G2 Science (Physics)
Build the Physics foundations for the G2 course in syllabus order, with clear explanations, guided examples and focused practice.
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SEC G2 Science (Physics, Chemistry) (K223, 2027)
View whole Science courseSEC G2 Science (Physics, Biology) (K224, 2027)
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G2 Science Physics lessons in syllabus order, with worked examples and practice for every topic.
Learning goals
- Represent a physical quantity with a numerical magnitude and unit
- Recall the six prescribed SI base quantities and their units
- Use the prescribed SI prefixes from nano to tera
- Compare orders of magnitude from a typical atom to the Earth
- Select and justify measuring instruments by range and precision
- Distinguish scalar and vector quantities and give examples
- State what speed means
- State what velocity means, including its direction
- Calculate average speed from total distance and total time
- Calculate acceleration as change in velocity divided by time taken
- State what uniform acceleration means
- Interpret examples of non-uniform acceleration
- Plot and interpret a distance–time graph
- Plot and interpret a speed–time graph for one-direction motion
- Deduce rest, uniform speed and non-uniform speed from a distance–time graph
- Deduce rest, uniform speed and uniform or non-uniform acceleration from a speed–time graph
- Use area under a speed–time graph to determine distance travelled
- Recall constant free-fall acceleration near Earth as approximately 10 m/s²
- Distinguish contact forces from non-contact forces
- State that mass measures the amount of matter in a body
- Describe a gravitational field as a region where a mass experiences gravitational force
- Define gravitational field strength as gravitational force per unit mass
- Apply weight = mass × gravitational field strength
- Distinguish mass from weight
- Apply density = mass ÷ volume
- Define pressure as force per unit area
- Apply pressure = force ÷ area
- Describe the effect of balanced and unbalanced forces on a body
- Describe ways a force may change motion
- Identify action–reaction pairs on interacting bodies
- Draw free-body diagrams for one-dimensional force systems
- Apply resultant force = mass × acceleration
- Explain the effects of friction on motion
- Recognise kinetic, potential, nuclear and internal energy stores
- Describe mechanical energy transfer by a force acting over a distance
- Describe electrical energy transfer by an electric current
- Describe energy transfer by heating due to a temperature difference
- Describe energy transfer by electromagnetic and mechanical waves
- Recall and apply Ek = ½mv² in new situations
- Recall and apply Ep = mgh near the Earth's surface in new situations
- State and apply the principle of conservation of energy
- Recall and apply work done = force × distance moved in the force direction
- Recall and apply power = energy transfer / time taken
- Compare physical properties of solids, liquids and gases
- Explain state properties using particle arrangement, motion, forces and separation
- Relate temperature rise to increased average kinetic energy of particles
- describe internal energy as an energy store that is made up of the total kinetic energy associated with the random motion of the particles and the total potential energy between the particles in the system
- describe melting/solidification and boiling/condensation as processes of energy transfer without a change in temperature
- Explain heating from higher to lower temperature until thermal equilibrium
- Describe conduction in solids through particle vibration and mobile electrons
- Describe convection in fluids through density changes and bulk motion
- Explain that energy transfer by electromagnetic radiation needs no material medium
- Explain how surface colour, texture, temperature and area affect radiation transfer rate
- Apply conduction, convection and radiation in everyday systems
- Describe wave generation by vibrating sources, ropes and springs
- Describe ripple-tank waves using wavefronts
- Explain that waves transfer energy
- Explain that wave energy transfer does not transfer matter
- Use amplitude, frequency and wavelength to describe wave motion
- Define and use wave speed and period and interpret wave graphs
- Recall and apply wave speed = frequency × wavelength
- Compare transverse and longitudinal waves and give examples
- State that all electromagnetic waves are transverse
- State that all electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed in vacuum
- Order the seven electromagnetic-spectrum regions
- Relate spectrum order to wavelength and frequency
- State typical uses of radio waves
- State typical uses of microwaves
- State typical uses of infrared
- State typical uses of visible light
- State typical uses of ultraviolet
- State typical uses of X-rays
- State typical uses of gamma rays
- Describe hazardous heating effects of electromagnetic over-exposure
- Describe hazardous ionising effects on living cells and tissue
- state that there are positive and negative charges and that charge is measured in coulombs
- state that unlike charges attract and like charges repel
- State current as rate of charge flow measured in amperes
- Distinguish conventional current from electron flow
- Apply charge equals current multiplied by time
- State that source e.m.f. is measured in volts
- Define component potential difference as work done per unit charge
- State resistance as potential difference divided by current
- Apply resistance equals potential difference divided by current
- Apply wire-resistance proportionalities for length and cross-sectional area
- Recognise and interpret circuit symbols for cells, batteries, switches, lamps, LEDs, resistors, fuses, ammeters and voltmeters
- Draw circuit diagrams with cells, batteries, switches, lamps, LEDs, fixed and variable resistors, fuses, ammeters and voltmeters
- Apply the same-current rule in series circuits
- Apply the potential-difference sum in series circuits
- Apply current conservation at parallel junctions
- Apply equal potential difference across parallel branches
- Calculate effective resistance in series
- Calculate effective resistance in parallel
- Solve whole-circuit problems using consistent quantities
- Explain electrical heating in common appliances
- Apply P = VI
- Apply E = VIt
- Calculate electrical energy and cost in kWh
- Identify the hazard from damaged insulation
- Identify the hazard from overheating cables
- Identify the hazard from damp conditions
- Explain how fuses and circuit breakers protect circuits
- Choose and justify an appropriate fuse rating
- Explain why metal casings are earthed
- Explain why double-insulated appliances do not need an earth wire
- State the meanings and roles of live, neutral and earth
- Describe the wiring of a mains plug
- Explain live-wire placement of switches, fuses and circuit breakers
- Describe atomic composition
- Use proton number, nucleon number and isotope
- Use and interpret nuclide notation
- Explain random and spontaneous nuclear decay
- Describe alpha, beta-minus and gamma radiation
- Compare ionising effect and penetrating power
- Explain background radiation
- Use half-life in tables and decay curves
- State radioactivity applications and hazards
- Measurements of length, mass, temperature, time interval, volume of liquids/solids and force (e.g. weight) using appropriate instruments
- Determination of the density of a liquid, or of a regularly or irregularly shaped solid that sinks in water
- Determination of the value of the acceleration of free fall
- Investigation of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces
- Investigation of the factors affecting transfer of energy by thermal processes
- Determination of the resistance of a circuit component
Syllabus statements covered
- show an understanding that physical quantities typically consist of a numerical magnitude and a unit
- recall the following base quantities and their units: mass (kg), length (m), time (s), current (A), temperature (K), amount of substance (mol)
- use the following prefixes and their symbols to indicate decimal sub-multiples and multiples of the SI units: nano (n), micro (µ), milli (m), centi (c), deci (d), kilo (k), mega (M), giga (G), tera (T)
- show an understanding of the orders of magnitude of the sizes of common objects ranging from a typical atom to the Earth
- select and explain the use of appropriate measuring instruments to measure or determine physical quantities listed in “Summary of key quantities, symbols and units” taking into consideration the range and precision of the instrument
- state what is meant by scalar and vector quantities and give common examples of each
- state what is meant by speed and velocity
- calculate average speed = distance travelled / time taken
- state what is meant by uniform acceleration and calculate the value of acceleration using change in velocity / time taken
- interpret given examples of non-uniform acceleration
- plot and interpret a distance-time graph and a speed-time graph for motion in one direction
- deduce from the shape of a distance-time graph when a body travelling in one direction is: (i) at rest (ii) moving with uniform speed (iii) moving with non-uniform speed
- deduce from the shape of a speed-time graph when a body travelling in one direction is: (i) at rest (ii) moving with uniform speed (iii) moving with uniform acceleration (iv) moving with non-uniform acceleration
- calculate the area under a speed-time graph to determine the distance travelled for motion in one direction with uniform speed or uniform acceleration
- state that the acceleration of free fall for a body near to the Earth is constant and is approximately 10 m/s²
- identify and distinguish between contact forces (e.g. friction, air resistance, tension and normal force) and non-contact forces (e.g. gravitational, electrostatic and magnetic forces)
- state that mass is a measure of the amount of matter in a body
- state that a gravitational field is a region in which a mass experiences a force due to gravitational attraction
- define gravitational field strength, g, as gravitational force per unit mass placed at that point
- recall and apply the relationship weight = mass × gravitational field strength to new situations or to solve related problems
- distinguish between mass and weight
- recall and apply the relationship density = mass / volume to new situations or to solve related problems
- define pressure in terms of force and area
- recall and apply the relationship pressure = force / area to new situations or to solve related problems
- apply Newton's Laws to: (i) describe the effect of balanced and unbalanced forces on a body (ii) describe the ways in which a force may change the motion of a body (iii) identify action-reaction pairs acting on two interacting bodies (stating of Newton's Laws is not required)
- identify forces acting on a body and draw free body diagram(s) representing the forces acting on the body (for cases involving forces acting in one dimension)
- recall and apply the relationship resultant force = mass × acceleration to new situations or to solve related problems
- explain the effects of friction on the motion of a body
- show an understanding that there are energy stores, e.g. kinetic, potential (gravitational, chemical, elastic), nuclear and internal, and that energy that can be transferred from one store to another: (i) Mechanically (by a force acting over a distance) (ii) Electrically (by an electric current) (iii) By heating (due to a temperature difference) (iv) By propagation of waves (both electromagnetic and mechanical)
- recall and apply the relationships for kinetic energy (Ek = ½mv²) and gravitational potential energy near the Earth's surface (Ep = mgh) to new situations or to solve related problems
- state the principle of the conservation of energy and apply the principle to new situations or to solve related problems
- recall and apply the relationship work done = force × distance moved in the direction of the force to new situations or to solve related problems
- recall and apply the relationship power = energy transfer / time taken to new situations or to solve related problems
- compare the physical properties of solids, liquids and gases
- use the kinetic particle model to describe the different states of matter (solids, liquids and gases), relating their physical properties to the arrangement and motion of the particles (e.g. molecules, atoms) and the forces and distances between particles
- relate the rise in temperature of a body to the increase in average kinetic energy of all the particles in the body
- describe internal energy as an energy store that is made up of the total kinetic energy associated with the random motion of the particles and the total potential energy between the particles in the system
- describe melting/solidification and boiling/condensation as processes of energy transfer without a change in temperature
- show an understanding that energy is transferred (by heating) from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature until thermal equilibrium is achieved between the two regions
- describe, in microscopic terms, how conduction occurs in solids (via vibration of atoms/molecules and movement of electrons)
- describe, in terms of density changes, how convection occurs in fluids
- explain that energy transfer by electromagnetic radiation does not require a material medium and that this rate of energy transfer to/from a body is affected by its: (i) surface colour and texture (ii) surface temperature (iii) surface area
- apply the concepts of conduction, convection and radiation in everyday examples
- describe what is meant by wave motion as illustrated by vibrations in ropes and springs and by waves in a ripple tank (including use of the term wavefront)
- show an understanding that waves transfer energy without transferring matter
- define and use the terms speed, frequency, wavelength, period and amplitude including graphical representation
- recall and apply the relationship speed of wave = frequency × wavelength to new situations or to solve related problems
- compare transverse and longitudinal waves and give suitable examples of each
- state that all electromagnetic waves are transverse waves that travel with the same speed in vacuum
- describe the main regions of the electromagnetic spectrum in order of wavelength and frequency
- state examples of typical uses of the following regions of the electromagnetic spectrum: (i) radio waves (e.g. radio and television communication, astronomy and RFID tags) (ii) microwaves (e.g. mobile (cell) phones, microwave oven and satellite television) (iii) infrared (e.g. infrared remote controllers, intruder alarms and thermal imaging) (iv) visible light (e.g. photography, optical fibres in medicine and telecommunications) (v) ultraviolet (e.g. sunbeds, bank note authentication and disinfecting water) (vi) X-rays (e.g. medical radiology, security screening and industrial defect detection) (vii) gamma (γ) rays (e.g. sterilising food, detection of cancer and its treatment)
- describe how over-exposure to electromagnetic waves can have hazardous effects (e.g. heating and ionising effects of radiation) on living cells and tissue
- state that there are positive and negative charges and that charge is measured in coulombs
- state that unlike charges attract and like charges repel
- state that current is the rate of flow of charge and that it is measured in amperes
- distinguish between conventional current and electron flow
- recall and apply the relationship charge = current × time to new situations or to solve related problems
- state that the electromotive force (e.m.f.) of an electrical source of energy is measured in volts
- state that the potential difference (p.d.) across a component in a circuit is the work done per unit charge in driving charges through the component and that it is measured in volts
- state that resistance = p.d./ current
- apply the relationship R = V / I to new situations or to solve related problems
- recall and apply the relationship of the proportionality between resistance and the length and cross-sectional area of a wire to new situations or to solve related problems
- draw circuit diagrams with power sources (cell or battery), switches, lamps, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), resistors (fixed and variable), fuses, ammeters and voltmeters
- state that the current at every point in a series circuit is the same and apply the principle to new situations or to solve related problems
- state that the sum of the potential differences in a series circuit is equal to the potential difference across the whole circuit and apply the principle to new situations or to solve related problems
- state that the sum of the currents in the separate branches of a parallel circuit is equal to the current from the source and apply the principle to new situations or to solve related problems
- state that the potential difference across the separate branches of a parallel circuit is the same and apply the principle to new situations or to solve related problems
- recall and apply the formulae for the effective resistance of a number of resistors in series and in parallel to new situations or to solve related problems
- recall and apply the relevant relationships, including R = V / I and those for current, potential differences and resistors in series and in parallel circuits, in calculations involving a whole circuit.
- describe the use of the heating effect of electricity in appliances such as electric kettles, ovens and heaters
- recall and apply the relationships P = V I and E = V I t to new situations or to solve related problems
- calculate the cost of using electrical appliances where the energy unit is the kW h
- state the hazards of using electricity in the following situations: (i) damaged insulation (ii) overheating of cables (iii) damp conditions
- explain the use of fuses and circuit breakers in electrical circuits and of fuse ratings
- explain the need for earthing metal casings and for double insulation
- state the meaning of the terms live, neutral and earth
- describe the wiring in a mains plug
- explain why switches, fuses, and circuit breakers are fitted to the live wire.
- describe the composition of an atom in terms of a positively charged nucleus (with protons and neutrons) and negatively charged electrons
- use the terms proton (atomic) number Z, nucleon (mass) number A and isotope
- use and interpret the term nuclide and use the nuclide notation ᴬZX
- show an understanding that nuclear decay is a random and spontaneous process whereby an unstable nucleus loses energy by emitting radiation
- show an understanding of the nature of alpha (α), beta (β), and gamma (γ) radiation (including ionising effect and penetrating power) [β-particles are assumed to be β– particles only]
- show an understanding of background radiation
- use the term half-life in simple calculations, which might involve information in tables or decay curves
- state the applications (e.g. medical and industrial uses) and hazards of radioactivity.
- Measurements of length, time interval, volume, mass and weight, temperature, current and voltage using the listed instruments
- Determination of the density of a liquid, or of a regularly or irregularly shaped solid that sinks in water
- Determination of the value of the acceleration of free fall
- Investigation of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces
- Investigation of the factors affecting transfer of energy by thermal processes
- Determination of the resistance of a circuit component
Topics
Work through the topics in order, or open the one you are revising.
Measurement and mechanics
- Physical quantities, units and measurementSI quantities, prefixes, scale, instrument choice, scalars and vectors.
- KinematicsSpeed, velocity, acceleration and motion graphs for travel in one direction.
- Force and pressureContact and non-contact forces, mass and weight, gravitational fields, density and pressure.
- DynamicsBalanced and unbalanced forces, action–reaction pairs, one-dimensional free-body diagrams, F = ma and friction.
- EnergyEnergy stores and transfers, conservation, kinetic and gravitational potential energy, work and power.
Thermal physics
Waves
Electricity
- Electric charge and currentCharge interactions, current, e.m.f., potential difference, resistance and wire dimensions.
- D.C. circuitsCircuit symbols, series and parallel rules, effective resistance and whole-circuit calculations.
- Practical electricityElectrical heating, power, energy, cost, household hazards, protection and safe mains wiring.
Radioactivity
Practical requirements
Practise and check
Recommended nextG2 Science Physics course foundations check
Or choose
- G2 Science (Physics, Biology) Physics Paper 1 MockSEC G2 Science (Physics, Biology)
- G2 Science (Physics, Chemistry) Physics Paper 1 MockSEC G2 Science (Physics, Chemistry)
- G2 Science (Physics, Biology) Physics Paper 2 MockSEC G2 Science (Physics, Biology)
- G2 Science (Physics, Chemistry) Physics Paper 2 MockSEC G2 Science (Physics, Chemistry)
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Course guides
About this course
K223 / K224 Physics component · 2027
This course covers the Physics part of G2 Science (syllabus K223 and K224).
Every topic has lessons and practice, and the practical requirements have their own lesson.
Questions about this course
Where should I start G2 Science Physics?
Start with the first roadmap topic if this is your first pass. If your class is already further ahead, open that topic and follow its guided practice before moving on.
What should I do when a topic is weak?
Return to the earliest topic you cannot complete independently. Re-read its lessons, try the guided practice, then take the topic check again before continuing.
Do I need to study every topic in order?
Use syllabus order for a first pass because later topics build on earlier skills. During revision, you can jump directly to the earliest weak topic.