A-level Physics Year 13 · OCR B
OCR B A-level Physics Year 13 revision
Every topic of the OCR A-level Physics B (Advancing Physics) (H557) specification (Year 13) in order, with notes and practice questions. Subtopics marked free have their notes and questions on this site.
Topic 5.1: Creating models
It builds on what you learned at AS in Communication: imaging, signalling and sensing, and takes it further.
There are 14 parts: we start with capacitance, and finish with resonance in everyday applications and its effects.
- 5.1.1Capacitance51 questions
- 5.1.2Energy stored in a capacitor and the Q–V graphFree 64 questions
- 5.1.3Capacitors in series and parallel57 questions
- 5.1.4Charging and discharging a capacitor: exponential equations57 questions
- 5.1.5Time constant, discharge graphs and logarithmic plots58 questions
- 5.1.6Practical: charging and discharging a capacitor, determining the time constant60 questions
- 5.1.7Applications of capacitors55 questions
- 5.1.8Simple harmonic motion62 questions
- 5.1.9Energy changes in SHM and energy–displacement graphs55 questions
- 5.1.10Mass–spring systems and the simple pendulum: periods and graphs60 questions
- 5.1.11Practical: investigating simple harmonic motion (mass–spring and pendulum)64 questions
- 5.1.12Free and forced oscillations and resonanceFree 64 questions
- 5.1.13Damping: light, critical and heavy damping45 questions
- 5.1.14Resonance in everyday applications and its effects25 questions
Topic 5.2: Out into space
It builds on what you learned at AS in Space, time and motion, and takes it further.
There are 12 parts: we start with linear momentum and conservation of momentum, and finish with escape velocity and orbital energy.
- 5.2.1Linear momentum and conservation of momentumFree 62 questions
- 5.2.2Force as rate of change of momentum and impulse (F–t graphs, safety features)60 questions
- 5.2.3Elastic and inelastic collisions and explosions in one and two dimensions59 questions
- 5.2.4Practical: analysing collisions using ICT65 questions
- 5.2.5Circular motionFree 62 questions
- 5.2.6Applications of circular motion: vertical circles, conical pendulums and banked tracks61 questions
- 5.2.7Gravitational fieldsFree 43 questions
- 5.2.8Gravitational potential and gravitational potential energyFree 60 questions
- 5.2.9Potential gradient and gravitational field strength57 questions
- 5.2.10Orbital motion and Kepler's laws62 questions
- 5.2.11Satellites and geostationary orbits53 questions
- 5.2.12Escape velocity and orbital energy58 questions
Topic 5.3: Our place in the universe
It builds on what you learned at AS in Waves and quantum behaviour, and takes it further.
There are 14 parts: we start with astronomical distances, and finish with dark matter, dark energy, critical density and the fate of the Universe.
- 5.3.1Astronomical distances: AU, light-year, parsec and stellar parallaxFree 42 questions
- 5.3.2Luminosity, intensity and the inverse-square law for starlight43 questions
- 5.3.3Black-body radiation: Wien's displacement law and the Stefan–Boltzmann law18 questions
- 5.3.4Stellar spectra and spectral classes14 questions
- 5.3.5Standard candles: Cepheid variables and Type Ia supernovae23 questions
- 5.3.6The Hertzsprung–Russell diagramFree 25 questions
- 5.3.7Star formation, fusion and equilibrium on the main sequence62 questions
- 5.3.8Red giants, planetary nebulae and white dwarfs18 questions
- 5.3.9Supernovae, neutron stars and the Chandrasekhar limit28 questions
- 5.3.10Black holes, event horizon and Schwarzschild radius18 questions
- 5.3.11The Doppler effect and red shiftFree 26 questions
- 5.3.12Hubble's law and the age of the Universe18 questions
- 5.3.13The Big Bang, cosmic microwave background and evolution of the Universe62 questions
- 5.3.14Dark matter, dark energy, critical density and the fate of the Universe60 questions
Topic 5.4: Matter: very simple
It builds on what you learned at AS in Designer materials, and takes it further.
There are 10 parts: we start with boyle's law, Charles's law and the pressure law, and finish with thermal physics and gases.
- 5.4.1Boyle's law, Charles's law and the pressure lawFree 58 questions
- 5.4.2Practical: Boyle's law and pressure law, estimating absolute zero61 questions
- 5.4.3The ideal gas equation: moles, Avogadro constant and Boltzmann constant51 questions
- 5.4.4Kinetic theory of gases: assumptions, pV = ⅓Nm⟨c²⟩ and r.m.s. speed57 questions
- 5.4.5Molecular kinetic energy and temperature; Brownian motion61 questions
- 5.4.6Temperature scales, absolute zero and thermal equilibriumFree 65 questions
- 5.4.7Internal energy and specific heat capacity61 questions
- 5.4.8Specific latent heat and changes of state55 questions
- 5.4.9Practical: determining specific heat capacity and specific latent heat71 questions
- 5.4.10Thermal physics and gases61 questions
Topic 6.1: Charge and field
It builds on what you learned at AS in Communication: imaging, signalling and sensing, and takes it further.
There are 17 parts: we start with electric fields, and finish with the practical on investigating electromagnetic induction with coils and magnets.
- 6.1.1Electric fields48 questions
- 6.1.2Coulomb's law and radial electric field strengthFree 58 questions
- 6.1.3Uniform electric fields between parallel plates and field patterns62 questions
- 6.1.4Electric potential and electric potential energy55 questions
- 6.1.5Potential gradient; comparing gravitational and electric fields61 questions
- 6.1.6Motion of charged particles in uniform electric fields57 questions
- 6.1.7Magnetic fields and induction8 questions
- 6.1.8Magnetic field patterns: wires, coils, solenoids; Fleming's left-hand ruleFree 73 questions
- 6.1.9Magnetic flux density and force on a current-carrying conductor (F = BIl)62 questions
- 6.1.10Force on a moving charge (F = Bqv) and circular paths in magnetic fields67 questions
- 6.1.11Hall effect and the Hall probe20 questions
- 6.1.12Practical: measuring magnetic flux density with a current balance57 questions
- 6.1.13Magnetic flux and flux linkageFree 17 questions
- 6.1.14Faraday's law and Lenz's law22 questions
- 6.1.15Generators and alternating voltages16 questions
- 6.1.16Transformers and power transmission61 questions
- 6.1.17Practical: investigating electromagnetic induction with coils and magnets61 questions
Topic 6.2: Probing deep into matter
It builds on what you learned at AS in Waves and quantum behaviour, and takes it further.
There are 10 parts: we start with rutherford scattering and the distance of closest approach, and finish with evidence for quarks.
- 6.2.1Rutherford scattering and the distance of closest approach22 questions
- 6.2.2Nuclear radius, nuclear density and electron diffraction46 questions
- 6.2.3Particle accelerators and detectors: linac, cyclotron and synchrotronFree 69 questions
- 6.2.4Antiparticles, pair production and annihilation22 questions
- 6.2.5Hadrons: baryons, mesons and the quark model24 questions
- 6.2.6Leptons, neutrinos and the Standard Model27 questions
- 6.2.7Conservation laws in particle interactions (charge, baryon number, lepton number, strangeness)55 questions
- 6.2.8Fundamental interactions, exchange particles and Feynman diagrams29 questions
- 6.2.9Beta decay and the weak interaction in the quark model56 questions
- 6.2.10Evidence for quarks: deep inelastic scattering62 questions
Topic 6.3: Ionising radiation and risk
It builds on what you learned at AS in Waves and quantum behaviour, and takes it further.
There are 11 parts: we start with radioactivity and nuclear decay, and finish with radiotherapy, radiation dose and effective half-life.
- 6.3.1Radioactivity and nuclear decayFree 59 questions
- 6.3.2Nuclear instability: N–Z graph and decay modes (alpha, beta-minus, beta-plus, electron capture, gamma, neutrino)68 questions
- 6.3.3Properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiation, background radiation and safe handling20 questions
- 6.3.4Practical: modelling radioactive decay, and absorption and inverse-square law for gamma radiation59 questions
- 6.3.5Radioactive dating and other uses of radioisotopes56 questions
- 6.3.6Nuclear energy65 questions
- 6.3.7Induced fission, chain reactions and critical massFree 28 questions
- 6.3.8Fission reactors: moderator, control rods, coolant and shielding30 questions
- 6.3.9Nuclear fusion: conditions, confinement and comparison with fission42 questions
- 6.3.10Nuclear waste, safety and risk assessment61 questions
- 6.3.11Radiotherapy, radiation dose and effective half-life71 questions
Topic PS: Maths skills
It builds on what you learned at AS in Fundamental data analysis, and takes it further.
There are 5 parts: we start with exponential and logarithmic functions (e^x, ln, decay and discharge), and finish with introductory calculus in physics.
- PS.1Exponential and logarithmic functions (e^x, ln, decay and discharge)Free 57 questions
- PS.2Logarithmic graphs: linearising exponential and power laws59 questions
- PS.3Radians, trigonometric functions and the small-angle approximation14 questions
- PS.4Gradients, tangents and areas under graphs as rates of change and totals26 questions
- PS.5Introductory calculus in physics: SHM, induction and field–potential relations15 questions