Physics Home tuition for SPM

My Physics Home Tuition Class:

new intake for SPM 2013 candidates.

Good luck

Hope you are doing well in your exam 

Spm 2012 tips

Getting to know things that u dont know..

While u are studying any physics topic..Have u ever came across these situation before:

1st category:
"I don't know what i do not know"

2nd category:
"I know the things  i do not know"...

3rd category:
I already knew the things i dont..

So which category are u? The first , second or the third situation?If u are among the third ..all i have to say is well done :)..your problem is already solved.  If u fall on the second category, personally i think u still have the chance to solve it if u really focus on finding solution to the real problems.
However if you are among the first category..then u really need to find someone that can  help you to clear the air.

I have to admit that every year i will face quite large portion of student that falls onto the first category.Usually in the ice breaking session , i will ask them..what course will u take after SPM? Well as expected  most of them will answer : I dont know..or i'm not sure.
It is important for us to get to know things that we dont. If u still clueless about what u are going to be in the next 5 years.. u should start to find it out now. But if u do nothing about it..then u'll end up telling yourself that i'm still do not know what i'm supposed to be.

Let me share u another story of my experience.Recently i 'm about to have my first lesson with a form 5 student who failed his mid term exam..I asked him about topics on archimedes.The conversation looks like this:

Do u understand the Archimedes Principle? 
He said "NO".
Then i asked..which of the application part you dont understand?
He replied.."i dont know."

.. this is the clear case about student who falls on the 1st category. He is still trapped in a situation..
 "i dont know what i do not know".

When we learn physics in SPM, we  need to know things that we are supposed to know. If u still clueless about certain chapter..u need to find out the things that u still do not understand..This can be done by proper guidance  from a teacher, friend  or perhaps your tutor.Don't be shy to ask them questions even if the question might sounds like a 'stupid question'. I always encourage student to ask me question even if  it sound a bit ridiculous.At least he is trying to seek things that he doesn't know. My wish to all tutor and teachers out there..dont ignore these student. Please guide them for at least getting to know the things they dont.

If u are form 5 student..here are some examples on things that u need to know about first subtopic on electromagnet. Ask yourself  all of these questions.

Can i explain what is electromagnet?

Can i draw pattern of magnetic field in a straight wire?

Do i know what do these symbol mean?

Can i draw pattern of magnetic field in a coil? 

Can i draw pattern of magnetic field in a solenoid?

Do i know how to apply right hand grip rule?

Do i know how to determine north pole of an electromagnet?

Do i know the factors that influence the strength of an electromagnet?

Can i explain how electric bell produce sound?

Can i explain how relay circuit works?

Can i explain how circuit breaker works?

Can i explain how telephone ear piece produce sound?

Can i explain why soft iron core is used in electromagnet?

Can i explain which shape of iron core is the best for an electromagnet?

Can i explain why strength of magnetic field in the middle a current carrying coil is stronger?


Can u answer all of them?? If u cant..please dont ask me for the answer lah :)..
Ask  your friend, teacher or your tutor .If  they  can't  ..at least  u have let them discovered the things that they still do not know :)
If u 've found the answer ..u can proudly say to yourself, :
"I already knew things i dont"

I leave u guys with a point to ponder from this  quote :
“I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that.. I know nothing.” 
― Plato

PRACTISE MAKES PERFECT

Hi everyone..how's your revision going on? I know i ve been missing in action for quite some time..its due to my hectic schedule & may be due to my poor time management especially during this Euro2012 fever :)
Hmm talking about football, i watched semifinal match between Spain & Portugal. I think Spain deserved to win as they have shown the right character as a champion ..but i would still wish underdog Portugal to win the penalty :( 
 In football, the second half period can be so crucial & very decisive. It is either u win or the other way round.  Of course if it's a draw..the players are given an extra time & penalty is the last change to change the outcome. But even if extra time is given most of them are already exhausted . Only those who are physically & mentally strong can withstand the mounting pressure. 
  
What football has to do with our SPM discussion??Hmm..why not we discuss something beneficial that can be learned from these football matches. Let's put it this way..to all Form 5 student,you have now  entered the second half period of 2012. You have only  few weeks to finish your syllabus and to revise everything u'd learned in form 4.. Then it is time to face your trial exams.U should by now have analyzed all mistakes that you have done in the "1st half period"..which is in your last mid-year exam.Please learn from those mistakes & not to repeat them again. For those who've failed, u might need a good coach to boost your strength in order to show improvement  in the second half period.

The point here is  u have not much time left to prepare for your trial exam. Every minute is like a gold..in fact you must treasure every second of the time left. For my student, i'm expecting them to do plenty of exercises on their own. I 'm suremost of  u are familiar with this phrase..PRACTISE MAKES PERFECT.Don't wait till last minute..u need to practise doing exam questions.
Every week u have to do lots of questions. Be warned that common mistake among student..they tend to read..read, and read..but they tried very few questions. By right u should try all type of questions every week. What i meant by all type of exam question is that..u should attempt paper 1, perhaps 50 questions per week. U also need to try question in section A paper 2, section B and section C. But don't forget to try some section A & section B questions on paper 3 as well. 

After this trial exam..u 'll be given an extra time to change your final outcome.I hope by that time..u are still  mentally strong :)
Let s pray that  your trial  results will provide the right momentum for u to do better in your SPM. Wish u all the BEST

Lost time is never found again

Benjamin Franklin had once said.."Lost time is never found again"


January, February, and March have left us..91 days or to be precise 2184 hour is gone. 

I think its the right time do some deep analysis..

Every day we need to pray, sleep, eat and spend some time in toilet and etc..let say all those activities will take 12 hrs a day.Then u spend average of 6 hours in school for a day. That means u are left with another 6 hours a day..but not to forget your entertainment time for tv,facebook & etc might take another 2 hrs a day or may b more than that. 

In the end, u have about 4 hrs or less in a day to do revision or homework ..
So if we total up until March.. we already had about 364 hrs as an opportunity to do revision. 
Now the question is.. do we really fully utilize those  hours to improve our knowledge??


Only u yourself can answer that questions..not me..not your parent..not even your friends...

It is now month of April..your mid year exam is approaching within a month. I think  if u fully utilized those hours..by end of this month u should already complete your form 4 revision.  

However, If anyone of u who have not started any form 4 revision ..do u think there's still enough time and no need to press the panic button?? Well.. Its not only physics..how about the other 8 subjects??
Hmm..i leave it for u to figure it out yourself

Facts about Waves

Things u should know about waves..

1. Waves transfer energy without transfering the matter.
2. In transverse waves, its particles vibrate perpendicular to the wave direction.
3. Longitudinal wave's particles vibrate parallel to the wave direction.
4. The amplitude of a wave determines its energy. Higher amplitude has greater energy.
5. Damping of wave causes decrease in amplitude & energy.
6. Waves' wavefront is always pependicular to the direction of the waves.
7. Waves undergo all of these phenomena; reflection, refraction, diffraction & interference.
8. Water,light & electromagnetic waves are transverse waves.
9. Coherent waves have same frequency ,amplitude and in phase.
10. As the frequency of a wave increases its energy increases and its wavelength decreases.
11. Shorter waves with higher frequencies have shorter periods.

Facts about Light Wave

1. Light is a transverse wave
2. Light slows down, bends toward the normal and has a shorter wavelength when it enters a higher refractive index(n) or as it moves to denser medium..
3. Medium with higher refractive index has higher optical density.
4. At the critical angle a light wave will be refracted to 90 degrees.
5. Blue light has more energy,a shorter wavelength and a higher frequency than red light (remember- ROYGBIV).
6. Monochromatic light has one color, frequency & wavelength.

Facts about water waves

1. Water waves moves faster at deeper region. This change in speed causes refraction of water waves.
2. Water waves has longer wavelength at deeper region.
3. Deeper region is less dense than shallow region.
4. Water waves bended towards normal as it moves from deeper to shallow region.
5. After diffraction, water waves amplitude decrease thus its energy decrease as well.However its speed, wavelength & frequency remain constant.

Facts about sound waves

1. Sound is a longitudinal waves.
2. Sound is produced through vibration, thus compressing & stretching the surrounding air molecules.
3. Louder sound has bigger amplitude.
4. Sound with high pitch has higher frequency.
5. The sound that we hear is known as 'audio sound' that has freuency between 20-20khz.
6. Those sound below 20hz is known as infrasound. While sound with frequency beyond 20khz is known as ultrasonic.
7. Sound require medium to travel. It travels fastest in solid> liquid> gas.
8. Sound can't be heard in vacuum..Therefore..Starwars' sound effect in outer space is a myth :)

Back to school..

Its 3rd January 2012 and all SPM candidates are now back to school.  I wish your last term break was fulfilled with something beneficial for your SPM preparation. The bad news for this year is that your form 4 honey moon year is finally over.

Hmm..how to start this 2012 school calendar??

Well..Its important for u to be organised and prepared on your exam calendar, especially  your midterm, trial and finally SPM. U need to get back to the revision routine as soon as possible, especially to those who did nothing in last school break..


Let us start this new year with positive attitude and set some realistic goals for each exam that u r going to take. Start  to plan your revision based on your goal setting. Then try to work out things that u've planned. Through my experience , If u start it early.. u 'll take away  half of the mounting pressure that u'll face in final exams. So make sure u do continuous revision, especially on your weakest form 4 chapters. 


Another important thing is to keep focus on your physics form5 lesson.. your form 5 lesson have lots of spicy stuff..and its going to be very interesting :)
Make sure every time u finished a lesson in class..do clear things that u don't understand as early as possible. Ask your teacher..friends or perhaps your personal tutor to clear the air. Don't drag it until  few days  before exams..otherwise u are making your life 'extra spicy'...and i m afraid if u drag it until August..its gonna be too hot to handle.


Well guys..that's some of few advices that i can share for this new year  and I  think its still not too late for me to wish all of u a happy new year. Hopefully 2012 will be a successful year for all of us.