GCSE AQA Physics (Higher Tier) – Essential Notes
Energy
• Energy stores: kinetic, gravitational potential, elastic potential, chemical,
thermal, magnetic, electrostatic, nuclear.
• Conservation of energy: energy cannot be created or destroyed.
• Work done = energy transferred.
Equations:
• Kinetic energy: Ek = 1/2 m v²
• GPE: Ep = m g h
• Elastic energy: Ee = 1/2 k e²
• Work done: W = F s
• Power: P = E/t or P = W/t
• Efficiency = useful output / total input
Electricity
• Charge flow: Q = I t
• Potential difference: V = E/Q
• Resistance: R = V/I
• Series circuits: current same, P.D. splits.
• Parallel circuits: P.D. same, current splits.
• Power: P = I V and P = I² R
• Energy transfer: E = P t and E = Q V
Diagram (Series Circuit):
(+) ───(V)───(R1)───(R2)─── (−)
Diagram (Parallel Circuit):
(+) ───┬──(R1)──┬── (−)
└──(R2)──┘
