Physics

Kieran Mills has 25 years’ experience teaching Physics. He has co-written several books including Leaving Certificate Sample Papers. Kieran has been an expert contributor on Physics on RTÉ Radio.

"A really good inclusive fun grind school that makes learning fun and makes you want to do it. The teachers treat their students as equals which makes us as students feel worthy."

Session 1: Light & Sound - Waves, Reflection

Session 2: Light & Sound - Refraction (Part 1)

Session 3: Light & Sound - Refraction (Part 2)

Session 4: Light & Sound - Wave Nature of Light (Interference of Waves & Diffraction)

Session 5: Light & Sound - Wave Nature of Light (Polarisation, colours & electromagnetic spectrum), Wave Nature of Sound (Doppler Effect)

Session 6: Light & Sound - Standing Waves, Vibration in pipes, Characteristics of sound

Session 7: Electricity - Electrostatics 1

Session 8: Electricity - Electrostatics 2

Session 9: Electricity - Current Electricity 1

Session 10: Electricity - Current Electricity 2

Session 11: Electricity - Electromagnetism 1

Session 12: Electricity - Electromagnetism 2

Session 13: Modern Physics - Electron 1

Session 14: Modern Physics - Electron 2

Session 15: Modern Physics - Nucleus 1

Session 16: Modern Physics - Nucleus 2

Session 17: Modern Physics - Nucleus 3

Session 18: Modern Physics - Nucleus 4

Session 19: Modern Physics - Particle Physics

Session 20: Mechanics - Horizontal Linear Motion, Free-fall & Vectors

Session 21: Mechanics - Momentum & Newton’s Laws

Session 22: Mechanics - Work, Energy Power

Session 23: Mechanics - Circular Motion

Session 24: Mechanics - Moments & Boyle’s Law

Session 25: Mechanics - Gravity

Session 26: Mechanics - Gravitational Circular Motion & Simple Harmonic Motion

Session 27: Heat - Measuring Temperature & Specific Heat Capacity

Session 28: Heat - Specific Latent Heat & Transmission of Heat

Session 29: Heat - Heat Experiments

You do not need to have  a high standard of Maths to succeed in Leaving Cert Physics. You need to be competent at manipulating formulae and using your calculator. As the course is quite long, students need to be very well prepared. Students need to know definitions, demonstration of experiments, proofs and real-life Physics applications. Kieran’s notes organise the physics course so all students need to do is carry out the work as set out in the notes.

Recently exam papers have tended to have questions with mixed topics meaning omitting parts of the course is risky. For example, last year’s paper included a question on nuclear physics where students had to carry out a heat calculation. With this in mind, it is essential that students try to cover most of the course. Leaving out major topics like Electricity is not an option.

Section A is an experimental section. Kieran provided students with a workbook allowing students to carry out a write-up of all the experiments.

All leaving cert questions relevant to a topic appear at the end of each set of notes. Full solutions to all questions in the notes are provided.

Kieran puts special emphasis on Modern Physics (electron and nucleus) and the Particle Physics option. There can be a great return in studying these topics as they often yield 50% of the Section B questions.