Coaching Centre
Chapter 6: Energy on the Move Notes
How energy moves by heat, sound, light and electricity: insulating a house, sound waves and sonar, the electromagnetic spectrum, reflection, refraction and lenses, Ohm's law, series and parallel circuits, electrical power and cost, and the efficiency of Australia's energy system.
Sections
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6A Heat transfer and insulation Mastered
A particle explanation of conduction, convection and radiation, why trapped air insulates, how heat escapes from a house, eaves, thermal mass and double glazing, heat pumps, and how First Nations peoples kept warm with possum-skin cloaks and stone houses.
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6B Sound waves Mastered
Waves carry energy without carrying matter: longitudinal sound waves, compressions and rarefactions, wavelength, frequency, amplitude, the wave equation v = fλ, the speed of sound in different materials, pitch and loudness, decibels and hearing, ultrasound, echoes and sonar, and the yidaki.
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6C Light and the electromagnetic spectrum Mastered
Light as a transverse electromagnetic wave, the speed of light, crests, troughs, wavelength and amplitude, colour and white light, the seven parts of the electromagnetic spectrum with their uses and dangers, ionising radiation and UV safety, the wave equation for light, and radio astronomy at Murriyang and on Wajarri Yamaji Country.
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6D Reflection, refraction and lenses Mastered
The law of reflection, images in plane mirrors, concave and convex mirrors, why light bends when it changes speed, refractive index, total internal reflection and optic fibres, convex and concave lenses, the eye and glasses, and spearfishing in shallow water.
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6E Voltage, current and resistance Mastered
Electric charge and current in amps, voltage as energy per coulomb, using ammeters and voltmeters, resistance and what affects it, Ohm's law V = IR, I–V graphs for resistors and filament lamps, and the resistor colour code.
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6F Series, parallel and electrical power Mastered
The rules for current, voltage and resistance in series and parallel circuits, calculating with Ohm's law in each, electrical power P = VI, energy in kilowatt-hours and the cost of running appliances, how a house is wired, and how fuses, circuit breakers and safety switches protect you.
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6G Efficiency and energy resources Mastered
Following energy through a chain of transformations, multiplying efficiencies, why the grid uses very high voltages and transformers, Australia's changing electricity mix, cleaning up coal and the reality of carbon capture, the UNSW solar cell that conquered the world, storage, and First Nations clean energy.
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6H Energy on the move review Mastered
A summary of the whole Energy on the Move chapter, every formula with its units, key words, and a mixed test covering heat transfer, sound, light and the electromagnetic spectrum, reflection and refraction, Ohm's law, series and parallel circuits, power, efficiency and energy resources.