Fundamentals of Physics and Nuclear Science

📋 Course Outline

1. Energy stores, transfers and equations
2. Electricity, circuits and mains power
3. Particle model and density
4. Atomic structure and nuclear radiation

📖 1. Energy stores, transfers and equations

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Kinetic energy: Kinetic energy is the energy a moving object has due to its speed.
• Gravitational potential energy: Gravitational potential energy is the energy an object has because of its height in a gravitational field.
• Thermal energy transfer: Thermal energy transfer is energy moved because of a temperature difference, often described using heating equations.
• Efficiency: Efficiency is the fraction of total energy input that becomes useful output energy.

📝 Essential Points

• Kinetic energy is given by $KE=\tfrac{1}{2}mv^2$ where $m$ is mass and $v$ is speed.
• Gravitational potential energy changes with height as $GPE=mgh$ where $g$ is gravitational field strength.
• Specific heat capacity links energy transfer to temperature rise using $\Delta E=mc\Delta\theta$.
• Latent heat uses $\Delta E=mL$ for the energy transferred during a change of state.
• Electric and nuclear energy are transferred via electricity and radiation, respectively, while mechanical transfer and heating also occur.
• Efficiency is calculated as useful energy divided by total energy, matching the exam equation form useful/total.

💡 Memory Hook

KE grows with $v^2$; if speed doubles, kinetic energy becomes 4×.