NYSTCE Physics study plan

Distinguish independent, dependent, and controlled variables in described experiments, then write a testable hypothesis with an explicit falsification criterion for five different scenarios.

Classify errors as random or systematic in a described measurement protocol, and compute percent error and percent difference from supplied data sets to judge whether a discrepancy is meaningful.

Convert fluently among SI prefixes and derived units, and apply dimensional analysis and significant-figure rules to eliminate implausible answer choices on 20 practice items without a calculator shortcut.

Construct and interpret position-time, velocity-time, and acceleration-time graphs, extracting displacement from area and acceleration from slope for at least six motion descriptions, including direction reversals.

Solve one- and two-dimensional projectile and relative-motion problems by selecting the appropriate kinematic equation from the known and unknown quantities, showing the setup before substituting numbers.

Draw complete free-body diagrams for objects on inclines, in accelerating elevators, and in connected or pulley systems, then apply Newton's second law to solve for the unknown force or acceleration.

Apply the work-energy theorem and conservation of energy to systems with friction, springs, and other non-conservative forces, and calculate average and instantaneous power output.

Solve one- and two-dimensional elastic and perfectly inelastic collision problems using conservation of momentum, and justify in each case whether kinetic energy is conserved.

Apply Newton's law of universal gravitation to circular orbits, derive the relationships among orbital radius, speed, and period, and compute escape velocity for a given body.

Analyze uniform circular motion problems by identifying the physical source of the centripetal force (tension, gravity, normal force, friction) before writing the net-force equation.

State and apply the first law of thermodynamics with a consistent sign convention across isothermal, adiabatic, isobaric, and isochoric processes, and sketch each process on a PV diagram with work shown as area.

Compute heat transfer using specific heat, latent heat, and calorimetry for problems that include a phase change, and articulate the physical distinction between heat, temperature, and internal energy.

Relate the ideal gas law to kinetic theory by deriving the root-mean-square molecular speed and average translational kinetic energy at a given temperature, and explain how each scales with molar mass.

Calculate the work output and thermal efficiency of Carnot and non-ideal heat engines, and state the second-law limit that caps efficiency for given reservoir temperatures.

Predict the direction of spontaneous heat flow and the sign of the entropy change for described processes, and identify which processes are reversible and why real ones are not.

Compute wave speed, frequency, wavelength, and period for mechanical and electromagnetic waves, and predict which of these quantities change and which stay fixed when a wave crosses into a new medium.

Apply the superposition principle to standing waves and beats, and determine the harmonic frequencies of strings and of open and closed pipes from boundary conditions.

Solve Doppler-effect problems for a moving source, a moving observer, and both together, explicitly justifying each sign choice from the geometry of the situation.

Apply Snell's law, the critical angle for total internal reflection, and the thin-lens and mirror equations with correct sign conventions, and support each answer with a ray diagram.

Distinguish constructive from destructive interference in double-slit, single-slit, and thin-film situations, and calculate fringe spacing or film thickness for a given geometry and wavelength.

Apply Coulomb's law and superposition to compute the net electric field and net force at a specified point due to two or more point charges, tracking vector direction throughout.

Relate electric field to electric potential and potential energy, and sketch equipotential lines and field lines for simple charge configurations to show they are perpendicular.

Analyze parallel-plate capacitors by computing capacitance, stored charge, field strength, and stored energy, and predicting how each changes when a dielectric is inserted at fixed voltage versus fixed charge.

Solve DC circuit problems using Ohm's law and Kirchhoff's junction and loop rules for series, parallel, and combination resistor networks, choosing a current direction and sticking to it consistently.

Calculate power dissipation in each element of a circuit and analyze a circuit containing a source with internal resistance, distinguishing terminal voltage from emf.

Apply the right-hand rules to determine the direction of the magnetic field around a current-carrying wire and the magnetic force on a moving charge or current-carrying segment, including the zero-force case for parallel motion.

Apply Faraday's law and Lenz's law to predict the magnitude and direction of an induced current in scenarios with changing flux, and justify the direction from energy conservation.

Explain how a motor, generator, and transformer follow from electromagnetic induction, and compute primary-to-secondary voltage and current using the turns ratio for an ideal transformer.

Describe the photoelectric effect and compute threshold frequency, work function, and stopping potential from Einstein's photoelectric equation for supplied data.

Describe wave-particle duality and compute the de Broglie wavelength of an electron and the energy of a photon from its frequency or wavelength.

Apply the two postulates of special relativity to compute time dilation, length contraction, and relativistic energy for objects moving at a stated fraction of the speed of light, and explain why the effects are not noticeable at everyday speeds.

Use the Bohr model energy levels for hydrogen to compute the energy and wavelength of photons emitted or absorbed in specified transitions, and place them in the correct spectral series.

Balance nuclear equations for alpha, beta-minus, beta-plus, and gamma processes, verifying both mass number and charge conservation in each case.

Compute half-life, remaining activity, and elapsed time from decay data, and interpret a plotted decay curve including the meaning of the slope and asymptote.

Calculate mass defect and nuclear binding energy per nucleon, and use the binding-energy curve to explain why both fission of heavy nuclei and fusion of light nuclei release energy.

Complete two full-length timed practice tests under exam conditions, then score each one broken down by domain and sub-topic to produce an accuracy profile.

Rank all sub-topics from the accumulated error logs by accuracy and re-teach the three weakest with fresh worked examples drawn from a different source than the original practice.

Re-derive from memory the highest-frequency formulas and constants across all six domains, then check each against a reference sheet and correct discrepancies in writing.

Practice constructed calculation responses at exam standard, showing units, significant figures, and a final-sentence justification, and self-score against a rubric.