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Energy and electricity flash cards

Flash cards on energy stores, conservation of energy, kinetic and potential energy, power, efficiency, current, voltage, resistance, series and parallel circuits and mains safety.

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The cards, front and back

  1. 1
    Front

    Name some energy stores.

    Back

    Kinetic, gravitational potential, elastic potential, thermal (internal), chemical, magnetic, electrostatic and nuclear.

  2. 2
    Front

    What is the principle of conservation of energy?

    Back

    Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred from one store to another. The total energy in a closed system stays the same.

  3. 3
    Front

    Kinetic energy equation

    Back

    KE = ½mv², where m is mass in kg and v is speed in m/s. Energy is in joules (J).

  4. 4
    Front

    Gravitational potential energy equation

    Back

    GPE = mgh, where m is mass, g is gravitational field strength and h is height.

  5. 5
    Front

    What is power?

    Back

    The rate at which energy is transferred: P = E ÷ t. It is measured in watts (W), where 1 W = 1 J/s.

  6. 6
    Front

    What is efficiency?

    Back

    Efficiency = useful energy output ÷ total energy input. It can be given as a decimal or a percentage, and is never more than 1 (100%).

  7. 7
    Front

    What happens to wasted energy?

    Back

    It is usually transferred to the surroundings as thermal energy, making them warmer. It spreads out (dissipates) and becomes less useful.

  8. 8
    Front

    What is electric current?

    Back

    The rate of flow of charge: I = Q ÷ t. Current is measured in amperes (A) and charge in coulombs (C).

  9. 9
    Front

    What is potential difference (voltage)?

    Back

    The energy transferred per unit charge between two points: V = E ÷ Q. It is measured in volts (V).

  10. 10
    Front

    What is resistance, and Ohm's law?

    Back

    Resistance is how much a component opposes current, measured in ohms (Ω). V = IR, so for an ohmic conductor at constant temperature, current is directly proportional to potential difference.

  11. 11
    Front

    Electrical power equations

    Back

    P = IV and P = I²R.

  12. 12
    Front

    Current and voltage in a series circuit

    Back

    The current is the same everywhere. The supply voltage is shared between the components, and the total resistance is the sum of the resistances.

  13. 13
    Front

    Current and voltage in a parallel circuit

    Back

    The voltage across each branch is the same as the supply. The total current is the sum of the currents in the branches, and adding a branch lowers the total resistance.

  14. 14
    Front

    How does the resistance of a light-dependent resistor (LDR) change?

    Back

    Its resistance falls as light intensity increases. LDRs are used in automatic night lights.

  15. 15
    Front

    How does the resistance of a thermistor change?

    Back

    For the usual type taught at school, resistance falls as temperature rises. Thermistors are used in thermostats and electronic thermometers.

  16. 16
    Front

    How should ammeters and voltmeters be connected?

    Back

    An ammeter is connected in series with the component. A voltmeter is connected in parallel across it.

  17. 17
    Front

    Direct current and alternating current

    Back

    Direct current (d.c.) flows in one direction only, as from a cell or battery. Alternating current (a.c.) keeps reversing direction, as in mains electricity.

  18. 18
    Front

    What is mains electricity like?

    Back

    It is a.c. In the UK, Europe, Australia and many other countries it is about 230 V at 50 Hz. In the United States and Canada it is about 120 V at 60 Hz.

  19. 19
    Front

    What do the live, neutral and earth wires do?

    Back

    The live wire carries the alternating voltage from the supply. The neutral wire completes the circuit. The earth wire is a safety wire that stops the case of an appliance becoming live.

  20. 20
    Front

    What does a fuse or circuit breaker do?

    Back

    It breaks the circuit if the current becomes too large, protecting the wiring and appliance from overheating and reducing the risk of fire.

  21. 21
    Front

    Renewable and non-renewable energy resources

    Back

    Renewable resources can be replenished as they are used, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, tidal, geothermal and biofuels. Non-renewable resources will run out, such as coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear fuel.

  22. 22
    Front

    How do you calculate the energy used by an appliance?

    Back

    Energy = power × time (E = Pt). In joules, use watts and seconds. For electricity bills, energy is often given in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

How to use this template

This deck brings together energy and electricity for school physics. It covers energy stores and conservation of energy, kinetic and gravitational potential energy, power and efficiency, current, charge and potential difference, resistance and Ohm's law, electrical power, series and parallel circuits, LDRs and thermistors, meters, a.c. and d.c., mains electricity and safety, energy resources and energy use. It suits GCSE and IGCSE physics or combined science, Year 9 to Year 11 science, high school physics and a refresher for AP or IB physics. Study the definitions first in Learn mode, then the equations and circuit rules in Test mode, with spaced repetition bringing back cards you miss. Print it double-sided for quick revision.

Tips

  • Write every equation as a word equation and a symbol equation, with units, on the same card. Exams use both forms.
  • Learn the series and parallel rules as a pair and test yourself by drawing a simple circuit for each.
  • Practise rearranging V = IR, P = IV and E = Pt until you can make any letter the subject without thinking.
  • When describing energy transfers, name the stores at the start and end, and how the energy was transferred, such as by an electric current or by heating.
  • Watch for kilo and milli prefixes: convert kW to W and mA to A before you calculate.

Make it fit

  • Change the mains card to your own country's voltage and frequency if it is not listed.
  • Add specific heat capacity, the National Grid or static electricity if your course covers them.
  • Add the I–V graphs for a resistor, a filament lamp and a diode, described in words on the back.
  • Split the deck into an energy set and an electricity set.

Updated October 28, 2026

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