What are Cornell notes?

A page split into a narrow column for questions, a wide column for notes and a summary across the bottom. Walter Pauk developed the method at Cornell University.

Is there a free Cornell notes template?

Yes. Download the printable template above as an A4 or US Letter PDF, then print it or write on it on a tablet.

Can AI make Cornell notes from my notes or a PDF?

Yes. Paste your notes or upload a PDF, PowerPoint or Word file and Aripsy makes the pack, then shows it as Cornell notes. You can try a file without signing up, then a free account gives 1 upload a month.

Where do the questions in the left column come from?

From your pack's flashcards, each question beside its answer. When a pack has too few, Aripsy uses the Check yourself questions in your notes.

How do I study with Cornell notes?

Cover the notes column, answer each question out loud, then check. In Aripsy, press Cover the notes, then tap each answer.

Can I download my Cornell notes?

Yes. Download the page as an image, or press Copy as text and paste the table into Google Docs, Word or Notion.

Do Cornell notes actually work?

Studies of Cornell note-taking have mixed results. Covering the notes and answering the questions is retrieval practice, one of the best-supported ways to study. Cornell Notes (Wikipedia), Dunlosky and colleagues (2013).

Yes. Without an account you can make 1 pack a day from up to 1,500 words, with the Cornell view. A free account gives 15 packs a month and 5,000 words a paste.

Is it better than asking ChatGPT for Cornell notes?

ChatGPT can write Cornell notes if you ask. Aripsy makes them from your own material, lets you cover the answers and test yourself, and keeps flashcards and practice questions with mark schemes in the same pack.

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Free Cornell Notes Generator

A Cornell notes generator turns your class notes, a PDF or slides into Cornell notes, with questions in a narrow left column, the answers beside them and a summary at the bottom. Aripsy writes revision notes, flashcards and practice questions from your material and shows them as Cornell notes. Cover the answers to test yourself, then download the page as an image or copy it into Google Docs, Word or Notion.

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How to make Cornell notes with AI in 3 steps

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Paste your class notes for one topic, or upload a PDF, PowerPoint or Word file.
02
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Choose Cornell above your notes. Cover the notes, answer each question out loud, then tap to check.

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Cornell notes example from one page of class notes

Class notes on specific heat capacity went in, from AQA GCSE Physics, Paper 1. Aripsy made the notes, flashcards and practice questions, and the Cornell view lays them out. Nothing was edited. Press Cover the notes and test yourself.

Pasted class notes

Physics - Energy: specific heat capacity (AQA GCSE, paper 1)

specific heat capacity (c) = energy needed to raise 1 kg of a substance by 1 °C
equation: ΔE = m c Δθ
- ΔE change in thermal energy in J
- m mass in kg (NOT grams!! lost a mark on the mock for this)
- c in J/kg °C
- Δθ temperature change in °C

water has a high c, about 4200 J/kg °C, so it heats up and cools down slowly
-> good for central heating and storage heaters

required practical (metal block):
- 1 kg aluminium block, heater + joulemeter (or V x I x t), thermometer in a hole with a drop of water/oil
- wrap block in insulation (to reduce energy lost to the surroundings)
- record temp every minute for 10 min, plot temp vs energy, gradient = 1/(mc)

why our c came out too high: energy lost to the air, so more energy put in than the block actually took in
the thermometer reading lags behind the heater

teacher said: always rearrange the equation BEFORE putting numbers in

What Aripsy made· Made 5 Nov 2026 · AQA · GCSE · Physics

Made 5 Nov 2026 · AQA · GCSE · Physics

What is the definition of specific heat capacity?
- Specific heat capacity (c) is the energy needed to raise 1 kg of a substance by 1 °C.
What equation links change in thermal energy, mass, specific heat capacity and temperature change?
- ΔE = m c Δθ
- ΔE is change in thermal energy in J, m is mass in kg, c is in J/kg °C, Δθ is temperature change in °C.
Why must you rearrange the equation ΔE = m c Δθ before substituting numbers?
- Rearrange first so the unknown is the subject, then substitute values with units and calculate.
- Substituting before rearranging risks errors in the algebra and in the final unit.
What unit must mass be in when using ΔE = m c Δθ?
- Kilograms (kg), not grams.
- Convert grams to kilograms (divide by 1000) before substituting, otherwise the answer is wrong by a factor of 1000.
What are the units of specific heat capacity c?
- J/kg °C (joules per kilogram per degree Celsius).
Why does water have a high specific heat capacity, and what is it used for?
- Water's c is about 4200 J/kg °C, so it heats up and cools down slowly.
- This makes it useful in central heating and storage heaters.
What equipment and setup is used in the metal block practical?
- A 1 kg aluminium block with a heater and joulemeter (or V × I × t), and a thermometer in a hole containing a drop of water or oil.
- Wrap the block in insulation to reduce energy lost to the surroundings.
What measurements are taken in the metal block practical and how is the data plotted?
- Record temperature every minute for 10 minutes.
- Plot temperature against energy; the gradient equals 1/(mc).

SummarySpecific heat capacity is the energy needed to raise 1 kg of a substance by 1 °C. You use ΔE = m c Δθ, rearranged first, with mass in kg. Water's high c of 4200 J/kg °C means it heats and cools slowly, which suits central heating and storage heaters. In the metal block practical, the gradient is 1/(mc). Energy lost to the air makes your c too high.

Specific heat capacity

AQA GCSE Physics, paper 1

1. Definition and the equation

Specific heat capacity (c): energy needed to raise 1 kg of a substance by 1 °C.
ΔE = m c Δθ links energy, mass, c and temperature change.
ΔE: change in thermal energy, in J.
m: mass in kg, never grams.
c: in J/kg °C.
Δθ: temperature change, in °C.

Rearrange the equation before substituting, so each step and unit is easy to check. Mass must be in kg because c is per kg; using grams gives an energy 1000 times too large.

Worked example: Start: m = 1 kg, c = 4200 J/kg °C, ΔE = 4200 J Rearrange: Δθ = ΔE / (m c) Substitute: Δθ = 4200 J / (1 kg × 4200 J/kg °C) Result: Δθ = 1 °C Check: 4200 J warms 1 kg of water by 1 °C, as the definition says.

Exam trap: forgetting to convert grams to kg. This cost marks on your mock.

Check yourself: Why must you rearrange ΔE = m c Δθ before putting in numbers, and why must mass be in kg?

2. Why water suits heating

Water has a high c, about 4200 J/kg °C.
Heats and cools slowly, so it is good for heating and storage.
Used in central heating and storage heaters.

A high c means each degree of temperature change needs a lot of energy. Water therefore releases its stored heat gradually as it cools.

Check yourself: Explain, using c, why water is good for central heating.

3. Required practical: metal block

Use a 1 kg aluminium block with a heater and joulemeter (or V × I × t).
Put the thermometer in a hole with a drop of water or oil.
Wrap the block in insulation to reduce energy lost to the surroundings.
Record temperature every minute for 10 minutes.
Plot temperature against energy; gradient = 1/(mc).

The gradient is 1/(mc) because θ = ΔE/(mc) is a straight line with slope 1/(mc). So c = 1/(m × gradient).

Your c came out too high because energy was lost to the air, so more energy was supplied than the block absorbed. The thermometer reading also lags behind the heater.

Exam trap: energy lost to the air means the energy in the calculation is too large, so c is too high.

Check yourself: Explain how energy lost to the air makes your measured c too high.

Exam checklist

Convert mass to kg before using ΔE = m c Δθ.
Rearrange the equation first, then substitute values with units.
State c's unit as J/kg °C.
Explain water's slow heating and cooling using its high c.
Describe the insulation and why it is used.
Explain the gradient 1/(mc) and how it gives c.
Explain that energy lost to the air makes c too high.

One-minute recap

Specific heat capacity is the energy needed to raise 1 kg of a substance by 1 °C. You use ΔE = m c Δθ, rearranged first, with mass in kg. Water's high c of 4200 J/kg °C means it heats and cools slowly, which suits central heating and storage heaters. In the metal block practical, the gradient is 1/(mc). Energy lost to the air makes your c too high.

Check-yourself answers

You rearrange first so each step is clear and units are easy to check. Mass must be in kg because c is per kg; grams would make ΔE 1000 times too large.
Water's high c means each degree of temperature change needs a lot of energy. It therefore heats and cools slowly, giving a steady release of heat.
Energy lost to the air means more energy is supplied than the block absorbs. The calculated energy is too large, so c = ΔE/(mΔθ) comes out too high.

01A 2 kg block of metal is given 168 000 J of energy and its temperature rises by 40 °C. Rearrange the equation for specific heat capacity, then calculate c, showing your working and the unit.
3 marks
Mark scheme
- Rearranges the equation to c = ΔE / (m Δθ) before substituting
- Substitutes 168 000 J, 2 kg and 40 °C into the rearranged equation to get 168 000 / (2 × 40)
- Gives c = 2100 J/kg °C with the correct unit
02A student heats 500 g of water and records a temperature rise of 15 °C. Calculate the change in thermal energy, showing your working, including the mass in the correct unit. Take c = 4200 J/kg °C.
3 marks
Mark scheme
- Converts 500 g to 0.5 kg before substituting
- Substitutes 0.5 kg, 4200 J/kg °C and 15 °C into ΔE = m c Δθ
- Gives ΔE = 31 500 J (or 31.5 kJ) as the answer
03A 1 kg metal block absorbs 45 000 J of energy and has a specific heat capacity of 900 J/kg °C. Calculate its temperature rise, showing your working and the unit.
2 marks
Mark scheme
- Uses Δθ = ΔE / (m c) with substitution 45 000 / (1 × 900)
- Gives Δθ = 50 °C
04A student heats a block and plots temperature against energy supplied, obtaining a straight line. Explain what the gradient of this line represents and how a larger specific heat capacity would change the gradient.
3 marks
Mark scheme
- Gradient equals temperature change divided by energy supplied, Δθ/ΔE
- Because Δθ = ΔE/(mc), the gradient is 1/(mc)
- A larger c needs more energy per 1 °C rise, so the gradient becomes smaller
05A student's measured specific heat capacity for a metal block is higher than the accepted value. Explain why energy lost to the surroundings causes this overestimate.
3 marks
Mark scheme
- Energy lost to the air means the block takes in less energy than the heater supplies
- The calculation uses the supplied energy as ΔE, so ΔE is overestimated
- An overestimated ΔE gives an overestimated c because c = ΔE / (m Δθ)
06A student calculates the energy needed to warm a 250 g aluminium block by 20 °C, using c = 900 J/kg °C. The student substitutes m = 250 directly into ΔE = m c Δθ and claims the unit of mass does not matter as long as the answer is in joules. Evaluate this claim.
6 marks
Mark scheme
- Claim is incorrect because c is defined per kilogram
- Mass must be converted to kg, giving 0.25 kg
- Correct value is ΔE = 0.25 × 900 × 20 = 4500 J
- Substituting 250 gives 4 500 000 J, a factor of 1000 error
- Unit of joules does not correct a wrong value of m
- Judgement that the claim cannot be accepted
07A block has ΔE = 90 000 J, c = 900 J/kg °C and Δθ = 50 °C. A student substitutes all three values into ΔE = m c Δθ before rearranging. Justify the correct order of working to find m, and state the mass with its unit.
6 marks
Mark scheme
- Rearrange to m = ΔE / (c Δθ) before substituting
- Substitution into the rearranged form gives one clear operation
- Denominator c Δθ = 900 × 50 = 45 000 J/kg
- m = 90 000 / 45 000 = 2 kg
- Unit of mass is kg, consistent with c in J/kg °C

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Every pack is written fresh, so yours will read a little differently. Check these notes against AQA's specification

Last reviewed · 5 November 2026

Free Cornell notes template (printable)

Print it, or fill it in on a tablet. A question column sits beside a wider notes column, with a summary across the bottom.

Download A4 PDF Download US Letter PDF

One page, with your name, class, date and topic at the top.

Rather have it filled in? Paste your notes at the top and Aripsy writes the questions, the answers and the summary.

Layout from Cornell University's Learning Strategies Center, adapted from Walter Pauk's How to Study in College.

How to take Cornell notes

Walter Pauk, an education professor at Cornell University, set out the method in his book How to Study in College. Cornell's Learning Strategies Center sums it up in five steps.

01Record the lesson in the wide notes column, in short telegraphic sentences.
02As soon after class as you can, write questions about those notes in the left column and sum up the page at the bottom.
03Cover the notes column and answer each question out loud, in your own words.
04Reflect on what the facts mean and how they fit with what you already know.
05Review all your notes for at least ten minutes every week.

Aripsy does step 2 for you. Paste your notes at the top and it writes the questions and the summary.

SourcesThe Cornell Note-taking System (Cornell Learning Strategies Center, PDF) · Cornell Notes (Wikipedia)

What the free Cornell notes generator includes

Yes, and the Cornell view is on every plan. A free account raises the limits and sets your exam board.

What the free Cornell notes generator includes
	No account	Free account	Pro
Study packs	1 a day	15 a month, up to 5 a day	300 a month
Words per paste	1,500	5,000	30,000
Cornell view, cover and download	Yes	Yes	Yes
Flashcards per pack	3-card preview	Up to 10	Up to 30
Practice questions with mark schemes	2 shown	Yes	Yes
PDF, PowerPoint and Word uploads	1 file free, up to 1,500 words	1 a month	Unlimited, up to 15 MB
Price	Free	Free	$7.99 a month or $49.99 a year

Questions students ask

What are Cornell notes?: A page split into a narrow column for questions, a wide column for notes and a summary across the bottom. Walter Pauk developed the method at Cornell University.
Is there a free Cornell notes template?: Yes. Download the printable template above as an A4 or US Letter PDF, then print it or write on it on a tablet.
Can AI make Cornell notes from my notes or a PDF?: Yes. Paste your notes or upload a PDF, PowerPoint or Word file and Aripsy makes the pack, then shows it as Cornell notes. You can try a file without signing up, then a free account gives 1 upload a month.
Where do the questions in the left column come from?: From your pack's flashcards, each question beside its answer. When a pack has too few, Aripsy uses the Check yourself questions in your notes.
How do I study with Cornell notes?: Cover the notes column, answer each question out loud, then check. In Aripsy, press Cover the notes, then tap each answer.
Can I download my Cornell notes?: Yes. Download the page as an image, or press Copy as text and paste the table into Google Docs, Word or Notion.
Do Cornell notes actually work?: Studies of Cornell note-taking have mixed results. Covering the notes and answering the questions is retrieval practice, one of the best-supported ways to study.Cornell Notes (Wikipedia)Dunlosky and colleagues (2013)
Is it free?: Yes. Without an account you can make 1 pack a day from up to 1,500 words, with the Cornell view. A free account gives 15 packs a month and 5,000 words a paste.
Is it better than asking ChatGPT for Cornell notes?: ChatGPT can write Cornell notes if you ask. Aripsy makes them from your own material, lets you cover the answers and test yourself, and keeps flashcards and practice questions with mark schemes in the same pack.

Free Cornell Notes Generator

How to make Cornell notes with AI in 3 steps

Cornell notes example from one page of class notes

Specific heat capacity

1. Definition and the equation

2. Why water suits heating

3. Required practical: metal block

Exam checklist

One-minute recap

Check-yourself answers

Free Cornell notes template (printable)

How to take Cornell notes

What the free Cornell notes generator includes

Questions students ask

AI study notes generator

AI flashcard generator

AI study guide generator

Make a quiz from notes

AQA GCSE Physics notes

Mark my answer

Free Cornell Notes Generator

How to make Cornell notes with AI in 3 steps

Cornell notes example from one page of class notes

Specific heat capacity

1. Definition and the equation

2. Why water suits heating

3. Required practical: metal block

Exam checklist

One-minute recap

Check-yourself answers

Free Cornell notes template (printable)

How to take Cornell notes

What the free Cornell notes generator includes

Questions students ask

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AI flashcard generator

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AQA GCSE Physics notes

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