It is obvious to say that hot objects emit (give off) both visible light (a glow) and heat (that we can feel but not actually see). This is true of bonfires, light-bulbs and even our Sun. The connection between heat and light is taken completely for granted in everyday life: the glow of a hot … Continue reading Light and Heat
Energy Sources
You must be able to describe and compare the Earth's major energy sources that are used for generating electricity. To help you structure clear answers to exam questions of this type I suggest that you use the SLAP! approach. SLAP! is my acronym to help you to remember the things you should think about when … Continue reading Energy Sources
Calculating KE & GPE
By the end of your GCSE Physics course you will be able to calculate four different types of energy; kinetic, gravitational, electrical and strain. At this stage, however, we will limit ourselves to the first two. Kinetic energy (KE) is the energy that is stored by moving objects. We are only interested in objects that … Continue reading Calculating KE & GPE
Levers and Gears
We have covered the theory of work done so now it’s time to look at some simple machines that trade force against distance to make tasks easier than they would otherwise be. In this post we will look at levers and gears, which "magnify" forces by moving a smaller force through a larger distance. This … Continue reading Levers and Gears
Energy is not Power!
Suppose that two identical twins decide to go upstairs in their house: one twin runs up the stairs whereas the other twin walks up the stairs. Which twin transfers the greatest amount of energy? Almost everybody says the twin who runs transfers more energy because she goes faster. This is a common misconception. In fact, … Continue reading Energy is not Power!
Work Done and GPE
The basics of energy stores and transfers are covered in a separate post (click here to refresh your memory if necessary). We now need to think specifically about ways in which energy can be transferred by the action of forces. For the purposes of GCSE Physics, we will restrict our thoughts to mechanical forces but … Continue reading Work Done and GPE
Energy Stores and Transfers
Energy is the property of a system that enables it to do work. This is often stated bluntly as; “energy makes thing work”. There is a fundamental law in physics, which states that the total amount of energy in a system always remains constant. Energy cannot be created and it cannot be destroyed. Energy can, … Continue reading Energy Stores and Transfers
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