Archived question lists - 2020-21

This page does not contain current information. For this year's questions see the homepage.

Work to Do: Easter Term 2021

This term supervisions will by default be online, but may be in person from 17th May onwards if all students in the group want that, and e-mail me in time.

Date of Supervision	Code	Work for IA Nat. Sci. Maths		Work for IB Physics A	Work for IB Physics B
		(Course A)	(Course B)
26th April - 1st May		No supervision this week.		Holiday work (see below)
3rd-8th May		Holiday Work (see below)		Question 1 if time permits. (Code: E1.)	Question 1 if time permits. (Code: E1.)
10th-15th May	E2	Questions 1-10. Omit 4(d) and 9(a)(iii).	Questions 1-14. In question 4, only deal with the first three products (A^2, AB, AC). In question 9, omit the first two products.	Questions 2-6. (Plus 1 if not done last week.)	Questions 2-5. (Plus 1 if not done last week.)
17th-22nd May	E3	Questions 11-17.	Questions 15-28, omitting 21 and 23.	Question 7, then 1-4 from the new sheet.	Questions 7-11.
24th-29th May	E4	Questions 18-20 from example sheet 1, and questions 1 to 4 from example sheet 2.	Questions 29-33 from examples sheet 1 (where 33 is optional) and question 1 from examples sheet 2.	No supervision this week.
31st May - 5th June	E5	All of the remaining questions on the question sheet.

Exam preparation

As always the best way to prepare for the exams is by doing past papers. When the exams are getting close, it is a good idea to attempt the 2018 past papers. I have prepared some numerical solutions, hints, and partial worked solutions to these papers so that you can check your work. We can also discuss past paper questions that you are stuck on in the last few supervisions.

I'll also make some time available for optional drop-in sessions to discuss questions people are stuck on; further details will follow.

Holiday Work: Easter 2021

• As always, the first item of holiday work is to go over everything from the term and make sure that you understand it. Re-attempt questions that you couldn't do, or didn't have time for, during term.
• It's currently unclear what the format of next term will be, but I'd like all of the holiday work to be submitted online in any case. Details are along with the work; note the early deadlines.
• If you want to do more Tripos questions than I set, then do. The more practice you get, the better. I'll only mark the work set in the table, but I'm happy to talk about anything else that you are stuck on in a supervision. Don't do the 2018 past papers yet, though: save them for revision nearer to the exam. (And, physics A students, don't attempt 2012 paper 1 question B6, which is ridiculously difficult.)
• It is good to attempt past papers under timed conditions, so that you get practice in working to time pressure. Afterwards, you should spend lots of time---far more than you'd have in the exam---correcting and completing everything as best you can.
• You'll need to submit several files of work, with the codes in the table. As far as possible arrange the questions in ascending numerical order. If that isn't possible, then number your pages and give clear page references.
• Details are below for IA (first-year) and IB (second-year) students.

Holiday work for IA

• This work is due in by 12 noon on Tuesday 27th April (as e-mail attachments in the usual way).
• I'll begin supervisions for IA students from Monday 3rd May. I'm hoping to use similar times to the Lent term---let me know if there will be any difficulties---but depending on whether there is in-person teaching the timetable may not be exactly the same.

Work for IA Nat. Sci. Maths
(Course A)	(Course B)
Complete questions 19-25 from the question sheet. [Code: EMQA] From 2017 paper 1, complete section A, and questions 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. [Code: EMP1] From 2017 paper 2, complete section A (except for 3 and 5) and questions 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16. [Code: EMP2] [Optional.] Any questions of your choice from the 2010 and 2014 past papers. I shan't mark these, but if you let me know you've made a serious attempt at the papers, and promise not to pass them on to anyone else, I'll send worked solutions.	Complete questions 24-30 from the question sheet. (The last two are optional but they are good for you.) [Code: EMQB] From 2017 paper 1, complete section A, and questions 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 19. [Code: EMP1] From 2017 paper 2, complete section A (optionally omitting 3) and questions 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, and 19. [Code: EMP2] [Optional.] Any questions of your choice from the extension question sheet. [Code: EMMX] [Optional.] Any questions of your choice from the 2010 and 2014 past papers. I shan't mark these, but if you let me know you've made a serious attempt at the papers, and promise not to pass them on to anyone else, I'll send worked solutions.

Holiday work for IB

• This work is due in by 12 noon on Friday 23rd April (as e-mail attachments in the usual way).
• I expect to begin supervisions for IB students from Monday 26th April. I'm hoping to use similar times to the Lent term---let me know if there will be any difficulties, especially with the time for the first supervision---but depending on whether there is in-person teaching the timetable may not be exactly the same.

Work for IB Physics A

Work for IB Physics B

Complete questions 4-8 from quantum mechanics. [Code: EYAQ] From 2016 paper 1, complete all questions. (But first attempt it according to the rubric: the specified selection in three hours.) [Code: EYA1] From 2016 paper 2, questions 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, and 12. [Code: EYA2] [Optional.] Any questions of your choice from the 2010 past papers that you haven't done before. [Code: EYAE]

Complete questions 9-12 from the thermodynamics question sheet. [Code: EYBQ] From 2016 paper 1, complete all questions. (But first attempt it according to the rubric: the specified selection in three hours.) [Code: EYB1] From 2016 paper 2, complete all questions except A1, C11, and C12. [Code: EYB2] [Optional.] Any questions of your choice from the 2014 past papers that you haven't done before. [Code: EYBE]

Work to Do: Lent Term 2021

I plan to update the table on Tuesday mornings this term, except for physics A, which may update later in the week.

Date of Supervision	Code	Work for IA Nat. Sci. Maths		Work for IB Physics A	Work for IB Physics B
		(Course A)	(Course B)
18th-23rd January		No supervision this week.		Holiday work.
25th-30th January		Holiday work (which was handed in last week).		Question 1 (Code: L1)	No work set: the supervision will be for going through the rest of the holiday work.
1st-6th February	L2	S1, S2, S3, S4, 5, 6, 7, 8.	S1g, S1j, S2c, S2f, S3b, S4b, 5, 6a, 6b, 7, 8a, 8b, 8c.	Questions 2-7.	Questions 10-15.
8th-13th February	L3	Questions S9, S10, 11, 12, and 13.	Questions 9-13; optionally also X26.	Questions 8-12.	Questions 16-21.
15th-20th February	L4	Questions S1 to 8. The second part of 8 is optional.	Questions S1a, S1c, S2, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9.	Questions 13-16, then 1 and 2 from the new sheet.	Questions 22-27.
22nd-27th February	L5	Questions 9-12. Part (ii) of 12 is difficult and optional.	S3 and questions 10-16. Optionally omit 13(ii) and 16(c).	Questions 3-9.	Questions 28-33.
1st-6th March	L6	Questions 13-18, omitting 16.	Questions 17-22. Question 20 is optional (but do attempt it if you can).	Questions 10-14.	Questions 34-38.
7th-12th March	L7	Question 19, then S1 and questions 2-7 from question sheet 3. Optionally include 9*, and 8* if you are very keen.	S1, S2, and questions 6-13.	Questions 1-5.	Questions 39-41 from fluids, and 1 and 2 from thermodynamics.
14th-19th March	L8	Questions S10-S13 and 14-18.	S3, S4, and questions 14-23. Omit 22, and optionally also omit 15.	Questions 6-8 from question sheet 3, and questions 1-3 from question sheet 4.	Questions 3-8.

IA students at Selwyn, Jesus, and Corpus: if you want to re-live your start-of-term test you can download a copy.

Supervisons via Zoom

Many of you are already veteran users of Zoom. Here are a few notes for those who aren't so used to it.

• Zoom wants to install itself on your computer, and it's probably easiest if you let it. But if you can't or don't want to install it, you can join a Zoom meeting via a browser instead, by refusing any downloads and clicking on the button in the page where the Zoom link lands.
• There's a button for turning video on and off near the bottom left of the screen. It's nice to have it on. But if the Internet is being slow it can be worth turning it off for a bit to conserve bandwidth.
• There's a button for turning audio on and off near the bottom left of the screen. Clearly we need audio to be on when you're talking. If you're somewhere fairly quiet then you can leave it on all the time. But if there's significant background noise where you are it's better if you have it turned off when you're not saying anything and just turn it on when you want to speak. One way of doing that is to hold down the space bar, which un-mutes you temporarily when audio is off.
• For reasons that physics A students should appreciate, we can sometimes hear an echo of our own voices on Zoom when other people aren't using headphones, especially if they have set the volume high and their speakers are close to their microphone. This normally isn't too much of a problem, but it can be prevented completely if people use headphones. So that's a good thing to do. If you don't use headphones, just make sure that the speaker volume isn't too loud.
• According to the University's policy, you can record supervisions provided that:
  • The recording is only for your personal use; you agree not to make it available to anyone else or to upload it anywhere that others can access it; and
  • All of the participants are happy to be recorded.
  Now I have no objection to being recorded on these terms. But if you want to make a recording you must check with your supervision partner(s) that they are happy to be recorded as well. And then you will need to tell me so that I can turn on the feature in Zoom. (It has to be enabled on a person-by-person basis.)
• You may instead just want to take screenshots of what I'm writing. You don't need permission for that. (I'm not going to provide technical support for how to do it on different devices, though!)

Holiday Work: Christmas 2020

• Whichever course you're doing, the first item of holiday work is to go over everything from the term and make sure that you understand it. Re-attempt questions that you couldn't do, or didn't have time for, during term. Most of you have college tests to revise for.
• I may have to ask some students to change groups and/or times next term. I'll be in touch about this nearer the start of term if applicable. But I hope that in most cases you'll be able to keep the same groups and times---let me know (as soon as possible) if you need to change.
• If you want to do more Tripos questions than I set, then do. The more practice you get, the better. I'll only mark the ones I've set (so don't hand any others in) but if you're stuck on or want to talk about any other questions then bring them along to a supervision, and if there's time we can talk about them.
• Details are below for IA (first-year) and IB (second-year) students.

Holiday work for IA

• I shall begin supervisions for IA NST maths on Monday 25th January, but the holiday work is due in by 12 noon on Wednesday 20th January, according to the instructions on this page.
• In the work below there are Tripos questions. They are difficult; they are supposed to be difficult. You will need to take longer (probably much longer) than you would have in an exam in order to produce the best answers that you can.

Work for IA Nat. Sci. Maths
(Course A)	(Course B)
Complete questions K3-6. (Code: CMQA) Download the 2014 past papers for IA Nat. Sci. maths from the faculty's website. From paper 1, attempt questions 1-10, 12, 14, and 18. (Code: CMP1) From 2014 paper 2, attempt questions 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 13, and 15. (Code: CMP2) [Optional.] If you'd like to practise more Tripos questions, then attempt any questions of your choice from the 2010 papers. (Code: CME0)	Complete questions R11, R12, R13, and R14. (Code: CMQB) Download the 2014 past papers for IA Nat. Sci. maths from the faculty's website. From paper 1, attempt questions 1-10, 12, 14, 15, and 19. (Code : CMP1) From 2014 paper 2, attempt questions 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 13, 15, and 20. (Code: CMP2) [Optional.] Anyone who would like a challenge can have a look at anything from X1-23 on this extra question sheet. Feel free to hand in anything you've done if you'd like feedback. (Code: CMXN) [Optional.] If you'd like to practise more Tripos questions, then attempt any questions of your choice from the 2010 papers. (Code: CME0)

Holiday work for IB

• I shall begin supervisions in IB Physics A and IB Physics B on Monday 18th January. This first supervision will have to be online due to University regulations, even if I normally teach you in person. Let me know if you won't be able to make your usual time that week. The work is due in by 7pm on Sunday 17th January, preferably online, according to the instructions on this page.
• Tripos questions are difficult; they are supposed to be difficult. The best thing to do is first of all to try them under timed conditions---to practise dealing with the time pressure---but then to go back and produce the best answers that you can, taking as much time and reference material as you need. There's advice on the advice page if you want it.

Work for IB Physics A

Work for IB Physics B

Play with the wave interference demo on PhET if your computer allows you. (And others on the site as well if you like.) Complete the rest of the question sheet on waves and optics. This is questions 29-36, plus anything that you didn't get done in term. Only very keen Fourier transform enthusiasts, however, should attempt 24(a) or 24(b). (Code: CYAQ) Download the May 2012 IB physics A papers from the Cavendish teaching website. From paper 1, attempt questions A4, A5, D12, and D13. From paper 2, attempt questions A1, A2, A3, B6, B7, B8, B9, and D12. (This is nominally 4 hours and 48 minutes' work at exam pace.) Codes: CYA1 for paper 1 and CYA2 for paper 2. [Optional.] If you'd like to practise more past paper questions (which is a very good idea), then attempt any of your choice from the 2010 paper 1. (Code: CYAE)

If you can, play with the charges and fields demonstration from PhET, looking that the field and equipotentials for a dipole and two different kinds of quadrapole. Investigate any other relevant relevant simulations from PhET that look interesting, including, if you have nothing better to do, applying gratuitous electric shocks to John Travoltage. Complete any electromagnetism questions left over from last term. (Code: CYBB) Complete questions 1-9 from the Dynamics question sheet. (Code: CYBQ) Download the June 2013 IB physics B papers from the Cavendish teaching website. From paper 1, attempt questions A2, B6, B7, B8, and B9. From paper 2, attempt questions A1, A3, B6, and B7. This is nominally just under 4 hours' work at exam pace. (Codes: CYB1 for paper 1 and CYB2 for paper 2.) [Optional.] If you'd like to practise more past paper questions (which is a very good idea), then attempt any of your choice from the 2012 papers. (Code: CYBE)

Work to Do: Michaelmas Term 2020

I plan to update this table on Tuesday mornings this term.

Date of Supervision	Code	Work for IA Nat. Sci. Maths		Work for IB Physics A	Work for IB Physics B
		(Course A)	(Course B)
12th-17th October	-	No work set. (But look back over the maths work that you've done before arriving, and consider if there's anything that you want to ask about it.)		No supervision this week.
19th-24th October	M1	All questions from sections A and B on the question sheet, except that you may omit A1 and A3 if you like.	Questions A1, A3, A4, A5, A7, A8, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8, B10, B11, and B13.	Questions 1-5 from experimental methods and question 1 from osciallations.	Questions 1-6.
26th-31st October	M2	Sections C, D, and E.	C1(iv), {C3(ii) or X2}*, C4, C5(i, ii, iii), C7, C9, C10, C12, D1, D2, E2, E3, E4, F1(b, e, g, h).	Questions 6-9 from experimental methods and 2 and 3 from osciallations, omitting the part of question 3 that is about cheese.	Questions 7-12.
2nd-7th November	M3	Questions 1-13 from section F. If you are already very good with complex numbers, omit question 1 completely, and only do parts (b), (d), (f), (h) and (j) from question 2.	{F3(c,d) or X4}*, F4(c), {F5(c) or X7}, F6, F7(b,d,e,f,g,h,i,k), F8, F10, F11, F13(b), F14(e), F15(d), F17, F18(c,e), F19, G1, G3(b,e), G4, H1(e,f,h), H2(a,c,e), H3.	Questions 10-14 from experimental methods, and 4 and 5 from oscillations.	Questions 13-18.
9th-14th November	M4	F14-15, all of section G, and H1-7, optionally omitting H1(b,d,f,h), H2(b,d,f,h), and H5(d).	H4, H5, I1, J1, K1, K2, L1, L2. Optionally add X9.	The rest of the experimental methods questions, and 5-9 from waves and oscillations.	Questions 19-24.
16th-21st November	M5	H8 to H15.	M1, M2, M3, N1, N2, N4, O1, P1(d,g), P2(c,d,e), P3(b), P4. Optionally add X11.	Questions 10-15. If you don't want to use a computer for 15 then it can be done by algebra. (But this may take longer!)	Questions 25 to 30, unless you didn't get question sheet 2 in time for last week, in which case 23 to 28.
23rd-28th November	M6	H16, H17, all of section I, J1, J2.	P5(d,g), P6(all), P7, P9, P10, P12, P15, Q1, Q2, Q4, Q6. Optionally add integration-based extension questions such as X17.	Questions 16(a), 17, 18, 19(a), 20, and 21. Add 16(b) and/or 19(b) only if you want an extra challenge.	Up to question 37 (or up to 35 if you are still 2 questions behind as above---but try to catch up if you get a chance).
30th November - 4th December	M7	The rest of section J, and questions 1 and 2 from section K.	P14, Q8, Q9, {R1 or X23}*, R2, R3, R4, R5, R7, R8, R9. [If you do X23, don't try to find the mean and standard deviation in (f).]	Questions 22-28. Omit 24(a) and 24(d).	Up to question 44.