27 questions in 40 minutes. Multiple choice. No calculator.

ESAT Physics

The Physics module covers electricity and magnetism, mechanics, thermal physics, matter, waves and radioactivity. It assumes all of the Mathematics 1 content, and in practice most Physics questions are as much a test of algebraic fluency under time pressure as of physics.

210 original practice questions across 14 sets, grouped by the strand of the published specification each one covers. Every question carries a full worked solution.

Each module is separately timed. Time not used on one module is not carried into the next.
No calculator. An erasable booklet is provided for working.

Electricity and magnetism

Electrostatics, current, potential difference and resistance, series and parallel circuits, power and energy, magnets and magnetic fields, the motor effect and electromagnetic induction.

ESAT Physics: Electricity and magnetism, set 115 questions, 15 marks, about 22 minutes. Foundation.
ESAT Physics: Electricity and magnetism, set 215 questions, 15 marks, about 25 minutes. Test standard.
ESAT Physics: Electricity and magnetism, set 315 questions, 15 marks, about 27 minutes. Demanding.
ESAT Physics: Electricity and magnetism, set 415 questions, 15 marks, about 30 minutes. Stretch.

What the specification says (20 points)

P1.1 Electrostatics: know that insulators can be charged by friction; know that charging is caused by gain or loss of electrons; know that like charges repel and unlike charges attract; understand applications and hazards associated with electrostatics, including the role of earthing.
P1.2a Electric circuits: know and recognise the basic circuit symbols and diagrams, including cell, battery, light source, resistor, variable resistor, ammeter, voltmeter, switch and diode.
P1.2b Understand the difference between alternating current (ac) and direct current (dc).
P1.2c Understand the difference between conductors and insulators, and recall examples of each type.
P1.2d Know and be able to apply current = charge / time, I = Q/t.
P1.2e Know and understand the use of voltmeters and ammeters.
P1.2f Know and be able to apply resistance = voltage / current, R = V/I.
P1.2g Recall and interpret V-I graphs for a fixed resistor and a filament lamp.
P1.2h Know the properties of NTC (negative temperature coefficient) thermistors, LDRs (light-dependent resistors) and ideal diodes.
P1.2i Know and understand the current and voltage rules for series and parallel circuits.
P1.2j Calculate the total resistance for resistor combinations in series.
P1.2k Understand that the total resistance of a parallel combination is less than that of any individual resistor.
P1.2l Know and be able to apply voltage = energy / charge, V = E/Q.
P1.2m Know and be able to apply power = current x voltage, P = IV = I^2 R.
P1.2n Know and be able to apply energy transfer = power x time, E = VIt.
P2.1 Properties of magnets: know and use the terms north pole, south pole, attraction and repulsion; know the magnetic field pattern around a bar magnet (including direction); understand the difference between soft and hard magnetic materials (e.g. iron and steel); qualitatively understand induced magnetism.
P2.2 Magnetic field due to an electric current: know the magnetic effect of a current; know the magnetic field patterns around current-carrying wires (including direction) for straight wires and coils/solenoids; know the factors affecting magnetic field strength around a wire; understand the difference between permanent magnets and electromagnets.
P2.3 The motor effect: know that a wire carrying a current in a magnetic field can experience a force; know the factors affecting the direction of the force (including the left-hand rule); know the factors affecting the magnitude of the force; know and apply F = BIL for a straight wire at right angles to a uniform magnetic field; know the construction and operation of a dc motor, including factors affecting the magnitude of the force produced; understand applications of electromagnets.
P2.4 Electromagnetic induction: know that a voltage is induced when a wire cuts magnetic field lines, or when a magnetic field changes; know the factors affecting the magnitude of an induced voltage; know the factors affecting the direction of an induced voltage; understand the operation of an ac generator, including factors affecting the output voltage; interpret the graphical representation of the output voltage of a simple ac generator; understand applications of electromagnetic induction.
P2.5 Transformers: know and understand the terms step-up transformer and step-down transformer; know and use the relationship between the number of turns on the primary and secondary coils and the voltage ratio, Vp/Vs = np/ns; know that a consequence of 100% efficiency is total transfer of electrical power giving Vp Ip = Vs Is, and use this to solve problems; understand power transmission, including calculating losses during transmission and the need for high voltage.

Mechanics

Scalars and vectors, distance, displacement, speed and velocity, acceleration, the equations of motion, graphs of motion, forces, Newton's laws, momentum, moments, work, energy and power.

ESAT Physics: Mechanics, set 115 questions, 15 marks, about 22 minutes. Foundation.
ESAT Physics: Mechanics, set 215 questions, 15 marks, about 25 minutes. Test standard.
ESAT Physics: Mechanics, set 315 questions, 15 marks, about 28 minutes. Demanding.
ESAT Physics: Mechanics, set 415 questions, 15 marks, about 32 minutes. Stretch.

What the specification says (7 points)

P3.1 Kinematics: know the difference between scalar and vector quantities; know the difference between distance and displacement and between speed and velocity; know and apply speed = distance / time and velocity = change in displacement / time; know and apply acceleration = change in velocity / time; interpret distance-time, displacement-time, speed-time and velocity-time graphs; perform calculations using gradients and areas under graphs; know and apply average speed = total distance / time; know and apply the equation of motion v^2 - u^2 = 2as.
P3.2 Forces: understand that there are different types of force, including weight, normal contact, drag (including air resistance), friction, magnetic, electrostatic, thrust, upthrust, lift and tension; know the factors that can affect the magnitude and direction of those forces; draw and interpret force diagrams; qualitatively understand resultant force, with calculations in one dimension.
P3.3 Force and extension: interpret force-extension graphs; understand elastic and inelastic extension, and elastic limits; know and apply Hooke's law (F = kx) and understand the meaning of the limit of proportionality; understand energy stored in a stretched spring as E = (1/2)Fx = (1/2)kx^2.
P3.4 Newton's laws: know and understand Newton's first law as 'a body will remain at rest or in a state of uniform motion in a straight line unless acted on by a resultant external force'; understand mass as a property that resists change in motion (inertia); know and understand Newton's second law as force = mass x acceleration; know and understand Newton's third law as 'if body A exerts a force on body B then body B exerts an equal and opposite force of the same type on body A'.
P3.5 Mass and weight: know the difference between mass and weight; know and apply gravitational field strength g, approximated as 10 N/kg on Earth; know and apply w = mg; understand free-fall acceleration; know the factors affecting air resistance; understand terminal velocity and the forces involved.
P3.6 Momentum: know and apply momentum = mass x velocity, p = mv; know and use the law of conservation of momentum in calculations in one dimension; know and apply force = rate of change of momentum.
P3.7 Energy: know and apply work = force x distance moved (in direction of force); understand work done as a transfer of energy; know and apply gravitational potential energy = mgh where h is the difference in height of the object; know and apply kinetic energy = (1/2)mv^2; know and apply power = energy transfer / time; know and use in calculations the law of conservation of energy; understand the concepts of useful energy and wasted energy; know and apply percentage efficiency = (useful output / total input) x 100.

Thermal physics and matter

Conduction, convection and radiation, states of matter and the particle model, density, pressure, specific heat capacity and latent heat.

ESAT Physics: Thermal physics and matter, set 115 questions, 15 marks, about 22 minutes. Foundation.
ESAT Physics: Thermal physics and matter, set 215 questions, 15 marks, about 25 minutes. Test standard.
ESAT Physics: Thermal physics and matter, set 315 questions, 15 marks, about 26 minutes. Demanding.

What the specification says (9 points)

P4.1 Conduction: know and understand thermal conductors and insulators, with examples; know and apply factors affecting rate of conduction.
P4.2 Convection: understand and apply the effect of temperature on density of fluid; understand and apply fluid flow caused by differences in density.
P4.3 Thermal radiation: understand thermal radiation as electromagnetic waves in the infrared region; know and apply absorption and emission of radiation; know and apply factors affecting rate of absorption and emission of thermal radiation.
P4.4 Heat capacity: understand the effect of energy transferred to or from an object on its temperature; know and apply specific heat capacity = thermal energy / (mass x temperature change), where temperature is in degrees C and specific heat capacity c is in J/kg/degC.
P5.1 States of matter: know the characteristic properties of solids, liquids and gases; know and apply particle models of solids, liquids and gases; know and explain properties of solids, liquids and gases in terms of particle motion and the forces and distances between the particles.
P5.2 Ideal gases: explain pressure and temperature in terms of the behaviour of particles; understand and apply the effect of pressure P on gas volume V at constant temperature, i.e. PV = constant.
P5.3 State changes: understand the terms melting point and boiling point; know and understand the terms latent heat of fusion and latent heat of vaporisation; know and apply specific latent heat calculations.
P5.4 Density: know and apply density = mass / volume; understand the experimental determination of densities; compare the densities of solids, liquids and gases.
P5.5 Pressure: know and apply pressure = force / area; know and apply hydrostatic pressure = h rho g, where h is the height, or depth, of the liquid.

Waves and radioactivity

Wave properties, the wave equation, reflection, refraction, the electromagnetic spectrum, sound, atomic structure, radioactive decay, half-life and nuclear equations.

ESAT Physics: Waves and radioactivity, set 115 questions, 15 marks, about 22 minutes. Foundation.
ESAT Physics: Waves and radioactivity, set 215 questions, 15 marks, about 25 minutes. Test standard.
ESAT Physics: Waves and radioactivity, set 315 questions, 15 marks, about 30 minutes. Demanding.

What the specification says (9 points)

P6.1 Wave properties: understand the transfer of energy without net movement of matter; know and understand transverse and longitudinal waves; know and understand the terms peak, trough, compression and rarefaction; recall examples of waves, including electromagnetic waves and sound; know and use the terms amplitude, wavelength, frequency and period; know and apply frequency = 1 / period; know and apply wave speed = distance / time; know and apply wave speed = frequency x wavelength.
P6.2 Wave behaviour: know and understand reflection at a surface; know and understand refraction at a boundary; know and understand the effect of reflection and refraction on the speed, frequency, wavelength and direction of waves; know and understand the analogy of reflection and refraction of light with that of water waves; know and understand the Doppler effect.
P6.3 Optics: draw and interpret ray diagrams to describe reflection in plane mirrors; know and apply angle of incidence = angle of reflection; draw and interpret ray diagrams for refraction at a planar boundary; know and interpret angle of incidence and angle of refraction; know and understand the effect of refraction on wave direction (away from or towards the normal) and speed (increasing or decreasing).
P6.4 Sound waves: understand the production of sound waves by a vibrating source; understand the need for a medium; understand qualitatively the relation of loudness to amplitude and pitch to frequency; know and understand longitudinal waves; understand that reflection causes echoes; recall that the range of human hearing is 20 Hz to 20 kHz; know and understand ultrasound and its uses (sonar and medical scanning).
P6.5 Electromagnetic spectrum: know the nature and properties of electromagnetic waves (they are transverse waves and travel at the speed of light in a vacuum); recall the component parts of the spectrum (radio waves, microwaves, IR, visible light, UV, X-rays, gamma); understand the distinction of the component parts by different wavelengths and/or frequencies; recall the order of the component parts by wavelength and/or frequency; understand applications and hazards of the component parts.
P7.1 Atomic structure: understand the atom in terms of protons, neutrons and electrons; know and apply the nuclear model of atomic structure; know the relative charges and masses of protons, neutrons and electrons; understand and use the terms atomic number and mass number; know and understand the term isotope; know and understand the term nuclide, and use nuclide notation; understand that ionisation is caused by the gain/loss of electrons.
P7.2 Radioactive decay: know that emissions arise from an unstable nucleus; know the random nature of emissions; know the differences between alpha, beta and gamma emission; know the nature of alpha and beta particles, and gamma radiation; use and interpret nuclear equations; know the effect of decay on atomic number and mass number.
P7.3 Ionising radiation: know the relative penetrating abilities of alpha, beta and gamma radiation; know the relative ionising abilities of alpha, beta and gamma radiation; understand qualitatively the deflection of alpha, beta and gamma radiation in electric or magnetic fields; know and appreciate the existence of background radiation; understand the applications and hazards of ionising radiation.
P7.4 Half-life: interpret graphical representations of radioactive decay (including consideration of decay products); understand the meaning of the term half-life; understand and apply half-life calculations.

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