Download exam revision strategies

EXAM REVISION STRATEGIES
The only way to succeed in a physics exam is to do problems, and more problems, and more
problems ...
But there are strategies to maximise the gains from all these problems.
Course Summary
Before you start your revision, you should have prepared a course summary of your own
which should run to a few pages for each Area of Study. It should be a document that you
read through regularly every few days to encourage the ideas to sink into your memory.
You may be able to reduce the notes for the each Unit down to a few pages in the weeks
before the exam.
Four Pages of Notes
You are able to bring into the exam four pages of notes as a single A3 sheet or 2 A4 sheets
taped together. Prepare your own summary weeks before, don’t use someone else’s.
Preparing your own is an important learning exercise.
Doing Problems
Try doing a full practice exam in one sitting under exam conditions at least twice. Include the
15 minutes reading time, as you need to think about how you might use this time most
effectively. At other times, do questions from one or two Areas of Study in one sitting.
When you have corrected your answers to the practice exam or set of questions,

check through your answers on the questions you got wrong, and then

re-read your course summary to clarify your ideas, then

modify your four page summary to give you more help next time.
Do this every time you do a practice paper or a batch of questions. The frequent rewriting of
your four page summary is also a useful memory tool.
There are plenty of past exam and trial papers available. While the Detailed Studies only
came in several years ago, there are a number of commercial suppliers of trial papers. Also
the core Areas of Study and the Detailed Studies, Materials and Sound, have been in the VCE
Physics course since 1991, so there are plenty of past papers in your school.
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What should you include in your four page summary?
 Don’t include the formulae from the sheet. Although you may wish to write them down in
words to remind yourself of the relationship,
 Definitions and relationships not included in the formula sheet,
 Pictures of the various diagrams, and graphs you might use, such as Force diagrams for
circular motion, etc.
 Worked solutions of problems you have found difficult,
 Concept maps linking your ideas together.
Examples include:Unit 3
Motion:
Projectile Motion:
Circular Motion:
Collisions:
Gravity:
Equations for separate vertical and horizontal aspects,
Force diagrams for masses,
Worked out problems, statements and graphs on impulse,
momentum, force against time for long and short impacts.
Worked out solutions to calculate the period and radius of a
satellite or the mass of a planet. This should always start from
equating Newton’s Law of Gravitation to the circular motion
form of F = ma using r and T.
Electronic and photonics
Components:
Diodes, LEDs, LDRs, thermistors and photodiodes. Draw the
circuits for each with typical voltage and current values.
Voltage dividers:
Draw diagram with formula. Clearly distinguish between R1 and
R2. Explain effect on output voltage if either the top or bottom
resistor is a LDR or a thermistor.
Modulation/Demodulation: Include descriptions.
Voltage amplifiers:
Draw voltage graphs for both inverting and non-inverting
amplifiers. Mark in on graph the voltage gain. Sketch input and
output voltage signals for both types of amplifiers, and also for
clipping and non-clipping.
Unit 4
Electric Power
Magnetic Fields
Fields for combinations of bar magnets, wires, coils and
solenoids.
Magnetic Force of a current Describe your hand rule. Write equation, emphasing n, number
of wires. Diagram of DC motor showing directions of field,
current and force at different coil positions. Description of role of
commutator, mentioning three aspects.
Magnetic Flux
Define magnetic flux. Don't use n for number of turns in
solenoid, just field x area. Diagrams of changing angle to show
max flux and zero flux.
Electromagnetic Induction Faraday's Law, both as an equation and word expression. Include
examples. Lenz's Law: Explain in detail with examples. Graphs
of flux change and induced voltage. Note: The graph of induced
voltage is not always the negative gradient of flux graph. it
depends on how the voltmeter is connected and the labelling of
the axes.
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AC Voltage
Transformers
Transmission Lines
Light and Matter
Young's double slit expt
Diffraction
Photoelectric Effect
Electrons as waves
Photon energy
Energy levels
Model of the atom
Detailed Studies
Materials etc.:
Einstein’s Relativity
Graph of induced AC voltage when frequency is increased. Slip
rings and split ring (commutator): difference with diagram and
roles with DC generator and AC alternator. Graph showing peak,
peak to peak and RMS.
Labelled diagram with ratio formulae. Their benefits.
Worked examples of power loss, voltage drop across lines, etc,
with and w/o transformers. Emphasise: i) resistance in each wire,
ii) treat as three resistors in series: wire out, load and wire back
implying same current with supply voltage split across all three.
Describe the result include a diagram. Describe constructive and
destructive interference in terms of reinforcement and
cancellation, and in terms of the meeting of crests and troughs.
Include sample calculations of path difference and consequence
for pattern. Describe in words and diagrams, the effect on the
pattern of changing the wavelength, slit separation and distance to
the screen.
Describe, in words and diagrams, a diffraction pattern. Describe,
in words and diagrams, the effect of increasing the gap width and
increasing the wavelength. Be wary of using the ratio /w.
Wave model predictions for the interaction of light with electrons
in a metal for changing the intensity, frequency and metal. The
observations of the PE effect. The particle model predictions for
the interaction of light with electrons in a metal as above. Graphs
of current vs voltage and of stopping voltage vs frequency.
Einstein's photon model and energy equation. Energy conversion
between eV and Joules. The limitations of wave model to explain
PE Effect.
Describe the evidence for wave-like nature of electrons. Compare
patterns for electrons and photons. Calculate the de Broglie
wavelength for an electron. Note: Correct value of Planck's
constant. Sample calculations between an electron's energy,
momentum and wavelength, going from one to the others.
Sample calculations of photon energy in Joules and eV using
alternative values for Planck's constant.
Include energy levels diagram showing transitions for absorption
and emission of photons, with calculation of photon energies,
numbers of transitions and photon frequency and wavelength.
Draw sample standing wave diagrams for electrons in an energy
level.
Define terms and symbols used in the formula sheet,
Worked out solutions of stability problems.
Table of common  and speed values
Table of common mass and rets mass energy values
Explanation of simultaneity
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Further electronics
Graphs of voltage across R and C when charging and discharging
a capacitor
Graphs of full and half wave rectification as well as smoothing
Explanation of regulator
Synchrotron
The steps in producing electromagnetic radiation from a moving
electron.
Examples of various calculations.
The sequence and purposes of: linac, booster ring, storage ring
and beam line as well as wigglers and undulators.
Compare synchrotron radiation, lasers and X-rays.
Bragg diffraction diagram with calculations for different n values.
Thomson and Compton scattering.
Photonics
Statements of how incandescent objects produce incoherent light,
of how LEDs produce light and how lasers produce light and.
Band gap energy calculations for different colours.
Optical fibres with diagrams and calculations of critical angle and
acceptance angle. Design and benefits of single mode and multimode fibres (step and graded).
Attenuation and Rayleigh scattering.
Sound
Longitudinal pressure wave. Wave equation calculations.
Common dB and equivalent intensity values as well as worked
out calculations going both ways. Intensity and inverse square.
Description of meaning of resonance and how it occurs.
Diagrams of the harmonics for strings and open and closed tubes.
Microphones of different types
Loudspeakers and the effects of baffles and enclosures.
Loudness and phons
Diffraction pattern and the effect of increasing the gap width or
obstacle size and increasing the wavelength.
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