📚 Year 11 OCR Physics: Key Terms & Memory Hacks | Year 11 OCR 物理：词汇术语速记指南
Mastering the technical vocabulary is half the battle in OCR GCSE Physics. This guide breaks down the most important terms from energy, electricity, waves, matter, forces, and space physics into bite‑sized, bilingual explanations with memory tricks. Whether you are preparing for Paper 1 or Paper 2, this resource will help you recall definitions with confidence.
掌握专业术语是 OCR 普通中等教育证书物理考试成功的一半。本指南将能量、电学、波、物质、力和空间物理中最重要的术语拆解成中英对照的简短解释，并附上记忆技巧。无论你在准备试卷一还是试卷二，这份资料都能帮助你自信地回忆定义。
1. Kinetic Energy & Gravitational Potential Energy | 动能与重力势能
Kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses due to its motion. It depends on mass and the square of its speed.
动能是物体由于运动而具有的能量。它取决于物体的质量和速度的平方。
Gravitational potential energy (GPE) is energy stored in an object because of its position in a gravitational field. It is linked to mass, height, and gravitational field strength.
重力势能是物体因其在重力场中的位置而储存的能量。它与质量、高度和重力场强度有关。
- Memory hack: Think of a roller‑coaster — at the top it has high GPE, which turns into kinetic energy as it races down. The faster it goes, the more kinetic energy it has.
- 速记技巧：想象过山车——在最高点重力势能很大，冲下去时转化为动能；速度越快，动能越大。
Eₖ = ½ m v² and Eₚ = m g h
Eₖ = ½ m v² 和 Eₚ = m g h
2. Specific Heat Capacity & Latent Heat | 比热容与潜热
Specific heat capacity is the energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a substance by 1 °C. It explains why some materials heat up slowly or quickly.
比热容是使 1 千克物质温度升高 1 摄氏度所需的能量。它解释了为什么有些材料升温慢或快。
Specific latent heat is the energy needed to change the state of 1 kg of a substance without changing its temperature. Latent heat of fusion refers to melting/freezing, while latent heat of vaporisation refers to boiling/condensing.
比潜热是使 1 千克物质在不改变温度的情况下改变状态所需的能量。熔化潜热涉及熔化/凝固，汽化潜热涉及沸腾/凝结。
- Memory hack: “Latent” means hidden — the energy goes into breaking bonds, not raising temperature. Imagine soldiers (molecules) breaking formation silently.
- 速记技巧：“潜热”的“潜”意为隐藏——能量用来打破分子间的作用力，而不是升温。想象士兵（分子）悄悄散开队形。
3. Efficiency & Sankey Diagrams | 效率与桑基图
Efficiency measures how much of the input energy is transferred usefully. It is always less than 100% in real systems due to wasted energy, often as heat.
效率衡量输入能量中有多少被有效利用。由于存在浪费的能量（通常以热的形式），实际系统的效率总是低于 100%。
A Sankey diagram uses arrows to show energy transfers; the width of each arrow represents the amount of energy. Useful energy goes straight, wasted energy bends away.
桑基图用箭头表示能量转移；箭头的宽度代表能量的多少。有用能量的箭头是直的，浪费能量的箭头会弯折出去。
| Term / 术语 | Meaning / 含义 |
|---|---|
| Useful output / 有用输出 | Energy transferred to the desired form or location |
| Wasted energy / 浪费的能量 | Energy transferred to the surroundings, usually as thermal energy |
Efficiency = (useful output energy ÷ total input energy) × 100%
效率 =（有用输出能量 ÷ 总输入能量）× 100%
4. Current, Potential Difference & Resistance | 电流、电势差与电阻
Electric current (I) is the rate of flow of charge. In a metallic conductor, it is a flow of electrons. Measured in amperes (A).
电流是电荷流动的速率。在金属导体中，它是电子的流动，单位为安培。
Potential difference (p.d., V) is the energy transferred per unit charge between two points. It drives the current, measured in volts (V).
电势差是单位电荷在两点间转移的能量。它驱动电流，单位为伏特。
Resistance (R) opposes current. It tells us how difficult it is for charge to flow, measured in ohms (Ω).
电阻阻碍电流，反映电荷流动的难易程度，单位为欧姆。
- Memory hack: Think of a water circuit — voltage is the pressure, current is the flow rate, resistance is a narrow pipe.
- 速记技巧：用水路类比——电压相当于水压，电流相当于水流速率，电阻相当于细窄的水管。
V = I × R
V = I × R
5. Series & Parallel Circuits | 串联与并联电路
In a series circuit, components are connected end‑to‑end. Current is the same everywhere, but the total resistance adds up. The sum of p.d.s across components equals the source p.d.
在串联电路中，元件首尾相连。电流处处相同，但总电阻累加。各元件的电势差之和等于电源电势差。
In a parallel circuit, components are connected on separate branches. The total current from the source splits among branches. Each branch receives the full source p.d.
在并联电路中，元件连接在独立的支路上。电源总电流分配到各支路，每个支路都获得全部的电源电势差。
- Memory hack: Series — one loop, same current, shared voltage. Parallel — many loops, same voltage, shared current.
- 速记技巧：串联——一个回路，电流相同，电压分配；并联——多个回路，电压相同，电流分配。
6. Density & Internal Energy | 密度与内能
Density (ρ) is mass per unit volume. It describes how compact the particles are in a substance. Regular solids often have high density; gases have very low density.
密度是单位体积的质量，描述了物质中粒子排列的紧密程度。规则固体通常密度高，气体密度很低。
Internal energy is the total kinetic and potential energy of all particles in a system. Heating increases internal energy by making particles vibrate or move faster (kinetic) and by overcoming intermolecular forces (potential).
内能是系统中所有粒子的动能和势能总和。加热通过让粒子振动或运动加快（动能）以及克服分子间作用力（势能）来增加内能。
ρ = m ÷ V
ρ = m ÷ V
7. Properties of Waves | 波的性质
A wave transfers energy without transferring matter. Waves can be transverse (oscillations perpendicular to direction of energy transfer, e.g. light, water waves) or longitudinal (oscillations parallel, e.g. sound).
波传递能量而不传递物质。波可以是横波（振动方向与能量传递方向垂直，如光波、水波）或纵波（振动方向平行，如声波）。
- Amplitude: maximum displacement from rest position; linked to loudness or brightness.
- Wavelength (λ): distance between two consecutive crests or compressions.
- Frequency (f): number of complete waves passing a point per second, measured in hertz (Hz).
- Period (T): time for one full wave; T = 1/f.
- 振幅：离开平衡位置的最大位移；与响度或亮度有关。
- 波长 (λ)：相邻波峰或密部之间的距离。
- 频率 (f)：每秒通过一点的完整波纹数，单位赫兹。
- 周期 (T)：一个完整波所需的时间；T = 1/f。
wave speed = frequency × wavelength (v = f λ)
波速 = 频率 × 波长 (v = f λ)
8. The Electromagnetic Spectrum | 电磁波谱
The electromagnetic spectrum groups all types of EM radiation by frequency and wavelength. They all travel at the speed of light in a vacuum and are transverse waves.
电磁波谱按频率和波长将所有类型的电磁辐射分类。它们在真空中均以光速传播，且都是横波。
| Radiation / 辐射 | Approx. wavelength / 近似波长 | Key fact / 关键特性 |
|---|---|---|
| Radio waves / 无线电波 | > 10 cm | Used for communication |
| Microwaves / 微波 | 1 mm – 10 cm | Heating food, satellite signals |
| Infrared / 红外线 | 700 nm – 1 mm | Thermal imaging, remote controls |
| Visible light / 可见光 | 400 – 700 nm | Colours we see |
| Ultraviolet / 紫外线 | 10 – 400 nm | Can cause skin cancer |
| X‑rays / X射线 | 0.01 – 10 nm | Medical imaging |
| Gamma rays / 伽马射线 | < 0.01 nm | Sterilisation, cancer treatment |
- Memory hack: Remember the order by “Rich Men In Vegas Use X‑ray Goggles” — Radio, Microwave, Infrared, Visible, Ultraviolet, X‑ray, Gamma.
- 速记技巧：用中文顺口溜记忆：“红外可见紫外，微光连着X伽”或英文首字母。
9. Nuclear Radiation & Radioactive Decay | 核辐射与放射性衰变
Radioactive decay occurs when an unstable nucleus emits radiation to become more stable. The three main types are alpha (α), beta (β), and gamma (γ).
放射性衰变发生在不稳定的原子核通过释放辐射变得更稳定时。主要有三种类型：α粒子、β粒子和γ射线。
| Type / 类型 | Composition / 构成 | Penetration / 穿透力 |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha (α) | Helium nucleus (2p + 2n) | Stopped by paper or skin |
| Beta (β⁻) | Fast‑moving electron | Stopped by ~3 mm aluminium |
| Gamma (γ) | Electromagnetic wave | Reduced by thick lead or concrete |
- Memory hack: Alpha — big and slow, easy to stop; Beta — smaller, needs metal; Gamma — pure energy, needs dense material.
- 速记技巧：α粒子大而慢，纸就能挡；β粒子小，需铝片；γ射线是电磁波，需厚铅或混凝土。
Half‑life is the time taken for the number of radioactive nuclei in a sample to halve. It is constant for a given isotope.
半衰期是样品中放射性原子核数量减半所需的时间。对于给定同位素，半衰期是恒定的。
10. Forces & Newton's Laws | 力与牛顿定律
A force is a push or pull that can change an object’s speed, direction, or shape. It is a vector quantity — it has both magnitude and direction.
力是能改变物体速度、方向或形状的推拉作用。它是一个矢量——有大小和方向。
- Newton’s First Law: An object remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted on by a resultant force.
- 牛顿第一定律：如果不受合力作用，物体将保持静止或匀速直线运动状态。
- Newton’s Second Law: F = m × a — ultant force causes acceleration proportional to force and inversely proportional to mass.
- 牛顿第二定律：F = m × a——合力产生加速度，加速度与力成正比，与质量成反比。
- Newton’s Third Law: When two objects interact, they exert equal and opposite forces on each other.
- 牛顿第三定律：两个物体相互作用时，彼此施加大小相等、方向相反的力。
Memory hack: Think of a rocket launch — exhaust gases are pushed downwards (action), the rocket moves upwards (reaction).
速记技巧：想象火箭发射——向下喷出的气体产生作用力，火箭受到向上的反作用力。
11. Momentum & Conservation | 动量与守恒
Momentum (p) is the product of mass and velocity. It is a vector quantity. In a closed system, total momentum before a collision or explosion equals total momentum after, provided no external forces act.
动量是质量和速度的乘积，是矢量。在没有外力作用的封闭系统中，碰撞或爆炸前的总动量等于碰撞后的总动量。
p = m × v
p = m × v
In collisions, objects may stick together (inelastic) or bounce apart (elastic). The conservation law helps solve for unknown velocities.
碰撞中物体可能粘在一起（非弹性碰撞）或弹开（弹性碰撞）。利用守恒定律可以求解未知速度。
- Key term: Resultant force is equal to the rate of change of momentum. This links force to changes in motion.
- 关键术语：合力等于动量的变化率。这将力与运动变化联系起来。
12. The Solar System & the Life Cycle of Stars | 太阳系与恒星生命周期
Our solar system consists of the Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. Gravity holds it together. Planets orbit the Sun in elliptical paths; moons orbit planets.
太阳系由太阳、行星、卫星、小行星和彗星组成。引力将它们维系在一起。行星绕太阳沿椭圆轨道运行；卫星绕行星运行。
A star’s life depends on its mass. A main sequence star like the Sun will eventually become a red giant, shed its outer layers as a planetary nebula, and leave behind a white dwarf. More massive stars undergo a supernova explosion and can form a neutron star or black hole.
恒星的生命周期取决于质量。像太阳这样的主序星最终会变成红巨星，抛掉外层形成行星状星云，留下白矮星。更大质量的恒星会经历超新星爆发，形成中子星或黑洞。
- Memory hack: “Massive stars go out with a bang” — supernova. “Small stars fade quietly” — white dwarf.
- 速记技巧：“大质量恒星轰轰烈烈离场”（超新星）；“小质量恒星悄悄熄灭”（白矮星）。
Orbital speed, radius, and period are linked. For a circular orbit, v = 2πr ÷ T.
轨道速度、半径和周期相关联。对于圆形轨道，v = 2πr ÷ T。
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