For the Singapore Junior Physics Olympiad, no question set will require the use of calculus. However, solutions of questions involving calculus are acceptable. 1. Mechanics Kinematics position, displacement, velocity, acceleration, vectors Motion along a straight line Motion with constant acceleration Freely falling bodies Relative velocity in a straight line Motion in a plane Vector description of the position of the point mass, velocity and acceleration as vectors. e.g. Projectile motion Uniform circular motion Relative velocity in a plane Dynamics inertia, mass, force Newton s laws of motion Elastic forces, frictional forces, law of gravitation, potential energy and work in a gravitational field Applications of Newton s laws Including centripetal acceleration Work and energy Impulse and momentum Center of mass Work and conversion of energy Conservation of energy Power Conservation of linear momentum External and internal forces Center of mass concept
2. Mechanics of rigid bodies Kinematics angular position, angular displacement, angular velocity, angular acceleration Rotation about a fixed axis Rotation with constant angular acceleration Conservation of angular momentum Relationship between linear and angular quantities Dynamics Statics, moment of inertia, torque Equilibrium of a rigid body Conditions for static equilibrium Fluid statics Fluid dynamics 3. Fluid mechanics Density, pressure, buoyancy, surface tension Pascal s law Archimedes s principle Continuity equation Bernoulli s principle
4. Thermodynamics and Molecular Physics The zeroth law of thermodynamics Thermal equilibrium and absolute temperature Ideal gas Equation of state of a perfect gas Avogadro s no. Kinetic theory of an ideal gas Simple phenomena such as boiling, freezing The first law of thermodynamics Thermodynamic processes Heat, internal energy, and work done by an expanding gas, thermodynamic efficiency Simple harmonic oscillations 5. Oscillations and Waves Solution of the equation for harmonic motion; qualitative understanding of attenuation and resonance. Mechanical waves Sound waves Mathematical description of a wave Principle of superposition Propagation of waves Transverse and longitudinal waves Standing waves Interference Beats Doppler effect 6. Electric Charge and Electric Field Electric charge and electric field Conservation and quantization of charge Coulomb s law Electric field Motion of charged particle in an electric field Electric potential and capacitance Electric potential energy Capacitors
7. Current and Magnetic Field Current, resistance, and direct-current circuits Ohm s law Internal resistance in a source of emf Energy and power in electric circuits Simple cases of circuits containing nonohmic devices with known V-I characteristics Magnetic field and magnetic forces Motion of charged particles in a magnetic field Current in a magnetic field Magnetic field of a current Magnetic field of a long, straight conductor, current loops and solenoids Electromagnetic induction Magnetic flux Faraday s law Lenz s law
8. Electromagnetic Waves Geometric optics Reflection and refraction Total internal reflection Dispersion spectrum Simple Lens equations and geometric ray tracing Wave optics, diffraction, Bragg reflection, resolving power of imaging systems Polarization Polarizing filters Polarization by reflection Malus Law Principles of relativity Relativistic dynamics 9. Relativity Relativity of simultaneity, time and length Lorentz transformation Relativistic addition of velocities Consequences of special relativity on concepts of energy and mass Blackbody radiation Photoelectric effect Wave-particle duality 10. Quantum Physics Stefan-Boltzmann law Graph of radiation intensity per unit wavelength versus wavelength Energy and momentum of a photon De Broglie waves Heisenberg uncertainty principle
Line spectra and energy levels Properties of nuclei Radioactivity Nuclear reactions 11. Matter Line spectra of gases Energy levels of atoms and molecules The nuclear atom and the Bohr model Components of nuclei Mass defect Nuclear stability Energy levels of nuclei Alpha-, beta- and gamma-decays Exponential decay and half-life Reaction energy Nuclear fission Nuclear fusion References 1. College Physics 8 th edition by Young and Geller, Addison Wesley 2. Physics 9 th edition by Cutnell and Johnson, Wiley