Recall that communications systems can be broken down into a number of blocks, each having a specific function.

Recall the terms used for various building blocks and their associated functions...

Understand the terms attenuation and noise and how both can affect the quality of the received signal.

Understand the difference between analogue and digital signals.

Describe the advantages of using digital signals over analogue signals.

Understand the physical principles of a variety of transducers, including a moving coil loudspeaker, moving coil microphone, erase, record, and playback heads of a tape recorder, LDR and photodiode, LED and diode-laser'.

Recall the different methods of storage and retrieval of information, including CD players, record players, magnetic tape.

Recall a brief history of the development of sending and receiving information.

Recall the nature of radio waves and understand how refraction, reflection, diffraction, and interference affect the quality of received signals.

Recall that transmitted radio waves can reach the receiver as ground, sky, or space waves, and recall the typical frequency ranges associated with these waves.

Recall the part played by the ionosphere in reflecting radio waves.

Describe, by suitable diagrams, the pathways of line of sight [this should really be ground waves - RCS] radio waves, sky waves, and space waves.

Recall the relationships between wave speed, frequency, and wavelength.

Recall that amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM) are used in radio communications and understand the difference between them.

Recall that AM signals have a greater range and are more susceptible to noise than FM signals.

Recall the difference between passive and active satellites.

Describe the different uses for satellite communications systems.

Explain the importance to telecommunications of geostationary satellites.

Understand the connection between the Earth’s spin and the use of monitoring satellites placed in low polar orbits.

Use the quantitative relationship between orbital speed, orbital radius and time period.

Use the quantitative relationship between centripetal acceleration, orbital speed, and radius.

Understand the role of the gravitational force of the Earth as the centripetal force on the satellite.

Explain the condition required for a satellite to remain in orbit.

Use the quantitative relationship between the force acting on a satellite, mass, orbital speed, and radius.

Understand that an increase in temperature results in an increase in the speed of gas molecules.

Understand that the Kelvin temperature of the gas is proportional to the average kinetic energy of the gas molecules.

Understand that there is an absolute zero of temperature that is -273ºC.

Describe the Kelvin scale of temperature and be able to convert between the Kelvin and Celsius scales.

Explain the pressure exerted by a gas in terms of the motion of its molecules.

Describe the qualitative relationship between pressure and Kelvin temperature for a gas in a sealed container.

Use the quantitative relationship between the pressure and the Kelvin temperature:

Understand that, in atoms, electrons have discrete energy values (energy levels)

Understand that an atom will emit (absorb) light when an electron drops (rises) from one energy level into a lower (higher) level.

Understand that the light energy emitted (absorbed) is equal to the energy transferred from (to) the electron.

Describe the results of Geiger and Marsden’s experiments with gold foil and a -particles.

Describe Rutherford’s nuclear model of the atom and how it accounts for the results of the Geiger-Marsden experiment.

Understand the factors (charge and speed) that affect the deflection of a -particles by a nucleus.

Recall the qualitative features of the curve obtained when the number of neutrons (N) is plotted against the number of protons (Z) for stable isotopes.

Understand that if an isotope does not lie on this curve it will be unstable and radioactive.

Recall that an isotope that lies above the curve has too many neutrons to be stable and will undergo b ^--decay (emit an electron).

Understand that in the process of b ^--decay a neutron becomes a proton plus an electron.

Recall that an isotope that lies below the curve has too few neutrons to be stable and will undergo b ⁺-decay (emit a positron).

Understand that in the process of b ⁺-decay a proton becomes a neutron plus a proton.

Describe the effects on the proton and nucleon numbers of a nucleus of b ^-- and b ⁺-decay.

Understand that a nucleus of U-235 can be split (fission) by collision with a neutron and that this process releases energy.

Recall that the fission of U-235 produces two daughter nuclei and a small number of neutrons.

Understand that a chain reaction can be set up if the neutrons produced by one fission strike other U-235 nuclei.

Describe in outline how the fission process can be used as an energy source to generate electricity.

Understand that the products of nuclear fission are radioactive and the implications this has for their safe storage.

Recall that nuclei with greater than 82 protons undergo a -decay.

Recall that as a result of a - or b -decay a nucleus often undergoes rearrangement with a loss of energy as g -radiation.

Use the quantitative relationship between energy released, mass change and the speed of light;

Recall that the electron is a fundamental, negatively charged particle.

Recall that the positron is a fundamental, positively charged particle with the same mass as the electron.

Recall that there are two types of quark in protons and neutrons, and that b -decay occurs when one quark changes to another type.

Understand that electrons are "boiled off" hot filaments.

Understand the principles of a simple electron gun with a heated cathode and accelerated anode.

Use the quantitative relationship between kinetic energy gained, electronic charge, and accelerating voltage.

Recall that a beam of electrons is equivalent to an electric current.

Perform simple calculations involving the rate of flow of electrons and the current, given the electronic charge.

Understand that an electron beam can be deflected by the electric field between parallel charged metal plates.

Understand the principal uses of electron beams.

Understand how an oscilloscope can be used to measure voltage and frequency.

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