Oxford PAT Equations

I understand that the physics admissions test for Oxford University requires you to learn most a-level equations, and some new ones according to the syllabus (https://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/study-here/undergraduates/applications/physics-aptitude-test-pat/pat-syllabus). But in the 2017 style sample paper (https://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/page/2011/02/14/sample-41384.pdf) I found some that were not on the syllabus, nor covered by my A-level.

For example: differentiating sin and cos, T^2 is proportional to r^3 with regard to orbits, and I have also been told the change of base law will be needed. Does anyone know if these are going to come up in the PAT this year, please?

OP

Anyone?

Original post by Hughcifer

I understand that the physics admissions test for Oxford University requires you to learn most a-level equations, and some new ones according to the syllabus (https://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/study-here/undergraduates/applications/physics-aptitude-test-pat/pat-syllabus). But in the 2017 style sample paper (https://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/page/2011/02/14/sample-41384.pdf) I found some that were not on the syllabus, nor covered by my A-level.

For example: differentiating sin and cos, T^2 is proportional to r^3 with regard to orbits, and I have also been told the change of base law will be needed. Does anyone know if these are going to come up in the PAT this year, please?

From the syllabus: Knowledge of circular orbits under gravity including orbital speed, radius, period, centripetal acceleration, and gravitational centripetal force. This may include equating the force between two masses due to gravity (F=GM₁M₂/r²) to centripetal force of a smaller body orbiting a larger body (F=mω²r or F=mv²/r) and use of centripetal acceleration (a=v²/r or a=ω²r).

Just because Kepler's law isn't given as an example of what you need to know, doesn't mean that you shouldn't know it. It's easy to derive with these equations anyway.

You should learn about differentiating trig functions and the chain rule in A-Level maths, although maybe its best to learn these independently as you might not be taught them before November.

When I did PAT, I did the past papers and noted down all of the content that I didn't know, learnt it online/from textbooks and then did the questions again until I understood the topic and what the syllabus consists of.

Reply 3

alevelphysicist

14

Looking through the syllabus you’ll be able to see the areas which you haven’t learnt about yet in school. Then you just have to go and learn about these areas yourself. Circular orbits under gravity for instance is on the test, despite a large majority of people having not covered it at A level before the PAT. You learn about Kepler’s third law having studied this topic.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 4

Hughcifer

OP

9

Original post by AHappyStudent

From the syllabus: Knowledge of circular orbits under gravity including orbital speed, radius, period, centripetal acceleration, and gravitational centripetal force. This may include equating the force between two masses due to gravity (F=GM₁M₂/r²) to centripetal force of a smaller body orbiting a larger body (F=mω²r or F=mv²/r) and use of centripetal acceleration (a=v²/r or a=ω²r).

Just because Kepler's law isn't given as an example of what you need to know, doesn't mean that you shouldn't know it. It's easy to derive with these equations anyway.

You should learn about differentiating trig functions and the chain rule in A-Level maths, although maybe its best to learn these independently as you might not be taught them before November.

When I did PAT, I did the past papers and noted down all of the content that I didn't know, learnt it online/from textbooks and then did the questions again until I understood the topic and what the syllabus consists of.

Thanks for the help. I found some year 2 textbooks with these topics in so I should be able to learn them myself. Were there any other areas of physics and maths that you needed to teach yourself? Your first comment brought up chain rule, which I haven't learnt yet either.

Reply 5

AHappyStudent

15

Original post by Hughcifer

Thanks for the help. I found some year 2 textbooks with these topics in so I should be able to learn them myself. Were there any other areas of physics and maths that you needed to teach yourself? Your first comment brought up chain rule, which I haven't learnt yet either.

Look at the syllabus and try the past papers, noting down any areas which you don't know. Once you do some of the past papers you'll get a feel for what you need to learn and revise.

For example, you'll come across many calculus questions that you probably won't be able to do because you haven't been taught various differentiation/integration techniques yet. You might need to learn some of these techniques yourself, all of which will be on the AS/A2 maths syllabus. You could also make notes of which integrals you can't do and show them to a maths teacher or student room to know what methods you need to learn.

Reply 6

Hughcifer

OP

9

Original post by AHappyStudent

Look at the syllabus and try the past papers, noting down any areas which you don't know. Once you do some of the past papers you'll get a feel for what you need to learn and revise.

For example, you'll come across many calculus questions that you probably won't be able to do because you haven't been taught various differentiation/integration techniques yet. You might need to learn some of these techniques yourself, all of which will be on the AS/A2 maths syllabus. You could also make notes of which integrals you can't do and show them to a maths teacher or student room to know what methods you need to learn.

Sorry to dig this thread back up, but I just noticed the PAT syllabus says: "Numeric answers should be calculated to 2 significant figures unless indicated otherwise." right at the bottom. Did you use 2 sig figs when you did the PAT? Some of the answer schemes I have found online will just use the lowest sig fig from the data, like we do normally in physics.

Reply 7

AHappyStudent

15

Original post by Hughcifer

Sorry to dig this thread back up, but I just noticed the PAT syllabus says: "Numeric answers should be calculated to 2 significant figures unless indicated otherwise." right at the bottom. Did you use 2 sig figs when you did the PAT? Some of the answer schemes I have found online will just use the lowest sig fig from the data, like we do normally in physics.

All of the questions last year required equations as answers rather than numerical answers. If the syllabus says give to 2sf, then give to 2sf rather than what your Physics A-Level spec says.

In case you need to do numerical calculations, you might notice on unofficial mark schemes (such as mathsandphysicstutor) that they round values to nicer numbers to make calculations easier. I think that this would be accepted on the PAT, but I think that the PAT is moving away from numerical calculations and answers completely as they didn't bother including any last year, so you don't really need to worry about it much.

Reply 8

alevelphysicist

14

Original post by Hughcifer

Thanks for the help. I found some year 2 textbooks with these topics in so I should be able to learn them myself. Were there any other areas of physics and maths that you needed to teach yourself? Your first comment brought up chain rule, which I haven't learnt yet either.

Simple machines combining levers, phases of the moon, circular motion and simple harmonic motion (if you haven't done further mechanics yet), circular orbits under gravity, gravitational force, force between two charged object, transformers and capacitors.