Study notes
Chapter-by-chapter notes written straight from the curriculum — read free, then practise the same chapter with an AI-generated quiz.
Interpret the V-I characteristics of a junction diode, explain half-wave and full-wave rectifiers, describe how LEDs, photodiodes and solar cells work, and use a Zener diode's reverse breakdown to regulate voltage.
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Distinguish conductors, insulators and semiconductors using energy bands, compare intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors with p-type and n-type doping, and describe how a p-n junction forms its depletion region and potential barrier.
Read articleDefine isotopes, isobars and isotones and calculate mass defect and binding energy per nucleon, interpret the binding energy curve to explain stability, fission and fusion, and calculate the energy released in nuclear reactions.
Read articleDescribe Rutherford's alpha-scattering experiment and nuclear model, state Bohr's postulates and derive the radius, speed and energy of the electron in hydrogen, and calculate wavelengths in the hydrogen spectral series.
Read articleExplain the photoelectric effect with Einstein's equation, threshold frequency and work function, find Planck's constant from a stopping-potential graph, calculate de Broglie wavelengths, and describe the Davisson-Germer experiment.
Read articleState Huygens' principle and use it to prove the laws of reflection and refraction, derive the fringe width in Young's double-slit experiment with the conditions for sustained interference, and explain single-slit diffraction.
Read articleDerive the relation between refractive index, prism angle and minimum deviation and explain dispersion, derive the magnifying power of simple and compound microscopes, and compare refracting and reflecting telescopes.
Read articleDerive the mirror formula and calculate magnification, apply Snell's law and total internal reflection to optical fibres and prisms, and derive the lens-maker's formula and apply the thin-lens formula to lenses in contact.
Read articleExplain displacement current and how it completes Ampere's law, describe the transverse nature and properties of electromagnetic waves, and list the regions of the electromagnetic spectrum with their production, detection and uses.
Read articleCalculate average power in AC circuits using power factor and explain wattless current, describe the principle and working of an AC generator, and compare the advantages and disadvantages of AC and DC.
Read articleCalculate the peak, mean and RMS values of alternating current, use phasors to find the phase relations and reactances of resistors, inductors and capacitors, and work out the impedance and resonance of a series LCR circuit.
Read articleApply Faraday's and Lenz's laws and derive motional emf, calculate the self-inductance and mutual inductance of solenoids, and explain the principle, construction and energy losses of a transformer.
Read articleTreat a current loop as a magnetic dipole and calculate its moment, find a bar magnet's field on its axial and equatorial lines, and classify diamagnetic, paramagnetic and ferromagnetic materials by susceptibility and relative permeability.
Read articleUse the Biot-Savart law for a circular loop, apply Ampere's circuital law to a straight wire and a solenoid, calculate forces on moving charges, conductors and parallel wires, and explain the torque on a loop and the moving-coil galvanometer.
Read articleApply Kirchhoff's current and voltage laws to multi-loop circuits, use the Wheatstone bridge balance condition and the metre bridge to find unknown resistance, and use a potentiometer to compare emfs and measure internal resistance.
Read articleDerive the relation between current and drift velocity, connect Ohm's law and resistivity to electron motion and temperature, and use emf, terminal voltage and internal resistance to analyse cells in series and parallel.
Read articleCalculate the potential of point charges and dipoles and relate it to field, find the potential energy of charge systems and of a dipole in a uniform field, combine capacitors, and see how dielectrics change capacitance and stored energy.
Read articleState Coulomb's law and the superposition principle, calculate the electric field of point charges and of a dipole at axial and equatorial points, and apply Gauss's theorem to line charges, plane sheets and spherical shells.
Read articleDistinguish transverse and longitudinal waves and relate wave speed, frequency and wavelength, explain standing waves in strings and organ pipes, calculate beat frequency, and apply the Doppler effect to moving sources and observers.
Read articleDefine simple harmonic motion and relate it to uniform circular motion, derive the time periods of a simple pendulum and a mass-spring system, and distinguish free, damped and forced oscillations and the condition for resonance.
Read articleState the postulates of kinetic theory and derive the pressure of a gas, relate the kinetic energy of molecules to absolute temperature, and use the law of equipartition of energy to find the specific heats of gases.
Read articleState the zeroth and first laws of thermodynamics and apply them to isothermal and adiabatic processes, relate the two specific heats of a gas through Mayer's relation, and understand the second law, heat engines and refrigerators.
Read articleUnderstand surface tension and surface energy and find the excess pressure in drops and bubbles, calculate capillary rise, solve calorimetry problems, and apply Newton's law of cooling with the three modes of heat transfer.
Read articleApply Pascal's law and calculate pressure at depth, use Bernoulli's theorem to explain aerofoil lift and flow through a constriction, and find terminal velocity with Stokes' law while using Reynolds number to classify flow.
Read articleDefine stress and strain and state Hooke's law, calculate Young's modulus, bulk modulus and modulus of rigidity from data, and find the elastic potential energy stored in a stretched wire.
Read articleState Kepler's laws and Newton's law of gravitation, derive how g changes with height and depth, calculate gravitational potential energy, escape velocity and orbital velocity, and compare geostationary and polar satellites.
Read articleCalculate moments of inertia with the parallel and perpendicular axis theorems, apply torque equals moment of inertia times angular acceleration, use conservation of angular momentum, and analyse rolling motion and its kinetic energy.
Read articleLocate the centre of mass of particle systems and symmetric rigid bodies, define torque and angular momentum as cross products and relate them, and state the conditions for mechanical equilibrium of a rigid body.
Read articleCalculate average and instantaneous power, analyse elastic and perfectly inelastic collisions in one dimension using momentum and energy, and solve oblique collisions by conserving momentum along two perpendicular directions.
Read articleCalculate work done by constant and variable forces and use the work-energy theorem, apply conservation of mechanical energy with kinetic and potential energy, and find the elastic potential energy stored in a spring.
Read articleDistinguish static, kinetic and rolling friction and apply the laws of friction, derive the maximum safe speed on level and banked roads, and use Newton's second law for vertical circles and conical pendulums.
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