ETEA Medical Test Physics Syllabus

Distinguish between distance and displacement.

Distance is the total path length travelled (scalar); displacement is the straight-line change in position from start to end (vector with direction).

Distinguish between speed and velocity.

Speed is the rate of change of distance (scalar); velocity is the rate of change of displacement (vector, includes direction).

Define acceleration and give its SI unit.

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with respect to time; SI unit is m/s².

Write the three equations of motion for uniform acceleration.

v = u + at; s = ut + ½at²; v² = u² + 2as, where u = initial velocity, v = final velocity, a = acceleration, t = time, s = displacement.

What does the slope of a velocity-time graph and the area under it represent?

The slope of a velocity-time graph represents acceleration; the area under the graph represents displacement.

For a body in free fall (taking g = 9.8 m/s²), how do the equations of motion change?

Replace acceleration a with g and displacement s with height h: v = u + gt; h = ut + ½gt²; v² = u² + 2gh (g positive downward).

State Newton's first law of motion.

A body remains at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by a net external force (law of inertia).

State Newton's second law of motion and its equation.

The rate of change of momentum of a body is directly proportional to the applied force and acts in the direction of the force: F = ma (or F = dp/dt).

State Newton's third law of motion.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; the forces act on two different bodies.

What is inertia, and on what does it depend?

Inertia is the tendency of a body to resist any change in its state of rest or uniform motion; it depends on (is directly proportional to) the body's mass.

Distinguish between mass and weight.

Mass is the quantity of matter in a body (scalar, kg, constant everywhere). Weight is the gravitational force on the body (vector, newtons, W = mg, varies with g).

What is the SI unit of force and how is it defined?

The newton (N); one newton is the force that gives a 1 kg mass an acceleration of 1 m/s² (1 N = 1 kg·m/s²).

Define momentum and give its formula and SI unit.

Momentum is the product of mass and velocity: p = mv. It is a vector. SI unit is kg·m/s (or N·s).

Define impulse and state the impulse-momentum theorem.

Impulse = force × time of contact (FΔt). The impulse-momentum theorem states impulse equals the change in momentum: FΔt = Δp = m(v − u).

State the law of conservation of momentum.

In the absence of an external force, the total momentum of an isolated system remains constant before and after a collision: m1u1 + m2u2 = m1v1 + m2v2.

Differentiate between elastic and inelastic collisions.

In elastic collisions both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. In inelastic collisions momentum is conserved but kinetic energy is not (some converts to heat/sound/deformation).

What are the horizontal and vertical components of velocity in projectile motion (launch speed v at angle θ)?

Horizontal: vx = v cosθ (constant). Vertical: vy = v sinθ − gt (changes due to gravity).

Write the formulas for the time of flight, maximum height, and range of a projectile.

Time of flight T = 2v sinθ / g; Maximum height H = v² sin²θ / 2g; Range R = v² sin2θ / g.

At what launch angle is the range of a projectile maximum, and why?

At 45°, because R = v² sin2θ / g is maximum when sin2θ = 1, i.e., 2θ = 90°, so θ = 45°.

What is the shape of a projectile's trajectory and the nature of its acceleration?

The trajectory is a parabola; the acceleration is constant, equal to g (9.8 m/s²) directed vertically downward, with zero horizontal acceleration.

Define work and give its formula and SI unit.

Work is the product of force and displacement in the direction of the force: W = F s cosθ. SI unit is the joule (J); it is a scalar.

When is the work done by a force zero?

When the force is perpendicular to the displacement (θ = 90°, cos90° = 0), when there is no displacement, or when there is no force.

Write the formulas for kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy.

Kinetic energy KE = ½mv²; Gravitational potential energy PE = mgh.

State the work-energy theorem.

The net work done on a body equals the change in its kinetic energy: W_net = ΔKE = ½mv² − ½mu².

State the law of conservation of energy.

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed from one form to another; the total energy of an isolated system remains constant.

For a freely falling body, how does the sum of KE and PE behave?

PE decreases and KE increases as it falls, but their sum (total mechanical energy) remains constant in the absence of air resistance.

Define power and give its formula and SI unit.

Power is the rate of doing work or transferring energy: P = W/t = F·v. SI unit is the watt (W), where 1 W = 1 J/s.

Define efficiency and write its formula.

Efficiency is the ratio of useful output energy (or power) to total input energy (or power): Efficiency = (useful output / total input) × 100%. It is always less than 100% in real machines.

Define angular velocity, write its formula, and give the relation between linear and angular velocity.

Angular velocity ω is the rate of change of angular displacement: ω = θ/t (or dθ/dt), unit rad/s. Linear velocity v = rω.

Define angular acceleration and give the relation between linear and angular acceleration.

Angular acceleration α is the rate of change of angular velocity: α = Δω/Δt, unit rad/s². Linear (tangential) acceleration a = rα.

Define centripetal force, write its formulas, and state its direction.

Centripetal force is the net force required to keep a body moving in a circular path, directed toward the centre: F = mv²/r = mrω². Its direction is always toward the centre of the circle.