📌 Welcome to Third Term!
This lesson is a comprehensive revision of ALL topics from First and Second Term. We will recap key concepts, consolidate formulas, and work through mixed examples to ensure you have a solid foundation before moving forward into new Third Term topics like Refraction, Lenses, Sound Waves, Magnetism, and Electricity.
FIRST TERM TOPICS (Weeks 1–9)
| Week |
Topic |
Key Concepts |
| 1 |
Introduction to Physics |
Branches (Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Optics, etc.), Scientific Method, Fundamental & Derived Quantities |
| 2 |
Measurement |
SI Units, Measuring Instruments (Ruler, Vernier Calliper, Micrometer), Errors (Systematic & Random) |
| 3 |
Scalars & Vectors |
Definitions, Examples (Scalar: mass, speed; Vector: force, velocity), Vector representation, Resultant vectors |
| 4 |
Position & Motion |
Distance vs. Displacement, Speed vs. Velocity, Acceleration, Equations of motion (Uniform acceleration) |
| 5 |
Force I |
Definition, Types (Contact: Friction, Tension; Non-contact: Gravitational, Magnetic), Effects of force, Resultant force |
| 6 |
Force II – Friction |
Static, Limiting, Dynamic friction; Advantages (grip, walking) & Disadvantages (wear, heat); Methods to reduce friction |
| 7 |
Work, Energy & Power I |
Work (W = F × d), Kinetic Energy (½mv²), Potential Energy (mgh), Power (P = W/t), Conservation of energy |
| 8 |
Moments |
Principle of Moments (Clockwise = Anti-clockwise), Levers (First, Second, Third class), Center of gravity |
| 9 |
Elasticity |
Hooke's Law (F = k × e), Elastic limit, Spring constant (k), Force-extension graph |
SECOND TERM TOPICS (Weeks 2–9)
| Week |
Topic |
Key Concepts |
| 2 |
Pressure |
P = F/A, P = ρgh, atmospheric pressure, Pascal's Principle, hydraulic press, barometer, manometer. |
| 3 |
Density and Relative Density |
ρ = m/V, R.D. = ρsubstance/ρwater, density bottle, Archimedes' principle, hydrometer. |
| 4 |
Heat I – Temperature & Thermometers |
Temperature vs heat, thermometric properties, types of thermometers, Celsius/Fahrenheit/Kelvin scales, conversion formulas, calibration. |
| 5 |
Heat II – Thermal Expansion |
ΔL = αL₀ΔT, β ≈ 2α, γ ≈ 3α, anomalous expansion of water, bimetallic strip, expansion gaps. |
| 6 |
Heat III – Thermal Conductivity |
Q/t = kAΔT/L, good vs bad conductors, Fourier's Law, applications (cooking pots, insulation). |
| 7 |
Heat IV – Latent Heat |
L_f = Q/m, L_v = Q/m, heating/cooling curves, phase changes, refrigeration, sweating. |
| 8 |
Heat V – Gas Laws |
Boyle's Law (P₁V₁ = P₂V₂), Charles's Law (V₁/T₁ = V₂/T₂), Pressure Law (P₁/T₁ = P₂/T₂), Combined Gas Law, PV = nRT. |
| 9 |
Light I – Reflection |
Laws of reflection (i = r), specular vs diffuse reflection, plane mirrors, real vs virtual images, lateral inversion. |
First & Second Term Topics – Summary
Key Formula Summary – Complete
| Topic |
Formula |
Variables |
| FIRST TERM FORMULAS |
| Speed/Velocity |
v = s/t |
s = displacement, t = time |
| Acceleration |
a = (v − u)/t |
v = final velocity, u = initial velocity |
| Equations of Motion |
v = u + at, s = ut + ½at², v² = u² + 2as |
s = displacement |
| Force |
F = ma |
m = mass, a = acceleration |
| Weight |
W = mg |
g = 9.8 m/s² |
| Friction |
F = μR |
μ = coefficient of friction |
| Work |
W = F × d × cos θ |
d = displacement, θ = angle |
| Kinetic Energy |
KE = ½mv² |
v = velocity |
| Potential Energy |
PE = mgh |
h = height |
| Power |
P = W/t |
W = work, t = time |
| Moment |
M = F × d |
d = perpendicular distance |
| Hooke's Law |
F = kx |
k = spring constant, x = extension |
| SECOND TERM FORMULAS |
| Pressure |
P = F/A |
F = force, A = area |
| Pressure in Fluids |
P = ρgh |
ρ = density, g = gravity, h = depth |
| Density |
ρ = m/V |
m = mass, V = volume |
| Relative Density |
R.D. = ρsubstance/ρwater |
ρwater = 1000 kg/m³ |
| Thermal Expansion (Linear) |
ΔL = αL₀ΔT |
α = coefficient of linear expansion |
| Thermal Conductivity |
Q/t = kAΔT/L |
k = thermal conductivity |
| Latent Heat of Fusion |
L_f = Q/m |
Q = heat energy, m = mass |
| Latent Heat of Vaporization |
L_v = Q/m |
Q = heat energy, m = mass |
| Boyle's Law |
P₁V₁ = P₂V₂ |
T = constant |
| Charles's Law |
V₁/T₁ = V₂/T₂ |
P = constant |
| Pressure Law |
P₁/T₁ = P₂/T₂ |
V = constant |
| Combined Gas Law |
P₁V₁/T₁ = P₂V₂/T₂ |
n = constant |
| Temperature Conversion |
°F = (°C × 9/5) + 32 |
— |
| Temperature Conversion |
K = °C + 273.15 |
— |
| Reflection |
i = r |
i = angle of incidence, r = angle of reflection |
Topic-by-Topic Revision
FIRST TERM TOPICS
Week 1: Introduction to Physics
🔑 Key Points:
- Physics: Study of matter, energy, and their interactions.
- Branches: Mechanics, Heat & Thermodynamics, Waves & Optics, Electricity & Magnetism, Atomic & Nuclear, Modern Physics.
- Fundamental Quantities: Length (m), Mass (kg), Time (s), Current (A), Temperature (K), Amount (mol), Luminous Intensity (cd).
- Scalars: Mass, length, time, speed, energy. Vectors: Force, velocity, displacement, acceleration.
Week 2: Measurement
🔑 Key Points:
- Instruments: Metre rule (0.1 cm), Vernier calliper (0.01 cm), Micrometer screw gauge (0.001 cm).
- Errors: Systematic (zero error), Random (parallax), Gross.
- Precision: Repeatability. Accuracy: Closeness to true value.
- Significant Figures: Non-zero digits are significant; zeros between non-zero digits are significant.
Week 3: Scalars and Vectors
🔑 Key Points:
- Scalar: Only magnitude (e.g., mass, length, time, speed).
- Vector: Magnitude + direction (e.g., force, velocity, displacement).
- Speed: Scalar (distance/time). Velocity: Vector (displacement/time).
- Distance: Total path length. Displacement: Straight-line change in position.
Week 4: Position and Motion
🔑 Key Points:
- Equations of Motion: v = u + at, s = ut + ½at², v² = u² + 2as.
- Acceleration: a = (v − u)/t.
- Graphs: Distance-time (slope = speed), Velocity-time (slope = acceleration, area = displacement).
Week 5: Force I
🔑 Key Points:
- Newton's Laws: 1st (Inertia), 2nd (F = ma), 3rd (Action-Reaction).
- Weight: W = mg (force of gravity).
- Free Body Diagram: Shows all forces acting on an object.
Week 6: Friction
🔑 Key Points:
- Types: Static, Sliding, Rolling, Fluid.
- Formula: F = μR (μ = coefficient of friction).
- Advantages: Walking, braking, gripping. Disadvantages: Wear and tear, heat, energy loss.
Week 7: Work, Energy and Power
🔑 Key Points:
- Work: W = F × d × cos θ.
- Kinetic Energy: KE = ½mv². Potential Energy: PE = mgh.
- Power: P = W/t.
- Conservation: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.
Week 8: Moments
🔑 Key Points:
- Moment: Moment = F × d (turning effect).
- Principle of Moments: Sum of clockwise moments = Sum of anticlockwise moments.
- Centre of Gravity: Point where weight appears to act.
Week 9: Elasticity
🔑 Key Points:
- Hooke's Law: F = kx.
- Stress: σ = F/A. Strain: ε = ΔL/L₀.
- Young's Modulus: E = σ/ε = (F × L₀)/(A × ΔL).
SECOND TERM TOPICS
Week 2: Pressure
🔑 Key Points:
- Pressure = Force / Area (P = F/A). Unit: Pascal (Pa).
- Pressure in fluids: P = ρgh. Increases with depth.
- Atmospheric pressure at sea level = 101,325 Pa (1 atm).
- Pascal's Principle: Pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted equally in all directions.
- Applications: Hydraulic press, barometer, manometer.
Week 3: Density and Relative Density
🔑 Key Points:
- Density = Mass / Volume (ρ = m/V). Unit: kg/m³.
- Relative Density = ρsubstance / ρwater (no units).
- Density of water = 1000 kg/m³ (or 1 g/cm³).
- Methods: Regular objects (geometric calculation), Irregular objects (water displacement), Liquids (density bottle).
- Applications: Hydrometer, ships, hot air balloons.
Week 4: Temperature and Thermometers
🔑 Key Points:
- Temperature ≠ Heat. Temperature = measure of average kinetic energy.
- Thermometric properties: Expansion, resistance, pressure, voltage.
- Scales: Celsius (°C), Fahrenheit (°F), Kelvin (K).
- Conversions: °F = (°C × 9/5) + 32; K = °C + 273.15.
- Mercury vs Alcohol: Mercury has high boiling point, uniform expansion, but toxic. Alcohol has low freezing point, cheap, but wets glass.
Week 5: Thermal Expansion
🔑 Key Points:
- Linear: ΔL = αL₀ΔT.
- Area: β ≈ 2α.
- Volume: γ ≈ 3α.
- Anomalous expansion of water: Maximum density at 4°C; expands when cooled below 4°C.
- Applications: Bimetallic strip (thermostats), expansion gaps (bridges, railways), thermometers, hot air balloons.
Week 6: Thermal Conductivity
🔑 Key Points:
- Good conductors: Metals (silver, copper, aluminium).
- Insulators: Wood, glass, rubber, plastic, air.
- Fourier's Law: Q/t = kAΔT/L.
- Factors: Material type, temperature, density, purity, physical state.
- Applications: Cooking pots (conductors), heat sinks, thermos flasks, building insulation (insulators).
Week 7: Latent Heat
🔑 Key Points:
- Latent heat: Hidden heat during phase change (no temperature change).
- L_f = Q/m (fusion: solid ↔ liquid). Water L_f = 3.34 × 10⁵ J/kg.
- L_v = Q/m (vaporization: liquid ↔ gas). Water L_v = 2.26 × 10⁶ J/kg.
- Heating curve: Flat sections at melting and boiling points.
- Applications: Refrigeration (evaporation), sweating (cooling), steam cooking, ice cooling.
Week 8: Gas Laws
🔑 Key Points:
- Boyle's Law: P₁V₁ = P₂V₂ (constant T).
- Charles's Law: V₁/T₁ = V₂/T₂ (constant P).
- Pressure Law: P₁/T₁ = P₂/T₂ (constant V).
- Combined: P₁V₁/T₁ = P₂V₂/T₂.
- General: PV = nRT (R = 8.314 J/mol·K).
- Important: Temperature must be in KELVIN (K = °C + 273).
Week 9: Light – Reflection
🔑 Key Points:
- Light travels in straight lines (rectilinear propagation).
- Laws: (i) Incident ray, reflected ray, normal in same plane. (ii) i = r.
- Specular (smooth → clear image) vs Diffuse (rough → scattered).
- Plane mirror image: Virtual, upright, same size, laterally inverted, image distance = object distance.
- Real image: can be projected, inverted. Virtual image: cannot be projected, upright.
Mixed Revision Questions – Complete
Section A: Multiple Choice (Choose the correct option)
- Which of the following is a scalar quantity?
A) Force B) Velocity C) Mass D) Displacement
- The SI unit of force is:
A) Joule B) Newton C) Watt D) Pascal
- Pressure is defined as:
A) Force × Area B) Force / Area C) Area / Force D) Mass / Volume
- Which of the following is a good conductor of heat?
A) Wood B) Rubber C) Copper D) Glass
- Hooke's Law states that:
A) F = kx B) F = k/x C) F = x/k D) F = kx²
- Kinetic energy is given by:
A) mgh B) ½mv² C) mv² D) ½mgh
- Charles's Law states that at constant pressure:
A) V ∝ 1/T B) V ∝ T C) P ∝ 1/V D) P ∝ T
- A plane mirror produces an image that is:
A) Real and inverted B) Real and upright C) Virtual and upright D) Virtual and inverted
- The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection is the:
A) First Law of Reflection B) Second Law of Reflection C) Third Law of Reflection D) Law of Refraction
- Water has maximum density at:
A) 0°C B) 4°C C) 100°C D) 25°C
Answers: 1-C, 2-B, 3-B, 4-C, 5-A, 6-B, 7-B, 8-C, 9-B, 10-B
Section B: Short Answer Questions
- Define physics and state its three branches.
- What is the difference between precision and accuracy?
- Distinguish between speed and velocity.
- State Newton's three laws of motion.
- Define pressure and state its SI unit.
- What is the difference between density and relative density?
- State the two laws of reflection.
- What is the difference between temperature and heat?
- State Boyle's Law in words.
- What is latent heat of vaporization?
Section C: Calculation Questions
- A car travels 120 km in 2 hours. Calculate its speed in m/s.
- A force of 50 N is applied to a 10 kg object. Calculate the acceleration.
- A spring extends by 0.12 m when a force of 30 N is applied. Calculate the spring constant.
- A force of 200 N acts on an area of 0.5 m². Calculate the pressure.
- A liquid has a mass of 400 g and a volume of 200 cm³. Calculate its density in g/cm³ and kg/m³.
- An iron rod of length 3.0 m at 20°C is heated to 80°C. Calculate the increase in length. (α = 1.2 × 10⁻⁵ /°C)
- How much heat is required to melt 2.0 kg of ice at 0°C? (L_f = 3.34 × 10⁵ J/kg)
- A gas occupies 0.3 m³ at 200,000 Pa. If the pressure is increased to 300,000 Pa at constant temperature, what is the new volume?
- Convert 25°C to Fahrenheit and Kelvin.
- An object is placed 20 cm in front of a plane mirror. How far behind the mirror is the image formed?
Answers to Section B
1. Physics is the study of matter, energy, and their interactions. Branches: Mechanics, Heat & Thermodynamics, Electricity & Magnetism.
2. Precision is how close repeated measurements are to each other; accuracy is how close a measurement is to the true value.
3. Speed is scalar (distance/time); velocity is vector (displacement/time).
4. 1st: Inertia. 2nd: F = ma. 3rd: Action-reaction.
5. Pressure = Force / Area. SI unit: Pascal (Pa).
6. Density is mass per unit volume (kg/m³); relative density is the ratio of density of a substance to that of water (no units).
7. (i) Incident ray, reflected ray, and normal lie in the same plane. (ii) Angle of incidence = Angle of reflection.
8. Temperature is a measure of average kinetic energy; heat is energy that flows due to temperature difference.
9. For a fixed mass of gas at constant temperature, pressure is inversely proportional to volume.
10. Latent heat of vaporization is the heat required to change a liquid to gas at its boiling point without temperature change.
Answers to Section C
1. Speed = 120/2 = 60 km/h = 60 × 1000/3600 = 16.67 m/s
2. a = F/m = 50/10 = 5 m/s²
3. k = F/x = 30/0.12 = 250 N/m
4. P = 200 / 0.5 = 400 Pa
5. ρ = 400 / 200 = 2 g/cm³ = 2000 kg/m³
6. ΔT = 80 − 20 = 60°C; ΔL = 1.2 × 10⁻⁵ × 3.0 × 60 = 2.16 × 10⁻³ m = 2.16 mm
7. Q = 2.0 × 3.34 × 10⁵ = 6.68 × 10⁵ J (668 kJ)
8. P₁V₁ = P₂V₂ → 200,000 × 0.3 = 300,000 × V₂ → V₂ = 0.2 m³
9. °F = (25 × 9/5) + 32 = 77°F; K = 25 + 273.15 = 298.15 K
10. Image distance = Object distance = 20 cm behind the mirror.
Examination Preparation Tips
📌 Tips for Success:
- Review all formulas – make a formula sheet and memorise them.
- Understand key definitions – be able to explain concepts in your own words.
- Practice calculations – work through all examples and assignment questions.
- Know your units – be familiar with SI units for all quantities.
- Use Kelvin for gas law problems – always convert °C to K.
- Draw diagrams – practice drawing reflection ray diagrams and heating curves.
- Know the properties of water – density at 4°C, latent heat values.
- Time management – allocate time for each section during the exam.
✅ Ready for Third Term!
You have now revised ALL topics from First and Second Term. You are well-prepared to begin Third Term topics including Refraction, Lenses, Sound Waves, Magnetism, and Electricity. Keep up the great work! 💪