There are lots of new key terms that you need to make sure you understand in preparation for your exam. It’s really important that you recognise what each of the words mean and are able to use them correctly in a sentence. This will help you to explain ideas scientifically and ensure you pick up important marks in your exam.
Tip 1 -Play some games with the keywords
You could play hangman with your friends or family using the words you need to learn. Make sure you explain what the word means when they have guessed it.
You could play Pictionary for some of the energy types or renewable energy sources. Ask someone to draw you a picture for one of these terms and see if you can guess which one they are drawing.
Tip 2 – Use flash cards
Write out the key word and the definition on separate cards, mix them up and see if you can match the keyword with the correct description.
Write the keyword on one side and the definition on the other. Look at the keyword side and see if you can remember the definition or read the definition and try to remember the keyword. Turn the card over to check, or ask someone else to read them out to you.
See if you can sort the keywords into groups of similar words. For example, you could group together all the words that give a different type of energy. Try to explain why you have grouped them together to a friend or family member.
Tip 3 – Spelling strategies
Use the spelling strategies that you talk about in tutor time to help with any words that you find difficult to spell.

Topic 1 - Waves
Amplitude
Concave lens
Convection
Converging
Convex lens
Displacement
Diverge
Epicentre
Focal length
Focal point
Focus
Frequency
Hertz
Infrasound
Longitudinal waves
Normal
P wave
Pitch
Reflection
Refraction
S wave
Seismic waves
Seismometer
Transverse wave
Tsunami
Ultrasound
Wave speed
Wavelength
The maximum distance moved from the rest position. The distance between a peak or trough and the rest position.
A lens which is thicker at the edges than in the centre.
Heating process in fluids which results in currents flowing around to spread heat, warmer particles become less dense and rise upwards.
Bringing something in together or towards a point.
A lens which is thicker at the centre than at the edges.
The maximum vertical movement in a wave. The distance between a peak and a trough.
Spreading or directing away from a point.
The point on the surface of the Earth directly above the focus of an earthquake.
The distance between the lens and the focal point.
The point at which a crisp, real image is made on a screen by refraction through a convex lens.
The point at which an earthquake begins.
The number of waves passing a point per second.
The measurement of frequency. 1 Hertz is 1 waves per second.
Sound wave with a frequency below 20Hz, too low for humans to hear.
Waves in which the particles move back and forth (parallel) in the direction of the wave/energy.
The line at a right angle to the surface of a mirror or other object hit by a wave.
Longitudinal wave travelling through the Earth.
Whether a sound is high or low, dependent on wave frequency.
When a wave bounces off of a boundary between two materials.
The changing speed (resulting in a change in direction) of a wave when it enters new materials.
Transverse wave travelling through the Earth.
Waves caused by an earthquake or explosion which travel through the earth.
A device which detects seismic waves.
A wave in which the movement is at right angles to the direction of the transfer of energy.
A large wave caused by an earthquake under the sea bed.
Sound waves with a frequency above 20,000Hz which is too high for humans to detect.
The distance travelled by a wave in one second.
The distance between a point on a wave, and the same point on the next wave.

Topic 2 – EM Spectrum
Alpha radiation
Beta radiation
A large particle of ionising radiation.
A smaller particle of ionising radiation.
Cataracts When the lens of the eye becomes damaged and cloudy due to over exposure to high intensity light or ultra violet radiation.
Electromagnetic wave A group transverse waves which all travel at the same speed through a vacuum and form a spectrum.
Fluorescent
Gamma rays
An ability to absorb ultra violet radiation and emit visible light as a glow.
High frequency electromagnetic waves. They are also another form of ionising radiation.
Illuminations
Infrared
Ionising radiation
Microwaves
Mutations
Optic fibre
Radio waves
Radiotherapy
Skin cancer
Spectrometer
Sterilise
Thermal imaging
Ultra violet
Vacuum
Devices which can improve visibility by emitting visible light.
Electromagnetic radiation which we can feel as heat.
A particle or high energy wave which can cause an atom to become charged and cells to become damaged.
An electromagnetic wave which can excite and vibrate water particles.
A change in the DNA of a gene which can be as a result of exposure to ionising radiation.
A glass or plastic strand which can transport infrared or more commonly visible light.
The waves of the electromagnetic spectrum with the longest wavelength.
The treatment of cancer using gamma rays.
A disease brought on by the over exposure to ultra violet radiation.
A device which can separate the different colours of the visible spectrum.
To kill microorganisms and bacteria.
Photography by collecting infrared radiation.
Electromagnetic radiation with a higher frequency than visible light.
An area where there is no matter or air particles.
Visible light
Visible spectrum
X-rays
Electromagnetic wave which can be detected by the human eye.
The seven colours ranging from red to violet which can be detected by the human eye.
A lesser ionising electromagnetic wave than gamma.

Topic 3 – Space & the universe
Atmosphere
Big Bang Theory
Black hole
Cosmic Microwave
Background Radiation
Doppler effect
A layer of gas which surrounds the earth which refracts and absorbs different electromagnetic radiation.
The theory that the universe started in a single location with a lot of energy and has been expanding ever since.
The core of a red super giant which collapsed at the end of its life cycle.
Background radiation received throughout space originating from the Big Bang.
The changing pitch of a sound as it comes nearer or moves further away.
Eyepiece lens
Extra-terrestrials
Fusion
Galaxy
Geocentric
Heliocentric
The lens closer to the observer’s eye which magnifies an image.
Beings which live on planets other than our own.
A nuclear reaction where nuclei of atoms join together.
A large group of stars which are held together by gravity.
Earth centred solar system.
Sun centred solar system.
Lander A space vehicle which lands on a planet or moon.
Main sequence star A star in its most stable state using hydrogen fusion.
Milky Way Our galaxy
Nebula
Neutron star
Objective lens
Cloud of dust and gas in space. The start of the life cycle of a star.
The core of a red supergiant which has collapsed.
The lens of a telescope closest to the object being observed. It captures light to create a real image.
The path taken by a planet or moon around a larger object. Orbit
Protostar
Red giant
A cloud of dust and gas which is drawn closer together by gravity but is yet to produce its own energy through fusion.
A star which has used up all of its hydrogen fuel and has swollen in size as it starts to use helium as its fuel.
Red super giant A star much larger than our sun which has stopped using hydrogen as its fuel and began using helium.
A space vehicle which can move around on a planet or moon. Rover
S.E.T.I Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence. An organisation who search for extra-terrestrial life by scanning for radio waves.
An area of space where objects are influenced by the sun’s gravity. Solar system
Space probe
Spectral lines
A vehicle which can be put into orbit around a planet and then parachute through its atmosphere.
Dark lines on a spectrometer reading which help scientists determine what a star is made of.
They also help indicate a red shift.
A ball of gas which produces heat and light energy through fusion reactions. Star
Steady State Theory A theory suggesting that as the universe is expanding new matter is continually being created so that the universe keeps a constant density.
Supernova
Universe
An explosion brought on by the collapse of a red supergiant.
The entirety of space.
White dwarf A dense star formed from the dying of a red giant. No fusion occurs as it gradually gets dimmer as it cools.

Topic 4 - Energy
Alternating Current
Biofuels
Chemical potential energy
Conductor (electrical) A material which allows the flow of electricity through it.
Conservation of energy. A law stating that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can be transformed from one form into
Cost-efficient
Current
Direct current
Dynamo
Efficiency another.
Something which saves a lot of money when compared to the price it originally costs.
The rate of flow of charge.
A charge which flows in one direction.
A device which generates electricity using a spinning magnet.
The proportion of the input energy converted into a useful type.
Elastic potential energy Energy stored in materials that have been stretched or squashed and have the ability to return to its original shape.
Electricity
Electromagnet
An electric current whose direction changes many times per second.
A renewable energy source made from the remains of dead organisms
Energy stored in substances which can be released through a chemical reaction. (such as combustion and respiration)
Fossil fuel
Generator
Geothermal energy
The flow of charged particles which can transfer energy.
A temporary magnet made from a current flowing through a coil of wire wrapped around a magnetic material.
A non-renewable form of energy such as coal, oil or gas. These are formed over millions of years from the remains of dead animals or plants.
A spinning coil in a magnetic field creating electricity.
Energy transferred by hot rocks deep underneath the Earth’s crust.
Gravitational potential energy
Hydroelectricity
Induction
Joule
Kilowatt (KW)
Kilowatt-hour
Kinetic Energy
Light energy
Magnetic field
National grid
Energy stored in things held above the ground (things that can fall).
The transfer of gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy by falling water.
The creation of a current by the motion of a wire at right angles to the direction of a magnetic field.
The unit of energy.
A unit for measuring power, 1 KW = 1,000W.
The amount of energy transferred by a 1KW device in one hour.
Movement energy.
The energy of visible light.
The area around a magnet where magnetic material may experience a force.
A system of wires and transformers which distribute electricity across the country.
Non-renewable energy Energy resources which will eventually run out/be used up.
Nuclear potential energy
Energy stored inside the nucleus of an atom.
Payback time
Power
The time it takes to recover the initial cost through annual savings.
How quickly something transfers energy, measured in Watts (1 Joule per second).
Primary Coil
Renewable energy resources
The side of a transformer to which electricity is supplied.
Sources of energy which will not run out, such as solar or wind.
Secondary Coil
Slip rings
The side of a transformer from which the changed voltage is obtained.
Rings connected to the wires on a generator coil and to the rest of the circuit, designed to let the coil
Solar cells
Solar energy
Sound energy spin without the wires getting twisted.
Devices designed to convert light energy into electrical energy.
Energy from the sun.
The energy transferred by sound waves.
Step-down Transformer A transformer which reduces Voltage. These have more coils on the primary coil than on the secondary.
Step-up Transformer A transformer which increases Voltage. These have more coils on the secondary than on the primary.
Thermal energy
Tidal power
Transformer
Voltage
Watt (W)
Wave power
Wind turbines
Energy transferred by heating.
Generating electricity using the movement of the waves.
A device consisting of two coils of wire around an iron core which can change the voltage of an alternating electrical supply.
The amount of energy transferred by a current.
The unit for measuring Power. 1 Watt is 1 Joule per second.
A way of generating electricity using the movement of water waves.
A kind of windmill which generates electricity when the movement of air spins its turbines.