Physics: the fundamental science

- Outline the concept of a force and different types of force
- Describe energy and momentum conservation
- State the nature of planetary orbits, the concept of gravitational attraction and its variation in strength over distance and the possible nature of gravity
- Explain the concept of simple harmonic motion, give examples of oscillators and how they differ from each other
- Define what a wave is and describe its properties, how harmonics are produced and resonance
- Describe how sound is propagated, how we perceive sound, sound effects in different environments and list practical applications of sound.
- Explain how electricity works and the nature of charge
- Outline the concept of thermal equilibrium, how materials behave at different temperatures and how heat transfers in a system
- State the fundamental law of entropy in the Universe
- Explain the nature of magnetic materials and the magnetic force
- State what light consists of, describe the wave-particle duality of light, how light moves through different media and how it behaves when interacting with matter
- List different types of light and practical applications of light
- Describe the finite speed of light
- Describe Einstein's theory of relativity
- Describe the concept of general relativity and its relevance in everyday life.
- Outline the fundamental principles of the microscopic world and quantisation
- Describe the properties of atomic nuclei, the nature of radioactivity and how it works
- List practical applications of radioactivity.