Specification points
WJEC GCSE Physics 3420QS
159 points in 4 topics, with WJEC's codes and titles.
Codes and titles are read by a script from WJEC's published specification and have not been checked by a person. What each point covers is in the specification itself: WJEC’s specification.
SE Scientific enquiry skills
- SE1 Benefits and challenges of scientific enquiry
- SE2 Scientific models
- SE3 Informed decisions from scientific enquiry
- SE4 Designing a method of enquiry
- SE5 Collecting, recording and presenting primary data
- SE6 Gather and present secondary data, while evaluating data
- SE7 Analysing data
- SE8 Forming conclusions and evaluating approaches
1 Unit 1: Electricity, Energy and Waves
- 1.1 Electric Circuits
- 1.1(a) Circuit symbols
- 1.1(b) Series and parallel circuits
- 1.1(c) Measuring voltage and current
- 1.1(d) Investigating current–voltage characteristics
- 1.1(e) Current, voltage and resistance
- 1.1(f) Resistance of series and parallel components
- 1.1(g) Calculating resistance and current in circuits
- 1.1(h) Power as energy transferred per unit time: E = Pt
- 1.1(i) Electrical power: P = VI and P = I²R
- 1.1(j) Investigating resistance of components
- 1.2 Generating Electricity
- 1.2(a) Renewable energy technologies
- 1.2(b) Non-renewable energy technologies
- 1.2(c) The processes involved in generating electricity in a fuel based power station
- 1.2(d) Sankey diagrams and efficiency
- 1.2(e) The National Grid
- 1.2(f) Voltages in the National Grid
- 1.2(g) Step-up and step-down transformers
- 1.2(h) Comparing UK power stations
- 1.3 Making Use of Energy
- 1.3(a) Conduction, convection and radiation
- 1.3(b) The density equation and differences in density
- 1.3(c) Conduction and mobile electrons
- 1.3(d) Convection in liquids and gases
- 1.3(e) Reducing energy loss from houses
- 1.3(f) Cost effectiveness of home insulation
- 1.3(g) Cost of energy sources for heating and transport
- 1.4 Domestic Electricity
- 1.4(a) Kilowatts and kilowatt hours
- 1.4(b) Cost of electricity from units used
- 1.4(c) Data on energy use of appliances
- 1.4(d) The difference between alternating current (a.c.) and direct current (d.c.)
- 1.4(e) Fuses and circuit breakers
- 1.4(f) The ring main
- 1.4(g) Cost effectiveness of domestic solar and wind energy
- 1.4(h) Investigating energy transfers
- 1.5 Features of Waves
- 1.5(a) The difference between transverse and longitudinal waves
- 1.5(b) Amplitude, wavelength, frequency and wave speed
- 1.5(c) Graphs of transverse waves
- 1.5(d) Reflection and refraction of wave fronts
- 1.5(e) Refraction and wave speed
- 1.5(f) Meanings of radiation
- 1.5(g) Ionising radiation and short-wavelength EM waves
- 1.5(h) Regions of the electromagnetic spectrum
- 1.5(i) Energy transfer and communication by EM waves
- 1.5(j) Waves in terms of their wavelength, frequency, speed and amplitude
- 1.5(k) Wave speed equation
- 1.5(l) Communication using satellites in geosynchronous/geostationary orbit
- 1.6 The Total Internal Reflection of Waves
- 1.6(a) The conditions for total internal reflection of light
- 1.6(b) How optical fibres rely on total internal reflection for their operation
- 1.6(c) Optical fibres and satellites for communication
- 1.6(d) Optical fibres in medical imaging
- 1.7 Seismic Waves
- 1.7(a) Seismic P, S and surface waves
- 1.7(b) Longitudinal P waves and transverse S waves
- 1.7(c) Seismic records and locating earthquakes
- 1.7(d) Paths of seismic waves through the Earth
- 1.7(e) S wave shadow zone and the Earth's structure
- 1.8 Kinetic Theory
- 1.8(a) Pressure and p = F/A
- 1.8(b) Pressure, volume and temperature of gases
- 1.8(c) Absolute zero and absolute temperature
- 1.8(d) Kelvin temperatures and pV/T = constant
- 1.8(e) Gas pressure and molecular motion
- 1.8(f) Heat transfer equations Q = mcΔθ and Q = mL
- 1.8(g) Temperature, change of state and molecules
- 1.9 Electromagnetism
- 1.9(a) The magnetic field patterns of bar magnets, straight wires and solenoids
- 1.9(b) The motor effect and Fleming's left-hand rule
- 1.9(c) Force on a current-carrying conductor
- 1.9(d) The d.c. motor
- 1.9(e) Conditions for inducing a current
- 1.9(f) The a.c. generator
- 1.9(g) Direction of induced current in a generator
- 1.9(h) The operation of a transformer qualitatively by reference to electromagnetic induction
- 1.9(i) Transformer turns ratio
2 Unit 2: Forces, Space and Radioactivity
- 2.1 Distance, Speed and Acceleration
- 2.1(a) Motion using speed, velocity and acceleration
- 2.1(b) Speed-time and distance-time graphs
- 2.1(c) Speed and acceleration equations
- 2.1(d) Velocity-time graphs to determine acceleration and distance travelled
- 2.1(e) Stopping distances
- 2.1(f) Physics of traffic control
- 2.2 Newton's Laws
- 2.2(a) Inertia and mass
- 2.2(b) Newton's first law of motion and be able to state it
- 2.2(c) Unbalanced forces and acceleration
- 2.2(d) Newton's second law
- 2.2(e) Weight and mass
- 2.2(f) Objects moving through air; terminal speed
- 2.2(g) Newton's third law of motion and be able to state it
- 2.3 Work and Energy
- 2.3(a) Energy transfer by forces
- 2.3(b) Work done
- 2.3(c) Work and energy transfer
- 2.3(d) Kinetic and gravitational potential energy
- 2.3(e) Equations for kinetic and potential energy
- 2.3(f) Force and extension of a spring
- 2.3(g) Work done in stretching
- 2.3(h) Improving vehicle energy efficiency
- 2.3(i) Car safety features
- 2.4 Further Motion Concepts
- 2.4(a) Momentum
- 2.4(b) Newton's second law: force = mass × acceleration
- 2.4(c) Conservation of momentum
- 2.4(d) Equations of motion
- 2.4(e) Principle of moments
- 2.4(f) Moments and rotation
- 2.5 Stars and Planets
- 2.5(a) The solar system
- 2.5(b) The observable universe and units of distance
- 2.5(c) Life cycle of stars
- 2.5(d) Stability of stars
- 2.5(e) Return of material from giant stars
- 2.5(f) Origin of the solar system
- 2.5(g) The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram
- 2.6 The Universe
- 2.6(a) Absorption spectra and identifying gases
- 2.6(b) Cosmological red shift and Hubble's discovery
- 2.6(c) Red shift and the expanding Universe
- 2.6(d) Red shift and the Big Bang
- 2.6(e) Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation
- 2.7 Types of Radiation
- 2.7(a) Nucleon number, proton number and isotopes
- 2.7(b) Unstable nuclei and radioactive emissions
- 2.7(c) Radioactive waste
- 2.7(d) Background radiation
- 2.7(e) Random nature of radioactive decay
- 2.7(f) Penetrating power of alpha, beta and gamma
- 2.7(g) Nature of alpha, beta and gamma radiation
- 2.7(h) Nuclear equations for radioactive decay
- 2.7(i) Sources of background radiation and dose
- 2.8 Half-life
- 2.8(a) Modelling random radioactive decay
- 2.8(b) Decay curves and half-life
- 2.8(c) Calculations with activity and half-life
- 2.8(d) Uses of radioactive materials
- 2.9 Nuclear Decay and Nuclear Energy
- 2.9(a) Induced fission of fissile nuclei
- 2.9(b) Moderator and control rods
- 2.9(c) The radioactive nature of fission products with a large range of half-lives
- 2.9(d) Nuclear fusion
- 2.9(e) Nuclear equations for fission and fusion
- 2.9(f) Containment in fission and fusion reactors