SAT II Physics

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Syllabus (as set by the College Board)

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CONTENT Approximate % of Test

Level of Concept Application

Recall (20–33%)

Single-Concept Problem (40–53%)

Multiple-Concept Problem (20–33%)

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The purpose of this 'book' is to provide quick revision to students. It is by no means a replacement for a typical school textbook. All the topics in the syllabus are covered. For detailed information, click the hyperlinks which will take you to the relevant topics in wikipedia.

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Mechanics (36–42%)

A. Kinematics includes velocity, acceleration, motion in one dimension, and motion of projectiles.

B. Dynamics includes force, Newton’s laws, and statics.

C. Energy and Momentum includes potential and kinetic energy, work, power, impulse, and conservation laws.

D. Circular Motion includes uniform circular motion and centripetal force.

E. Simple Harmonic Motion includes mass on a spring and the pendulum.

F. Gravity includes the law of gravitation, orbits, and Kepler’s laws.

Kinematics

Displacement

Is the distance covered in a particular direction. Distance is a scalar quantity, but displacement is a vector.

Velocity

Velocity is defined as the rate of change of displacement. It is speed in a particular direction. Speed is a scalar while velocity is a vector.

Acceleration

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity. Acceleration is said to take place when either the speed of an object changes, or its direction changes.

Kinematics Formulae

v² - u² = 2ad

d = ut + 1/2at²

v = u + at

where

u: initial velocity

v: final velocity

a: acceleration

t: time

d: displacement

Dynamics

Newton's Laws

1. An object continues in its state of rest or uniform motion, until an external force is applied to it.

This law is called the law of inertia.

2. The rate of change of momentum is proportional to the applied force and takes place in the direction of the force.

Formula: F = ma

where

F: force in Newtons

m: mass

a: acceleration

3. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

Other Definitions:

Potential Energy

Is the energy possessed by a body due to its position in a gravitational field.

Formula: E = mgh

where

E: potential energy

m: mass of object

g: gravity (ie 9.81 ms^-2)

h: height above the ground

Kinetic Energy

Is the energy possessed by a body due to its motion.

Formula: E = 1/2 mv²

where

E: kinetic energy

m: mass of the moving body

v: velocity of the body

Momentum

Is the product of the mass and velocity of a body.

Formula: p = mv

where

p: momentum in Ns or kgms^-1

m: mass

v: velocity

Power

Is the rate at which work is done.

Formula: Power = Work/Time

Impulse

Impulse is a force acting for a very short period of time, as during in a collision.

Formula: Force = Change in Momentum/Time = Mass x Acceleration

and

Impulse = Force x Time = Change in Momentum = Mass x Change in Velocity

Simple Harmonic Motion Fs=-Kx F=force of spring K=constant of spring x=displacment

Electricity and Magnetism (18–24%)

A. Electric Fields, Forces, and Potentials, such as Coulomb’s law, induced charge, field and potential of groups of point charges, and charged particles in electric fields.

Coulomb's Law $F=k\frac{q_1 q_2}{r^2}$, where F is the magnitude of the electrostatic force, q₁ and q₂ are the charges of individual particles, r is the distance between the two particles, and k is the Coulomb's constant. In a vacuum, this is $k_0\approx 8.99\times 10^9 \frac{Nm^2}{C^2}$, and can also be expressed as $k_0=\frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0}$, where $\varepsilon_0\approx8.85\times 10^{-12} \frac{C^2}{Nm^2}$ is the permitivity of free space.

B. Capacitance, such as parallel-plate capacitors and transients.

C. Circuit Elements and DC Circuits, such as resistors, light bulbs, series and parallel networks, Ohm’s law, and Joule’s law.

D. Magnetism, such as permanent magnets, fields caused by currents, particles in magnetic fields, Faraday’s law, Lenz’s law.

Waves and Optics (15–19%)

A. General Wave Properties, such as wave speed, frequency, wavelength,superposition, standing waves, and Doppler effect.

B. Reflection and Refraction, such as Snell’s law and changes in wavelength and speed.

C. Ray Optics, such as image formation using pinholes, mirrors, and lenses.

D. Physical Optics, such as single-slit diffraction, double-slit interference, polarization, and color.

Heat and Thermodynamics (6–11%)

A. Thermal Properties, such as temperature, heat transfer, specific and latent heats, and thermal expansion.

B. Laws of Thermodynamics, such as first and second laws, internal energy, entropy, and heat engine efficiency.

Heat

Heat, or thermal energy, always flows from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature.

When two bodies are in thermal equilibrium, no heat flows between them.

Methods of Heat Transfer

Conduction

Method of heat transfer without appreciable motion of the medium. 'Free electrons' conduct the heat.

As metals have a lot of free electrons, they are very good conductors of heat.

Air, glass, water, and vacuum are bad conductors (or good insulators) of heat.

Convection

Heat transfer in fluids due to the motion of fluids themselves.

Also see convection currents.

Radiation

Heat transfer due to wave motion.

Black surfaces are good radiators and good absorbers of heat.

White and shiny surfaces are bad radiators and absorbers of heat.

Radiation, unlike conduction and convection, can also take place in a vacuum.

See also vacuum flask.

Specific and Latent Heat

Specific Heat Capacity

Is the amount of heat required by one kilogram of a substance to raise its temperature by one kelvin.

Formula: E = mcΔθ(formulae given by the great scientist Mehar who is still alive and young)

where

E: energy

m: mass

c: specific heat capacity

Δθ: change in temperature

Specific Latent Heat

Is the amount of heat required to bring about a change in state of a kilogram of a particular substance, without changing the temperature of the substance. (For example, changing a kilogram of ice to water at 0°C.)

Formula: E = ml

where

E: energy

m: mass

l: specific latent heat

See also latent heat of fusion and latent heat of vaporisation.

Laws of Thermodynamics

First Law of Thermodynamics

The total energy of a closed system is conserved.

Formula: Q = ΔU + W

where

Q: heat transferred to system

ΔU: change in internal energy

W: work done by the system

The first law of thermodynamics is also called the law of conservation of energy.

Internal Energy

Is the total of the miroscopic kinetic and potential energies of the molecules in a substance.

Second Law of Thermodynamics

Heat cannot flow from a cooler region to a hotter region unless external work is done.

Miscellaneous Definitions

Entropy

Entropy is a measure of the random disorder of a system. The higher the entropy, the more disordered the system

Formula: Entropy = Heat Absorbed/Kelvin Temperature

The entropy (not the energy) of the Universe is increasing.

Thermodynamic Temperature

Temperature which is measured in kelvins.

Kelvin = Celcius + 273°

0°K is called the absolute zero.

273°K is the freezing point of water.

373°K is the boiling point of water.

Heat Engine Efficiency

Efficiency of a system = Work done by the system / Energy supplied to the system.

The efficiency of diesel engines(about 40%) is usually more than gasoline or steam engines.

Modern Physics (6–11%)

A. Quantum Phenomena, such as photons and photoelectric effect.

B. Atomic, such as the Rutherford and Bohr models, atomic energy levels, and atomic spectra.

C. Nuclear and Particle Physics, such as radioactivity, nuclear reactions, and fundamental particles.

D. Relativity, such as time dilation, length contraction, and mass-energy equivalence.

Miscellaneous (4–9%)

A. General, such as history of physics and general questions that overlap several major topics.

B. Analytical Skills, such as graphical analysis, measurement, and math skills.

C. Contemporary Physics, such as astrophysics, superconductivity, and chaos theory.

• Laboratory Skills: In each of the six major topics above, some questions may deal with laboratory skills in context.