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

P4 Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents

This unit carries about 7.7 marks in the paper. We split it into 72 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 38 of them. 34 were never asked. The top 5 topics make 31% of all the times this unit was asked. Last asked: Specimen 2027.

The syllabus says: LC oscillations: qualitative treatment only. Eddy currents: qualitative. Bandwidth and Q factor: no derivation. Choke coil: analytical only.

38asked by the board at least once

34in the syllabus, never asked

72times a topic of this unit was asked

10.7hours for one attempt at every topic

What the papers ask most

  • Numericals: peak, rms, mean, frequency from an ac equation7 times, last Specimen 2027
  • Numericals: average power and power factor6 times, last Specimen 2027
  • Numericals: motional emf of a moving rod or axle3 times, last Specimen 2027
  • Numericals: reactance and current for single R, L or C3 times, last Specimen 2027
  • Motional emf: meaning and factors it depends on3 times, last 2026
  • Give reasons: laminated core, soft-iron core3 times, last 2026
  • Numericals: self-inductance from induced emf3 times, last 2025 improvement
  • Numericals: ideal transformer turns, voltages and currents3 times, last 2025 improvement
  • Give reasons: currents and voltages in an ideal transformer3 times, last 2025 improvement
  • Numericals: series LR circuit or coil with resistance3 times, last 2025 improvement

In the syllabus, never asked (34)

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

  • Magnetic flux and electromagnetic induction: definitions, unitsStatement
  • State Faraday's laws of electromagnetic inductionStatement
  • Numericals: induced emf and current from changing fluxNumericals
  • Explain Lenz's law as conservation of energyGive reason
  • Eddy currents: meaning, cause, effects and usesStatement
  • Mutual induction and mutual inductance: definitions, henryStatement
  • Numericals: mutual inductance of coaxial solenoids from dimensionsNumericals
  • Transformer: labelled diagram, principle, working, turns-ratio theoryDevice
  • Numericals: transformer efficiency and input/output powerNumericals
  • Transformer energy losses: cause and remedy (table)Comparison
  • Numericals: power loss in a transmission lineNumericals
  • AC terms: peak, mean, rms, period, frequency, phaseStatement
  • Obtain the mean value of ac over half a cycleDerivation
  • Obtain the rms value of ac: I_rms = I0/sqrt(2)Derivation
  • AC through a pure resistor: current in phase with voltageDerivation
  • AC through a pure inductor: current lags by pi/2Derivation
  • AC through a pure capacitor: current leads by pi/2Derivation
  • Phasor diagrams and waveforms for pure R, L and CDiagram
  • Reactance and impedance: definitions, formulas, unitStatement
  • Series LCR by phasors: impedance, phase angle, currentDerivation
  • LCR phasor diagram and impedance triangle: three casesDiagram
  • Series LR circuit: impedance and phase angle by phasorsDerivation
  • Series RC circuit: impedance and phase angle by phasorsDerivation
  • Graph of current versus frequency (resonance curve)Graph
  • Derive average power in an ac circuitDerivation
  • Wattless current: meaning and why average power is zeroGive reason
  • Choke coil: why it limits ac without wasting powerGive reason
  • Q factor and bandwidth: meaning and formulaStatement
  • Numericals: Q factor and bandwidthNumericals
  • LC oscillations: qualitative description of energy exchangeStatement
  • AC generator: labelled diagram, principle, construction, working, useDevice
  • AC generator theory: derive e = NBA omega sin(omega t)Derivation
  • Numericals: peak and instantaneous emf of a generatorNumericals
  • Voltage and current versus time for ac and dcGraph

All the topics in Physics: Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents →

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