NTS NAT-IE 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 NTS NAT-IE, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Measurements and Vectors

   3 topics

   • Physical Quantities and Units
   • Errors and Significant Figures
   • Vectors and Scalars
2. 2

   Motion and Force

   3 topics

   • Kinematics
   • Newton's Laws of Motion
   • Momentum and Impulse
3. 3

   Work, Energy and Power

   3 topics

   • Work and Energy
   • Conservation of Energy
   • Power and Efficiency
4. 4

   Circular and Rotational Motion

   3 topics

   • Angular Motion
   • Centripetal Force
   • Moment of Inertia and Torque
5. 5

   Waves and Oscillations

   3 topics

   • Simple Harmonic Motion
   • Wave Properties
   • Sound and Doppler Effect
6. 6

   Heat and Thermodynamics

   3 topics

   • Temperature and Kinetic Theory
   • Laws of Thermodynamics
   • Heat Transfer
7. 7

   Electricity and Magnetism

   4 topics

   • Electrostatics
   • Current Electricity and Ohm's Law
   • Electromagnetism
   • Capacitors
8. 8

   Modern Physics

   3 topics

   • Photoelectric Effect
   • Atomic Structure and Spectra
   • Nuclear Physics

Physics flashcards for NTS NAT-IE

24 of 50 cards from the Physics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is a physical quantity, and what two parts is it expressed with?

   A physical quantity is a property of a body that can be measured. It is expressed as a numerical magnitude multiplied by a unit (e.g., 5 kg).

2. List the seven SI base quantities and their base units.

   Length (metre, m), mass (kilogram, kg), time (second, s), electric current (ampere, A), temperature (kelvin, K), amount of substance (mole, mol), and luminous intensity (candela, cd).

3. What is the difference between base units and derived units?

   Base units are the seven fundamental SI units that cannot be expressed in terms of others. Derived units are formed by combining base units (e.g., newton = kg·m·s⁻²).

4. Express the SI unit of force (newton) in terms of base units.

   1 N = 1 kg·m·s⁻².

5. What do the prefixes nano (n), micro (µ), milli (m), kilo (k), mega (M), and giga (G) represent as powers of ten?

   nano = 10⁻⁹, micro = 10⁻⁶, milli = 10⁻³, kilo = 10³, mega = 10⁶, giga = 10⁹.

6. What is dimensional analysis (homogeneity of equations) used to check?

   It checks that the dimensions on both sides of a physical equation are the same; an equation must be dimensionally homogeneous to be physically valid.

7. What is the difference between a random error and a systematic error?

   Random errors are unpredictable scatter in measurements (reduced by averaging repeated readings); systematic errors are consistent biases in one direction (e.g., zero error) not reduced by averaging.

8. Define accuracy and precision in measurement.

   Accuracy is how close a measurement is to the true value; precision is how close repeated measurements are to each other (consistency), regardless of the true value.

9. What is a zero error, and what type of error is it?

   A zero error occurs when an instrument does not read zero when it should; it is a systematic error and must be corrected by adding or subtracting the zero reading.

10. State the rules for counting significant figures regarding zeros.

    Non-zero digits are always significant; zeros between non-zeros are significant; leading zeros are not significant; trailing zeros after a decimal point are significant.

11. How many significant figures are in 0.004560?

    Four significant figures (4, 5, 6, and the trailing 0; leading zeros are not counted).

12. When multiplying or dividing measurements, how many significant figures should the answer have?

    The answer should have the same number of significant figures as the measurement with the fewest significant figures.

13. What is the difference between a scalar and a vector quantity? Give one example of each.

    A scalar has magnitude only (e.g., mass, speed, energy); a vector has both magnitude and direction (e.g., displacement, velocity, force).

14. How do you resolve a vector of magnitude F at angle θ to the horizontal into components?

    Horizontal component Fx = F·cos θ; vertical component Fy = F·sin θ.

15. How do you find the magnitude and direction of a resultant from two perpendicular components Fx and Fy?

    Magnitude R = √(Fx² + Fy²); direction θ = tan⁻¹(Fy/Fx) measured from the horizontal.

16. What is the parallelogram law of vector addition?

    If two vectors acting at a point are represented by the adjacent sides of a parallelogram, their resultant is represented by the diagonal drawn from the same point.

17. State the condition for two vectors to give a zero resultant.

    They must be equal in magnitude and opposite in direction (antiparallel).

18. 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 with direction (vector).

19. Distinguish between speed and velocity.

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

20. State the three equations of motion for uniform acceleration.

    v = u + at; s = ut + ½at²; v² = u² + 2as.

21. For a body falling freely from rest, what are its velocity and distance after time t (ignoring air resistance)?

    Velocity v = gt; distance fallen s = ½gt², where g ≈ 9.8 m·s⁻² (or 10 m·s⁻²).

22. What does the gradient (slope) of a velocity-time graph represent, and what does the area under it represent?

    The gradient represents acceleration; the area under the velocity-time graph represents displacement.

23. At the highest point of a vertically projected object, what is its velocity and acceleration?

    Its velocity is zero, but its acceleration is g (≈ 9.8 m·s⁻²) directed downward.

24. 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 (the law of inertia).

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