Updated December 2023

Predictions 2024

While it is impossible to be certain of what will be on the paper, here are topics to pay special attention to for 2024:

Section A – Experiments (3 questions from 5)

Experiment 1: Mechanics

To show that a ∝ F
Conservation of momentum
Laws of equilibrium

Experiment 2,3,4: Light/Heat/Sound

Measurement of the focal length of a converging lens
Measurement of the specific heat capacity of water
Investigation of the variation of fundamental frequency of a stretched string with length

Experiment 5: Electricity

Investigation of the variation of resistance of a thermistor with temperature
Resistivity of nichrome

Section B – Long Questions (5 questions from 9)

Question 6:

12 short questions, they mark your best 8

Question 7: Mechanics

Circular motion/gravity
Fluids/Pressure/Density

Question 8,9,10,11,12:

Capacitors
Wave nature of light/Mirrors & Lenses
Nuclear/Modern physics
Resistance calculations – Wheatstone bridge
Options – Particle physics or Applied electricity

Question 13:

Short questions that can come from anywhere

Question 14: (answer 2 from 4)

Projectiles/Conservation of energy
Refraction and prisms
Radioactivity
Semiconductors/Photoelectric Effect

General patterns of LC Physics questions

- For experimental Qs, there is usually at least one experiment based on mechanics and one on electricity. The other two can be based on light/ heat/ sound.
- Question 5 is composed of short Qs on different topics.
- Question 6 is usually based on mechanics, gravity or SHM. For 2019, it is likely to be based on gravity.

- Question 7 is usually based on heat/ light and waves/ sound.
- Question 8 is usually based on electromagnetism/ electricity/ nuclear physics.

- Question 10 is usually based on particle physics and applied electricity.
- Question 11 is composed of various short questions based on a text which includes different topics.
- Question 12 consists of 4 parts.

2023:

Q1: Free fall

Q2: Concave mirror

Q3: Wavelength of monochromatic light

Q4: Specific latent heat of vaporisation of water

Q5: V vs I: Semiconductor

Q6: Short questions on various topics

Q7: Mechanics: Projectiles

Q8: Sound

Q9: Nuclear physics, heat, radioactivity

Q10: Static electricity, modern physics

Q11: Electromagnetic induction

Q12: Options

Q13: Short questions on various topics

Q14: SHM, Doppler effect, Resistance, Photoelectric effect

2022:

Q1: Laws of equilibrium

Q2: Boyle’s law

Q3: Snell’s law

Q4: Speed of sound in air

Q5: Joule’s law

Q6: Short questions on various topics

Q7: Mechanics: SHM

Q8: Semiconductors

Q9: Static electricity, Capacitors

Q10: Radioactivity, Nuclear physics

Q11: Heat, Sound, Radioactivity

Q12: Options

Q13: Short questions on various topics

Q14: Projectiles, Doppler effect, Photoelectric effect, Electromagnetic induction

2021:

Q1: Period and length of a simple pendulum

Q2: Concave mirror

Q3: Sound: Frequency and tension

Q4: Resistance and temperature

Q5: Joule’s law

Q6: Short questions on various topics

Q7: Mechanics: Newton’s laws, Conservation of energy

Q8: Wave nature of light

Q9: Heat

Q10: Magnetic fields, Electromagnetic induction

Q11: Nuclear physics, Radioactivity, The electron

Q12: Static electricity, Capacitors, Modern physics

Q13: Options

Q14: SHM, Doppler effect, Photoelectric effect, Lenses/Refraction

2020:

Q1: Conservation of momentum

Q2: Snell’s law

Q3: Sound: Frequency and length

Q4: Resistivity of nichrome

Q5: Short questions on various topics

Q6: Mechanics: Projectiles

Q7: Static electricity, Capacitors

Q8: Radioactivity

Q9: Sound, Electromagnetic induction

Q10: Options

Q11: Short questions on various topics

Q12: Gravity, Heat, Doppler Effect, Current

	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014
Experiment Qs:	Measurement of g by free fall	Conservation of momentum	Period and length of a simple pendulum	Levers	Boyle’s law	Conservation of momentum
	Determine the focal length of a concave mirror	Verification of Snell’s law	Frequency/ tension of a string	Frequency/ length of a string	Specific latent heat of vaporisation of water	Refractive index
	Specific latent heat of fusion of ice	Wavelength of monochromatic light	Specific latent heat of fusion of ice	Wavelength of monochromatic light	Wavelength of monochromatic light	Speed of sound in air
	Variation of current with voltage for a semiconductor diode	Joule’s law	Relationship between I and V for filament bulb	Resitivity of nichrome	Variation of resistance with temp of a metallic conductor	Joule’s law
Long Qs:	Definitions	Definitions	Definitions	Definitions	Definitions	Definitions
	Mechanics – gravity	Mechanics	SHM	SHM and gravity	Gravity and electromagnetic	Mechanics
	Static Electricity	Sound	Doppler effect, light and waves	Heat and energy	X-rays, photoelectric effect	Light and waves
	Nuclear Physics	Nuclear physics and heat	Electromagnetic and electricity	Semiconductors	Electric charge	Nuclear physics
	Electromagnetism	Electromagnetic and light and waves	Nuclear physics, light and waves	Nuclear physics	Mechanical waves	Electric charge
	Waves/Light/Sound	Particle physics and applied electricity	X-rays, photoelectric effect	Electromagnetic and electricity	Particle physics and electricity	Doppler effect and electricity
	Current Electricity/ Mechanics/Light/ Nuclear Physics	Electromagnetic and waves and geometrical optics	Electromagnetic and optical fibres	Light: geometrical and modern	Electromagnetic and electricity	Particle physics and applied electricity
Q12:	Mechanics – energy, velocity, acceleration	SHM	Mechanics	Mechanics and nuclear	Mechanics	SHM
	Electricity – semiconductors, capacitors	Radioactivity	Nuclear physics	Electric field	Geometrical optics	Geometrical optics
	Light – refraction, total internal reflection	Electricity	Geometrical optics	Doppler effect and circular motion	Temperature and electricity	Heat
	Particle Physics or Applied Electricity	Nuclear physics	Particle physics or transistor	Pair annihilation or motors	Radioactivity	Electromagnetic

2023: what we predicted

Section A – Experiments (3 questions from 5)

Experiment 1: Mechanics

To show that a ∝ F
Measurement of g by freefall

Experiments 2 and 3: Light/Heat/Sound

Investigation of the variation of the fundamental frequency of a stretched string with length
Measurement of the focal length of a converging lens
Measurement of the specific latent heat of vaporisation of water
Calibration curve of a thermometer using the laboratory mercury thermometer as a standard

Experiment 4: Electricity

Investigation of the variation of resistance of a thermistor with temperature
Investigation of the variation of current with voltage for a metallic conductor/filament bulb/copper sulphate solution/semiconductor diode

Experiment 5: Unknown

Measurement of the wavelength of monochromatic light
Measurement of the specific latent heat of fusion of ice

Section B – Long Questions (5 questions from 9)

Question 6

Short questions on various aspects of the course – answer 8 from 12

Question 7

Newton’s laws of motion
Gravity
Momentum and velocity
uvast calculations

Question 8

Static electricity
Waves/sound

Question 9

Radioactivity
Heat and temperature

Question 10

Semiconductors
Nuclear physics

Question 11

Modern physics
X-rays, photoelectric effect

Question 12

Electricity
Electromagnetism

Question 13

Wave nature of light/interference
Doppler effect

Question 14 (multiple parts)

- Options – Particle Physics or Applied Electricity
- Density and pressure
- Simple harmonic motion
- Heat and temperature

2022: what we predicted

Section A – Experiments (3 questions from 5)

Experiment 1: Mechanics

To show that a ∝ F
Investigation of the laws of equilibrium for a set of co-planar forces

Experiments 2 and 3: Light/Heat/Sound

Measurement of specific latent heat of vaporisation of water
Investigation of the variation of the fundamental frequency of a stretched string with length
Measurement of the focal length of a converging lens
Measurement of specific heat capacity

Experiment 4: Electricity

Investigation of the variation of resistance of a thermistor with temperature
Investigation of the variation of current with voltage for a metallic conductor/filament bulb/copper sulphate solution/semiconductor diode

Experiment 5: Unknown

Measurement of the wavelength of monochromatic light
Verification of Boyle’s law
Measurement of the resistivity of the material of a wire

Section B – Long Questions (5 questions from 9)

Question 6

Short questions on various aspects of the course – answer 8 from 12

Question 7

Newton’s laws of motion
Gravity
Circular motion
uvast calculations

Question 8

Static electricity

Question 9

Modern physics – electron, neutron etc.
Heat and temperature

Question 10

Electromagnetism

Question 11

Waves/sound
Light

Question 12

Electricity

Question 13

Options – Particle Physics or Applied Electricity

Question 14 (multiple parts)

X-rays, photoelectric effect
Density and pressure
Simple harmonic motion
Radioactivity
Wave nature of light/interference/Doppler effect

2021: what we predicted

Section A (answer 3 questions from 5)

Experiment 1: Mechanics

Investigation of the laws of equilibrium for a set of co-planar forces (levers)
Verification of Boyle’s Law

Experiments 2 and 3: Light/Sound/Heat

Measurement of the specific latent heat of vaporisation of water
Measurement of the focal length of a converging lens
Investigation of the variation of fundamental frequency of a stretched string with length
Measurement of specific heat capacity

Experiment 4: Electricity

Investigation of the variation of the resistance of a thermistor with temperature
Investigation of the variation of current with voltage for a filament bulb/copper sulphate solution

Experiment 5: Unknown

Measurement of the refractive index of a liquid
Verification of Joule’s law
Experiment to show that acceleration is proportional to force applied

Section B (answer 5 questions from 9)

Question 6:

Short questions on various aspects of the course
Answer 8 parts from 12

Question 7:

Mechanics – circular motion, Newton’s laws of motion, SHM

Question 8:

Static electricity
Waves/sound

Question 9:

Modern physics – electron, neutron, X-rays, radioactivity etc.

Question 10:

Electromagnetism

Question 11:

Light/waves/sound

Question 12:

Heat/temperature/energy

Question 13:

Static/current electricity

Question 14 (multiple parts):

Density and pressure
Moments/levers/equilibrium
Wave nature of light/reflection/refraction/interference
Electricity
Options – Particle Physics or Applied Electricity

2020: what we predicted

Experiment 1: Mechanics

Show that acceleration is proportional to the applied force
Investigation of the laws of equilibrium for a set of co-planar forces (levers)

Experiments 2 and 3: Light/Sound/Heat

Measurement of the speed of sound in air
Investigation of the variation of fundamental frequency of a string with length/tension
Specific latent heat of vaporisation of water
Measurement of refractive index of liquid/solid

Experiment 4: Electricity

Resistivity of nichrome
Investigation of variation of resistance with temperature of a metallic conductor/thermistor
Investigation of variation of current with voltage for a metallic conductor/copper sulphate solution

Question 6

Question 7

Doppler effect/light/waves
Heat/energy

Question 8

Electromagnetic induction
Current electricity

Question 12:

Mechanics
Geometrical optics
Electricity – static electricity

Particle physics/applied electricity – There seems to be a trend in recent years of putting the ‘option’ question (particle physics or applied electricity) as part of question 12 so that it no longer makes up a full question (was likely too predictable).