Comments for Fizzics

Comment on About by Phil Taylor

Phil Taylor — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:24:27 +0000

I took up your challenge from the ASE conference today, so there is now a Chemistry Teacher blog
http://drtchemistry.wordpress.com/
It was an excellent presentation – thanks

Phil Taylor

Comment on higher revision by Sean Gow

Sean Gow — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:08:24 +0000

Thank you very much my Exams are coming up in May and your help with electronics is much appreciated. Might possibly get an “A” in th Int 2 exam.

Comment on standard grade revision by Jemma

Jemma — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:17:39 +0000

awesome. thanks

Comment on Higher Physics prelim by mrmackenzie

mrmackenzie — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:29:16 +0000

The thing about nuclear fission is that the daughter products vary. By absorbing a neutron, U-235 becomes unstable and splits. This splitting process does not always result in the same daughter products every time, although there is some statistical information available on the *most likely* fission fragments, e.g.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fission_product_yield

At Higher level, you need to be able to analyse whatever data is given in the question. Normally, this will involve a calculation of the energy released as a result of the fission processs.

To calculate the energy released, you follow a similar method to momentum questions, i.e. find the total mass BEFORE fission and the total mass AFTER fission.

The difference in mass (mass Before – mass AFTER) is the value of m to be used in Einstein’s equation E=mcc (c squared) to determine the energy released.

Comment on Higher Physics prelim by ahmad shatat

ahmad shatat — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:54:43 +0000

why do you think the fission of 235 into 92 and 142 not two even atoms,and who wrote about this

Comment on Int2 revision by Gary

Gary — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:27:34 +0000

You sir, are a saint. Thankyou very much.

Comment on standard grade revision by Melissa

Melissa — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:59:36 +0000

Oh, that’s a real help.. Thankyou.

Comment on advanced higher physics past papers by Roddy

Roddy — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:55:21 +0000

Not relevant to past papers but I just thought this cleared up some of the ignorance we had about the LHC.

Once a beam of protons reaches the right energy level, the PS Booster injects it into another accelerator called the Super Proton Synchotron (SPS). The beams continue to pick up speed. By now, beams have divided into bunches. Each bunch contains 1.1 x 1011 protons, and there are 2,808 bunches per beam [source: CERN]. The SPS injects beams into the LHC, with one beam traveling clockwise and the other going counterclockwise.

Inside the LHC, the beams continue to accelerate. This takes about 20 minutes. At top speed, the beams make 11,245 trips around the LHC every second. The two beams converge at one of the six detector sites positioned along the LHC. At that position, there will be 600 million collisions per second [source: CERN].

Comment on Int2 revision by Ryan

Ryan — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:37:51 +0000

Heyy Mr Makenzie
Great Int 2 stuff. Is there going to be any more in the new year for Int 2..
Stuff on circuits would be great

taaa!!

Comment on standard grade revision by mrmackenzie

mrmackenzie — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:37:38 +0000

Hi Melissa,
You won’t need to *know* actual frequencies of any part of the electromagnetic spectrum for the Health Physics unit but it is always possible that you might be asked to *calculate* a frequency if wavelength is given in the question. You would use

wave speed = frequency x wavelength

to do this.

Looking at the Standard Grade course as a whole, there are learning outcomes in the Space Physics unit that do expect you to know more about electromagnetic waves. Here are the outcomes I am talking about:

at General level

>state that different colours of light correspond to different wavelengths

>list the following colours in order of wavelength: red, green, blue

>state that white light can be split into different colours using a prism

>state that there exists a large family of waves with a wide range of wavelengths which all travel at the speed of light

and at Credit level

>classify as members of the electromagnetic spectrum the following radiations: gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, microwaves, TV and radio

>list the above radiations in order of wavelength (and frequency)

>give an example of a detector for each of the above radiations

>explain why different kinds of telescope are used to detect signals from space.

Notice that wavelength and frequency appear in these, so remember that the higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength. Hope this helps.

Comment on standard grade revision by Melissa

Melissa — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:22:46 +0000

Hi.

I believe that we are required to know where each part of the electromagnetic spectrum fits in eg. infrared radiation has a lower frequency than visible light.
However, I was wondering if we are required to know the actual frequencies of any parts of the electromagnetic spectrum or any other frequency values in the Health Physics Unit (as I know we must know ultrasounds have frequencies of over 20000Hz)?

Comment on standard grade revision by Sarah

Sarah — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 11:59:42 +0000

Thanks so much! I got a 1 in my prelim

Comment on Int2 revision by K McLellan

K McLellan — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:15:26 +0000

Cheers Mr. Mackenzie, 10X Better Than My Normal Physics Teacher

Comment on standard grade revision by Bridget. R

Bridget. R — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:42:26 +0000

This website is AMAZING!!!!! thank god for the internet, i have a physics prelim in a couple of days, wish me luck.

Thanks again
Bridget

Comment on Revision help for S4 prelim by Kym Esss

Kym Esss — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:20:59 +0000

OMG this is sooo much help. i was really nervous but now i feel a bit better

Comment on standard grade revision by kim

kim — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:28:05 +0000

awww, thanks so much.
i was unsure.
this website helps so much btw!

thank you. xxx

Comment on standard grade revision by mrmackenzie

mrmackenzie — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:20:10 +0000

Hi Kim,

Ultrasound travels through water at the speed of sound in water. This is usually provided in the data section at the front of a SQA exam paper. For example, look at page 3 of the 2009 Credit paper here

http://www.sqa.org.uk/pastpapers/downloadpastpaper.htm?id=2879

and you will see that it gives the speed as 1500 m/s.

Comment on standard grade revision by kim

kim — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:47:17 +0000

hi, was just wondering if you could help me?
see when ultrasound is traveling in water, is it the speed of light in water or the speed of sound?

thanks kim.

Comment on standard grade revision by amy

amy — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:18:53 +0000

This is the best website ever for physics!
I have my prelim in 2 days and it helped me with the things i couldnt quite figure out, thanks so much :d!

xxxxxx

Comment on S4 – writing good answers in electronics by Fizzics » S4 Electronics HW – answer to Q4b

Fizzics » S4 Electronics HW – answer to Q4b — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:24:26 +0000

[...] thinking about how to describe circuit behaviour, it might be a good idea to refer to the mind map on good answers yo made in class. Podcast Video [2:18m]: Download SHARETHIS.addEntry({ [...]

Comment on standard grade revision by Niall Ridgway

Niall Ridgway — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:00:50 +0000

hey
just to say thanks for all ths help
you’ve helped me get my first 1(KU) an 1(PS)
only been stuck on 2’s before
so thanks again

Comment on Int2 revision by Kieran

Kieran — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:51:59 +0000

Thanks alot, usefull stuff

Comment on standard grade revision by cool guy

cool guy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:21:43 +0000

omg great site mahn rock on (h)

Comment on Revision help for S4 prelim by paul breslin

paul breslin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:16:02 +0000

this is amazin D. am soo glad you guys can help me revise . your thi best 8-)). loveyou(l)

Comment on Revision help for S4 prelim by declan mcd

declan mcd — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:15:36 +0000

this is cool guys(h)

Comment on higher revision by kitkat

kitkat — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:47:29 +0000

Hi mrmackenzie.

just tried St. Kentigern’s Academy revision questions for unit 2 and i think some of the answers are wrong? Qu1, qu10 and 22b)

Comment on Int2 revision by M Wilson

M Wilson — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:21:10 +0000

Mr McKenzie
What a find! My son might stand a chance now of not only passing his physics exams but actually getting interested in the subject again. Thank you.

Comment on standard grade revision by olie

olie — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:40:00 +0000

woooo

Comment on New Study Guide for 2007 Physics Exams by sandrar

sandrar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:23:01 +0000

Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. Cheers! Sandra. R.

Comment on projectiles – shoot the monkey by Paul

Paul — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:17:53 +0000

ahh i see it nevermind

Comment on projectiles – shoot the monkey by Paul

Paul — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:17:02 +0000

what is shoot the monkey????????

Comment on higher revision by mrmackenzie

mrmackenzie — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:24:50 +0000

Callum,

you’re right! I just checked and there is nothing on semiconductors. Those notes are not mine, I only link to them. I will add something later in the year though, so please check back.

Comment on higher revision by callum docherty

callum docherty — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:57:24 +0000

hi, i find that your higher notes very useful but i have noticed that the 3.3 Optoelectronics & Semiconductors pdf file is missing all the notes on semiconductors and i was wondering if there is a problem with the document or if you have missed them out

thanks

Comment on Inside a Hoover by Catrìona

Catrìona — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:14:14 +0000

I remember that Q=It, (Charge=Current x time)
Q
IT Current is measured in amps with an ammeter
Charge is measured in Coulombs
Time is measured in seconds with a stopwatch
If a current of 12amps flows in a circuit for 20 seconds then
Q=IT
=current x time
=12 x 20
Q=240C

Comment on Inside a Hoover by Ruairidh

Ruairidh — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:01:41 +0000

The brown wire goes to the switch for safety

Comment on Found in a cupboard by Pauline McAdam

Pauline McAdam — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:06:35 +0000

yes this is a saccharimeter. Had a student use this to look at optical activity as a CSYS project many years ago. Am pretty sure we borrowed one of these from the Physics department at Glasgow University so they might have some blurb on its use. Coincidentally, I was asked about the pupil’s project recently by my friend Dr. Norna Robertson who arranged the loan for me and I had a hunt around but couldn’t find it.

Comment on standard grade revision by lozza (:

lozza (: — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:20:05 +0000

thanks for thsi btw (:

helps alot )

might help me pass my using electricity credit test tomorrow hopefully! :S

the summary notes make everything so simple!

thank you

Comment on Photoelectric effect animation by mrmackenzie

mrmackenzie — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:13:08 +0000

John, thanks very much for explaining why we see this in the model. I think I’ll switch this feature off next time I use it in class as it provides more detail than we need in our course.

Comment on Photoelectric effect animation by John

John — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:04:33 +0000

Not all of the electrons come from the top layer of the metal. Some of the photons penetrate to atoms lower in the surface. Electrons coming from these atoms still need to use some energy to escape to the surface of the material, not just the atom itself. You can turn off this effect with one of the checkboxes.

Comment on standard grade revision by dave

dave — Mon, 25 May 2009 19:12:39 +0000

great site,
will definitely help me pass “fizzics”

Comment on higher revision by Physics Geek

Physics Geek — Mon, 25 May 2009 18:40:02 +0000

I am doing Higher Physics this year and am actually do ok at it. I get a tutor once a week but I thought I’d just drop a wee thank you to say that this site has helped a massive amount and I am on course for an A so thank you for putting so much effort into it. At my school this would be unheard of. Thanks.

Comment on higher revision by Fizzics » useful physics revision site

Fizzics » useful physics revision site — Mon, 25 May 2009 10:27:31 +0000

[...] higher revision jump to navigation [...]

Comment on standard grade revision by cheryl

cheryl — Sat, 23 May 2009 14:46:41 +0000

This one of the best sites i have tried for revising for my physics exam. Heres hoping that i will pass. Thanks for makin this site it’s brilliant.
thank you !!
cheryl x

Comment on Int2 revision by Ross

Ross — Sat, 23 May 2009 12:12:42 +0000

Thanks for this website, concise and helpful!

Comment on standard grade revision by Laurie O'Donnell

Laurie O'Donnell — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:11:15 +0000

Brilliant site. Thanks for taking the time to share all of your hard work.

Laurie

Comment on Int2 revision by Brogan

Brogan — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:01:30 +0000

Thankyou

I’ve learned more from this site than two years of lessons from my teacher. I may acctually pass Physics now lol

Comment on standard grade revision by William

William — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:12:23 +0000

A great site!

It is helping me alot with my revision for exams

Thank

Comment on Photoelectric effect animation by mrmackenzie

mrmackenzie — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:43:38 +0000

You’re dead right, that shouldn’t happen!
I wonder if there is some form of artistic license in the simulation? I won’t be too critical though as it has some nice features that are missing in others I found online. Besides, I would not be able to produce something like this myself

Comment on Photoelectric effect animation by Richard

Richard — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 16:45:29 +0000

Funny–I just stumbled upon this same animation, and was using it in my own classes. Any idea, however, why the electrons excited by a single wavelength of light come out with varying velocities? That’s not what one observes by the photoelectric effect…

Comment on Int2 revision by rd

rd — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:53:29 +0000

This is a great revision tool. cheers for the effort put in!