Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 PDF Syllabus 2023-2025

Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 syllabus for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Subject content 4.5 Electromagnetic effects 4.5.1 Electromagnetic induction Core Supplement 1 Know that a conductor moving acros...

Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 syllabus for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Subject content 4.5 Electromagnetic effects 4.5.1 Electromagnetic induction Core Supplement 1 Know that a conductor moving across a magnetic 4 Know that the direction of an induced e.m.f. field or a changing magnetic field linking with a opposes the change causing it conductor can induce an e.m.f. in the conductor 2 Describe an experiment to demonstrate 5 State and use the relative directions of force, electromagnetic induction field and induced current 3 State the factors affecting the magnitude of an induced e.m.f. 4.5.2 The a.c. generator Core Supplement 1 Describe a simple form of a.c. generator (rotating coil or rotating magnet) and the use of slip rings and brushes where needed 2 Sketch and interpret graphs of e.m.f. against time for simple a.c. generators and relate the position of the generator coil to the peaks, troughs and zeros of the e.m.f. 4.5.3 Magnetic effect of a current Core Supplement 1 Describe the pattern and direction of the 4 State the qualitative variation of the strength magnetic field due to currents in straight wires of the magnetic field around straight wires and and in solenoids solenoids 2 Describe an experiment to identify the pattern of the magnetic field (including direction) due to currents in straight wires and in solenoids 3 Describe how the magnetic effect of a current is used in relays and loudspeakers and give examples of their application 5 Describe the effect on the magnetic field around straight wires and solenoids of changing the magnitude and direction of the current 30 www.cambridgeinternational.org/igcse Back to contents page  Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 syllabus for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Subject content 4.5 Electromagnetic effects continued 4.5.4 Force on a current-carrying conductor Core Supplement 1 Describe an experiment to show that a force acts 2 Recall and use the relative directions of force, on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic magnetic field and current field, including the effect of reversing: (a) the current (b) the direction of the field 3 Determine the direction of the force on beams of charged particles in a magnetic field 4.5.5 The d.c. motor Core Supplement 1 Know that a current-carrying coil in a magnetic 2 Describe the operation of an electric motor, field may experience a turning effect and that the including the action of a split-ring commutator turning effect is increased by increasing: and brushes (a) the number of turns on the coil (b) the current (c) the strength of the magnetic field 4.5.6 The transformer Core Supplement 1 Describe the construction of a simple transformer 6 Explain the principle of operation of a simple with a soft iron core, as used for voltage iron-cored transformer transformations 2 Use the terms primary, secondary, step-up and step-down 3 Recall and use the equation 7 Recall and use the equation for 100% efficiency Vp Np in a transformer = Vs Ns IpVp = IsVs where p and s refer to primary and secondary where p and s refer to primary and secondary 4 Describe the use of transformers in high-voltage transmission of electricity 5 State the advantages of high-voltage 8 Recall and use the equation transmission P = I2R to explain why power losses in cables are smaller when the voltage is greater Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/igcse 31 Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 syllabus for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Subject content 5 Nuclear physics 5.1 The nuclear model of the atom 5.1.1 The atom Core Supplement 1 Describe the structure of an atom in terms of 3 Describe how the scattering of alpha (α) particles a positively charged nucleus and negatively by a sheet of thin metal supports the nuclear charged electrons in orbit around the nucleus model of the atom, by providing evidence for: (a) a very small nucleus surrounded by mostly empty space (b) a nucleus containing most of the mass of the atom (c) a nucleus that is positively charged 2 Know how atoms may form positive ions by losing electrons or form negative ions by gaining electrons 5.1.2 The nucleus Core Supplement 1 Describe the composition of the nucleus in terms of protons and neutrons 6 Describe the processes of nuclear fission and nuclear fusion as the splitting or joining of nuclei, to include the nuclide equation and qualitative description of mass and energy changes without values 2 State the relative charges of protons, neutrons and electrons as +1, 0 and –1 respectively 3 Define the terms proton number (atomic 7 Know the relationship between the proton number) Z and nucleon number (mass number) A number and the relative charge on a nucleus and be able to calculate the number of neutrons in a nucleus 8 Know the relationship between the nucleon number and the relative mass of a nucleus A 4 Use the nuclide notation Z X 5 Explain what is meant by an isotope and state that an element may have more than one isotope 32 www.cambridgeinternational.org/igcse Back to contents page  Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 syllabus for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Subject content 5.2 Radioactivity 5.2.1 Detection of radioactivity Core Supplement 1 Know what is meant by background radiation 2 Know the sources that make a significant contribution to background radiation including: (a) radon gas (in the air) (b) rocks and buildings (c) food and drink (d) cosmic rays 3 Know that ionising nuclear radiation can be measured using a detector connected to a counter 4 Use count rate measured in counts / s or 5 Use measurements of background radiation to counts / minute determine a corrected count rate 5.2.2 The three types of nuclear emission Core Supplement 1 Describe the emission of radiation from a nucleus as spontaneous and random in direction 2 Identify alpha (α), beta (β) and gamma (γ) 3 Describe the deflection of α-particles, β-particles emissions from the nucleus by recalling: and γ-radiation in electric fields and magnetic (a) their nature fields (b) their relative ionising effects (c) their relative penetrating abilities (β+ are not included, β-particles will be taken to refer to β–) 4 Explain their relative ionising effects with reference to: (a) kinetic energy (b) electric charge Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/igcse 33 Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 syllabus for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Subject content 5.2 Radioactivity continued 5.2.3 Radioactive decay Core Supplement 1 Know that radioactive decay is a change in an 3 Know that isotopes of an element may be unstable nucleus that can result in the emission radioactive due to an excess of neutrons in the of α-particles or β-particles and/or γ-radiation nucleus and/or the nucleus being too heavy and know that these changes are spontaneous and random 2 State that during α-decay or β-decay, the nucleus 4 Describe the effect of α-decay, β-decay and changes to that of a different element γ-emissions on the nucleus, including an increase in stability and a reduction in the number of excess neutrons; the following change in the nucleus occurs during β-emission neutron → proton + electron 5 Use decay equations, using nuclide notation, to show the emission of α-particles, β-particles and γ-radiation 5.2.4 Half-life Core Supplement 1 Define the half-life of a particular isotope 2 Calculate half-life from data or decay curves as the time taken for half the nuclei of that from which background radiation has not been isotope in any sample to decay; recall and use subtracted this definition in simple calculations, which might involve information in tables or decay curves (calculations will not include background radiation) 3 Explain how the type of radiation emitted and the half-life of an isotope determine which isotope is used for applications including: (a) household fire (smoke) alarms (b) irradiating food to kill bacteria (c) sterilisation of equipment using gamma rays (d) measuring and controlling thicknesses of materials with the choice of radiations used linked to penetration and absorption (e) diagnosis and treatment of cancer using gamma rays 34 www.cambridgeinternational.org/igcse Back to contents page  Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 syllabus for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Subject content 5.2 Radioactivity continued 5.2.5 Safety precautions Core Supplement 1 State the effects of ionising nuclear radiations on living things, including cell death, mutations and cancer 2 Describe how radioactive materials are moved, 3 Explain safety precautions for all ionising used and stored in a safe way radiation in terms of reducing exposure time, increasing distance between source and living tissue and using shielding to absorb radiation 6 Space physics 6.1 Earth and the Solar System 6.1.1 The Earth Core Supplement 1 Know that the Earth is a planet that rotates on its axis, which is tilted, once in approximately 24 hours, and use this to explain observations of the apparent daily motion of the Sun and the periodic cycle of day and night 2 Know that the Earth orbits the Sun once in 4 Define average orbital speed from the equation approximately 365 days and use this to explain 2π r the periodic nature of the seasons v= T where r is the average radius of the orbit and T is the orbital period; recall and use this equation 3 Know that it takes approximately one month for the Moon to orbit the Earth and use this to explain the periodic nature of the Moon’s cycle of phases Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/igcse 35 Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 syllabus for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Subject content 6.1 Earth and the Solar System continued 6.1.2 The Solar System Core Supplement 1 Describe the Solar System as containing: 7 Know that planets, minor planets and comets have elliptical orbits, and recall that the Sun is (a) one star, the Sun not at the centre of the elliptical orbit, except (b) the eight named planets and know their when the orbit is approximately circular order from the Sun (c) minor planets that orbit the Sun, including dwarf planets such as Pluto and asteroids in the asteroid belt (d) moons, that orbit the planets (e) smaller Solar System bodies, including comets and natural satellites 8 Analyse and interpret planetary data about orbital distance, orbital duration, density, surface temperature and uniform gravitational field strength at the planet’s surface 2 Know that, in comparison to each other, the four planets nearest the Sun are rocky and small and the four planets furthest from the Sun are gaseous and large, and explain this difference by referring to an accretion model for Solar System formation, to include: (a) the model’s dependence on gravity (b) the presence of many elements in interstellar clouds of gas and dust (c) the rotation of material in the cloud and the formation of an accretion disc continued 36 www.cambridgeinternational.org/igcse Back to contents page  Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 syllabus for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Subject content 6.1 Earth and the Solar System continued 6.1.2 The Solar System continued Core Supplement 3 Know that the strength of the gravitational field (a) at the surface of a planet depends on the mass of the planet (b) around a planet decreases as the distance from the planet increases 4 Calculate the time it takes light to travel a significant distance such as between objects in the Solar System 5 Know that the Sun contains most of the mass of the Solar System and this explains why the planets orbit the Sun 6 Know that the force that keeps an object in orbit 9 Know that the strength of the Sun’s gravitational around the Sun is the gravitational attraction of field decreases and that the orbital speeds of the the Sun planets decrease as the distance from the Sun increases 10 Know that an object in an elliptical orbit travels faster when closer to the Sun and explain this using the conservation of energy 6.2 Stars and the Universe 6.2.1 The Sun as a star Core Supplement 1 Know that the Sun is a star of medium size, 2 Know that stars are powered by nuclear reactions consisting mostly of hydrogen and helium, that release energy and that in stable stars the and that it radiates most of its energy in the nuclear reactions involve the fusion of hydrogen infrared, visible and ultraviolet regions of the into helium electromagnetic spectrum Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/igcse 37 Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 syllabus for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Subject content 6.2 Stars and the Universe continued 6.2.2 Stars Core Supplement 1 State that: (a) galaxies are each made up of many billions of stars (b) the Sun is a star in the galaxy known as the Milky Way (c) other stars that make up the Milky Way are much further away from the Earth than the Sun is from the Earth (d) astronomical distances can be measured in light-years, where one light-year is the distance travelled in (the vacuum of) space by light in one year 2 Know that one light-year is equal to 9.5 × 1015 m 3 Describe the life cycle of a star: (a) a star is formed from interstellar clouds of gas and dust that contain hydrogen (b) a protostar is an interstellar cloud collapsing and increasing in temperature as a result of its internal gravitational attraction (c) a protostar becomes a stable star when the inward force of gravitational attraction is balanced by an outward force due to the high temperature in the centre of the star (d) all stars eventually run out of hydrogen as fuel for the nuclear reaction (e) most stars expand to form red giants and more massive stars expand to form red supergiants when most of the hydrogen in the centre of the star has been converted to helium (f) a red giant from a less massive star forms a planetary nebula with a white dwarf star at its centre (g) a red supergiant explodes as a supernova, forming a nebula containing hydrogen and new heavier elements, leaving behind a neutron star or a black hole at its centre (h) the nebula from a supernova may form new stars with orbiting planets 38 www.cambridgeinternational.org/igcse Back to contents page  Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 syllabus for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Subject content 6.2 Stars and the Universe continued 6.2.3 The Universe Core Supplement 1 Know that the Milky Way is one of many billions of galaxies making up the Universe and that the diameter of the Milky Way is approximately 100 000 light-years 2 Describe redshift as an increase in the observed wavelength of electromagnetic radiation emitted from receding stars and galaxies 3 Know that the light emitted from distant galaxies appears redshifted in comparison with light emitted on the Earth 4 Know that redshift in the light from distant galaxies is evidence that the Universe is expanding and supports the Big Bang Theory 5 Know that microwave radiation of a specific frequency is observed at all points in space around us and is known as cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) 6 Explain that the CMBR was produced shortly after the Universe was formed and that this radiation has been expanded into the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum as the Universe expanded 7 Know that the speed v at which a galaxy is moving away from the Earth can be found from the change in wavelength of the galaxy’s starlight due to redshift 8 Know that the distance of a far galaxy d can be determined using the brightness of a supernova in that galaxy 9 Define the Hubble constant H0 as the ratio of the speed at which the galaxy is moving away from the Earth to its distance from the Earth; recall and use the equation v H0 = d 10 Know that the current estimate for H0 is 2.2 × 10–18 per second 11 Know that the equation d 1 = v H0 represents an estimate for the age of the Universe and that this is evidence for the idea that all the matter in the Universe was present at a single point Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/igcse 39