As children around the world tonight roam neighbourhoods for candy, students here roam through their notes to prepare for tomorrow’s Physics written Paper 2.
Now that my sister has traditionally disappeared this time of the year to make her phone calls, me and my 师姐 have moved in and taken over a disheveled-looking Temple for Scientific matters.
And so as a Halloween ‘treat’, my 师姐 and I have compiled an exam revision checklist of topics to help you ensure you don’t miss out anything as you prepare for tomorrow’s (i.e. Monday) Physics written Paper 2:
Physics Exam Checklist
Measurement
- Converting these prefixes (p, n, μ, m, c, k, M, G) to numbers
- Reading off the vernier calipers (zero error included)
- Reading off the micrometers screw gauge (zero error included)
Kinematics
-
Applying the following formulae:
(when the velocity is constant)
, 
(when there is constant acceleration)
- Interpreting, obtaining data and sketching different types of graphs (distance-time graph, displacement-time graph, speed-time graph, velocity-time graph and acceleration-time graph)
Dynamics
- Using Newton’s 1st Law and Newton’s 3rd Law to answer descriptive questions involving inertia and forces
- Drawing vector diagrams using parallelogram method and tip-to-tail method
- Applying the formula: F = ma
Work, Energy & Power
- State Principle of Conservation of Energy
-
Applying these formulae
- W = Fs
- Ep = mgh
- Ek =
Moments
- State Principle of Moments
- Solving all 3 types of moment questions
- Questions involving only one pivot – apply principle of moments to solve
- Questions involving two pivots – assume that one pivot is a dummy, apply principle of moments and resolve forces to find the two unknown forces
- Questions involving a force that is inclined at an angle (usually involving tension on a rope) – use sin, cos and tan to calculate the perpendicular distance of the unknown force from the pivot and use principle of moments to solve
Pressure
-
Applying the formulae
- Reading off the mercury barometer and manometer
Simple Kinetic Molecular Theory
- Using kinetic theory to explain pressure and evaporation
Temperature
- Explain the relationship between the bulb size, thickness of bore and glass wall, thickness of capillary tube with range, sensitivity and responsiveness
Transfer of Thermal Energy
- Explain mechanism of conduction (using key words like molecular vibration in all solids and electron diffusion in metals) and convection (using key words like “being denser, it will sink”, “being less dense, it will rise”, “setting up a convection current”)
Thermal Properties of Matter
-
Applying the formulae
- Q = Pt
- Q = mcΔθ
- Q = CΔθ
- C = mc
- Q = mlf
- Q = mlv
Reflection of Light
- State the difference between real and virtual image
- Draw ray diagrams involving one mirror and two mirrors placed at 90º to each other
Refraction and Total Internal Reflection
-
Calculating the refractive index using the following equations
- n = real depth/apparent depth
- Give special emphasis to optical fibres and its applications in everyday life
Lens
- Drawing of lens diagram (especially diagrams involving distant object)
-
Using the two equations to check for the accuracy of ray diagram drawn
General Wave Properties
- State Transverse Waves and Longitudinal Waves and terms used to describe the two types of waves
-
Obtaining information like amplitude, wavelength and period from the following diagrams
General Wave Properties (click to enlarge)
Electromagnetic Spectrum
- List the different electromagnetic waves in increasing order of wavelengths and frequencies
- State the applications of each type of electromagnetic wave
Sound
- Calculating the speed of sound using both the direct () and echo method (
) - Obtaining information (pitch and loudness) by interpreting diagrams from a CRO
Electrostatics
- Answering questions using the laws of electrostatics
- Drawing of electric field patterns
Current Electricity & D.C. Circuits
-
Applying the formulae
- V = IR
- State Ohm’s Law and interpreting the I-V and V-I graphs
- Solving questions involving series and parallel circuits (usually a combination of both types together, to find V, I and/or R)
Practical Electricity
- Explain the function of a fuse and the earth wire
- Understanding what is meant by double insulation
- Connecting the live, neutral & earth wire to a socket, plug, ring mains
-
Applying correct equations to find effective operating power and power loss
- P = IV
- P = I2R
Magnetism & Electromagnetism
- Drawing of magnetic field patterns for permanent magnets & electromagnets
- Answer questions involving electric bell, loudspeaker and D.C. Circuit (MUST KNOW)
Electromagnetic Induction
- Understanding how an A.C. Generator works (MUST KNOW)
- Explain using Faraday Laws and Lenz’s law, the working principle of a transformer (MUST KNOW)
-
Applying the formulae
- Efficiency =
Last but not least, for your written Physics paper,
- Read each question carefully.
- Take note of the units given on the diagrams.
- Remember to write the correct units at your final answers.
General Loi Mdm! I think the 
It was manageable.
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my results came out better than expected 
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Miss Loi is a full-time private tutor in Singapore specializing in O-Level Maths tuition. Her life's calling is to eradicate the terrifying LMBFH Syndrome off the face of this planet. For over 21 years she has been a savior to countless students ... 
曜
日
The After-MATH
(7)carbon-dated to circa November 2010
The storm clouds swirled and danced ceaselessly in the blood red skies above, sending a bitter wind to flip wildly through the pages of a maths textbook that laid abandoned on the floor.
Crumpled pieces of paper and worked (and reworked) solutions laid strewn across the vast chamber, where a great army was raised and sent to a Great War just weeks before; where a deafening silence now lingered in place of the frantic sounds of incoming messages that once filled the air.
Pausing for a moment to survey the mess of discarded stationery before her, she could only imagine from the scribblings on the wall (and a hefty Starhub October phone bill found on the floor
) the events that happened on Black Friday …
A loud sound came from the direction of the Temple Gates, where she quickly arrived to find a student slumped against it.
Tremblingly, he raised his battered face to look at her.
Mustering all his remaining strength, he thrusted a piece of paper into her hand.
In the next moment, his eyes rolled back, convulsed a couple of times, and went limp in her arms.
As if on cue, a loud clap of thunder was heard, and a light rain began to fall. Cradling the fallen student in her arms, an ice cold tear rolled down her ghostly cheek as she reached out with her palm to slowly close his half-opened eyes …
.
.
.
.
.
To those on the Wait List aka 名册
To reduce the likelihood of similar convulsing episodes from happening next year, Miss Loi is almost done calling up everyone on her wait list, except students who are in Sec One next year, for classes which will commence on December 2010.
All students (or parents of students) who will be in Sec One next year will be contacted after the release of the PSLE results on 25 November 2010. Please note that Miss Loi will
make her disappearance actbe away 17-29 November 2010.If you have contacted Miss Loi earlier (via SMS, missed call, email etc.) and have been waiting patiently (while rocking back and forth forlornly on your rocking chair) for her to call back, Miss Loi is terribly sorry about this and would gently request that you call her again (Tel: 9380 5290) if you have not heard from her by now (sorry there’re >60 on the list plus lotsa missed calls).
Before you call though, please note that
Thanks for your understanding and hear from all of you soon!