Basque PAU Physics study plan

Derive the gravitational field and potential of a point mass and of a uniform spherical shell, stating where the shell theorem applies.

Apply conservation of mechanical energy and angular momentum to compute escape velocity and circular orbital speed at a given radius.

State and use Kepler's third law to relate orbital period to semi-major axis for satellites and planets.

Solve three multi-step problems combining field, potential and energy for two-body systems without consulting notes.

Compute gravitational potential energy of a system of three or more masses and locate the point where the net field vanishes.

Apply Coulomb's law to find the net electric field of discrete point charges using vector components.

Calculate the electric potential of a point-charge configuration and relate it to the work needed to assemble the charges.

Contrast gravitational and electrostatic potentials, noting sign conventions and the role of mass versus charge.

Derive the electric field of a continuous distribution (uniformly charged rod, ring or infinite line) by integration.

Apply Gauss's law to spherical, cylindrical and planar symmetry and justify each Gaussian surface chosen.

Distinguish conductors from dielectrics and explain electrostatic shielding and charge distribution on conductors.

Compute potential differences by integrating the field along a path and verify path independence for conservative fields.

Apply the Lorentz force to charged particles in uniform electric and magnetic fields and describe circular and helical motion.

Use the Biot–Savart law to compute the magnetic field of a straight wire and of a circular loop at its centre.

Apply Ampère's law to solenoids, toroids and parallel wires, and compute the force per unit length between two currents.

State Faraday's and Lenz's laws and determine the direction of induced current in a changing-flux circuit.

Compute motional emf for a rod moving in a magnetic field and analyse the energy balance in the resulting circuit.

Write the travelling-wave equation from amplitude, frequency and speed, and extract these quantities from a given equation.

Apply the superposition principle to determine nodes and antinodes in standing waves on strings and in pipes.

Solve Doppler-effect problems for moving source, moving observer and both moving.

Apply Snell's law at plane and curved interfaces, including total internal reflection and the critical angle.

Locate images formed by thin lenses and spherical mirrors using the lens and mirror equations and construct accurate ray diagrams.

Explain two-source interference conditions and single-slit diffraction minima using path differences.

Describe how a simple optical instrument (magnifying glass or telescope) forms its final image and compute its magnification.

Apply the photoelectric equation to find threshold frequency, work function, stopping potential and maximum kinetic energy.

Compute de Broglie wavelengths for electrons and relate them to diffraction experiments.

Describe Bohr's quantised energy levels and calculate photon energies for hydrogen transitions.

Design a simple experiment, identify sources of systematic and random error, and propagate uncertainty through a calculated result.

Complete two full timed mock exams under PAU conditions and record the time spent per question.

Classify every error as conceptual, algebraic, unit-related or misreading, and rank the causes by frequency.

Re-derive the ten formulas most often missed from memory and confirm each against the official formula sheet.

Rehearse the standard answer structure: given data, physical principle, equation, substitution, result with units.