Description

This book covers the Physics content specified in the Victorian Certificate of Education Physics Study Design. Sample data has been included for suggested experiments to give you practice to  reinforce practical work in class.
Each book in the Surfing series contains a summary, with occasional more detailed sections, of all the mandatory parts of the syllabus, along with questions and answers.
All types of questions – multiple choice, short response, structured response and free response – are provided.
Questions are written in exam style so that you will become familiar with the concepts of the topic and answering questions in the required way.
Answers to all questions are included.
A topic test at the end of the book contains an extensive set of summary questions. These cover every aspect of the topic, and are useful for revision and exam practice.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Words to Watch
Area of Study 1 How Can Thermal Effects Be Explained?
1 Major Temperature Scales
2 Temperature and the Kinetic Theory – Revision
3 Temperature and the Kinetic Theory
4 The Laws of Thermodynamics
5 Work Done and Internal Heat Energy
6 Heat Conduction
7 Heat Convection
8 Heat Radiation
9 An Experiment on Heat Radiation
10 Analysing Heat Energy Transfer – 1
11 Analysing Heat Energy Transfer – 2
12 Changes of State and Latent Energy
13 The Electromagnetic Spectrum
14 The Brightness of Stars
15 Black Body Radiation and Star Colours
16 Wien’s Displacement Law
17 Energy from the Sun
18 Convection in the Mantle
19 Energy and Weather
20 The Greenhouse Effect
21 Human Effects on the Greenhouse Effect
22 Impacts of the Enhanced Greenhouse Effect
23 Issues Related to Thermodynamics – Research
Area of Study 2 How do Electric Circuits Work?
24 Revising Electrostatic Charges
25 The Charge Model for Electric Currents
26 Electrical Potential Difference 1
27 Electrical Potential Difference 2
28 Modelling Current and Potential Difference
29 Resistance – A Practical Analysis
30 Ohmic and Non Ohmic Conductors
31 Symbols, Open and Closed Circuits
32 Resistors in Series and Parallel 1
33 Using Ammeters
34 Using Voltmeters
35 Using Multimeters
36 Potential Around a Circuit
37 Resistors in Series – Analysing an Experiment
38 Resistors in Series
39 Resistors in Parallel – Analysing an Experiment
40 Resistors in Parallel 1
41 Resistors in Parallel 2
42 Resistors in Series and Parallel 2
43 Transforming Electrical Energy – Transducers
44 Transforming Electrical Energy
45 Electrical Power
46 Potentiometers
47 Diodes and Light Emitting Diodes
48 Thermistors
49 Light Dependent Resistors
50 Electrical Circuits in Homes
51 Comparing Safety Devices in Circuits
52 Electric Shock
What is Matter and How Is It Formed?
53 Ideas Leading to the Big Bang Theory
54 The Big Bang Theory
55 Evidence for the Big Bang
56 Scientific Notation
57 Ranges of Size in the Universe – Temperature and Mass
58 Ranges of Size in the Universe – Distance and Time
59 Revising Particles of Matter
60 The Nuclear Model of the Atom
61 Isotopes of Elements
62 The Strong Nuclear Force
63 Nuclear Decay
64 Why Some Nuclei Decay
65 Writing Equations for Nuclear Decay Reactions
66 The Half-life of Nuclides
67 Analysing a Half-life Experiment
68 The Standard Model of Matter
69 Components of the Standard Model
70 More About Quarks
71 More About Leptons
72 More About Bosons
73 New Particles Discovered
74 The Higgs Boson
75 Nuclear Reactions and Mass Defect
76 Nuclear Reactions
77 Nuclear Fission and Fusion Reactions
78 Uranium-238 Decay Series
79 The Source of Electromagnetic Radiation
Topic Test
Answers
Data Sheet
Periodic Table
Index