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

P5 Electromagnetic Waves

This unit carries about 2 marks in the paper. We split it into 8 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 7 of them. 1 were never asked. The top 5 topics make 91% of all the times this unit was asked. Last asked: Specimen 2027.

The syllabus says: Qualitative ideas and qualitative descriptions only.

7asked by the board at least once

1in the syllabus, never asked

23times a topic of this unit was asked

1.1hours for one attempt at every topic

What the papers ask most

  • Uses and special properties of each region (table)7 times, last 2026
  • Features common to all electromagnetic waves5 times, last 2026
  • Name the wave from a situation, with reason5 times, last 2026
  • Seven regions in order with approximate ranges2 times, last Specimen 2027
  • Numericals: wavelength to frequency, then name the region2 times, last 2025
  • Sketch a plane EM wave showing E, B, conce, last 2023
  • Sources and detectors of the seven regions (table)once, last 2020

In the syllabus, never asked (1)

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

  • Displacement current: basic idea and expressionStatement

All the topics in Physics: Electromagnetic Waves →

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