Β§-Physics Q&A
SA Β· SACE Boardβ Physics
Physics Q&A by dot point
A short Q&A bank for every SA Physics syllabus dot point. Each question and answer is drawn directly from our worked dot-point page, so you can scan key concepts before opening the long-form answer.
Topic 1: Motion and Relativity
Apply conservation of momentum to elastic and inelastic collisions in one dimension, and distinguish them using kinetic energy.
Apply Newton's three laws of motion, drawing free-body diagrams and resolving forces to determine the acceleration of objects and the forces in interacting systems.
Apply mass-energy equivalence to rest energy and to the mass defect and energy release in nuclear processes.
Relate impulse to the change in momentum of an object using , and interpret force-time graphs.
Apply Newton's law of universal gravitation and the concept of gravitational field strength to interactions between masses.
Analyse the orbital motion of satellites by equating gravitational force to the centripetal force requirement, deriving orbital speed and period.
Resolve projectile motion into independent horizontal (constant velocity) and vertical (constant acceleration) components to predict range, time of flight and maximum height.
State Einstein's postulates of special relativity and apply time dilation and length contraction to objects moving at relativistic speeds.
Describe uniform circular motion using centripetal acceleration and force, relating them to speed, radius and period.
Calculate work done by a force, relate net work to change in kinetic energy via the work-energy theorem, and define power as the rate of doing work.
Topic 2: Electricity and Magnetism
Explain the operation of an AC generator and apply the transformer equation to step voltage up or down.
Analyse the circular motion of a charged particle in a uniform magnetic field, relating radius to mass, charge, speed and field strength.
Apply Coulomb's law to the force between point charges and describe the electric field around a charge.
Apply Faraday's law to relate induced EMF to the rate of change of magnetic flux through a coil.
Use Lenz's law to determine the direction of an induced current and explain it in terms of conservation of energy.
Calculate the force on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field and explain its role in the operation of a motor.
Calculate the magnetic force on a moving charge and determine its direction using the right-hand rule.
Analyse the motion of charged particles in the uniform electric field between parallel plates, using field strength, force and energy.
Topic 3: Light and Atoms
Explain atomic emission and absorption spectra using the Bohr model and the relationship between photon energy and energy-level differences.
Analyse the double-slit interference pattern and use the fringe-spacing relationship to determine wavelength.
Describe alpha, beta and gamma decay, balance nuclear equations, and apply the concept of half-life.
Explain the photoelectric effect using the photon model, including threshold frequency, work function and maximum kinetic energy.
Apply the photon model to calculate photon energy and explain wave-particle duality.
Describe the Standard Model classification of fundamental particles into quarks, leptons and force-carrying bosons.
Describe the wave model of light and apply the principle of superposition to constructive and destructive interference.