IP Physics Crash Course: 9 Micro-Moves for Instant Concept Clarity

Q: What does IP Physics Crash Course: 9 Micro-Moves for Instant Concept Clarity cover?
A: Research-backed, bite-size routines any IP student can start tonight to build transferable physics intuition.

One page, nine habits, zero fluff.
Each habit takes ≤ 3 minutes to deploy and is proven to sharpen both marks and the ability to tackle brand-new question styles.

Integrated Programme (IP) Physics pulls A-Level ideas down into Sec 3-4, mixes them across topics and expects you to transfer methods, not recite scripts.
The nine micro-moves below tighten that transfer loop. Practise them for one week and you will feel graphs, forces and energy start to “click”.

1 Sketch → Symbol → Sentence Loop

Why it works Experts juggle diagrams, maths and words in parallel; novices stick to one mode. Switching modes triggers deeper processing.

2-min routine Before touching numbers:

1. Sketch a free-body/graph.
2. List variables with units under the sketch.
3. Write one English sentence stating what is changing and what is conserved.

2 Self-Explain Each Worked Step

Why it works Explaining why a line follows from the previous line doubles learning gains versus silent reading.

3 Interleave, Don't Block

Why it works Mixing question types during practice (motion, forces, electricity) produces higher retention and better transfer to novel contexts.

2-min setup Stack tonight's homework like M-F-M-E-F (Motion-Forces-Motion-Energy-Forces) instead of all Motion first.

4 Retrieval Roulette

Why it works Low-stakes quizzes hard-wire facts and improve self-explanation quality.

2-min routine Open yesterday's notes, shut the book, bullet five questions you hope won't appear tomorrow. Answer them cold; check; star the misses.

5 One-Knob Variation Sprint

Why it works Varying a single parameter exposes the invariant physics beneath surface details.

2-min drill Take any kinematics Q, flip just the sign of a, predict the qualitative change, then crunch the numbers to confirm.

6 PhET + Paper Pairing

Why it works Interactive sims cut stubborn misconceptions when paired with pen-and-paper explanations.

3-min routine Run a PhET sim (e.g., Forces & Motion) for 60 s → pause → sketch the current screen and label forces/graphs by hand.