ILTS Science: Physics (243) study plan

Solve one- and two-dimensional kinematics problems (projectile, relative velocity, free fall) and justify each step with a stated assumption.

Construct free-body diagrams for at least six standard situations: block on incline, Atwood machine, banked curve, elevator, hanging sign, and stacked blocks.

Apply Newton's second and third laws to connected-body systems that include static and kinetic friction, and predict the direction of each friction force.

Translate among position-time, velocity-time, and acceleration-time graphs, including reading displacement as signed area and acceleration as slope.

Apply the work-energy theorem and conservation of mechanical energy to problems with non-conservative forces, and calculate the energy lost to friction.

Distinguish elastic from inelastic collisions and solve one- and two-dimensional momentum problems, including explosion and recoil cases.

Analyze uniform circular motion and calculate centripetal force, then extend to torque, rotational inertia, and angular momentum conservation.

Derive and use Kepler's third law and Newton's law of gravitation to find orbital period, orbital speed, and gravitational field strength.

Apply continuity and Bernoulli's equations to fluids in pipes, including pressure differences and lift/flow-rate reasoning.

Calculate electric force, field, and potential for point charges using superposition, and sketch field-line and equipotential patterns for dipoles and parallel plates.

Apply Gauss's law qualitatively to spherical, cylindrical, and planar symmetry to determine field magnitude and direction.

Compute equivalent capacitance and the energy stored in capacitors in series and parallel networks.

Analyze DC circuits using Ohm's law and Kirchhoff's rules, and calculate current, voltage drop, and power dissipated in each resistor.

Apply the right-hand rules to determine magnetic force on moving charges and current-carrying wires, and sketch the field of solenoids and loops.

Use Faraday's law and Lenz's law to predict induced current direction and magnitude in changing-flux situations.

Explain how transformers, inductance, and basic AC circuits relate to electromagnetic induction, and connect changing E and B fields to electromagnetic waves.

Compare electric and magnetic field effects on a charged particle moving parallel versus perpendicular to the field.

Apply the wave equation and superposition to solve for frequency, wavelength, and speed, and analyze standing waves on strings and in open and closed pipes.

Calculate beat frequency, resonance, intensity level in decibels, and Doppler-shifted frequency for moving source or observer.

Construct accurate ray diagrams for converging and diverging lenses and for concave and convex mirrors, then verify each result with the thin-lens or mirror equation.

Apply Snell's law, critical angle, and total internal reflection to refraction problems.

Predict double-slit and diffraction-grating patterns and explain thin-film interference and polarization qualitatively.

Apply the first and second laws of thermodynamics to calculate heat, work, internal energy change, and entropy change for isothermal, adiabatic, isobaric, and isochoric processes.

Interpret PV diagrams and compute the efficiency of heat engines and coefficients of performance for refrigerators.

Relate kinetic theory of gases to temperature, root-mean-square speed, and internal energy, and distinguish conduction, convection, and radiation in heat transfer.

Design a controlled experiment for a physics question by stating a testable hypothesis, identifying independent, dependent, and controlled variables, and selecting appropriate measurement tools.

Calculate uncertainty, apply significant-figure rules, and interpret slope and intercept of a linearized data graph; state standard lab-safety practices for electricity and heat investigations.

Use photon energy, work function, and stopping potential to solve photoelectric-effect problems and compute threshold frequency.

Calculate de Broglie wavelength, atomic energy-level transitions, and spectral line wavelengths for hydrogen.

Solve nuclear decay problems for half-life, activity, and mass-energy equivalence, and balance nuclear equations for alpha, beta, and gamma processes.

Apply time dilation and length contraction to simple relativity scenarios and identify when classical approximations are valid.

Evaluate a science-and-technology claim by separating evidence from inference and identifying sources of bias in data reporting.

Complete two full-length timed practice tests under exam conditions and record pacing, flagged items, and per-domain accuracy.

Rework every item in the accumulated error log, then re-test only those concepts until each is answered correctly twice.

Re-derive from memory the 25 highest-yield formulas spanning mechanics, E&M, waves, thermodynamics, and modern physics.

Set a test-day plan specifying time-per-question pacing, skip-and-return rules, and how to use the reference table and calculator efficiently.