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Leaving Cert Physics

What has come up on the Physics papers (2016–2026), topic by topic, with step-by-step practice at Higher Level and Ordinary Level.

Higher Level Ordinary Level

Physics, Higher Level(8 marks)

Three quick ones from the Physics topics that come up most.

(a)What does the diffraction of light tell us about its nature?
  1. That light is made of particles only
  2. That light behaves as a wave
  3. That light always travels in straight lines
(b)Unit of the universal gravitational constant G?
  1. m s⁻²
  2. N kg⁻¹
  3. N m² kg⁻²
(c)Equation used for a diffraction grating?
  1. nλ = d sin θ
  2. λ = nd sin θ
  3. nλ = d cos θ
Show the answers

(a) That light behaves as a wave

(b) N m² kg⁻²

(c) nλ = d sin θ

Your turn: pick the answer for each one.

Higher Level

400 flash cards and 240 step-by-step drill questions at Higher Level.

What comes up

How many of the last 10 Physics Higher Level papers asked each topic.

TopicAskedLast seenHow often
Mandatory experiments banker10 of 102026
Radioactivity banker10 of 102026
Resonance banker10 of 102026
Static electricity banker10 of 102026
Gravity banker10 of 102026
Refraction banker10 of 102026
Nuclear energy banker10 of 102026
Interference banker10 of 102026
The photoelectric effect banker10 of 102026
Diffraction banker10 of 102026
Linear motion banker9 of 102026
Simple harmonic motion banker9 of 102026
Resistance banker9 of 102026
Circular motion banker9 of 102026

More topics: Latent heat, Sound, Circuits, Semiconductors, The motor effect, Work energy and power, Capacitance, Doppler effect, Moments, Electromagnetic induction, Momentum, Reflection, The atom, Wave properties, X-rays, Density and pressure, Current electricity, Colour of light, Forces, Thermometers, Heat capacity, Heat transfer, Lenses, Newton's laws, The electron, The electromagnetic spectrum, Alternating current, Domestic electricity, Magnetic fields, Transformers, Temperature.

These counts come from the 2016–2026 papers. June 2027 is the first exam on the new Physics specification, so read them as a guide to the core topics; the app follows the course for the June you sit.

Try three

Static electricity, 3 marks

A 3.0 × 10⁻⁶ C charge feels a force of 0.012 N in an electric field. What is the field strength?

  1. 3.6 × 10⁻⁸ N C⁻¹
  2. 2.5 × 10⁻⁴ N C⁻¹
  3. 4.0 × 10³ N C⁻¹
Show the answer

4.0 × 10³ N C⁻¹

E = F ÷ q = 0.012 ÷ 3.0 × 10⁻⁶ = 4000 N C⁻¹. 3.6 × 10⁻⁸ comes from multiplying F by q.

Interference, 3 marks

A grating with more lines per millimetre is used with the same light. What happens to the pattern?

  1. The pattern is unchanged but brighter
  2. The orders spread out to larger angles
  3. The orders move closer together
Show the answer

The orders spread out to larger angles

More lines per mm means a smaller slit spacing d. From nλ = d sin θ, a smaller d gives a larger sin θ, so each order is further from the centre.

The photoelectric effect, 3 marks

A metal has a work function of 3.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ J. Its threshold frequency? (h = 6.6 × 10⁻³⁴ J s)

  1. 5.5 × 10¹⁴ Hz
  2. 1.8 × 10⁻¹⁵ Hz
  3. 2.4 × 10⁻⁵² Hz
Show the answer

5.5 × 10¹⁴ Hz

At threshold, hf₀ = Φ, so f₀ = Φ ÷ h = 3.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ ÷ 6.6 × 10⁻³⁴ = 5.5 × 10¹⁴ Hz. The other values come from h ÷ Φ and from multiplying.

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Ordinary Level

309 flash cards and 150 step-by-step drill questions at Ordinary Level.

What comes up

How many of the last 10 Physics Ordinary Level papers asked each topic.

TopicAskedLast seenHow often
Mandatory experiments banker10 of 102026
Refraction banker10 of 102026
Sound banker10 of 102026
Static electricity banker10 of 102026
Magnetic fields banker10 of 102026
Wave properties banker10 of 102026
Work energy and power banker9 of 102026
Linear motion banker9 of 102026
Density and pressure banker9 of 102026
Resistance banker9 of 102026
Radioactivity banker9 of 102025
Circuits banker9 of 102026
Latent heat banker9 of 102026
Resonance most years8 of 102026

More topics: Heat transfer, Momentum, Reflection, Moments, Nuclear energy, X-rays, Gravity, Newton's laws, Temperature, Heat capacity, Capacitance, Colour of light, Domestic electricity, The electron, The photoelectric effect, Current electricity, Forces, Lenses, Doppler effect, Semiconductors, Diffraction, Thermometers, Electromagnetic induction, The atom, The electromagnetic spectrum, Interference, The motor effect, Transformers, Alternating current.

These counts come from the 2016–2026 papers. June 2027 is the first exam on the new Physics specification, so read them as a guide to the core topics; the app follows the course for the June you sit.

Try three

Static electricity, 3 marks

A conductor is charged by induction using a negatively charged rod. The charge left on the conductor?

  1. Negative
  2. None
  3. Positive
Show the answer

Positive

The rod repels electrons, which escape to earth. With the earth removed, then the rod, the conductor is left short of electrons, so positive.

Sound, 3 marks

A sonar pulse returns to a ship 2 s after it is sent. Sound travels at 1500 m s⁻¹ in water. Depth of the sea?

  1. 750 m
  2. 1500 m
  3. 3000 m
Show the answer

1500 m

In 2 s the pulse travels 1500 × 2 = 3000 m, down and back. The depth is half of that: 1500 m.

Wave properties, 3 marks

A wave has a frequency of 50 Hz and a wavelength of 4 m. Its speed?

  1. 200 m s⁻¹
  2. 12.5 m s⁻¹
  3. 54 m s⁻¹
Show the answer

200 m s⁻¹

v = fλ = 50 × 4 = 200 m s⁻¹. 12.5 comes from dividing 50 by 4; 54 from adding them.

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