France

Bac: Physics

The physics themes of the spécialité physique-chimie: motion and interactions, energy, waves and optics, RC circuits, and an introduction to quantum and nuclear physics. Chemistry and the practical assessment are not included.

39 skills · g = 9.81 m/s²

Conventions

The path takes the physics themes of the Terminale spécialité physique-chimie programme. Chemistry is not included.
The practical assessment (ECE) and document-based questions are outside this path; it trains the calculation skills behind them.
Problems use g = 9.81 m/s².
The in-app order follows the teaching sequence, not the programme's theme numbering.
Physics Zen is independent exam-style practice, not official exam material.

Units on this path

Motion and interactions

Uniform Motion: Relate distance, speed, and time at constant velocity, and convert km/h to m/s
Uniform Acceleration: Use the constant-acceleration equations and read velocity-time graphs
Free Fall: Drop and throw objects under gravity: fall time, impact speed, maximum height
Projectile Motion: Split a launch into horizontal and vertical motion to find flight time and range
Launch at an Angle: Resolve a launch velocity into components and find the time to the top, the greatest height and the range
Newton's Laws: Apply F = ma, add forces along a line, and tell mass from weight
Uniform Circular Motion: Link period, frequency and speed on a circle, and find centripetal acceleration
Centripetal Force: Find the force that holds an object on a circular path, from tension to friction
Gravitation: Use the inverse square law for surface gravity, orbital speed and orbital period

Energy

Work: Find the work a force does, at an angle to the motion and against friction
Kinetic & Potential Energy: Compute kinetic and gravitational potential energy, and work back to speed or height
Conservation of Energy: Trade height for speed on a frictionless path, and account for what friction takes
Power: Relate work, time, force and speed through power, measured in watts

Fluids

Density & Pressure: Relate mass, volume and density, and find the pressure at a depth
Buoyancy: Find the buoyant force, the apparent weight, and the fraction of a floating body submerged
Continuity & Bernoulli: Follow a fluid through a narrowing pipe and out of a hole in a tank

Electricity and RC circuits

Charge & Coulomb's Law: Find the force between two charges and count the electrons behind a charge
Electric Field: Get the field from a force on a test charge and from a source charge at a distance
Electric Potential: Work out potential, potential energy and the speed a charge picks up across a voltage
Ohm's Law & Resistance: Relate voltage, current and resistance, and find resistance from a wire's dimensions
Electrical Power: Find power three ways, and the energy in kilowatt hours a device uses
Charge, Capacitance & Energy: Connect charge, voltage, plate geometry and stored energy
RC Charging & Discharging: Use time constants and exponential voltage changes

Waves and optics

Wave Speed & Frequency: Link speed, frequency and wavelength, and find the speed of a wave on a string
Wave Graphs & Interference: Read wave graphs against position and time, use the sine-wave equation, and find where two sources reinforce or cancel
Electromagnetic Spectrum: Turn wavelength into frequency for light and radio, place a wave in its band, and send light through polarisers
Sound & Doppler: Time an echo, adjust the speed of sound for temperature, and shift a frequency
Sound Intensity & Decibels: Calculate sound intensity from a point source and express sound level in decibels
Reflection & Refraction: Apply Snell's law, find the critical angle and the speed of light in a medium
Lenses & Mirrors: Use the thin lens equation for image distance, magnification and image type
Double-Slit Interference: Find fringe spacing and infer wavelengths
Diffraction & Gratings: Read slit patterns and diffraction orders

Thermodynamics

Specific Heat: Find the heat a temperature change needs, and the final temperature of a mixture
Gas Laws: Apply the ideal gas law and the combined gas law, always in kelvin
First Law: Track internal energy against the heat added and the work a gas does

Quantum and nuclear physics

Photons & Photoelectric Effect: Get a photon's energy from its wavelength and the electrons it can knock loose
Matter Waves & X-rays: Find the de Broglie wavelength of a particle, the cutoff of an X-ray tube and the spacing from a Bragg reflection
Energy Levels: Find the photon an atomic transition emits, in electronvolts and in nanometres
Radioactive Decay: Halve an activity across half-lives and name the nuclide a decay leaves behind

How Physics Zen helps

The Bac path covers the 39 physics skills of the Terminale spécialité programme: Newton's laws and projectiles, energy and power, fluids, RC charging and discharging, waves, lenses and interference, thermodynamics, photons and radioactive decay. Each skill generates fresh problems with instant checking and a worked solution.

Topics on this path

Guides

Standing Waves in Strings and Pipes: Worked Examples

Solve standing-wave problems for fixed strings and open or closed pipes. Draw nodes, choose allowed harmonics, check units, and check where ideal formulas stop.

Physics Zen is an independent practice tool. It is not affiliated with College Board, the IQB, the French Ministry of Education or any other exam board.

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