BGCSE Physics (0571) study plan
BGCSE Physics (0571) · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Mechanics: Forces, Motion and Energy
Define and apply SI units for force, work, energy and power, converting between prefixes (kN, MJ, mW) with 90% accuracy on a self-made 20-item conversion set.
Draw and label free-body diagrams for five everyday situations (lift accelerating, block on incline, parachutist at terminal velocity) and resolve one force into perpendicular components.
State and apply Newton's three laws to calculate resultant force, mass or acceleration using F = ma in at least 10 graded practice problems.
Distinguish scalar from vector quantities and compute resultant of two perpendicular vectors using Pythagoras and trigonometry.
Your checkpoint
A one-page formula-and-units sheet for mechanics plus 20 worked force problems with answers, self-marked and error-logged.
Mechanics: Forces, Motion and Energy
Apply the equations of uniformly accelerated motion (v = u + at, s = ut + ½at², v² = u² + 2as) to solve 12 kinematics problems, selecting the correct equation for each.
Interpret and sketch displacement–time and velocity–time graphs, extracting gradient as velocity/acceleration and area as distance.
Calculate work done, kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy and power in multi-step problems, and verify conservation of energy in a falling-object scenario.
Describe and calculate moments, centre of gravity and conditions for equilibrium in simple lever and beam problems.
Your checkpoint
A timed 40-minute mechanics mock paper (25 marks) scored and reviewed, with every lost mark traced to a named error type.
Electricity and Magnetism
Draw and interpret circuit diagrams using standard symbols, and state the difference between series and parallel arrangements in terms of current, voltage and resistance.
Apply Ohm's law and the power equations (P = VI, P = I²R) to calculate unknown quantities in at least 12 circuit problems.
Compute equivalent resistance for series and simple parallel networks and explain why household appliances are wired in parallel.
Describe the magnetic effect of a current and state the factors affecting the strength of an electromagnet, including one application such as a relay or loudspeaker.
Your checkpoint
A labelled circuit-problem workbook of 15 solved circuits, each with a sketched diagram and full working.
Electricity and Magnetism & Waves, Sound and Light
Explain electrostatic charging by friction and induction, and describe the behaviour of a charged rod near a gold-leaf electroscope.
Apply the laws of reflection and refraction, including Snell's law and refractive index calculations, to at least 10 ray-diagram problems.
Construct accurate ray diagrams for a converging lens to locate real and virtual images, and classify images as upright/inverted and magnified/diminished.
Describe transverse and longitudinal waves, and calculate wave speed, frequency, wavelength and period using v = fλ.
Your checkpoint
A mid-point assessment: 30 mixed electricity-and-waves questions completed under timed conditions, scored, with a written list of the three weakest sub-topics.
Milestones
Week 2: Score at least 70% on the timed mechanics mock and correctly answer every F = ma and v² = u² + 2as item.
Week 4: Score at least 65% on the 30-question electricity-and-waves assessment, with at least 8 of 10 ray-diagram items correct.
Week 6: Complete the full-length practice paper within time and score at least 60% overall, with no domain below 50%.
Week 8: Score at least 75% on the final practice paper and show a completed error log with all repeated error types resolved.