<p>For anybody who has taken it before, PLEASE answer:</p>
<li><p>Any questions on optics, waves, and modern physics? Formulas/concepts to remember?</p></li>
<li><p>Degree of difficulty of questions on circuits and magnetism?</p></li>
<li><p>Are there random trivia questions? Or are questions mostly formula-based?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks in advance and please answer!!!</p>
<p>Hey corinao! I gave my SAT II Physics on Nov. and got an 800!! Following are the things that I noticed (all need not be accurate for every test). Hope they r of any help!!</p>
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<li><p>Optics questions are way too simple. U will be lucky if u get more!! Waves is a bit tricky cause they ask u more therotical questions (about concepts). So the more u know its facts, the better it is. For Modern physics, just learn up the BASIC formulas (mostly the photoelectric effect is asked). </p></li>
<li><p>Again, for current and magnetism, if u can recall the formulas correctly and apply the right ones at the right places, its a piece of cake!!</p></li>
<li><p>CAUTION: There are few (about 2-3) random questions which you woudn't have studied for. Like I got a question on the concept of electron microscope. This topic wasnt there in my school syllabus so i lft the question!! There was another very stupid question on radio carbon dating which didnt want u to apply any formula at all. Just pure logic.</p></li>
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<p>But yes, more than 90% are based on formulas AND theory provided u know them!!</p>
<ol>
<li>Any questions on optics, waves, and modern physics? Formulas/concepts to remember?</li>
</ol>
<p>Optics, yes. Know lenses (and microscopes/magnifications), and especially Young's Double Slit experiment (they like using it often on the test). The only question I've ever seen about the PElectric effect is a graph of intensity of the incident light vs. kinetic energy... and I've seen that question on many past Physics SAT2 practice exams and such. Waves, just understand what things can alter velocity, wavelength, and frequency, and know the relationship between them. Also know the different types of decay and how they look in equation-form. There's usually one question about decay.</p>
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<li>Degree of difficulty of questions on circuits and magnetism?</li>
</ol>
<p>It's not bad. This is my weakest area in Physics. The magnetism questions tend to be the hardest for me. Know the basics and the formulas that come in almost any book/site dealing with these subjects (know magnetic flux), Ohm's law, etc. There are usually a few questions involving electric potential of point charges or measuring Amps/Ohms/Volts/etc in a certain circuit/etc. In short, the circuit questions are easy, but the magnetism ones can be tricky (know the right hand rule! I can't stress this enough. It will answer 90% of the magnetism questions).</p>
<ol>
<li>Are there random trivia questions? Or are questions mostly formula-based?</li>
</ol>
<p>Usually. Sometimes there are more historical questions, like Rutherford's experiment, the evolution of the Bohr model, the concept of fiberoptics and how they work, Young's Double Slit experiment and its significance, electroscope functions, microscopes, etc. The PR Physics SAT2 study guide will help you with most of these types of questions (I think there's a section devoted to history), although you will learn most of this stuff through chem/physics classes at school. Sometimes you just won't know something... it might deal with fractals, or as dexter said, carbon dating, etc. Then again, if you do well on everything else, these questions will hardly hurt you as they are VERY few in number (maybe 1-2 questions) which won't steal your 800 if you know what you're doing.</p>
<p>Hope this helped.</p>
<p>Thanks so much you guys.</p>
<p>There was a history question when I took it--which phycisit came up with some theory or something.</p>