What the board asks

We went through the ISC board papers, question by question, and matched each question to a topic. Here is what was asked, how often, and what was never asked.

Physics: 427 topics in the 2027 syllabus, across 9 units. The board has asked 269 of them at least once. 158 were never asked in the papers we checked.

Pick a unit

P2 Current Electricity

This unit carries about 6.7 marks in the paper. We split it into 44 topics: each is one thing an examiner can ask, and you can practise it on paper in 5 to 25 minutes. The board has asked 28 of them. 16 were never asked. The top 5 topics make 34% of all the times this unit was asked. Last asked: Specimen 2027.

The syllabus says: Wheatstone bridge balance condition: Kirchhoff's law not necessary for the derivation.

28asked by the board at least once

16in the syllabus, never asked

61times a topic of this unit was asked

7.1hours for one attempt at every topic

What the papers ask most

  • Numericals: two-loop network with two batteries (Kirchhoff)5 times, last 2025 improvement
  • Numericals: series-parallel resistor network, ammeter reading4 times, last Specimen 2027
  • Numericals: identical cells in series, parallel, mixed grouping4 times, last Specimen 2027
  • Give reasons: how drift speed and relaxation time change4 times, last 2026
  • Numericals: power, rated appliances, bulbs in series or parallel4 times, last 2026
  • Give reasons: power against R, bulb brightness, P-I graph3 times, last Specimen 2027
  • Numericals: equivalent emf of unequal cells, series and parallel3 times, last 2026
  • Numericals: balanced Wheatstone bridge, unknown arm, total current3 times, last 2026
  • Numericals: compare emfs or resistances from balancing lengths3 times, last 2025
  • Numericals: wire current, potential gradient, balancing length3 times, last 2025 improvement

In the syllabus, never asked (16)

They can still come, because they are in the syllabus. Give each one clean attempt. Your plan has two practice questions for each.

  • Derive drift velocity vd = e E tau/mDerivation
  • Prove Ohm's law; derive rho = m/(n e^2 tau)Derivation
  • State Ohm's law; define resistance, resistivity, conductance, conductivityStatement
  • Electrical energy and power: formulas, units, kilowatt-hourStatement
  • Numericals: electricity consumption in kWh and the billNumericals
  • Define emf, terminal p.d., internal resistance, back emfStatement
  • Derive I = emf/(R+r) and V = emf - IrDerivation
  • Numericals: cell with internal resistance in a circuitNumericals
  • Derive current for identical cells in series and parallelDerivation
  • Derive current for mixed grouping of identical cellsDerivation
  • Equivalent emf of two unequal cells in parallelDerivation
  • Equivalent emf of n unequal cells in seriesDerivation
  • Metre bridge: labelled diagram, principle, finding unknown resistanceDevice
  • Potentiometer principle, potential gradient, sensitivityStatement
  • Potentiometer as a voltmeter; give-reason questionsGive reason
  • Numericals: internal resistance from potentiometer balancing lengthsNumericals

All the topics in Physics: Current Electricity →

The 10 topics Physics papers ask most

Counted on the board papers from 2018 to the 2027 specimen paper, which every unit has been checked against.

  1. 1.Numericals: peak, rms, mean, frequency from an ac equationP4 Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents · asked 7 times since 2018
  2. 2.Uses and special properties of each region (table)P5 Electromagnetic Waves · asked 7 times since 2018
  3. 3.State Bohr's postulates for the hydrogen atomP8 Atoms and Nuclei · asked 7 times since 2018
  4. 4.Magnetic force on a moving charge and Lorentz forceP3 Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism · asked 6 times since 2018
  5. 5.Numericals: average power and power factorP4 Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents · asked 6 times since 2018
  6. 6.Doping, n-type and p-type, donors, acceptors, carriersP9 Electronic Devices · asked 6 times since 2018
  7. 7.Numericals: two-loop network with two batteries (Kirchhoff)P2 Current Electricity · asked 5 times since 2018
  8. 8.Derive B at the centre of a circular loopP3 Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism · asked 5 times since 2018
  9. 9.Numericals: B at the centre of a circular coilP3 Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism · asked 5 times since 2018
  10. 10.Ampere's law: derive B near a long straight wireP3 Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism · asked 5 times since 2018

See when each unit comes in your plan