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Physics Syllabus
The full Physics syllabus: 11 chapters and 57 topics, with 50 flashcards written against it.
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, not a summary of it.
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Kinematics
5 topics- Introduction to Motion
- Displacement, Velocity, and Acceleration
- Equations of Motion
- Projectile Motion
- Relative Motion
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Laws of Motion
6 topics- Newton's First Law
- Newton's Second Law
- Newton's Third Law
- Inertia and Mass
- Friction
- Circular Motion
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Work, Energy, and Power
5 topics- Work Done by a Force
- Kinetic Energy and Potential Energy
- Conservation of Mechanical Energy
- Power
- Work-Energy Theorem
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Gravitation
5 topics- Newton's Law of Gravitation
- Gravitational Potential Energy
- Escape Velocity
- Orbital Motion of Planets
- Kepler's Laws
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Thermodynamics
5 topics- Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics
- First Law of Thermodynamics
- Second Law of Thermodynamics
- Heat Engines and Refrigerators
- Entropy
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Waves and Oscillations
5 topics- Simple Harmonic Motion
- Damped and Forced Oscillations
- Resonance
- Wave Motion
- Sound Waves
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Electrostatics
5 topics- Coulomb's Law
- Electric Field and Electric Potential
- Gauss's Law
- Capacitance
- Electrostatic Potential Energy
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Current Electricity
5 topics- Ohm's Law
- Kirchhoff's Laws
- Resistivity and Conductivity
- Wheatstone Bridge
- Electrical Power and Energy
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Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction
5 topics- Magnetic Field and Magnetic Force
- Biot-Savart Law
- Ampere's Circuital Law
- Faraday's Law of Electromagnetic Induction
- Lenz's Law
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Optics
6 topics- Reflection and Refraction
- Lens Formula and Mirror Formula
- Total Internal Reflection
- Wave Optics
- Interference and Diffraction
- Polarization of Light
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Modern Physics
5 topics- Photoelectric Effect
- Bohr's Model of the Atom
- Radioactivity
- Nuclear Reactions
- Semiconductors and Diodes
Physics flashcards
The complete Physics deck: 50 questions with worked answers.
What is the difference between distance and displacement?
Distance is the total path length traveled (a scalar, always positive). Displacement is the straight-line change in position from start to finish (a vector, with magnitude and direction): $\vec{s} = \vec{r}_f - \vec{r}_i$.
Define average velocity and average speed.
Average velocity is displacement over time, $\vec{v}_{avg} = \dfrac{\Delta \vec{x}}{\Delta t}$ (a vector). Average speed is total distance over time, $\dfrac{\text{distance}}{\Delta t}$ (a scalar).
How are instantaneous velocity and instantaneous acceleration defined using calculus?
$\vec{v} = \dfrac{d\vec{x}}{dt}$ and $\vec{a} = \dfrac{d\vec{v}}{dt} = \dfrac{d^{2}\vec{x}}{dt^{2}}$.
What is the SI unit of acceleration, and what does acceleration measure?
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with time, measured in $\text{m/s}^{2}$ ($\text{m}\cdot\text{s}^{-2}$).
On a position-time graph and a velocity-time graph, what do the slopes represent?
The slope of a position-time graph gives velocity. The slope of a velocity-time graph gives acceleration. The area under a velocity-time graph gives displacement.
State the three kinematic equations of motion for constant acceleration.
$v = u + at$, $\quad s = ut + \frac{1}{2}at^{2}$, $\quad v^{2} = u^{2} + 2as$, where $u$ is initial velocity and $v$ is final velocity.
What kinematic equation gives displacement in terms of average velocity for constant acceleration?
$s = \left(\dfrac{u+v}{2}\right)t$, the average of initial and final velocities multiplied by time.
For an object in free fall (taking down as positive), what are the equations of motion?
Replace $a$ with $g \approx 9.8\,\text{m/s}^{2}$: $v = u + gt$, $\quad s = ut + \frac{1}{2}gt^{2}$, $\quad v^{2} = u^{2} + 2gs$.
In projectile motion, how do the horizontal and vertical motions behave?
They are independent. Horizontal motion has constant velocity ($a_x = 0$); vertical motion has constant downward acceleration $g$. Time of flight links the two.
For a projectile launched with speed $u$ at angle $\theta$, what are the initial velocity components?
Horizontal: $u_x = u\cos\theta$. Vertical: $u_y = u\sin\theta$.
Give the formulas for the time of flight, maximum height, and range of a projectile launched from ground level at angle $\theta$.
Time of flight: $T = \dfrac{2u\sin\theta}{g}$. Max height: $H = \dfrac{u^{2}\sin^{2}\theta}{2g}$. Range: $R = \dfrac{u^{2}\sin 2\theta}{g}$.
At what launch angle is the range of a projectile maximum, and why?
$\theta = 45^{\circ}$, because $R = \dfrac{u^{2}\sin 2\theta}{g}$ is maximized when $\sin 2\theta = 1$, i.e. $2\theta = 90^{\circ}$.
What is the shape of a projectile's trajectory, and what is its velocity at the highest point?
The trajectory is a parabola. At the highest point the vertical velocity is zero, so velocity equals the horizontal component $u\cos\theta$.
How is relative velocity of object A with respect to object B calculated?
$\vec{v}_{AB} = \vec{v}_A - \vec{v}_B$, the velocity of A measured in B's frame of reference.
State Newton's First Law of Motion (law of inertia).
A body remains at rest or moves with constant velocity (in a straight line) unless acted upon by a net external force. $\sum \vec{F} = 0 \Rightarrow \vec{a} = 0$.
What is inertia, and what physical quantity measures it?
Inertia is the tendency of a body to resist changes in its state of motion. Mass is the measure of inertia: greater mass means greater inertia.
State Newton's Second Law of Motion in equation form.
The net force equals the rate of change of momentum: $\vec{F}_{net} = \dfrac{d\vec{p}}{dt} = m\vec{a}$ (for constant mass).
What is the SI unit of force, and how is it defined in base units?
The newton (N), defined as $1\,\text{N} = 1\,\text{kg}\cdot\text{m/s}^{2}$ — the force that gives a $1\,\text{kg}$ mass an acceleration of $1\,\text{m/s}^{2}$.
Define linear momentum and give its formula and SI unit.
Momentum is the product of mass and velocity, $\vec{p} = m\vec{v}$, a vector with SI unit $\text{kg}\cdot\text{m/s}$.
State Newton's Third Law of Motion.
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction: if body A exerts force $\vec{F}_{AB}$ on B, then B exerts $\vec{F}_{BA} = -\vec{F}_{AB}$ on A. The forces act on different bodies.
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What is the difference between mass and weight?
Mass is the amount of matter / measure of inertia (scalar, in kg, constant everywhere). Weight is the gravitational force on the mass, $W = mg$ (vector, in newtons, varies with $g$).
Define the impulse of a force and state the impulse-momentum theorem.
Impulse $\vec{J} = \vec{F}\,\Delta t$ (or $\int \vec{F}\,dt$). The impulse-momentum theorem: $\vec{J} = \Delta \vec{p} = m\vec{v}_f - m\vec{v}_i$.
What is friction, and what are its two main types between surfaces in contact?
Friction is a force opposing relative motion between surfaces. Static friction acts on stationary objects; kinetic (sliding) friction acts on moving objects.
Give the formulas for maximum static friction and kinetic friction.
Maximum static friction: $f_s^{max} = \mu_s N$. Kinetic friction: $f_k = \mu_k N$, where $N$ is the normal force and $\mu$ is the coefficient of friction.
How do the coefficients of static and kinetic friction generally compare?
Static is usually greater: $\mu_s > \mu_k$. This is why it takes more force to start an object moving than to keep it sliding.
What is centripetal acceleration, and in which direction does it point?
It is the acceleration of an object in circular motion, directed toward the center: $a_c = \dfrac{v^{2}}{r} = \omega^{2} r$.
What provides the centripetal force in circular motion, and what is its formula?
A net inward force (e.g. tension, gravity, friction) directed toward the center: $F_c = \dfrac{mv^{2}}{r} = m\omega^{2} r$.
How are linear speed $v$, angular velocity $\omega$, period $T$, and frequency $f$ related in uniform circular motion?
$v = \omega r$, $\quad \omega = \dfrac{2\pi}{T} = 2\pi f$, $\quad f = \dfrac{1}{T}$.
Define work done by a constant force and state when it is zero.
$W = \vec{F}\cdot\vec{d} = Fd\cos\theta$, where $\theta$ is the angle between force and displacement. Work is zero when $\theta = 90^{\circ}$ (force perpendicular to motion) or when $d = 0$.
What is the SI unit of work and energy, and how is it defined?
The joule (J): $1\,\text{J} = 1\,\text{N}\cdot\text{m} = 1\,\text{kg}\cdot\text{m}^{2}/\text{s}^{2}$ — work done when a force of $1\,\text{N}$ moves an object $1\,\text{m}$ along the force.
How do you find the work done by a variable force from a force-displacement graph?
Work equals the area under the force-displacement curve: $W = \int_{x_i}^{x_f} F\,dx$.
Define kinetic energy and give its formula.
Kinetic energy is the energy of motion: $KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^{2}$, a scalar measured in joules.
Define gravitational potential energy near Earth's surface and give its formula.
Energy stored due to position in a gravitational field: $PE = mgh$, where $h$ is height above a reference level.
State the work-energy theorem.
The net work done on an object equals its change in kinetic energy: $W_{net} = \Delta KE = \frac{1}{2}mv_f^{2} - \frac{1}{2}mv_i^{2}$.
State the principle of conservation of mechanical energy and the condition under which it holds.
When only conservative forces act (no friction/drag), total mechanical energy is constant: $KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f$, i.e. $\Delta(KE + PE) = 0$.
What is the difference between conservative and non-conservative forces?
Conservative forces (gravity, spring) do work independent of path and store recoverable PE. Non-conservative forces (friction, air resistance) depend on path and dissipate energy (e.g. as heat).
Define power and give its formula and SI unit.
Power is the rate of doing work or transferring energy: $P = \dfrac{W}{t}$, SI unit the watt, $1\,\text{W} = 1\,\text{J/s}$.
How can power be expressed in terms of force and velocity?
$P = \vec{F}\cdot\vec{v} = Fv\cos\theta$; for force parallel to motion, $P = Fv$.
State Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation.
Every two point masses attract along the line joining them with force $F = G\dfrac{m_1 m_2}{r^{2}}$, proportional to the masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance.
What is the value and unit of the universal gravitational constant $G$?
$G \approx 6.674 \times 10^{-11}\,\text{N}\cdot\text{m}^{2}/\text{kg}^{2}$.
How is the acceleration due to gravity $g$ at a planet's surface derived from the law of gravitation?
Equating $mg = G\dfrac{Mm}{R^{2}}$ gives $g = \dfrac{GM}{R^{2}}$, where $M$ is the planet's mass and $R$ its radius.
Write the general formula for gravitational potential energy between two masses, and explain its sign.
$U = -G\dfrac{m_1 m_2}{r}$. It is negative because the reference (zero) is taken at infinite separation, and energy must be added to separate the masses.
What is escape velocity, and what is its formula from a planet's surface?
The minimum speed needed to escape a planet's gravity without further propulsion: $v_{esc} = \sqrt{\dfrac{2GM}{R}} = \sqrt{2gR}$.
Derive the orbital speed of a satellite in a circular orbit of radius $r$.
Gravity provides centripetal force: $\dfrac{GMm}{r^{2}} = \dfrac{mv^{2}}{r}$, giving $v = \sqrt{\dfrac{GM}{r}}$.
A car turns a flat circular bend; what force keeps it on the curve and what is the maximum safe speed?
Static friction supplies the centripetal force. Maximum speed is when $\mu_s mg = \dfrac{mv^{2}}{r}$, giving $v_{max} = \sqrt{\mu_s g r}$.
Using energy conservation, what speed does an object reach after falling freely through height $h$ from rest?
$mgh = \frac{1}{2}mv^{2} \Rightarrow v = \sqrt{2gh}$, independent of mass.
How does kinetic energy change when an object's speed is doubled?
Since $KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^{2}$ depends on $v^{2}$, doubling the speed increases kinetic energy by a factor of $4$.
What is the net force and acceleration of an object in uniform circular motion, and is its velocity constant?
The net force is centripetal (nonzero), giving centripetal acceleration $\dfrac{v^{2}}{r}$. Speed is constant but velocity is not, because its direction continuously changes.
When friction does negative work on a sliding object, how is mechanical energy accounted for?
Mechanical energy is not conserved; the energy lost equals the work done against friction: $\Delta(KE+PE) = -f_k d$, converted mostly into heat.
Compare the work done lifting an object straight up versus pushing it up a frictionless incline to the same height.
The work done against gravity is the same, $W = mgh$, because gravity is conservative and depends only on the vertical height change, not the path taken.
Physics syllabus FAQ
What is in the Physics syllabus?
The Physics syllabus is split into 11 chapters: Kinematics, Laws of Motion, Work, Energy, and Power, Gravitation, Thermodynamics, Waves and Oscillations, Electrostatics, Current Electricity, Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction, Optics and Modern Physics. Together they contain 57 topics.
How many chapters and topics are in the Physics syllabus?
11 chapters and 57 topics. The largest chapter is Laws of Motion, with 6 topics.
Are there Physics flashcards?
Yes — 50 question-and-answer flashcards, printed in full on this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.