GC1 Physics End of Year Exam Comprehensive Study Guide

Examination Overview: VISS GC1 Physics Final Examination

• School: Victoria International School Sharjah (VISS).
• Date of Examination: Tuesday 16th June 2026.
• Course: GC1 Physics.
• Total Marks: 70 marks.
• Examination Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes total (5 minutes reading time + 90 minutes working time).
• Structure:
  • Section A: 30 multiple-choice questions (30 marks).
  • Section B: Structured short-answer questions (40 marks).
• Materials Allowed: TI-Nspire CX calculator, formula sheet (provided), black or blue pen.
• Preparation Strategy: Candidates are advised to revise every topic in the revision booklet, show all working out, and always include units in final answers.

Units and SI Quantities

Every measurement in physics must consist of a numerical value and a corresponding unit. Utilizing consistent SI (Système International) units is critical for preventing errors in calculation.

• Fundamental Base Units:

  • Length: Measured in metres ($m$).
    • $1\,km = 1000\,m$
    • $1\,cm = 0.01\,m$
    • $1\,mm = 0.001\,m$
  • Mass: Measured in kilograms ($kg$).
    • $1\,g = 0.001\,kg$
  • Time: Measured in seconds ($s$). Minutes and hours must be converted to seconds before being used in equations.
  • Speed: Measured in metres per second ($m\,s^{-1}$). To convert from kilometres per hour ($km\,h^{-1}$) to $m\,s^{-1}$, divide the value by $3.6$.
  • Temperature: Measured in kelvin ($K$). The conversion from Celsius is given by:
    • $T(K) = \theta(^{\circ}C) + 273$

• SI Prefixes Table:

  • Tera (T): $10^{12}$
  • Giga (G): $10^9$
  • Mega (M): $10^6$
  • kilo (k): $10^3$
  • deci (d): $10^{-1}$
  • centi (c): $10^{-2}$
  • milli (m): $10^{-3}$
  • micro (\mu): $10^{-6}$
  • nano (n): $10^{-9}$
  • pico (p): $10^{-12}$

Linear Motion and Motion Graphs

• Definitions:

  • Scalars: Quantities that have magnitude (size) only. Examples include distance, speed, and time.
  • Vectors: Quantities that have both magnitude and direction. Examples include displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
  • Speed: Calculated as $\text{distance} / \text{time}$.
  • Velocity: Calculated as $\text{displacement} / \text{time}$.
  • Acceleration: Calculated as $\text{change in velocity} / \text{time}$.

• SUVAT Equations (Constant Acceleration):

  • $v = u + at$ (Final velocity)
  • $s = ut + \frac{1}{2}at^2$ (Displacement)
  • $v^2 = u^2 + 2as$ (Velocity-displacement relationship)
  • Note: For objects falling freely from rest, $u = 0$ and $a = g$.

• Motion Graph Interpretation:

  • Distance-Time Graph: The gradient of the line represents the speed.
  • Velocity-Time Graph:
    • The gradient of the line represents the acceleration.
    • The area beneath the line represents the total distance travelled.

• Measuring Acceleration Due to Gravity ($g$):

  • Simple Pendulum Method: Measure the length ($L$) to the centre of the bob. Time a specific number of swings (e.g., 20) and divide by that number to find the period ($T$). Use the formula:
    • $g = \frac{4\pi^2 L}{T^2}$
  • Free-fall Method: Time a ball falling from a measured height ($h$) and apply the formula:
    • $h = \frac{1}{2}gt^2$

Forces and Pressure

• Newton's Laws of Motion:

  • First Law: An object remains at rest or continues at a constant velocity unless acted upon by a resultant (unbalanced) force.
  • Second Law: Resultant force is the product of mass and acceleration:
    • $F = ma$
    • Weight is the force of gravity acting on a mass ($m$): $W = mg$, where $g = 9.8\,m\,s^{-2}$.
  • Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction; these two forces always act on different objects.

• Terminal Velocity:

  • As a falling object speeds up, air resistance increases. When air resistance becomes equal to the object's weight, the resultant force becomes zero.
  • At this point, acceleration ceases, and the object falls at a constant speed known as terminal velocity.

• Pressure:

  • Formula: $P = \frac{F}{A}$
  • Fluid Pressure: Pressure in a fluid (liquid or gas) increases with depth because the weight of the fluid above is greater at deeper levels. This explains why dams are built thicker at their base.

Momentum and Conservation

• Definition: Momentum ($p$) is a vector quantity calculated as the product of mass and velocity.

  • Formula: $p = mv$
  • Unit: $kg\,m\,s^{-1}$

• Principle of Conservation of Momentum:

  • In a collision or explosion, the total momentum before the event is equal to the total momentum after the event, provided no external forces act on the system.
  • General Equation: $m_1u_1 + m_2u_2 = m_1v_1 + m_2v_2$
  • Collisions where objects stick together: $m_1u = (m_1 + m_2)v$.

Heat and Temperature

• Temperature Scales:

  • Conversion: $T(K) = \theta(^{\circ}C) + 273$.
  • Note: A change of $1\,^{\circ}C$ is equivalent to a change of $1\,K$.

• Heat Capacity and Latent Heat:

  • Specific Heat Capacity ($c$): The energy required to raise the temperature of $1\,kg$ of a substance by $1\,K$.
    • Equation: $Q = mc\Delta T$
    • Unit: $J\,kg^{-1}\,K^{-1}$
  • Specific Latent Heat ($L$): The energy required to change the state of $1\,kg$ of a substance without a change in temperature.
    • Equation: $Q = mL$
    • Unit: $J\,kg^{-1}$
    • Fusion ($L_f$): Melting or freezing.
    • Vaporisation ($L_v$): Boiling or condensing.

• Heating and Cooling Curves:

  • Sloped regions: Indicate temperature is changing ($Q = mc\Delta T$).
  • Flat regions: Indicate a change of state ($Q = mL$). During these plateaus, thermal energy is used to break bonds between particles rather than increasing their kinetic energy; therefore, temperature remains constant.

• Experimental Procedures:

  • SHC of Water: Use an immersion heater and joulemeter to heat a known mass of water. Record energy supplied ($Q$) and temperature rise ($\Delta T$), calculating $c = \frac{Q}{m\Delta T}$. Insulation is required to minimize heat loss.
  • Latent Heat of Fusion: Use an immersion heater to melt crushed ice; measure energy supplied and the mass of melted water collected.

Waves: Types and Properties

• Wave Components:

  • Amplitude: The maximum displacement from the rest position.
  • Wavelength (\lambda): The distance for one full wave cycle (e.g., crest-to-crest).
  • Frequency ($f$): The number of waves passing a point per second, measured in hertz ($Hz$).
  • Period ($T$): The time taken for one full wave to pass.
    • Equation: $T = \frac{1}{f}$

• Wave Classification:

  • Transverse Waves: Vibrations are perpendicular to the direction of wave travel (e.g., light, water waves).
  • Longitudinal Waves: Vibrations are parallel to the direction of travel, consisting of compressions and rarefactions (e.g., sound waves).

• Wave Speed:

  • Formula: $c = f\lambda$
  • Specific Constants:
    • Speed of sound in air: $c = 340\,m\,s^{-1}$
    • Speed of light/EM waves in a vacuum: $c = 3 \times 10^8\,m\,s^{-1}$

Wave Behaviour and the Electromagnetic (EM) Spectrum

• Four Primary Wave Behaviours:

  • Reflection: Waves bounce off a barrier. The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
  • Refraction: Waves change speed and direction when passing from one medium to another (e.g., water waves slowing down and bending towards the normal in shallow water).
  • Diffraction: Waves spread out as they pass through a gap or around an obstacle.
  • Interference: Two waves overlap, resulting in constructive interference (adding together) or destructive interference (cancelling out).

• The Electromagnetic Spectrum:

  • All EM waves travel at $3 \times 10^8\,m\,s^{-1}$ in a vacuum.
  • Order (Longest to Shortest Wavelength / Lowest to Highest Frequency):
    1. Radio waves
    2. Microwaves
    3. Infrared
    4. Visible light
    5. Ultraviolet
    6. X-rays
    7. Gamma rays

The Doppler Effect and Redshift

• Doppler Effect Definition: The change in observed frequency and wavelength of a wave due to the relative motion between the source and the observer.

  • Movement Towards: Waves bunch up, resulting in a higher observed frequency and shorter wavelength.
  • Movement Away: Waves spread out, resulting in a lower observed frequency and longer wavelength.
  • Formula: $f' = \frac{fc}{c \pm u}$
    • Use $-$ for approaching sources.
    • Use $+$ for receding sources.

• Redshift:

  • Light from distant galaxies is shifted toward the longer (red) end of the spectrum. This observation indicates that galaxies are moving away from Earth, providing evidence for the expansion of the Universe.
  • Applications: Radar speed guns, sonar, weather radar, and measuring celestial motion.

Light: Reflection and Curved Mirrors

• Laws of Reflection:

  1. The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection (both measured from the normal).
  2. The incident ray, reflected ray, and the normal all lie in the same plane.

• Images in Plane Mirrors: These images are virtual, upright, the same size as the object, located at the same distance behind the mirror as the object is in front, and laterally inverted.

• Curved Mirrors:

  • Concave (Converging) Mirrors: Curve inward. Key landmarks include the Pole ($P$), Focal point ($F$), and Centre of curvature ($C$), where $C = 2f$.
  • Convex Mirrors: Provide a wide field of view; used in security and car wing mirrors.
  • Mirror Formula: $\frac{1}{u} + \frac{1}{v} = \frac{1}{f}$ (where $u$ = object distance, $v$ = image distance, and $f$ = focal length).
  • Magnification ($m$): $m = \frac{v}{u} = \frac{\text{image size}}{\text{object size}}$.

Physical Constants and Formula Sheet Data

• Acceleration due to gravity ($g$): $9.8\,m\,s^{-2}$
• Speed of light in a vacuum ($c$): $3 \times 10^8\,m\,s^{-1}$
• Speed of sound in air: $340\,m\,s^{-1}$
• Specific heat capacity of water ($c$): $4180\,J\,kg^{-1}\,K^{-1}$
• Specific latent heat of fusion of ice ($L_f$): $3.34 \times 10^5\,J\,kg^{-1}$
• Specific latent heat of vaporisation of water ($L_v$): $2.26 \times 10^6\,J\,kg^{-1}$

Questions & Discussion

Q: Why must all quantities be converted to SI units before substituting into a formula?A: Formulae and constants assume SI units. Mixing units (e.g., using centimetres with metres or grams with kilograms) will produce answers that are incorrect by factors of 10, 100, or 1000.

Q: A car accelerates uniformly from $5\,m\,s^{-1}$ to $25\,m\,s^{-1}$ in $4.0\,s$. What is the acceleration and distance travelled?A:

1. Acceleration: $a = \frac{v - u}{t} = \frac{25 - 5}{4.0} = 5.0\,m\,s^{-2}$.
2. Distance: $s = ut + \frac{1}{2}at^2 = (5 \times 4) + \frac{1}{2}(5 \times 4^2) = 20 + 40 = 60\,m$.

Q: Why does a skydiver reach a constant terminal velocity?A: As speed increases, air resistance increases until it equals the skydiver's weight. At this point, the resultant force is zero, resulting in zero acceleration and a constant velocity.

Q: Explain what happens during a flat region on a heating curve.A: The substance is changing state. The energy supplied is breaking the bonds between particles rather than increasing their kinetic energy, so the temperature remains constant during the transition.

Q: What does redshift tell us about the motion of a galaxy?A: Redshift indicating longer wavelengths means the galaxy is moving away from us, which serves as evidence that the Universe is expanding.