23.1Radioactivity and nuclear decayFree 59 questions
2. 23.2Nuclear instability: N–Z graph and decay modes (alpha, beta-minus, beta-plus, electron capture, gamma, neutrino)68 questions
3. 23.3Properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiation, background radiation and safe handling20 questions
4. 23.4Nuclear energy65 questions
5. 23.5Induced fission, chain reactions and critical massFree 28 questions
6. 23.6Nuclear fusion: conditions, confinement and comparison with fission42 questions
7. 23.7Practical: modelling radioactive decay, and absorption and inverse-square law for gamma radiation59 questions
8. 23.8Radioactive dating and other uses of radioisotopes56 questions

Topic 24: Medical physics

There are 4 parts: we start with ultrasound imaging, and finish with radionuclide imaging.

1. 24.1Ultrasound imaging: A- and B-scans, acoustic impedance and Doppler66 questions
2. 24.2X-ray production and imagingFree 32 questions
3. 24.3X-ray attenuation, contrast media and computed tomography28 questions
4. 24.4Radionuclide imaging: tracers, gamma camera and PET29 questions

Topic 25: Astronomy and cosmology

There are 6 parts: we start with luminosity, intensity and the inverse-square law for starlight, and finish with the Big Bang, cosmic microwave background and evolution of the Universe.

1. 25.1Luminosity, intensity and the inverse-square law for starlight43 questions
2. 25.2Standard candles: Cepheid variables and Type Ia supernovae23 questions
3. 25.3Black-body radiation: Wien's displacement law and the Stefan–Boltzmann law18 questions
4. 25.4The Doppler effect and red shiftFree 26 questions
5. 25.5Hubble's law and the age of the Universe18 questions
6. 25.6The Big Bang, cosmic microwave background and evolution of the Universe62 questions

Topic P: Planning, analysis and evaluation (Paper 5)

There are 3 parts: we start with exponential and logarithmic functions (e^x, ln, decay and discharge), and finish with gradients, tangents and areas under graphs as rates of change and totals.

1. P.1Exponential and logarithmic functions (e^x, ln, decay and discharge)Free 57 questions
2. P.2Logarithmic graphs: linearising exponential and power laws59 questions
3. P.3Gradients, tangents and areas under graphs as rates of change and totals26 questions

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