HEC USAT Physics Syllabus

Physics syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Physics in HEC USAT, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Mechanics

   4 topics

   • Kinematics
   • Newton's Laws of Motion
   • Work, Energy and Power
   • Momentum and Collisions
2. 2

   Waves and Oscillations

   3 topics

   • Simple Harmonic Motion
   • Wave Properties
   • Sound and Acoustics
3. 3

   Heat and Thermodynamics

   3 topics

   • Temperature and Thermal Expansion
   • Laws of Thermodynamics
   • Heat Transfer
4. 4

   Electricity and Magnetism

   4 topics

   • Electrostatics
   • Current Electricity and Ohm's Law
   • Magnetic Fields and Forces
   • Electromagnetic Induction
5. 5

   Optics

   3 topics

   • Reflection and Refraction
   • Lenses and Mirrors
   • Wave Optics
6. 6

   Modern Physics

   3 topics

   • Atomic Structure
   • Photoelectric Effect
   • Nuclear Physics and Radioactivity

Physics flashcards for HEC USAT

24 of 54 cards from the Physics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. Define displacement and state how it differs from distance.

   Displacement is the change in position of an object in a given direction; it is a vector (has magnitude and direction). Distance is the total path length travelled and is a scalar.

2. State 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, s = displacement, t = time).

3. What is the difference between speed and velocity?

   Speed is the rate of change of distance (scalar). Velocity is the rate of change of displacement (vector), having both magnitude and direction.

4. For a projectile launched at angle θ with speed u, give the formulas for time of flight, maximum height, and range.

   Time of flight = 2u sinθ / g; Maximum height = u²sin²θ / 2g; Range = u²sin2θ / g.

5. What does the slope and the area of a velocity–time graph represent?

   The slope gives acceleration; the area under the graph gives displacement.

6. What is the acceleration due to gravity near Earth's surface, and in which direction does it act?

   Approximately 9.8 m/s² (often taken as 9.81 or 10 m/s²), directed vertically downward toward Earth's centre.

7. 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.)

8. State Newton's Second Law of Motion and its formula.

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

9. State Newton's Third Law of Motion.

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

10. Define inertia and state what it depends on.

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

11. 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).

12. Distinguish between mass and weight.

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

13. What is the difference between static friction and kinetic friction?

    Static friction acts between surfaces at rest and adjusts up to a maximum to prevent motion. Kinetic (sliding) friction acts between surfaces in relative motion and is generally smaller than maximum static friction.

14. Define work in physics and give its formula and SI unit.

    Work is the product of force and displacement in the direction of the force: W = Fs cosθ. SI unit is the joule (J).

15. Give the formulas for kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy.

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

16. State the work–energy theorem.

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

17. Define power and give its formula and SI unit.

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

18. State the principle (law) of conservation of energy.

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

19. Define efficiency and give its formula.

    Efficiency is the ratio of useful output energy (or power) to total input energy (or power): Efficiency = (useful output / total input) × 100%.

20. Define linear momentum and give its formula, unit, and type of quantity.

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

21. State the law of conservation of momentum.

    If no external force acts on a system, its total momentum remains constant; the total momentum before a collision equals the total momentum after it.

22. Define impulse and state its relationship to momentum.

    Impulse is the product of force and the time for which it acts: J = F·t. Impulse equals the change in momentum: F·t = Δp = mv − mu.

23. Distinguish between elastic and inelastic collisions.

    In an elastic collision both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. In an inelastic collision momentum is conserved but kinetic energy is not (some is converted to heat, sound, etc.).

24. What is a perfectly inelastic collision?

    A collision in which the colliding bodies stick together and move with a common velocity afterward; momentum is conserved but the maximum possible kinetic energy is lost.

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