Using Equations in P1

Learning Objectives
All to understand how to use the P1
equations sheet confidently
Most to be able to use all the
equations confidently
Some to be able to rearrange
equations

You will need

A calculator
Page 21 from AQA-PHYS-W-SQP-1H
(the equation sheet)
A copy of the
P1 Practice Equations Sheet
Paper and a pen/pencil

P1 Equation Sheet
One of the
scariest things
that people face
in their Physics
exam is the
equation sheet!
But it is a tool
and is nothing to
be scared of!

Golden Rules
Read the Question! - By reading not
reading the question properly students will
often panic and think it is much harder
than it actually is.
Highlight the key terms when
highlighting the key terms it is much easier
to identify the right equations
Show your workings you can get at least
1 mark for showing you workings (even if
you get the answer wrong)

Reading the sheet

First look at what
the symbols mean
by looking at the
right hand boxes
Make note of the
key word and try
and identify the
correct units for
these words

The different equations

Specific Heat Capacity

y Transferred = mass x specific heat capacity x temperature

10 x 510 x 50 = 2550000 J
0

= 50OC

Questions

Material

Specific Heat
Capacity

Water

4200

Cooking oil

1200

Aluminium

880

Copper

380

1. A bath tub contains 15kg of water at a

temperature of 18C. How much energy is needed
to bring the water to 35C?
2. A chip pan contains 2kg of cooking oil at a
temperature of 18C. How much energy is needed
to bring the oil to 220C?
3. A copper pan weighs 5kg and is at room
temperature (24C). How much energy is required

Efficiency

Both these equations are used to work out the

efficiency of electrical devices as a percentage.
One used energy and one uses power but both
work out efficiency.

Energy is measured
Joule
in
Joules
s

Megajoules

13.
5
15

(x100) 90%
=
Joule
s
Watts

Calculate
the Efficiency

Efficiency (%) =

Total input energy

2.

1.
1000J
Electric
al

Useful output energy

X100

Toaster

800J
Heat

400J
Electric
al

Torch

50J Light

200J Light

4.

3.
567J
Electric
al

350J
Heat

Electric
Fan

____J
Kinetic

323J
Sound

4543J
Chemic
al

Car

723J 734J
SoundKinetic

____J
Heat

Energy and Power

Energy Transferred = Power x Time

This equation can be used with two

sets of units.
Dont let this scare you! Its just as
easy both ways

Method 1 - Calculating
Energy

Energy = Power x Time

(Joules)

(Watts)

Power is measured in
Watts
How much energy is
transferred by a 200W
speaker on for 60

(Seconds)

Method 2 - Electrical
Companies
Electrical companies dont use joules
to work out the amount of electricity
used they use Kilowatt hours (kWh).

Energy = Power x Time

(Kilowatt
hours)
(kWh)

(Kilowatts) (Hours)
(h)
(kW)

1.2 x 2

= 2.4 kWh

Questions
1. How much energy is transferred by a
350W toaster in 30 seconds
2. How much energy is transferred by a
1000W electric heater in 60 seconds
3. If it takes 2hours to cook a chicken in 2kW
oven, how much energy is it transferring
to heat?
4. If it takes 3hours to mow a lawn uses a
4kw lawnmower, how much energy is it
transferring?

Wave speed equation

V=fx
Wave speed = frequency x wavelength

850 x 0.4 = 340 m/s

Complete these questions using the

wave speed equation
1. What is the speed of the wave if
the frequency is 100Hz and a
wavelength of 5m
2. What is the speed of the wave, if
the length is 10m and the frequency
is 32Hz
3. What is the speed of the wave, if
the is 111m and the frequency is
3.4Hz

Using the right equation

Half the battle when using the equation sheet is the

find the correct equation
Look at the question and underline the key scientific
words then look at the equation sheet to find the
right equations
Underline the key words on this question and work
out which equation to use

Using Equations Practice Worksheet

Try completing the
using equations
worksheet in the
folder