CIE AS Physics Paper 2 Notes

Updated on 15/2/2019

Patapee Lohprasert (pete.lohh@gmail.com)

Mechanical Engineering Department, Imperial College London
 Contents
1 Physical quantities and units ................................................................................................................. 1

2 Measurement techniques ....................................................................................................................... 1

3 Kinematics .................................................................................................................................................... 1

4 Dynamics ...................................................................................................................................................... 2

5 Forces, density and pressure ................................................................................................................. 2

6 Work, Energy and Power ........................................................................................................................ 3

9 Deformation of Solid................................................................................................................................ 3

14 Waves ............................................................................................................................................................. 3

16 Superposition .............................................................................................................................................. 4

17 Electric Fields ............................................................................................................................................... 5

19 Current of electricity ................................................................................................................................. 5

20 D.C. circuits................................................................................................................................................... 6

26 Particle and nuclear physics .................................................................................................................. 7

Key Points and Definitions
[AN] Author’s Notes

** Key Points that are not “definitions” eg. ‘define...’ ‘what is meant by…’
(**The topic numbers below are according to the 2019-2021 Syllabus and the definition and key
points are all from the mark scheme up to June 2018)
https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Images/329533-2019-2021-syllabus.pdf

1 Physical quantities and units

Scalar Quantity: has magnitude only

Vector Quantity: has magnitude and direction

2 Measurement techniques
Systematic errors: constant error (in all readings) // cannot be eliminated by averaging

// error in measuring instrument

Random errors: readings scattered (equally) about the true value // error due to

observer // can be eliminated by averaging

Precision: smallest scale division of instrument

Accuracy: how close are the readings to the true value

3 Kinematics
Velocity: rate of change in displacement
**Velocity is the gradient of the displacement time graph

Acceleration: rate of change in velocity

**Acceleration is the gradient of the velocity time graph

Difference between distance and displacement: distance is scalar, and displacement is

vector. Displacement is the shortest distance between two points, distance is the sum of

the lengths moved.

**Displacement is the area under graph of velocity time graph

[AN] You should also know the all the SUVAT equations for this part (Remember all of them,
don’t waste time to derive them).
 4 Dynamics
Newton’s first law: a body remains at rest or at constant velocity unless acted on by a

resultant external force

Newton’s second law: Force =rate of change in momentum (Also the definition of force)
𝑚𝑣−𝑚𝑢 𝑣−𝑢
**𝐹 = = 𝑚( ) = 𝑚𝑎 !! (F = ma)
𝑡 𝑡

Newton’s third law: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction

Weight: weight is the force due to the gravitational field // force due to gravity or
gravitational force

**𝑊 = 𝑚𝑔

Principle of conservation of momentum: Total momentum before the collision is equal

to the total momentum after the collision when there is no resultant external force acting
/ in an isolated system

**Although momentum is always conserved, Kinetic energy my change to other form

of energy, hence energy lost from the system

Elastic collision: Total kinetic energy before collision is equal to the total kinetic energy
after the collision // relative speed of approach = relative speed of separation

5 Forces, density and pressure

Centre of gravity: the point where all the weight of the body is considered to act
Center of mass: the point on an object where all its mass is considered to act
Principle of moments: the sum of the clockwise moments about a point is equal to the

sum of anticlockwise moments about the same point

Moment of a force: product of force and the perpendicular distance from a pivot

Torque of a couple: one of the forces times by the perpendicular distance between the

forces.

Equilibrium: no resultant force and moment (torque)

Density: mass / volume

Mass: Quantity of matter in a body // property in a body resisting changes in motion

Pressure: Force per unit area (normal to the force)

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