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

1. 1

   Measurement and Vectors

   3 topics

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

   Motion and Force

   4 topics

   • Kinematics
   • Newton's Laws of Motion
   • Momentum and Collisions
   • Projectile Motion
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

   • Uniform Circular Motion
   • Angular Motion and Torque
   • Gravitation and Orbits
5. 5

   Oscillations and Waves

   3 topics

   • Simple Harmonic Motion
   • Properties of Waves
   • Sound and Resonance
6. 6

   Heat and Thermodynamics

   3 topics

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

   Electricity and Magnetism

   3 topics

   • Electrostatics and Coulomb's Law
   • Current Electricity and Ohm's Law
   • Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction
8. 8

   Optics

   3 topics

   • Reflection and Refraction
   • Lenses and Mirrors
   • Interference and Diffraction
9. 9

   Modern Physics

   3 topics

   • Photoelectric Effect and Photons
   • Atomic Spectra and Models
   • Nuclear Physics and Radioactivity

Physics flashcards for NTS NAT-IM

24 of 52 cards from the Physics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is a physical quantity?

   A measurable property of a physical system that can be expressed as a numerical magnitude multiplied by a unit (e.g., 5 metres).

2. What are 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. Distinguish between base units and derived units.

   Base units are the seven fundamental SI units defined independently; derived units are formed by combining base units (e.g., newton = kg·m·s⁻²).

4. What is the dimensional formula of force?

   [M L T⁻²] — derived from F = ma (mass × acceleration).

5. State the principle of homogeneity of dimensions.

   Every term on both sides of a valid physical equation must have the same dimensions; this is used to check the correctness of equations.

6. What do the prefixes nano (n), micro (µ), milli (m), kilo (k), mega (M), and giga (G) represent?

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

7. Differentiate between random error and systematic error.

   Random errors are unpredictable scatter (varying sign/size) reduced by averaging repeated readings; systematic errors are consistent biases (same direction) from faulty instruments or method, not reduced by averaging.

8. Define precision and accuracy.

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

9. What is the rule for counting significant figures with regard to zeros?

   Leading zeros are not significant; zeros between non-zero digits are significant; trailing zeros after a decimal point are significant (e.g., 0.00450 has 3 sig figs).

10. How are significant figures handled in multiplication/division versus addition/subtraction?

    In multiplication/division, the result has as many sig figs as the factor with the fewest sig figs; in addition/subtraction, the result keeps as many decimal places as the term with the fewest decimal places.

11. How do you calculate percentage error?

    Percentage error = (absolute uncertainty ÷ measured value) × 100%.

12. What is the difference between a scalar and a vector quantity? Give examples.

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

13. How do you resolve a vector A into rectangular components at angle θ to the horizontal?

    Aₓ = A cos θ (horizontal component) and Aᵧ = A sin θ (vertical component).

14. How do you find the magnitude and direction of the resultant from perpendicular components Rₓ and Rᵧ?

    Magnitude R = √(Rₓ² + Rᵧ²); direction θ = tan⁻¹(Rᵧ / Rₓ).

15. State the two conditions of equilibrium.

    First condition: net force is zero (ΣF = 0, ΣFₓ = 0 and ΣFᵧ = 0). Second condition: net torque is zero (Στ = 0).

16. Define torque (moment of a force) and give its formula.

    Torque is the turning effect of a force about a pivot; τ = r F sin θ, where r is the distance from the pivot and θ is the angle between r and F. SI unit: N·m.

17. What is the dot product A·B and what does it yield?

    A·B = AB cos θ; it yields a scalar (e.g., work done = F·d).

18. What is the cross product A×B and what does it yield?

    A×B = AB sin θ in a direction perpendicular to both (given by the right-hand rule); it yields a vector (e.g., torque = r×F).

19. Differentiate between distance and displacement.

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

20. Differentiate between speed and velocity.

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

21. Define acceleration and state its SI unit.

    Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with time (a = Δv/Δt); SI unit is m·s⁻².

22. 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, t = time, s = displacement.

23. For a body in free fall, what is the value of acceleration and the equation for distance fallen?

    Acceleration = g ≈ 9.8 m·s⁻² (downward); distance fallen from rest h = ½gt².

24. On a velocity–time graph, what do the slope and the area under the graph represent?

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

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