MATSEC AM Physics exam-day guide
MATSEC AM Physics · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo identification
Bring the ID type your school or the MATSEC Examinations Board has told you to present. If you are unsure which document is accepted (ID card, passport, or school-issued candidate slip), confirm with the provider before exam day. needs_review
Candidate slip or index number
Know your candidate/index number and carry any slip your centre issued. If you have not received one, confirm with your school examinations officer rather than assuming it is optional. needs_review
Approved calculator
Bring a calculator you have used throughout the course. Check the model against the MATSEC permitted-calculator list and remove or clear any stored programs, notes, or cases with writing on them. If in doubt about a model, confirm with the provider.
Spare batteries
Carry a spare set of the correct batteries for your calculator, plus a second calculator if you own one. A dead calculator mid-paper is avoidable and costly.
Pen, pencil, eraser, sharpener
Bring at least two black or blue pens, a sharp HB pencil for graphs and diagrams, an eraser, and a sharpener. Write final answers in pen unless the paper instructs otherwise; draw graphs and circuit diagrams in pencil.
Ruler and protractor
A transparent ruler (ideally 30 cm) and a protractor are needed for ray diagrams, vector scale drawings, and graph axes. Clear pencil cases only, as opaque cases are commonly refused.
Laboratory coat and safety glasses
For practical papers involving apparatus, wear or bring a lab coat and safety glasses if your centre requires them. Confirm your centre's dress and safety requirements with the provider in advance. needs_review
Wristwatch
Bring a simple analogue or digital watch. Do not rely on a smartwatch; smart devices are typically not permitted in the examination room, so confirm the centre's policy if you are unsure. needs_review
No phone on your person
Leave your mobile phone and any smart device outside the examination room or hand it in as instructed. A device found on you during the paper can lead to disqualification regardless of whether it was used.
Read the apparatus instructions
Before the practical, read any printed instructions on the apparatus list, data sheet, and question paper. Note the precision of each instrument (for example, metre rule to 1 mm, vernier to 0.1 mm, micrometer to 0.01 mm) and record readings to that precision.
Plan for timing
Know the paper's duration and structure from your syllabus and past-paper practice. Allocate time for setting up apparatus, taking repeat readings, plotting graphs, and writing the conclusion. If the format is unclear, confirm with the provider. needs_review
Transport and arrival
Plan your journey to arrive well before the start time your centre specified. Confirm the venue, room, and reporting time with your school or the provider, since these vary by centre. needs_review
Plan the day
Review the practical skills that are examined: taking readings with vernier calipers, micrometer screw gauge, metre rule, stopwatch, ammeter, and voltmeter; estimating uncertainties; plotting graphs with labelled axes, units, and a line of best fit; and determining gradients with units. Practise one full past practical paper under timed conditions, including the graph.
Check your calculator against the permitted list, clear its memory, and fit fresh batteries. Pack the calculator, spare batteries, ruler, protractor, pens, pencils, eraser, and sharpener in one clear pencil case so nothing is left to chance.
Confirm with your school or the provider the exact venue, reporting time, ID requirement, and whether a lab coat or safety glasses are required. Do not leave this to the morning of the exam.
Do a light revision pass only: revise how to record raw readings to the correct number of decimal places, how to calculate percentage uncertainty, and how to describe sources of error and how to reduce them. Avoid learning new material.
Lay out your ID, candidate slip, calculator, spare batteries, stationery, and any required lab coat or safety glasses by the door. Check your travel plan and set two alarms. Get a full night's sleep.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the venue early. Keep your phone switched off and handed in or left outside the room as instructed. Locate the room and check you have your ID and stationery before entering.
Read the whole paper first. Note the marks per question, the number of readings required, and any graph or table you must produce. Check the precision of each instrument before taking readings and record the smallest division and the uncertainty you will quote.
Take repeat readings where the method calls for them and record all raw data in a clearly labelled table with units in the column headings. Do not round intermediate values prematurely. Plot the graph as you go if time allows, draw a line of best fit rather than joining points dot to dot, and calculate the gradient using a large triangle with coordinates read from the line.
Show the formula, substitution, and result with units for every calculation. Quote uncertainties with a sensible number of significant figures. Reserve the last few minutes to check units, significant figures, graph labels, and that every question has an answer.
Rules to check
Bring and display the identification document required by your centre. If you are unsure which document is accepted, confirm with the provider before exam day; do not assume any photo ID will be accepted.
Mobile phones, smartwatches, and other electronic devices must not be in your possession during the examination. Hand them in or leave them outside as instructed; possession alone can be treated as misconduct.
Only use a calculator that appears on the MATSEC permitted list, with memory cleared and no written notes on the device or its case. If your model's status is unclear, confirm with the provider in advance.
Follow all safety instructions for practical work, including wearing any required lab coat or safety glasses and handling apparatus, chemicals, and electrical equipment as directed by the invigilator or technician.
Raise your hand and ask the invigilator if apparatus is faulty or a reading seems impossible; do not attempt repairs yourself or borrow apparatus from another candidate without permission.
If you need to leave the room, follow the centre's procedure, which usually requires an invigilator to accompany you. Confirm the centre's rules on breaks and toilet visits with the provider, as these vary.
Do not communicate with other candidates once the paper has started, and do not take question papers, answer booklets, or apparatus out of the room unless the invigilator explicitly permits it.
Marks are awarded for method, correct significant figures and units, and clear presentation of data as well as for the final answer; write legibly and show your working. Confirm the exact mark allocation and any penalties for presentation with the provider if the syllabus does not state them clearly. needs_review