AQA P1 Revision

2011
Specification

Infrared
Radiation

Kinetic
Theory

Energy
Transfer by
Heating

Heating
and
Insulating
Buildings

Energy
Transfers
and
Efficiency

Transferrin
g Electrical
Energy

Generating
Electricity

The
National
Grid

Waves

Sound

Red Shift
and the Big
Bang
Theory

Reflection

Infrared Radiation
a) All objects emit and absorb infrared radiation.
b) The hotter an object is the more infrared radiation it
radiates in a given time.
c) Dark, matt surfaces are good absorbers and good
emitters of infrared radiation.
d) Light, shiny surfaces are poor absorbers and poor
emitters of infrared radiation.
e) Light, shiny surfaces are good reflectors of infrared
radiation.

Emitting Infrared Radiation

All objects emit (give out) some thermal radiation.
Certain surfaces are better at emitting thermal
radiation than others.

worst emitter

best emitter
matt
black

white

silver

Matt black surfaces are the best emitters of

radiation.
Shiny surfaces are the worst emitters of
radiation.
Which type of kettle would cool down
faster:
a black kettle or a shiny metallic kettle?

Absorbing Infrared Radiation

Infrared waves heat objects that absorb (take in)
them.

worst emitter

best emitter
matt
black

best absorber

white

silver
worst absorber

Matt black surfaces are the best absorbers of

radiation.
Shiny surfaces are the worst emitters
because they reflect most of the
radiation away.
Why are solar panels that are used for
heating water covered in a black outer
layer?

Infrared Radiation Exam

Questions

Kinetic Theory
a) The use of kinetic theory to explain the different
states of matter.
b) The particles of solids, liquids and gases have
different amounts of energy.

Kinetic Theory
As you heat a substance, the heat energy is transferred to
the particles in the substance as kinetic energy.
This causes the particles to move further apart,
decreasing the density of the substance.

Kinetic Theory
A loss of heat energy will cause the opposite effect.

Kinetic Theory Exam Questions

Energy Transfer by Heating

a) The transfer of energy by conduction, convection,
evaporation and condensation involves particles, and
how this transfer takes place.
b) The factors that affect the rate of evaporation and
condensation.
c) The rate at which an object transfers energy by
heating depends on:

surface area and volume

the material from which the object is made
the nature of the surface with which the object is in contact.

d) The bigger the temperature difference between an

object and its surroundings, the faster the rate at
which energy is transferred by heating.

Energy Transfer by Heating

solid

liquid

gas

Particles that are very close together can transfer

heat energy as they vibrate. This type of heat
transfer is called conduction.
Conduction is the method of heat transfer in
solids but not liquids and gases.

Energy Transfer by Heating

Warmer regions of a fluid
are less dense than
cooler regions of the same
fluid.warmer regions will
The
rise because they are less
dense.
The cooler regions will
sink as they are more
dense.
This is how heat transfer
takes place in fluids and is
called convection.
The steady flow between
the warm and cool
sections of a fluid, such
as
air or
water, is
called
a convection
current.

Energy Transfer by Heating

The Earth is warmed by heat energy from the Sun.

How does this heat energy travel from the Sun to the Earth?

infrared
waves
There are no particles
between the Sun and
the Earth, so the heat
cannot travel by
conduction or by
convection.

The heat travels to

Earth by infrared
waves. These are
similar to light waves
and are able to travel
through empty space.

Energy Transfer by Heating

How is a vacuum flask able to
keep hot drinks hot and cold
drinks cold? 2. The plastic (or cork) lid is
an insulator and the screw
top prevents convection
currents escaping from
the flask.
1. There is a vacuum
between two layers of
glass or steel, which
prevents heat leaving or
entering by
3. conduction.
The walls have silvery
surfaces, which prevent
entering
by or
heat leaving
radiation.

Energy Transfer by Heating

Heat loss through
evaporation.

Energy Transfer by Heating Quick

Quiz

Energy Transfer by Heating Exam

Questions

Energy Transfer by Heating Exam

Questions

Heating and Insulating Buildings

a) U-values measure how effective a material is as an
insulator.
b) The lower the U-value, the better the material is as
an insulator.
c) Solar panels may contain water that is heated by
radiation from the Sun. This water may then be used
to heat buildings or provide domestic hot water.
d) The specific heat capacity of a substance is the
amount of energy required to change the
temperature of one kilogram of the substance by one
degree
Celsius.
Energy
transferred = mass x specific heat capacity x
temperature change

Heating and Insulating Buildings

A thermogram shows the distribution of heat over the
surface of a house. It highlights where heat is being
lost.
The white, yellow and
red areas are the
warmest, so these are
the worst insulated
parts
of the
The blue
andhouse.
green
areas are the coolest,
so these are the best
insulated parts of the
house.

Heating and Insulating Buildings

Heating and Insulating Buildings

The specific heat capacity of a material is the
amount of energy required to raise 1 kg of the
material by 1 C.
It can be used to work out how much energy is
needed to raise the temperature of a material by a
certain amount:

energ =mass x specific heatxtemperature

capacity
change
y
Energy is measured in joules (J).
Mass is measured in kilograms (kg).

Temperature change is measured in

C.
pecific heat capacity is measured in J/kgC.

Heating and Insulating Buildings

Using the specific heat capacity of water
(4200 J/kgC), how much energy is needed
to increase the temperature of 600 g of
water by 80C in a kettle?
Note: mass = 600 g =
0.6 kg

energ = mass xspecific heatxtemperature

capacity
change
y
energy = 0.6 x 4200
x 80
=

201 600 J

Heating and Insulating Buildings Exam

Questions

Energy Transfers and Efficiency

a) Energy can be transferred usefully, stored, or
dissipated, but cannot be created or destroyed.
b) When energy is transferred only part of it may be
usefully transferred, the rest is wasted.
c) Wasted energy is eventually transferred to the
surroundings, which become warmer. The wasted
energy becomes increasingly spread out and so
becomes less useful.
d) To calculate the efficiency of a device using:

Useful Energy Output

Efficiency=
X 100
Total Energy Input

Energy Transfers and Efficiency

The energy efficiency of a device can be calculated
using this formula:

useful output energy

energy efficiency =
total input energy
Useful energy is measured in joules (J).
Total energy is measured in joules (J).
Energy efficiency does not have any units.
It is a number between 0 and 1 which can
be converted into a percentage by
multiplying by 100.

Energy Transfers and Efficiency

All the energy transfers
(useful and wasted) that
are associated with a
device can be
represented by a
Sankey
A Sankeydiagram.
diagram uses
arrows to represent all
the output energies.
The thickness of each
arrow is proportional to
the amount of energy
involved at that stage.

Filament light bulb

100 J
10 J
electrical
light
energy
energy
(input)
(output)
90 J
heat energy
(wasted)
Energy efficient light bulb
20 J
10 J
electrical
light
energy
energy
(input)
10 J (output)
heat energy
(wasted)

Energy Transfers and Efficiency Exam

Questions

Transferring Electrical Energy

a) Examples of energy transfers that everyday
electrical appliances are designed to bring about.
b) The amount of energy an appliance transfers
depends on how long the appliance is switched on and
its power.
c) To calculate the amount of energy transferred from
the mains using:
Energy transferred = power x time
d) To calculate the cost of mains electricity given the
cost per kilowatt-hour.

Transferring Electrical Energy

The amount of electrical energy (i.e. the amount of
electricity) used by an appliance depends on its power
and how long
the electricity is used for.

electrical energy = power x

time

Power is measured in kilowatts (kW) and the time is

measured in hours (h), so what are the units of
electricity measured in?
1 unit of electricity = 1 unit of
= 1 kilowatt hour
electrical energy
(kWh)
Example:
How many units of electricity is 17.6 kWh?
17.6
units

Transferring Electrical Energy

Electricity costs money, which
is why every home has an
electricity meter.
The meter records how
much electricity is used in a
house in units of electrical
energy.
The units of electrical energy
are called kilowatt hours
(kWh).
The cost of an electricity bill is calculated from the
number of units used.

Transferring Electrical Energy

The cost of electricity is the number of units of
electrical energy multiplied by the cost per unit.

cost = number of units x cost

per unit
Example:
How much would 10 units of electricity cost at a
price of 9p per unit?

cost = 10 units x 9 p/unit

= 90 p

Transferring Electrical Energy

A kettle uses 45.2 kWh of
energy.
If electricity costs 10 p per unit,
how much does it cost to use
the kettle?

Number of units:
mber of units of electricity = number of kilowatt hour
= 45.2 units

Cost of electricity:
ost = number of units x cost per unit
= 45.2 units x 10 p / unit
= 452 p or 4.52

Transferring Electrical Energy Exam

Questions

Transferring Electrical Energy Exam

Questions