This page explains how to read and answer Physics questions. It does not state the paper structure or marks, because those belong to the official documents from Lembaga Peperiksaan (lp.moe.gov.my) and Bahagian Pembangunan Kurikulum (bpk.moe.gov.my).
Check the current format there before you plan your revision. The habits below help whatever the format is.
How do you read what a question wants?
Start with the command word, because it sets how much you write.
| Command | What it asks for |
|---|---|
| State, name | A short fact or term |
| Calculate | Formula, substitution and answer with unit |
| Explain | A reason, linked to the physics idea |
| Describe | What happens, in order, without reasons |
| Sketch, plot | A graph with labelled axes and units |
| Compare | Similarities and differences, in the same terms |
Read the units and the number of marks. A two-mark calculation usually needs a substitution and an answer.
How is working shown?
Write the formula first, then replace every letter with its value and unit. A line such as v = 12 ÷ 3.0 = 4.0 m s⁻¹ shows the reader where each number came from. Give the final answer to the same number of significant figures as the data, unless told otherwise.
Convert units before you substitute. Minutes become seconds, centimetres become metres, and kilowatts become watts.
A worked example: from a graph to an equation
A velocity-time graph is a straight line through (0 s, 2.0 m s⁻¹) and (4.0 s, 10 m s⁻¹).
The acceleration is the gradient, because it is the change in velocity divided by the change in time. Gradient = (10 − 2.0) ÷ (4.0 − 0) = 2.0 m s⁻¹ per second, which is 2.0 m s⁻².
The line crosses the velocity axis at 2.0 m s⁻¹, so the initial velocity is 2.0 m s⁻¹, and the equation is v = 2.0t + 2.0. The unit of the gradient comes from the axes, so write it with the answer.
What habits protect marks?
- Read the whole question, including the diagram and any table, before you write.
- Label axes with quantity and unit, and use most of the graph paper.
- Keep a units line in every calculation.
- In “explain” questions, link each statement to a cause.
- Leave time to check the largest numbers and the units.
The force and motion I guide and the electricity guide have original practice with explained answers. For practical skills, see preparing for science practical assessment.
How should you practise?
Work a set of questions under time on paper, then mark your own answer against what the command word asked. The timed practice session builder sets this up, and the units and significant figure checker checks your final lines.
If you want a teacher to mark a full answer with you, see online one-to-one Physics tuition.