What's going to come up in Physics P2?

You can look at it two ways: what's in the syllabus that hasn't come up in recent years, or what's come up before and been done badly (so the examiners will try you again)?

What's in the syllabus but hasn't come up recently?

* Using Force = Mass x Acceleration, probably to find an acceleration (don't forget the units)
* Converting something's GPE to KE (to find out how fast it gets to), or vice versa
* Faults in the wiring of a plug
* How the fuse (and earth) in a plug are useful

What's come up before and been done badly?

* Explaining the effect on a nucleus if a certain radiation is emitted (common error: not being clear in the wording)
* Calculating a voltage in a series circuit using the 'shared' rule (common error: assuming the voltage is always equally shared)
* Factors affecting thinking distance (common error: drink etc. makes reactions slower so the time is longer)
* Finding the period/frequency from an ac signal trace
* Slowing down slowly (common error: not spotting the question; momentum + soft things => slowing down slowly)

Some basics to LEARN

* Electrical symbols and names (especially thermistor, LDR and diode)
* When to use a bar/line graph (when the x-axis is categoric/continuous respectively)
* Stopping Distance = Thinking Distance + Braking Distance
* dc (current flows in one direction only); ac (current flows in one direction then the other)
* Resultant force: the single force that replaces all the other forces on an object that would have the same effect
* Unit of charge and acceleration (coulomb, C, and m/s2)
* Mains electricity is 230V, 50Hz ac
* Calculations - always show working out and take care to convert minutes, cm, km, MHz etc.

Some Practice Questions

* Download some questions to check you're OK on the above points
* Download the answers - try the test properly first you cheater!