MTTC Physics (019) study plan

Construct a one-page equation and constants sheet for Domains 1–2, annotating units, whether each quantity is a vector or scalar, and the conditions under which the relation is valid.

Distinguish accuracy from precision, then calculate absolute, fractional, and percent uncertainty for measured values and propagate uncertainty through sums, products, and powers.

Design a controlled experiment that tests a stated hypothesis, naming the independent, dependent, and controlled variables plus at least two likely sources of systematic error.

Solve one- and two-dimensional kinematics problems directly from position–time, velocity–time, and acceleration–time graphs, using slope and area reasoning rather than a memorized equation.

Fit a straight line to a supplied data table, report the slope with units, and judge in writing whether the trend supports or contradicts the hypothesis.

Draw free-body diagrams for systems involving friction, inclines, tension, and connected masses, then apply Newton's three laws to solve for acceleration, normal force, and tension.

Analyze uniform circular motion by identifying the physical agent supplying the centripetal force in each case, and compute speed, period, and required force.

Use Newton's law of gravitation to calculate orbital speed, orbital period, and gravitational field strength, and relate Kepler's third law to circular orbits.

Resolve two-dimensional equilibrium problems using components, then verify each answer by an independent method such as torque balance or a limiting-case check.

Refute five common force misconceptions in one sentence each, explaining what the incorrect reasoning assumes and what the correct principle is.

Apply the work–energy theorem and conservation of mechanical energy to problems with friction, springs, and variable forces, then compute average power.

Use impulse and momentum conservation to solve one- and two-dimensional collision problems, and classify each collision as elastic, inelastic, or perfectly inelastic from the given data.

Calculate torque, moment of inertia, and angular acceleration for simple rotating bodies, and apply conservation of angular momentum to a changing-rotation-rate scenario.

Solve static equilibrium problems for a beam or ladder by writing both force and torque equations, choosing a pivot that eliminates an unknown.

Compare translational and rotational quantities side by side on a single reference table and use the analogy to solve one rotational problem by direct translation of a linear solution.

Apply Coulomb's law with superposition to three or more point charges, determining both magnitude and direction of the net force on a chosen charge.

Sketch electric field lines for dipoles, parallel plates, and charged conductors, and use Gauss's law to derive the field of a sphere, an infinite line, and an infinite sheet.

Relate electric potential to field strength, calculate potential from point charges, and interpret equipotential surfaces as perpendicular to field lines.

Compute capacitance for parallel-plate and combination arrangements, then determine stored charge and energy before and after a dielectric is inserted.

Differentiate charging by conduction from charging by induction, predicting the resulting sign and distribution of charge in each case.

Analyze series, parallel, and combination DC circuits using equivalent resistance, Ohm's law, and Kirchhoff's loop and junction rules, including circuits with internal resistance.

Predict how adding a capacitor or changing a resistor alters steady-state currents and voltages, then confirm the prediction by re-solving the circuit.

Apply the right-hand rule to determine the magnetic force on a moving charge and on a current-carrying wire, and compute the field produced by a long straight wire and a solenoid.

Use Faraday's law and Lenz's law to determine the direction and magnitude of an induced current when flux changes through a loop.

Distinguish peak from RMS values in AC circuits and explain why RMS is used when computing average power.

Apply the wave equation to solve for speed, frequency, and wavelength, and identify the boundary conditions that produce standing waves on strings and in open and closed pipes.

Calculate sound intensity, intensity level in decibels, and beat frequency, and apply the Doppler effect to moving sources and observers.

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

Apply Snell's law to refraction problems, determine the critical angle, and predict total internal reflection at an interface.

Analyze double-slit interference and thin-film interference by calculating path differences, and distinguish interference from diffraction and polarization phenomena.

Apply the first law of thermodynamics to PV diagrams, computing work done, heat transferred, and change in internal energy for isothermal, isobaric, isochoric, and adiabatic processes.

Use kinetic theory and the ideal gas law to calculate RMS molecular speed, average kinetic energy, and the effect of temperature change on molecular motion.

Calculate the efficiency of a heat engine and compare it with the Carnot limit, explaining entropy change as the reason no engine exceeds that limit.

Apply the photon model to the photoelectric effect, computing threshold frequency, stopping potential, and maximum kinetic energy from given data.

Interpret atomic spectra using energy-level diagrams, and balance nuclear decay equations while computing mass defect and binding energy.

Complete two full-length timed practice tests under exam conditions, allocating roughly one minute per item and flagging any item that exceeded 90 seconds.

Rework every missed item from Weeks 1–7 by restating the governing principle in one sentence before re-solving it without notes.

Drill the 20 highest-frequency formulas from the personal formula sheet until each can be written with correct units and validity conditions in under 30 seconds.

Rebuild the weakest two subtopics identified in the error log by teaching each aloud in a five-minute recorded explanation.

Rehearse distractor analysis on 20 wrong options, naming the specific misconception each incorrect choice is designed to catch.