OAT (Optometry Admission Test) 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 OAT (Optometry Admission Test), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Mechanics: Kinematics and Dynamics

   3 topics

   • Kinematics
     • Displacement, velocity, and acceleration
     • Equations of motion
     • Projectile motion
   • Newton's Laws and Forces
     • Free-body diagrams
     • Friction and tension
     • Inclined planes
   • Circular and Rotational Motion
     • Centripetal force and acceleration
     • Torque and angular momentum
2. 2

   Energy, Work, and Momentum

   3 topics

   • Work and Energy
     • Kinetic and potential energy
     • Work-energy theorem
     • Conservation of energy
   • Power
     • Power calculations and efficiency
   • Momentum and Collisions
     • Impulse and conservation of momentum
     • Elastic and inelastic collisions
3. 3

   Fluids, Thermodynamics, and Waves

   4 topics

   • Fluid Statics and Dynamics
     • Density and pressure
     • Buoyancy and Archimedes' principle
     • Bernoulli's equation
   • Thermal Physics
     • Temperature and heat transfer
     • Thermal expansion and specific heat
   • Waves and Sound
     • Wave properties and superposition
     • Doppler effect
     • Resonance and standing waves
   • Simple Harmonic Motion
     • Springs and pendulums
4. 4

   Electricity, Magnetism, and Optics

   4 topics

   • Electrostatics
     • Coulomb's law and electric fields
     • Electric potential and potential energy
   • Circuits
     • Ohm's law and resistance
     • Series and parallel circuits
     • Capacitors
   • Magnetism
     • Magnetic fields and forces
     • Electromagnetic induction
   • Optics
     • Reflection and refraction
     • Mirrors and lenses
     • Snell's law and total internal reflection
5. 5

   Units and Modern Physics

   3 topics

   • Measurement and Units
     • SI units and dimensional analysis
     • Vectors and scalars
     • Significant figures
   • Modern Physics Foundations
     • Photoelectric effect
     • Atomic and nuclear basics
   • Problem-Solving Methods
     • Setting up and interpreting physics word problems
     • Graphical analysis of motion and forces

Physics flashcards for OAT (Optometry Admission Test)

24 of 59 cards from the Physics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the three kinematic equations for constant acceleration (no time, with time for velocity, with time for displacement)?

   v = v0 + at; x = x0 + v0t + ½at²; v² = v0² + 2a(x − x0).

2. How do you find the horizontal range of a projectile launched from ground level at speed v0 and angle θ?

   R = (v0² sin 2θ)/g. Maximum range occurs at θ = 45°.

3. For a projectile, what are the independent behaviors of its horizontal and vertical motion components?

   Horizontal velocity is constant (no acceleration); vertical motion has constant downward acceleration g. The two components are independent and share only the same time.

4. State Newton's three laws of motion.

   1st (inertia): an object stays at rest or in uniform motion unless acted on by a net force. 2nd: F_net = ma. 3rd: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

5. What is the formula for the force of friction, and how do static and kinetic friction differ?

   f = μN. Static friction (μs) prevents motion and varies up to a maximum (f ≤ μsN); kinetic friction (μk) acts during sliding and is roughly constant. Typically μs > μk.

6. What is the magnitude of the gravitational force between two masses (Newton's law of universal gravitation)?

   F = G m1 m2 / r², where G = 6.67×10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg².

7. On an inclined plane of angle θ, what are the components of gravity parallel and perpendicular to the surface?

   Parallel (down the incline): mg sin θ. Perpendicular (into surface): mg cos θ. The normal force equals mg cos θ on a frictionless incline.

8. What is centripetal acceleration and the centripetal force for circular motion?

   a_c = v²/r (directed toward the center); F_c = mv²/r = mω²r. It always points toward the center of the circle.

9. Define torque and give its formula.

   Torque is the rotational analog of force: τ = rF sin θ = r⊥F. It causes angular acceleration; SI unit is N·m.

10. What is the condition for static (rotational and translational) equilibrium of a rigid body?

    The net force is zero (ΣF = 0) AND the net torque about any axis is zero (Στ = 0).

11. State the rotational form of Newton's second law and define moment of inertia.

    τ_net = Iα, where I (moment of inertia) measures resistance to angular acceleration and depends on mass distribution: I = Σmr².

12. What is angular momentum and when is it conserved?

    L = Iω (or L = mvr for a particle). It is conserved when the net external torque is zero.

13. Define work done by a constant force.

    W = Fd cos θ, where θ is the angle between the force and displacement. SI unit is the joule (J).

14. What are the formulas for kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy?

    KE = ½mv²; PE_gravity = mgh (near Earth's surface).

15. State the work-energy theorem.

    The net work done on an object equals its change in kinetic energy: W_net = ΔKE = ½mv_f² − ½mv_i².

16. State the law of conservation of mechanical energy.

    In the absence of nonconservative forces (like friction), total mechanical energy is constant: KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f.

17. What is the elastic potential energy stored in a spring?

    PE_spring = ½kx², where k is the spring constant and x is the displacement from equilibrium.

18. What is power, and what are its two key formulas?

    Power is the rate of doing work or transferring energy: P = W/t = Fv (for force along velocity). SI unit is the watt (W = J/s).

19. How do you convert between horsepower and watts (approximate)?

    1 horsepower ≈ 746 watts.

20. Define linear momentum and state the impulse-momentum theorem.

    Momentum p = mv. Impulse J = FΔt = Δp = m(v_f − v_i). Impulse equals the change in momentum.

21. State the law of conservation of momentum.

    In the absence of a net external force, the total momentum of a system is conserved: Σp_before = Σp_after.

22. Compare elastic and inelastic collisions.

    Both conserve momentum. Elastic collisions also conserve kinetic energy. In perfectly inelastic collisions the objects stick together and the maximum kinetic energy is lost.

23. What is the definition of density, and the formula for pressure in a fluid?

    Density ρ = m/V. Pressure P = F/A. SI unit of pressure is the pascal (Pa = N/m²).

24. What is the formula for hydrostatic (gauge) pressure at depth h in a fluid?

    P = ρgh (gauge pressure). Absolute pressure = P_atmospheric + ρgh.

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