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
P3 Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism
This unit carries about 8.3 marks in the paper. We split it into 85 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 50 of them. 35 were never asked. The top 5 topics make 26% of all the times this unit was asked. Last asked: Specimen 2027.
The syllabus says: Ampere's law applied to straight solenoids: only qualitative treatment. Ampere's swimming rule not included. Field due to a finitely long conductor: formula only. Field of a bar magnet in end-on and broadside-on positions: qualitative only, no derivations. B-H loop, retentivity and coercive force: qualitative only.
50asked by the board at least once
35in the syllabus, never asked
147times a topic of this unit was asked
12.9hours for one attempt at every topic
What the papers ask most
- Derive B at the centre of a circular loop9 times, last 2026
- Magnetic force on a moving charge and Lorentz force8 times, last 2026
- Derive force between parallel wires; define ampere8 times, last 2025 improvement
- Curie's law, Curie-Weiss law and Curie temperature7 times, last 2026
- Charge in uniform B: paths, radius, period, frequency6 times, last Specimen 2026
- Ampere's law: derive B near a long straight wire6 times, last Specimen 2026
- Numericals: B at the centre of a circular coil6 times, last 2025
- Compare dia, para and ferromagnetic substances (table)6 times, last 2025 improvement
- Solenoid: field lines, B inside and at ends5 times, last Specimen 2027
- State Biot-Savart law with vector form5 times, last 2026
In the syllabus, never asked (35)
They can still come, because they are in the syllabus. Give each one clean attempt. Your plan has two practice questions for each.
- Oersted's experiment: observations and conclusionStatement
- Field lines are closed loops; no magnetic monopolesGive reason
- Give reasons: magnetic force does no workGive reason
- Helical path: radius, period and pitchDerivation
- Numericals: radius from kinetic energy or accelerating potentialNumericals
- Numericals: radius and pitch of a helical pathNumericals
- Numericals: undeflected beam, v = E/BNumericals
- Derive F = I l B sin(theta) on a conductorDerivation
- Numericals: rod balanced by the magnetic forceNumericals
- B of a finite straight conductor (formula only)Statement
- Numericals: B from straight segments (square, triangle)Numericals
- Ampere's law: derive B inside a long solenoidDerivation
- Numericals: force on a loop near a long wireNumericals
- Derive torque on a current loop in uniform BDerivation
- Magnetic moment of a current loop: m = NIAStatement
- Numericals: torque direction, orientations and equilibriumNumericals
- Maximum torque from a wire of fixed lengthNumericals
- Orbital magnetic moment of electron; Bohr magnetonDerivation
- Numericals: magnetic moment of orbiting electronsNumericals
- Numericals: galvanometer equation N I A B = c*phiNumericals
- Numericals: magnetic moment m = NIA of loops and solenoidsNumericals
- Current loop and bar magnet as dipoles: similaritiesComparison
- Effect of cutting or resizing a magnet on its momentNumericals
- Magnetic lines of force: definition and seven propertiesStatement
- Sketch field lines of bar magnet, solenoid, pole pairsDiagram
- Solenoid as a bar magnet: evidence and polarity ruleGive reason
- Compare bar magnet and current-carrying solenoid (table)Comparison
- Numericals: field of a short bar magnet, axial and equatorialNumericals
- Numericals: combined field of two short magnetsNumericals
- Force and torque on a dipole: uniform versus non-uniform fieldGive reason
- Definitions and units: B, M, H, mu, mu_r, chi_mStatement
- Behaviour of dia and para specimens in a magnetic fieldDiagram
- Numericals: Curie's law for magnetisation and susceptibilityNumericals
- Explain diamagnetism and paramagnetism on the atomic modelGive reason
- Domain theory of ferromagnetism with diagramsGive reason
All the topics in Physics: Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism →
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.Numericals: peak, rms, mean, frequency from an ac equationP4 Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents · asked 7 times since 2018
- 2.Uses and special properties of each region (table)P5 Electromagnetic Waves · asked 7 times since 2018
- 3.State Bohr's postulates for the hydrogen atomP8 Atoms and Nuclei · asked 7 times since 2018
- 4.Magnetic force on a moving charge and Lorentz forceP3 Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism · asked 6 times since 2018
- 5.Numericals: average power and power factorP4 Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents · asked 6 times since 2018
- 6.Doping, n-type and p-type, donors, acceptors, carriersP9 Electronic Devices · asked 6 times since 2018
- 7.Numericals: two-loop network with two batteries (Kirchhoff)P2 Current Electricity · asked 5 times since 2018
- 8.Derive B at the centre of a circular loopP3 Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism · asked 5 times since 2018
- 9.Numericals: B at the centre of a circular coilP3 Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism · asked 5 times since 2018
- 10.Ampere's law: derive B near a long straight wireP3 Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism · asked 5 times since 2018