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GCSE Physics


Master GCSE Physics with our interactive study cards designed for effective learning. These flashcards use proven spaced repetition techniques to help you memorize key concepts, definitions, and facts. Perfect for students, professionals, and lifelong learners seeking to improve knowledge retention and ace exams through active recall practice.


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What is the equation for speed?

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Answer:

Speed = distance ÷ time

What is the unit for speed?

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Answer:

Metres per second (m/s)

What is velocity?

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Answer:

Speed in a given direction

What is acceleration?

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Answer:

The rate of change of velocity

What is the equation for acceleration?

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Answer:

Acceleration = change in velocity ÷ time

What is the unit for acceleration?

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Answer:

Metres per second squared (m/s²)

What is the equation linking acceleration distance and velocity?

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Answer:

v² = u² + 2as

What does each letter represent in v² = u² + 2as?

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Answer:

v=final velocity u=initial velocity a=acceleration s=distance

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What is a scalar quantity?

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Answer:

A quantity with magnitude only

What is a vector quantity?

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Answer:

A quantity with both magnitude and direction

Name three scalar quantities

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Answer:

Speed and distance and mass

Name three vector quantities

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Answer:

Velocity and displacement and force

What is Newton's first law?

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Answer:

An object at rest stays at rest unless acted on by a force

What is Newton's second law?

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Answer:

Force equals mass times acceleration

What is the equation for Newton's second law?

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Answer:

F = ma

What is Newton's third law?

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Answer:

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction

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What is weight?

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Answer:

The force of gravity acting on an object

What is the equation for weight?

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Answer:

Weight = mass × gravitational field strength

What is the unit for weight?

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Answer:

Newtons (N)

What is the difference between mass and weight?

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Answer:

Mass is amount of matter; weight is gravitational force

What is the gravitational field strength on Earth?

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Answer:

10 N/kg

What is momentum?

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Answer:

The product of mass and velocity

What is the equation for momentum?

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Answer:

Momentum = mass × velocity

What is the unit for momentum?

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Answer:

Kilogram metres per second (kg m/s)

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What is the conservation of momentum?

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Answer:

Total momentum before collision equals total momentum after

What is stopping distance?

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Answer:

Thinking distance plus braking distance

What is thinking distance?

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Answer:

Distance travelled while driver reacts

What is braking distance?

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Answer:

Distance travelled while brakes are applied

What factors affect thinking distance?

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Answer:

Speed and alcohol and drugs and tiredness

What factors affect braking distance?

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Answer:

Speed and road conditions and tire condition and brake condition

What is work done?

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Answer:

Energy transferred when a force moves an object

What is the equation for work done?

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Answer:

Work done = force × distance moved

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What is the unit for work done?

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Answer:

Joules (J)

What is power?

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Answer:

The rate of energy transfer

What is the equation for power?

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Answer:

Power = energy transferred ÷ time

What is the unit for power?

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Answer:

Watts (W)

What is kinetic energy?

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Answer:

Energy due to motion

What is the equation for kinetic energy?

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Answer:

KE = ½mv²

What is gravitational potential energy?

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Answer:

Energy due to position in a gravitational field

What is the equation for gravitational potential energy?

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Answer:

GPE = mgh

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What is the principle of conservation of energy?

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Answer:

Energy cannot be created or destroyed only transferred

What is efficiency?

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Answer:

The fraction of input energy that is usefully transferred

What is the equation for efficiency?

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Answer:

Efficiency = useful energy output ÷ total energy input

How do you calculate percentage efficiency?

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Answer:

Efficiency × 100%

What is density?

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Answer:

Mass per unit volume

What is the equation for density?

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Answer:

Density = mass ÷ volume

What is the unit for density?

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Answer:

Kilograms per cubic metre (kg/m³)

What is pressure?

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Answer:

Force per unit area

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What is the equation for pressure?

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Answer:

Pressure = force ÷ area

What is the unit for pressure?

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Answer:

Pascals (Pa) or Newtons per square metre (N/m²)

What is the pressure in fluids equation?

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Answer:

Pressure = height × density × gravitational field strength

What causes pressure in fluids?

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Answer:

The weight of the fluid above

What is upthrust?

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Answer:

Upward force exerted by a fluid on an object

What is Archimedes' principle?

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Answer:

Upthrust equals weight of fluid displaced

What is current?

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Answer:

The flow of electric charge

What is the equation for current?

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Answer:

Current = charge ÷ time

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What is the unit for current?

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Answer:

Amperes (A)

What is voltage?

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Answer:

Energy per unit charge

What is the unit for voltage?

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Answer:

Volts (V)

What is resistance?

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Answer:

Opposition to current flow

What is the unit for resistance?

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Answer:

Ohms (Ω)

What is Ohm's law?

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Answer:

Voltage = current × resistance

What is the equation for Ohm's law?

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Answer:

V = IR

What is power in electrical circuits?

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Answer:

Rate of energy transfer in the circuit

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What are the equations for electrical power?

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Answer:

P = IV and P = I²R and P = V²/R

What is the equation for energy transferred in circuits?

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Answer:

Energy = power × time

How do you calculate total resistance in series?

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Answer:

Add all resistances together

How do you calculate total resistance in parallel?

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Answer:

1/Rtotal = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3

What happens to current in a series circuit?

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Answer:

Current is the same throughout

What happens to voltage in a series circuit?

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Answer:

Voltage is shared between components

What happens to current in a parallel circuit?

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Answer:

Current splits between branches

What happens to voltage in a parallel circuit?

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Answer:

Voltage is the same across each branch

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What is direct current?

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Answer:

Current that flows in one direction only

What is alternating current?

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Answer:

Current that changes direction regularly

What frequency is UK mains electricity?

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Answer:

50 Hz

What voltage is UK mains electricity?

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Answer:

230 V

What is the live wire?

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Answer:

Wire that carries current at 230V

What is the neutral wire?

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Answer:

Wire that completes the circuit at 0V

What is the earth wire?

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Answer:

Safety wire that prevents electric shock

What color is the live wire?

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Answer:

Brown

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What color is the neutral wire?

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Answer:

Blue

What color is the earth wire?

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Answer:

Green and yellow striped

What is a magnetic field?

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Answer:

Region where magnetic materials experience a force

What is the right-hand rule for motors?

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Answer:

Thumb=motion; First finger=field; Middle finger=current

What is electromagnetic induction?

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Answer:

Generation of voltage when conductor moves in magnetic field

What increases induced voltage?

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Answer:

Stronger magnet and faster movement and more turns of wire

What is a transformer?

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Answer:

Device that changes voltage using electromagnetic induction

What is the transformer equation?

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Answer:

V1/V2 = N1/N2

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What is a step-up transformer?

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Answer:

Increases voltage and decreases current

What is a step-down transformer?

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Answer:

Decreases voltage and increases current

What are the advantages of high voltage transmission?

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Answer:

Reduces energy loss in power lines

What is a wave?

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Answer:

Transfer of energy without transfer of matter

What is amplitude?

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Answer:

Maximum displacement from rest position

What is wavelength?

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Answer:

Distance between two identical points on consecutive waves

What is frequency?

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Answer:

Number of waves passing a point per second

What is the unit for frequency?

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Answer:

Hertz (Hz)

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What is the wave equation?

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Answer:

Wave speed = frequency × wavelength

What is the relationship between frequency and period?

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Answer:

Frequency = 1 ÷ period

What is reflection?

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Answer:

Bouncing of waves off a surface

What is refraction?

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Answer:

Bending of waves when entering different medium

What causes refraction?

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Answer:

Change in wave speed in different medium

What is the electromagnetic spectrum?

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Answer:

Family of electromagnetic waves

List the electromagnetic spectrum in order of increasing frequency

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Answer:

Radio waves and microwaves and infrared and visible light and ultraviolet and X-rays and gamma rays

What is the speed of electromagnetic waves in vacuum?

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Answer:

300000000 m/s (3 × 10⁸ m/s)

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What are the uses of radio waves?

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Answer:

Communication and broadcasting

What are the uses of microwaves?

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Answer:

Cooking and satellite communication

What are the uses of infrared?

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Answer:

Thermal imaging and remote controls

What are the uses of ultraviolet?

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Answer:

Security marking and killing bacteria

What are the uses of X-rays?

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Answer:

Medical imaging and security scanning

What are the uses of gamma rays?

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Answer:

Medical treatment and sterilizing food

What are the dangers of ionizing radiation?

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Answer:

Can cause cancer and cell damage

What is half-life?

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Answer:

Time for half the radioactive nuclei to decay

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What is background radiation?

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Answer:

Radiation that exists naturally in environment

What is nuclear fission?

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Answer:

Splitting of large nuclei releasing energy

What is nuclear fusion?

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Answer:

Joining of small nuclei releasing energy

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