Georgia Unified Physics study plan

Derive and apply the three kinematic equations for constant acceleration to solve multi-stage motion problems without looking at notes.

Draw complete free-body diagrams for at least six standard situations (incline, Atwood machine, elevator, banked curve, hanging sign, block on block) and label every force with its reaction partner.

Solve Newton's second law problems in two dimensions by resolving forces into components and checking that the normal force is not assumed equal to weight.

Set up and solve conservation of energy problems that include friction as a non-conservative work term.

Build a one-page formula sheet for kinematics and Newton's laws from memory, then correct it against a textbook.

Apply conservation of momentum to elastic, inelastic, and perfectly inelastic collisions, and distinguish which quantities are conserved in each.

Compute impulse from force-time reasoning and connect it to change in momentum in collision and rebound scenarios.

Analyze uniform and non-uniform circular motion, identifying centripetal force sources in each case.

Solve torque and static equilibrium problems for rigid bodies with multiple pivot points.

Explain how conservation laws let you bypass force analysis, and identify problems where energy methods are faster than kinematics.

State and apply Coulomb's law in one and two dimensions, including superposition of three or more charges.

Calculate electric field and potential from point charges and simple symmetric distributions, and explain the sign conventions for each.

Apply Ohm's law and Kirchhoff's rules to series, parallel, and mixed circuits, solving for unknown currents algebraically.

Compute equivalent resistance and power dissipation in multi-resistor networks.

Sketch field-line and equipotential diagrams for a dipole, a point charge, and a parallel-plate capacitor, and justify each sketch.

Apply the right-hand rule to determine magnetic force direction on moving charges and current-carrying wires in three orientations.

Calculate magnetic field strength produced by a long straight wire and by a solenoid.

Explain electromagnetic induction qualitatively and quantitatively using Faraday's law and Lenz's law, including the direction of induced current.

Distinguish electric from magnetic field effects in a velocity selector or mass spectrometer setup.

Summarize the Maxwell conceptual links between electricity, magnetism, and light in your own words in under 150 words.

State the first law of thermodynamics with explicit sign conventions and apply it to isothermal, adiabatic, isobaric, and isochoric processes.

Compute work done by or on a gas from a pressure-volume diagram, including non-rectangular paths.

Apply the second law and calculate Carnot and real heat-engine efficiency.

Solve calorimetry problems involving phase changes, using latent heat and specific heat in the correct sequence.

Explain entropy change directionally for mixing, heat flow, and irreversible processes without invoking formulas you cannot justify.

Apply the wave equation to solve for frequency, wavelength, and speed across media, and explain what changes and what stays fixed at a boundary.

Analyze standing waves on strings and in open and closed pipes, deriving the harmonic series for each.

Apply Snell's law and total internal reflection criteria to refraction problems at plane and curved interfaces.

Locate images formed by converging and diverging lenses and mirrors using ray diagrams and the thin-lens equation, with correct sign conventions.

Predict and explain single- and double-slit interference patterns, including path-difference conditions for maxima and minima.

Apply the photoelectric effect equation to find threshold frequency, work function, and stopping potential, and interpret the graph of kinetic energy versus frequency.

Compute photon energy, momentum, and de Broglie wavelength for electrons and photons in standard units.

Describe the Bohr model energy levels and calculate emitted or absorbed photon wavelengths for hydrogen transitions.

Explain mass-energy equivalence and compute binding-energy and mass-defect values for simple nuclei.

Distinguish alpha, beta, and gamma decay in terms of conservation of charge and nucleon number, and write balanced decay equations.

Identify independent, dependent, and controlled variables and write a testable hypothesis for a described experiment.

Evaluate experimental design for sources of systematic and random error and propose a specific improvement for each.

Interpret data tables and linearized graphs, extract slope with units, and state the physical meaning of the slope and intercept.

Apply significant-figure and uncertainty rules when reporting a calculated result.

Complete two full-length timed practice exams under exam conditions and categorize every error by domain and error type.