Main description:

Learn, Revise and Practice:

Comprehensive Preparation for GAMSAT Section 3: Maths and Physics
From a very basic, introductory level, up to GAMSAT level with clear teaching

Covers all Physics topics ('assumed knowledge') in Section 3 of the GAMSAT: Everything from Atomic Physics to Fluid Mechanics plus all equations applied in context.

Clear teaching with more content as compared to previous editions with new diagrams, illustrations and practice questions in the book.

The book contains foundational (basic understanding) multiple-choice questions (MCQs) followed by GAMSAT-level MCQs completely updated to reflect the most current exam trends.

Contents:

Introduction............................................................................................................. GM-06
GAMSAT MATHS AND PHYSICS
GAMSAT MATHS
Chapter 1. Numbers and Operations.......................................................................GM-17
1.0 GAMSAT Has a Need for Speed!...................................................................GM-18
1.1 Integers, Rational Numbers, and the Number Line.........................................GM-20
1.1.1 Integers...............................................................................................GM-20
1.1.2 Rational Numbers...............................................................................GM-20
1.1.3 Real Numbers and the Number Line...................................................GM-21
1.2 Basic Arithmetic..............................................................................................GM-21
1.2.1 Basic Operations.................................................................................GM-21
1.2.1.1 Summary of Properties of Positive and Negative Integers.....GM-23
1.2.2 Properties of the Real Numbers..........................................................GM-24
1.2.3 Order of Operations............................................................................GM-24
1.3 Rules on Zero.................................................................................................GM-26
1.3.1 Addition and Subtraction with Zero.....................................................GM-26
1.3.2 Multiplication and Division with Zero...................................................GM-26
1.4 Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages...........................................................GM-27
1.4.1 Fractions.............................................................................................GM-27
1.4.2 Manipulating Fractions........................................................................GM-28
1.4.3 Decimals and Percentages.................................................................GM-33
1.5 Roots and Exponents.....................................................................................GM-37
1.5.1 Properties of Exponents......................................................................GM-37
1.5.2 Scientific Notation.............................................................................. GM-38
1.5.3 Types of Exponents.............................................................................GM-39
1.5.4 Zero and Exponents........................................................................... GM-40
1.5.5 Summary of the Rules for Exponents.................................................GM-41
1.5.6 Recognising Number Patterns............................................................GM-41
1.6 Ratio and Proportion...................................................................................... GM-42
1.6.1 What is a Ratio?................................................................................. GM-42
1.6.2 Solving Proportions............................................................................ GM-42
Chapter 2. Scientific Measurement and Dimensional Analysis................................GM-51
2.0 Yes, GAMSAT Has a Need for Speed!...........................................................GM-52
2.1 Systems of Measurement.............................................................................. GM-53
2.1.1 British Units (Imperial System of Measurement)................................ GM-53
2.1.2 Metric Units........................................................................................ GM-54
2.1.3 SI Units.............................................................................................. GM-56
-vi2.2
Mathematics of Conversions (Dimensional Analysis).................................... GM-60
2.2.1 Dimensional Analysis with Numeric Calculations............................... GM-60
2.2.2 Dimensional Analysis with Variables.................................................. GM-66
Chapter 3. Algebra and Graph Analysis..................................................................GM-73
3.0 GAMSAT Maths Has a Need for Speed!........................................................GM-74
3.1 Equation Solving and Functions.....................................................................GM-76
3.1.1 Algebraic Equations............................................................................GM-76
3.1.2 Addition and Subtraction of Polynomials.............................................GM-78
3.1.3 Simplifying Algebraic Expressions......................................................GM-78
3.2 Simplifying Equations......................................................................................GM-78
3.2.1 Combining Terms................................................................................GM-79
3.2.2 Variables in Denominators..................................................................GM-79
3.2.3 Factoring............................................................................................ GM-80
3.3 Linear Equations............................................................................................ GM-80
3.3.1 Linearity............................................................................................. GM-80
3.3.2 Solving Linear Equations with Multiple Variables................................GM-81
3.4 Graphing Linear Functions............................................................................. GM-84
3.4.1 Linear Equations and Functions......................................................... GM-84
3.4.2 Cartesian Coordinates in 2D.............................................................. GM-84
3.4.3 Graphing Linear Equations................................................................ GM-85
3.4.4 Slope-Intercept Form......................................................................... GM-85
3.5 Basic Graphs................................................................................................. GM-86
3.5.1 The Graph of a Linear Equation......................................................... GM-86
3.5.2 Illustrations of Common Graphs..........................................................GM-87
3.5.3 Common Graphs Found in Other Sections or Chapters.................... GM-88
3.5.4 Tangential Slope and Area under a Curve......................................... GM-89
3.5.5 Breaking Axes and Error Bars........................................................... GM-92
3.6 Cartesian Coordinates in 3D.......................................................................... GM-94
3.7 Logarithms..................................................................................................... GM-99
3.7.1 Log Rules and Logarithmic Scales.................................................... GM-99
3.8 Exponential and Logarithmic Curves............................................................GM-101
3.9 Nomograms: The Art of Unusual Graphs.....................................................GM-107
Chapter 4. Geometry.............................................................................................GM-131
4.1 Points, Lines and Angles..............................................................................GM-132
4.1.1 Points and Distance..........................................................................GM-132
4.1.2 Line Segments..................................................................................GM-133
4.1.3 Angles...............................................................................................GM-134
4.2 2D Figures....................................................................................................GM-138
4.2.1 Rectangles and Squares...................................................................GM-138
4.2.2 Types of Triangles.............................................................................GM-138
GOLD STANDARD GAMSAT GM-01
4.2.3 Circles...............................................................................................GM-142
4.2.4 Trapezoids and Parallelograms.........................................................GM-142
4.3 3D Solids......................................................................................................GM-144
4.3.1 Boxes................................................................................................GM-144
4.3.2 Spheres.............................................................................................GM-145
4.3.3 Cylinders...........................................................................................GM-145
Chapter 5. Trigonometry........................................................................................GM-153
5.1 Basic Trigonometric Functions......................................................................GM-154
5.1.1 Sine...................................................................................................GM-154
5.1.2 Cosine...............................................................................................GM-155
5.1.3 Tangent.............................................................................................GM-155
5.1.4 Secant, Cosecant, and Cotangent....................................................GM-156
5.2 The Unit Circle..............................................................................................GM-156
5.2.1 Trig Functions on a Circle.................................................................GM-156
5.2.2 Degrees and Radians.......................................................................GM-157
5.2.3 Graphing Trig Functions....................................................................GM-159
5.3 Trigonometric Problems................................................................................GM-160
5.3.1 Inverse Trig Functions.......................................................................GM-160
Chapter 6. Probability and Statistics......................................................................GM-165
6.1 Probability.....................................................................................................GM-166
6.1.1 What is Probability?..........................................................................GM-166
6.1.2 Combining Probabilities....................................................................GM-167
6.2 Statistics.......................................................................................................GM-169
6.2.1 Averages...........................................................................................GM-169
6.2.2 Mode, Median, Mean........................................................................GM-169
6.3 More Tools for Probability and Statistics.......................................................GM-170
6.3.1 The Correlation Coefficient...............................................................GM-170
6.3.2 The Standard Deviation....................................................................GM-172
6.3.3 Variance............................................................................................GM-173
6.3.4 Simple Probability Revisited.............................................................. GM-174
Chapter 1. Translational Motion............................................................................. PHY-03
1.0 GAMSAT Physics has a Need for Speed!.................................................... PHY-04
1.1 Scalars and Vectors...................................................................................... PHY-06
1.1.1 Trigonometric Functions: A Quick Reminder..................................... PHY-08
1.1.2 Common Values of Trigonometric Functions.................................... PHY-09
1.2 Distance and Displacement...........................................................................PHY-10
GAMSAT PHYSICS
GAMSAT MATHS (cont'd)
GM-02 INTRODUCTION TO GAMSAT MATHS AND PHYSICS
1.3 Speed and Velocity........................................................................................PHY-10
1.3.1 Displacement, Time and Velocity.......................................................PHY-11
1.4 Acceleration, Deceleration: Speeding Up, Slowing Down.............................PHY-12
1.4.1 Average and Instantaneous Acceleration..........................................PHY-12
1.5 Uniformly Accelerated Motion........................................................................PHY-14
1.6 Equations of Kinematics................................................................................PHY-14
Chapter 2. Force, Motion, and Gravitation..............................................................PHY-21
2.0 GAMSAT has a Need for Speed!.................................................................. PHY-22
2.1 Mass, Centre of Mass, Weight...................................................................... PHY-23
2.2 Newton's Second Law.................................................................................. PHY-23
2.3 Newton's Third Law.......................................................................................PHY-24
2.4 The Law of Gravitation...................................................................................PHY-24
2.5 Free-fall Motion............................................................................................. PHY-25
2.6 Projectile Motion........................................................................................... PHY-26
2.6.1 Projectile Motion Problem (Imperial units)......................................... PHY-27
Chapter 3. Particle Dynamics................................................................................ PHY-35
3.1 GAMSAT has a Need for Speed!.................................................................. PHY-36
3.2 Frictional Forces........................................................................................... PHY-36
3.2.1 Incline Plane Problem with Friction (SI units).................................... PHY-37
3.3 Uniform Circular Motion................................................................................ PHY-38
3.4 Pulley Systems............................................................................................. PHY-39
Chapter 4. Equilibrium........................................................................................... PHY-47
4.0 GAMSAT has a Need for Speed!.................................................................. PHY-48
4.1 Translational, Rotational and Complex Motion.............................................. PHY-48
4.1.1 Torque Problem (SI units).................................................................. PHY-50
4.2 Newton's First Law.........................................................................................PHY-51
4.3 Momentum.....................................................................................................PHY-51
4.3.1 Understanding Conservation.............................................................PHY-51
4.4 Collisions...................................................................................................... PHY-52
4.4.1 Collision Problem (CGS units)........................................................... PHY-53
Chapter 5. Work and Energy................................................................................. PHY-61
5.0 GAMSAT has a Need for Speed!.................................................................. PHY-62
5.1 Work............................................................................................................. PHY-62
5.2 Energy........................................................................................................... PHY-63
5.3 Kinetic Energy............................................................................................... PHY-63
5.4 Potential Energy............................................................................................ PHY-63
5.5 Conservation of Energy................................................................................ PHY-64
5.5.1 Conservation of Energy Problem (SI units)....................................... PHY-64
GOLD STANDARD GAMSAT GM-03
5.6 Conservative Forces..................................................................................... PHY-65
5.7 Power............................................................................................................ PHY-65
Chapter 6. Fluids and Solids...................................................................................PHY-73
6.0 GAMSAT has a Need for Speed!...................................................................PHY-74
6.1 Fluids.............................................................................................................PHY-74
6.1.1 Density, Specific Gravity....................................................................PHY-74
6.1.2 Hydrostatic Pressure, Buoyancy, Archimedes' Principle....................PHY-75
6.1.2.1 Atmospheric Pressure.......................................................... PHY-77
6.1.2.2 Gauge Pressure....................................................................PHY-78
6.1.3 Fluids in Motion, Continuity Equation, Bernoulli's Equation...............PHY-79
6.1.4 Fluid Viscosity and Determining Turbulence..................................... PHY-80
6.1.5 Surface Tension................................................................................ PHY-81
6.2 Solids............................................................................................................ PHY-82
6.2.1 Elastic Properties of Solids............................................................... PHY-82
6.3 The Effect of Temperature on Solids and Liquids......................................... PHY-83
Chapter 7. Wave Characteristics and Periodic Motion........................................... PHY-89
7.1 Wave Characteristics.................................................................................... PHY-90
7.1.1 Transverse and Longitudinal Motion................................................. PHY-90
7.1.2 Wavelength, Frequency, Velocity, Amplitude, Intensity..................... PHY-90
7.1.3 Superposition of Waves, Phase, Interference, Addition.................... PHY-91
7.1.4 Resonance........................................................................................ PHY-94
7.1.5 Standing Waves, Pipes and Strings.................................................. PHY-94
7.2 Periodic Motion............................................................................................. PHY-95
7.2.1 Hooke's Law...................................................................................... PHY-95
7.2.2 Features of SHM and Hooke's Law................................................... PHY-96
7.2.3 SHM Problem: The Simple Pendulum............................................... PHY-96
Chapter 8. Sound..................................................................................................PHY-107
8.1 Production of Sound....................................................................................PHY-108
8.2 Relative Velocity of Sound in Solids, Liquids, and Gases............................PHY-108
8.3 Intensity, Pitch..............................................................................................PHY-108
8.3.1 Calculation of the Intensity Level......................................................PHY-109
8.4 Beats............................................................................................................PHY-109
8.5 Doppler Effect..............................................................................................PHY-110
8.5.1 Doppler Effect Problem (SI units)..................................................... PHY-111
Chapter 9. Electrostatics and Electromagnetism.................................................. PHY-117
9.0 GAMSAT has a Need for Speed!.................................................................PHY-118
9.1 Electrostatics............................................................................................... PHY-118
9.1.1 Charge, Conductors, Insulators.......................................................PHY-118
9.1.2 Coulomb's Law, Electric Force.........................................................PHY-119
GAMSAT PHYSICS (cont'd)
GM-04 INTRODUCTION TO GAMSAT MATHS AND PHYSICS
9.1.3 Electric Field, Electric Field Lines....................................................PHY-120
9.1.4 Potential Energy, Absolute Potential................................................PHY-122
9.1.5 Equipotential Lines, Potential Difference, Electric Dipoles...............PHY-122
9.2 Electromagnetism........................................................................................PHY-124
9.2.1 Notion of Electromagnetic Induction................................................PHY-124
9.2.2 Magnetic Field Vector......................................................................PHY-124
9.2.3 The Lorentz Force............................................................................PHY-125
9.2.4 Electromagnetic Spectrum, Radio, Infrared, X-rays.........................PHY-126
Chapter 10. Electric Circuits.................................................................................PHY-135
10.0 GAMSAT has a Need for Speed!.................................................................PHY-136
10.1 Current.........................................................................................................PHY-137
10.2 Resistance, Resistivity, Series and Parallel Circuits....................................PHY-138
10.2.1 Resistance Problem in Series and Parallel......................................PHY-139
10.3 Batteries, Electromotive Force, Voltage, Internal Resistance......................PHY-140
10.3.1 Kirchoff's Laws and a Multiloop Circuit Problem..............................PHY-141
10.4 Capacitors and Dielectrics...........................................................................PHY-143
10.5 Root-Mean-Square Current and Voltage.....................................................PHY-145
Chapter 11. Light and Geometrical Optics............................................................PHY-151
11.0 GAMSAT has a Need for Speed!.................................................................PHY-152
11.1 Generalities..................................................................................................PHY-154
11.2 Polarisation..................................................................................................PHY-154
11.3 Reflection, Mirrors........................................................................................PHY-155
11.4 Refraction, Dispersion, Refractive Index, Snell's Law..................................PHY-158
11.5 Thin Lens, Diopters......................................................................................PHY-160
11.5.1 Lens Aberrations.............................................................................PHY-162
11.6 Light vs. Sound............................................................................................PHY-162
Chapter 12. Atomic and Nuclear Structure...........................................................PHY-171
12.0 GAMSAT has a Need for Speed!.................................................................PHY-172
12.1 Protons, Neutrons, Electrons.......................................................................PHY-172
12.2 Isotopes, Atomic Number, Atomic Weight....................................................PHY-173
12.3 Nuclear Forces, Nuclear Binding Energy, Stability, Radioactivity................PHY-175
12.4 Nuclear Reaction, Radioactive Decay, Half-Life..........................................PHY-176
12.5 Quantised Energy Levels For Electrons, Emission Spectrum......................PHY-179
12.6 Fluorescence...............................................................................................PHY-181
GOLD STANDARD GAMSAT GM-05