Free NY Regents Physics Exam Flashcards

Identify the physical system, the quantity asked for, and the evidence in the stimulus: graph, table, diagram, passage, or data. Then choose the model before substituting numbers.

They provide formulas, constants, units, prefixes, circuit rules, optics relationships, and spectrum information. They do not choose the correct model; the question context does that.

The final unit must match the quantity asked for. If a force answer is not in newtons or kg*m/s^2, or an energy answer is not in joules, the setup probably needs repair.

State the model or equation, substitute values with units when needed, give the result with a unit or direction, and connect the result to the claim in the prompt.

Average speed uses total distance divided by time and is scalar. Average velocity uses displacement divided by time and includes direction, so path and final position matter.

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity. A change in speed, direction, or both means the object is accelerating, even if its speed stays constant in circular motion.

Slope is change in position divided by change in time, so it represents velocity. A steeper line means a larger velocity magnitude; the sign gives direction.

Slope represents acceleration. Area under the graph represents displacement, because velocity multiplied by time gives a change in position.

Its velocity is momentarily zero, but its acceleration is still 9.8 m/s^2 downward near Earth's surface if air resistance is ignored.

Inertia is resistance to a change in motion. Mass measures inertia: more mass requires more net force to produce the same acceleration.

Newton's second law is Fnet = ma. Acceleration points in the direction of the net force, not necessarily in the direction the object is moving.

Mass is the amount of matter and stays the same. Weight is gravitational force, Fg = mg, so it changes when gravitational field strength changes.

They are equal in magnitude, opposite in direction, occur in the same interaction, and act on different objects. They do not cancel because they are not on the same object.

Kinetic friction acts opposite the relative sliding motion between surfaces. It can slow an object and transform mechanical energy into thermal energy.

Components split one vector into perpendicular parts, often horizontal and vertical. You can analyze each direction separately, then combine results when needed.

Horizontal and vertical motions are independent. Horizontal velocity stays constant, while vertical velocity changes due to the downward acceleration of gravity.

Momentum is p = mv. It depends on both mass and velocity, so it is a vector quantity with direction.

Impulse equals change in momentum. On a force-time graph, impulse is the area under the curve, with units of N*s or kg*m/s.

Total momentum is conserved for an isolated system with no net external force. Individual objects can change momentum, but the system total stays constant.

Velocity is tangent to the circle. Acceleration points toward the center because the direction of velocity is continually changing.

Gravitational and electric forces vary with 1/r^2. Doubling the distance makes the force one-fourth as large if the masses or charges stay the same.

A force does work when it causes displacement in the direction of the force component. For a constant force in the same direction as motion, W = Fd.

Kinetic energy is KE = 1/2 mv^2, so speed is squared. Doubling speed makes kinetic energy four times as large if mass stays constant.

The change in gravitational potential energy is mgh. Increasing mass, gravitational field strength, or height increases stored energy in the object-Earth system.

Spring potential energy is 1/2 kx^2. Because x is squared, doubling compression or stretch quadruples the stored elastic energy.

Power is the rate of energy transfer or work done over time, P = W/t. The unit watt means one joule per second.

Total energy is still conserved, but some mechanical energy is transferred to thermal energy, sound, or the surroundings. Track the system and the energy leaving it.

Efficiency compares useful output energy or power to total input: useful output divided by input, multiplied by 100%. It cannot exceed 100% for an ordinary device.

Thermal energy transferred equals mass times specific heat capacity times temperature change. A larger mass or specific heat needs more energy for the same temperature change.

Energy lost by the hotter object equals energy gained by the cooler object, ignoring losses to the container or surroundings. The final temperature is between the starting temperatures.

It tells how much energy is needed to change one kilogram of a substance by 1 degree C. Lower specific heat means a larger temperature change for the same energy and mass.

Like charges repel and opposite charges attract. The forces are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, even if the charges have different amounts.

An electric field points in the direction of the force on a positive test charge. A negative charge experiences force opposite the field direction.

It shows that electric current produces a magnetic field around the wire. This is evidence linking electricity and magnetism.

A changing magnetic field through a coil can induce current. Moving a magnet, moving the coil, or changing the field can create the needed change.

Ohm's law is V = IR. For a fixed resistance, increasing potential difference increases current; for a fixed voltage, increasing resistance decreases current.

Current is the same through every component. Resistors add directly, and the source voltage is divided among components.

Voltage is the same across each branch. Branch currents add to the total current, and the equivalent resistance is less than the smallest branch resistance.

An ammeter goes in series to measure current through a component. A voltmeter goes in parallel to measure potential difference across a component.

Common forms are P = VI, P = I^2R, and P = V^2/R. Choose the form that matches the circuit information given.

Wave speed is v = f times wavelength. In one medium, increasing frequency means wavelength decreases if speed stays constant.

Frequency is cycles per second, measured in hertz. Period is time per cycle. They are reciprocals: f = 1/T and T = 1/f.

Photon energy is E = hf, so higher frequency means greater energy per photon. Gamma rays have higher photon energy than radio, infrared, or visible light.

Reflection is bouncing from a surface, with angle in equal to angle out. Refraction is bending as a wave changes speed entering a new medium.

A plane mirror forms a virtual, upright image that appears behind the mirror and is the same size as the object.

Diffraction is strongest when a wave passes through an opening or around an obstacle similar in size to its wavelength.

Digital information uses discrete states, such as high and low. If the receiver can still distinguish the states, the signal can be regenerated and some noise can be removed.

Half-life is the time for half of the undecayed nuclei in a radioactive sample to decay. After two half-lives, one-fourth of the original sample remains.

Redshift means spectral lines are shifted to longer wavelengths. For distant galaxies, it is evidence that they are moving away and supports expansion of the universe.

Use controlled variables, repeated trials, relevant measurements, and a claim tied directly to data. A single observation or preference is weak evidence for a design decision.