H2 Physics 9478
Start here for GCE A Level Physics (9478 H2): topic hubs in syllabus order, lesson notes, Paper 4 practical hub, formula list, and quizzes.
Learning goals
- Use SI quantities, units, prefixes and dimensional analysis.
- Estimate physical quantities and check the reasonableness of results.
- Assess random, systematic and propagated uncertainties.
- Resolve, add and subtract coplanar vectors.
- Explain inertia and momentum, then apply Newton's laws using free-body diagrams.
- Describe normal, frictional, buoyant and viscous forces qualitatively.
- Apply Hooke's law within the limit of proportionality.
- Apply moments, couples and force-and-torque equilibrium using free-body diagrams and vector triangles.
- show an understanding that the weight of a body may be taken as acting at a single point known as its centre of gravity
- apply the principle of moments to new situations or to solve related problems
- Interpret position, displacement, velocity and acceleration using equations and graphs.
- Derive the uniformly accelerated motion equations from the definitions of velocity and acceleration.
- Derive and apply uniformly accelerated motion equations with a stated sign convention.
- Track energy stores and transfers, then apply conservation of energy.
- Define work and derive and apply the kinetic-energy relationship.
- Derive Eₖ = ½mv² from the definition of work done by a force and the uniformly accelerated motion equations.
- Represent fields and relate work done by a field to potential-energy change.
- Draw field-line representations of uniform and radial gravitational and electric fields.
- Use force–extension graphs to determine elastic potential energy.
- Apply power, mechanical power and efficiency relationships.
- Relate weight and gravitational potential energy changes in a uniform gravitational field.
- Analyse projectile motion by separating perpendicular components.
- Explain falling motion with air resistance using forces, energy and terminal velocity.
- Use impulse and momentum conservation in one-dimensional elastic and inelastic collisions.
- Express angular displacement in radians and use s = rθ.
- Relate angular velocity, period, frequency and tangential speed using v = rω.
- Explain and apply centripetal acceleration and resultant-force relationships.
- Apply Newton's law of gravitation to point and spherical masses.
- Derive and apply gravitational field strength, including the near-surface model.
- Derive the gravitational field strength due to a point mass from Newton's law of gravitation and the definition of field strength.
- Relate gravitational potential, potential energy and field gradient.
- Analyse escape speed using conservation of energy.
- Analyse circular gravitational orbits and geostationary satellite conditions.
- Use oscillation quantities and describe free oscillations and their investigation.
- Relate displacement, velocity, acceleration and phase in simple harmonic motion.
- Identify and analyse simple harmonic motion using its defining equation and sinusoidal solutions.
- Describe kinetic–potential energy interchange in ideal simple harmonic motion.
- Compare light, critical and heavy damping and explain critical-damping applications.
- Distinguish free and forced oscillations, natural frequency and driving frequency.
- Interpret resonance response curves, damping effects and practical applications.
- Describe wave models, use wave quantities and interpret wave graphs in space and time.
- Relate phase difference to separations in time and position.
- Use wave intensity, amplitude and inverse-square relationships with their assumptions.
- Explain polarisation and apply Malus’ law to amplitude and intensity.
- Apply the principle of superposition to resultant displacement.
- Explain standing-wave formation, nodes, antinodes and energy transfer.
- Apply boundary conditions to standing waves on stretched strings.
- Analyse displacement and pressure patterns in resonant air columns and determine sound wavelength.
- Explain single-aperture diffraction and apply first-minimum and Rayleigh criteria.
- Explain coherent two-source interference using phase and path difference.
- Analyse Young double-slit interference and its small-angle assumptions.
- Use diffraction gratings to analyse principal maxima and determine wavelength.
- Use thermodynamic temperature and convert between Celsius and kelvin.
- Use ideal-gas equations with particles, moles and SI units.
- Apply the kinetic model to gas pressure and mean translational kinetic energy.
- Derive pV = ⅓Nm⟨c²⟩ from the definition of pressure and a one-dimensional model of molecular collisions extended to three dimensions.
- Relate microscopic energy, internal energy and thermal equilibrium.
- Apply work conventions and the zeroth and first laws of thermodynamics.
- Define and use heat capacity and specific heat capacity in energy balances.
- Define and use specific latent heat in phase-change energy balances.
- Apply Coulomb's law to the force between point charges.
- Define electric field strength and calculate resultant fields due to point charges.
- Define electric potential and calculate potential due to point charges.
- Relate electric potential, potential energy and work for systems of point charges.
- Use the negative potential gradient and relate equipotentials to field lines.
- Calculate field strength and force in uniform electric fields.
- Analyse charged-particle motion in uniform electric fields.
- Apply capacitance and capacitor-energy relationships.
- Relate current to charge flow, number density and drift velocity.
- Apply potential difference, e.m.f. and electrical power relationships.
- Represent sinusoidal a.c. and use peak and r.m.s. values.
- Analyse mean power in resistive a.c. loads and half-wave rectification.
- Recall circuit symbols and draw or interpret circuit diagrams.
- Draw circuit diagrams containing sources, switches, resistors, meters, lamps, thermistors, light-dependent resistors and diodes.
- Apply resistance and resistivity, interpret I–V characteristics and explain temperature effects.
- Analyse e.m.f., terminal potential difference and internal resistance in real sources.
- Analyse series, parallel and potential-divider resistor networks.
- Combine capacitors in series and parallel.
- Analyse charging and discharging in RC circuits using the time constant.
- Calculate and represent magnetic fields produced by currents.
- Sketch magnetic field lines due to currents in a long straight wire, a flat circular coil and a long solenoid.
- Analyse forces on current-carrying conductors, current balances and interactions between parallel currents.
- Analyse forces and paths of moving charges in uniform fields.
- Apply crossed electric and magnetic fields to velocity selection.
- Use magnetic flux and flux-linkage relationships.
- Apply Faraday's and Lenz's laws to induced e.m.f. and direction.
- Explain simple applications of electromagnetic induction, including motional e.m.f. and eddy currents.
- Explain simple iron-core transformer operation and apply ideal transformer ratios.
- Use photon energy and momentum and analyse the photoelectric effect.
- Apply de Broglie wavelength and wave-particle evidence.
- Interpret wavefunctions, probability density and superposition.
- Apply uncertainty and infinite-square-well energy quantisation.
- Analyse atomic energy levels and emission or absorption spectra.
- Interpret nuclear structure, isotopes and Rutherford scattering.
- Analyse random radioactive decay, activity, decay constant and half-life.
- Relate binding energy per nucleon to fission, fusion, applications and hazards.
- Apply conservation laws to nuclear equations and beta decay, including antineutrino evidence.
- Use mass-energy equivalence, mass defect and binding energy.
- Use techniques and apparatus safely and effectively, and make and record precise observations and measurements
- Analyse practical data, graphs, gradients and intercepts
- Evaluate practical limitations and propose specific improvements
- Plan a practical investigation with controlled variables and a workable method
Welcome to the A Level Physics study portal. This hub is for 9478 H2 students who want a clean route from topic understanding to timed exam performance.
Each lesson group links to a focused topic hub. Learn the model and assumptions, inspect the worked reasoning, then practise the same skill before moving on.
Start here
New to H2 Physics? Begin with Quantities and Measurement and follow the lesson groups below. If you already know your weak topic, go straight to the Practice Browser.
Lessons
Measurement and mechanics
Quantities and Measurement
recall and use the following SI base quantities and their units: mass (kg), length (m), time (s), current (A), temperature (K), amount of substance (mol), recall and use the following prefixes and their symbols to indicate decimal sub-multiples or multiples of both base and derived units: pico (p), nano (n), micro (μ), milli (m), centi (c), deci (d), kilo (k), mega (M), giga (G), tera (T) and express derived units as products or quotients of the SI base units and use the named units listed in ‘Summary of Key Quantities, Symbols and Units’ as appropriate. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Forces and Moments
describe the forces on a mass, charge and current-carrying conductor in gravitational, electric and magnetic fields, as appropriate, show a qualitative understanding of forces including normal force, buoyant force (upthrust), frictional force and viscous force, e.g. air resistance. (knowledge of the concepts of coefficients of friction and viscosity is not required) and recall and apply Hooke’s law (F = kx, where k is the force constant) to new situations or to solve related problems. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Motion and Forces
show an understanding of and use the terms position, distance, displacement, speed, velocity and acceleration, use graphical methods to represent distance, displacement, speed, velocity and acceleration and identify and use the physical quantities from the gradients of position–time or displacement–time graphs and areas under and gradients of velocity–time graphs, including cases of non-uniform acceleration. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Energy and Fields
show an understanding that physical systems can store energy, and that energy can be transferred from one store to another, give examples of different energy stores and energy transfers, and apply the principle of conservation of energy to solve problems and show an understanding that work is a mechanical transfer of energy, and define and use work done by a force as the product of the force and displacement in the direction of the force. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Projectile Motion
describe and use the concept of weight as the force experienced by a mass in a gravitational field, describe and explain motion due to a uniform velocity in one direction and a uniform acceleration in a perpendicular direction and derive, from the definition of work done by a force, the equation ΔEₚ = mgΔh for gravitational potential energy changes in a uniform gravitational field (e.g. near the Earth’s surface). Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Collisions
recall that impulse is given by the area under the force–time graph for a body and use this to solve problems, state the principle of conservation of momentum and apply the principle of conservation of momentum to solve simple problems including inelastic and (perfectly) elastic interactions between two bodies in one dimension (knowledge of the concept of coefficient of restitution is not required). Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Circular Motion
express angular displacement in radians, show an understanding of and use the concept of angular velocity and recall and use v = rω to solve problems. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Gravitational Fields
recall and use Newton’s law of gravitation in the form F = Gm₁m₂/r², derive, from Newton’s law of gravitation and the definition of gravitational field strength, the field strength due to a point mass, g = GM/r² and recall and use g = GM/r² for the gravitational field strength due to a point mass to solve problems. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Oscillations, waves and thermal physics
Oscillations
describe simple examples of free oscillations, where particles periodically return to an equilibrium position without gaining energy from or losing energy to the environment, investigate the motion of an oscillator using experimental and graphical methods and show an understanding of and use the terms amplitude, period, frequency, angular frequency, phase and phase difference and express the period in terms of both frequency and angular frequency. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Wave Motion
show an understanding that mechanical waves involve the oscillations of particles within a material medium, such as a string or a fluid, and electromagnetic waves involve the oscillations of electromagnetic fields in space and time, show an understanding of and use the terms displacement, amplitude, period, frequency, phase, phase difference, wavelength and speed and deduce, from the definitions of speed, frequency and wavelength, the equation v = fλ. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Superposition
explain and use the principle of superposition in simple applications, show an understanding of experiments which demonstrate standing (stationary) waves using microwaves, stretched strings and air columns and explain the formation of a standing (stationary) wave using a graphical method, and identify nodes and antinodes, differentiating between pressure and displacement nodes and antinodes for sound waves. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Temperature and Ideal Gases
show an understanding that a thermodynamic scale of temperature has an absolute zero and is independent of the property of any particular substance, convert temperatures measured in degrees Celsius to kelvin: T/K = T/°C + 273.15 and recall and use the equation of state for an ideal gas expressed as pV = NkT, where N is the number of particles. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Thermodynamic Systems
show an understanding that the macroscopic state of a system determines the internal energy of the system, and that internal energy can be expressed as the sum of a random distribution of microscopic kinetic and potential energies associated with the particles of the system, show an understanding that the thermodynamic temperature of a system is (directly) proportional to the mean microscopic kinetic energy of particles and show an understanding that when two systems are placed in thermal contact, energy is transferred (by heating) from the system at higher temperature to the system at lower temperature, until they reach the same temperature and achieve thermal equilibrium (i.e. no net energy transfer). Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Electricity and magnetism
Electric Fields
recall and use Coulomb’s law in the form F = Q₁Q₂/(4πε₀r²) for the electric force between two point charges in free space or air, recall and use E = Q/(4πε₀r²) for the electric field strength due to a point charge, in free space or air, to solve problems and define electric potential at a point as the work done per unit charge by an external force in bringing a small positive test charge from infinity to that point. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Currents
show an understanding that electric current is the rate of flow of charge and solve problems using I = Q/t, derive and use the equation I = nAvq for a current-carrying conductor, where n is the number density of charge carriers and v is the drift velocity and recall and solve problems using the equation for potential difference in terms of electrical work done per unit charge, V = W/Q. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Circuits
recall and use appropriate circuit symbols, draw and interpret circuit diagrams containing sources, switches, resistors (fixed and variable), ammeters, voltmeters, lamps, thermistors, light-dependent resistors, diodes, capacitors and any other type of component referred to in the syllabus and define the resistance of a circuit component as the ratio of the potential difference across the component to the current in it, and solve problems using the equation V = IR. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Electromagnetic Forces
show an understanding that a magnetic field is an example of a field of force produced either by current-carrying conductors or by permanent magnets, sketch magnetic field lines due to currents in a long straight wire, a flat circular coil and a long solenoid and use B = μ₀I/(2πd), B = μ₀NI/(2r) and B = μ₀nI for the magnetic flux densities of the fields due to currents in a long straight wire, a flat circular coil and a long solenoid respectively. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Modern physics
Electromagnetic Induction
define magnetic flux as the product of magnetic flux density and the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic flux density, show an understanding of and use the concept of magnetic flux linkage and recall and use Φ = BA and NΦ = NBA to solve problems, where N is the number of turns. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Quantum Physics
show an understanding that the existence of a threshold frequency in the photoelectric effect provides evidence that supports the particulate nature of electromagnetic radiation while phenomena such as interference and diffraction provide evidence that supports its wave nature, state that a photon is a quantum of electromagnetic radiation, and recall and use the equation E = hf for the energy of a photon to solve problems, where h is the Planck constant and show an understanding that while a photon is massless, it has a momentum given by p = E/c and p = h/λ, where c is the speed of light in free space. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Nuclear Physics
infer from the results of the Rutherford α-particle scattering experiment the existence and small size of the atomic nucleus, distinguish between nucleon number (mass number) and proton number (atomic number) and show an understanding that an element can exist in various isotopic forms, each with a different number of neutrons in the nucleus, and use the notation ᴬZX for the representation of nuclides. Use the linked explanations, worked methods and practice to connect these ideas.
Practical skills
A Level Physics Practical Hub
Planning, measurements, and data analysis using spreadsheets.
Revision
Practice
Use the A Level Quiz Hub for recall and diagnosis, then continue to Structured Practice for longer answers and method marks.
Show enrichment and secondary resources
Use the simulation library when a graph or changing variable is the main difficulty. Semiconductors and Lasers are optional enrichment outside the core syllabus route.
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Continue with the Practice Browser to select a topic and format, or return to O Level foundations if the prerequisite algebra or mechanics still needs work.
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Review: H2 Physics 9478
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Course and syllabus information
- Course
- GCE A-Level H2 Physics
- Edition
- GCE A-Level H2 Physics 2027