How the new NYSP12SLS Physics Regents differs from legacy Physical Setting/Physics
Just like Chemistry, New York’s Physical Science: Physics (NYSP12SLS) exam replaces standalone Parts A, B-1, B-2, and C questions with 10 phenomenon clusters (50 questions on the June 2026 administration: 30 multiple choice and 20 constructed response, 1 raw credit each). Every question is anchored in a real-world engineering, astrophysical, medical, or mechanical scenario:
- Multi-standard mechanical & engineering design clusters — June 2026 Cluster 4: Motorcycle Helmets (Q15–20) & 2025 Sample Cluster 1: Bungee Jumping (Q1–5): Instead of isolated plug-and-chug kinematics, Motorcycle Helmets links impulse-momentum collision forces (
FΔt = mΔv,HS-PS2-3), liner compression energy transfer (HS-PS3-2,HS-PS3-3), and engineering trade-off matrices (HS-ETS1-2). In Bungee Jumping, students track gravitational potential, kinetic, and elastic potential energy across multiple cord designs. - Medical & optical wave phenomena — June 2026 Cluster 2: Kidney Stone Detection and Removal (Q6–10) & 2025 Sample Cluster 2: Automotive Optics (Q1–5): Students analyze ultrasound reflection/refraction and shockwave lithotripsy in Kidney Stone Detection (
HS-PS4-1,HS-PS4-3,HS-PS4-5) and evaluate rain-sensing windshield total internal reflection and LiDAR photon energy in Automotive Optics (HS-PS4-6,HS-ETS1-3). - Astrophysics, nuclear fusion & spectral evidence — June 2026 Cluster 5: Emission Spectra and Nuclear Fusion (Q21–24) & Cluster 8: From Astro Blaster to Supernova (Q36–40): Connects atomic emission lines and Doppler redshift from distant galaxies (
HS-ESS1-2) to stellar nucleosynthesis (HS-PS1-8) and multi-ball momentum transfer modeling a core-collapse supernova bounce (HS-PS2-2). - Electrostatics, circuits & digital signal transmission — June 2026 Cluster 6: The Cell Phone (Q25–29), Cluster 7: Flashlight Physics (Q30–35), & Cluster 10: Charged Drops (Q46–50): Bridges electromagnetic induction (Faraday’s law in shake flashlights), Ohm’s law and battery power dissipation, digital wave encoding (Voice Recognition Software, Q41–45), and Millikan-style electric and gravitational field balances on charged droplets (
HS-PS2-4,HS-PS3-5).
Start with the 3 official NYSED Physics sample clusters (free, no sign-in)
All three official Spring 2025 NYSED Physics sample clusters are open for immediate guest practice in the interactive workspace. Open the 2025 Physics Sample Clusters guide →
Released 2026 Physics Regents and full-length practice examinations
| Paper | Structure | Featured Phenomenon Clusters | Guide & Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2026 Physics Regents (Official) | 50 questions · 10 clusters (30 MC, 20 CR) | Pendulum Motion · Kidney Stone Detection · Heat Exchange · Motorcycle Helmets · Emission Spectra & Nuclear Fusion · Charged Drops | June 2026 Physics guide → |
| Spring 2025 NYSED Sample Clusters (Official) | 15 questions · 3 clusters (9 MC, 6 CR) | Bungee Jumping · Automotive Optics · World Record Jumps | 2025 Physics samples → |
| Physics Practice Examination A | 50 questions · 10 clusters (30 MC, 20 CR) | Service Elevator Car · Field Seismometer in Transit · Rescue Litter Winch · Night-Delivery Bicycle Lights · Star-Forming Region | Physics Practice Exam A → |
| Physics Practice Examination B | 50 questions · 10 clusters (30 MC, 20 CR) | Rotating Platform Sensor · Automated Carts · Channel Runoff Generator · Electric-Field Dust Capture · Coastal Warning Buoy | Physics Practice Exam B → |
| Practice Exam | Format | Sample Phenomenon Clusters Included | Workspace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physics Practice Exam A | 50 questions · 10 clusters | Motion of a Service Elevator Car · Protecting a Field Seismometer in Transit · Raising a Rescue Litter with a Winch · Keeping a Field Battery Cool · +6 more | Open exam |
| Physics Practice Exam B | 50 questions · 10 clusters | Delivering a Sensor Marker from a Rotating Platform · Protecting Equipment on Automated Carts · Generating Electricity from Channel Runoff · Keeping Seedlings Warm After Sunset · +6 more | Open exam |
| Physics Practice Exam D | 50 questions · 10 clusters | Catching a Lead-Climbing Fall · Launching and Recovering a Model Rocket · Archerfish at a Mangrove Field Station · Regenerative Braking on a City Bus · +6 more | Open exam |
| Physics Practice Exam E | 50 questions · 10 clusters | Ball Machine on the Practice Court · Storm Watch on the Summit · Island Station Fiber-Optic Link · Riding a Snow-Tubing Lane · +6 more | Open exam |
| Physics Practice Exam F | 50 questions · 10 clusters | Air Tankers on a Wildfire Line · Short-Track Skating: Starts, Laps and Turns · Fitting Lenses at an Eye Clinic · Upgrading a Town's Traffic Signals · +6 more | Open exam |
| Physics Practice Exam G | 50 questions · 10 clusters | Analyzing a Fireworks Display · Training a Rowing Crew · Choosing Smoke Detectors for a Dormitory · Stopping Zipline Riders · +6 more | Open exam |
NYSP12SLS Physics standards and reference table alignment
| Domain | Performance Expectations | Core Models & Phenomena |
|---|---|---|
| Forces and Interactions | HS-PS2-1, HS-PS2-2, HS-PS2-3, HS-PS2-4, HS-PS2-5 | Newton’s second law (a = Fnet/m), momentum conservation (p = mv), impulse-collision engineering (FΔt = mΔp), Newton’s law of gravitation, Coulomb’s law, and electromagnetic induction |
| Energy | HS-PS3-1, HS-PS3-2, HS-PS3-3, HS-PS3-4, HS-PS3-5, HS-PS3-6 | Conservation of mechanical energy (KE, PEg, PEs), work-energy theorem, thermal energy transfer (Q = mcΔT), electric/magnetic field energy, and DC circuit analysis (I = ΔV/R, P = IΔV) |
| Waves & Electromagnetic Radiation | HS-PS4-1, HS-PS4-2, HS-PS4-3, HS-PS4-4, HS-PS4-5, HS-PS4-6 | Wave speed (v = fλ), Snell’s law & critical angle, photon energy (E = hf = hc/λ), digital vs. analog transmission, and medical/industrial wave technologies |
| Space Systems & Nuclear Processes | HS-PS1-8, HS-ESS1-2 | Nuclear fusion/fission mass-energy equivalence (ΔE = Δmc2), stellar nucleosynthesis, and Big Bang cosmic microwave background / redshift evidence |
| Engineering Design | HS-ETS1-1, HS-ETS1-2, HS-ETS1-3, HS-ETS1-4 | Evaluating competing design solutions against quantitative safety, cost, and reliability constraints |
Read the 2025 Physics Reference Tables guide → · Official 2025 Physics Reference Tables PDF
Frequently asked questions
- What is the format of the new NYSP12SLS Physical Science: Physics Regents exam?
- The new Regents Examination in Physical Science: Physics (debuted June 2026) is a 3-hour exam consisting of 45–55 questions grouped into 9–11 phenomenon clusters (~60% multiple choice, ~40% constructed response, 1 credit per question). The June 2026 administration contained 50 questions across 10 clusters (30 multiple choice and 20 constructed response).
- Which topics and standards are tested on the new Physics Regents?
- The NYSP12SLS Physics blueprint covers Forces and Interactions (HS-PS2-1 through HS-PS2-5: Newton's second law, momentum conservation, impulse-collision design, gravitational and electrostatic forces, electromagnetism), Energy (HS-PS3-1 through HS-PS3-6: mechanical/thermal energy conservation, electric fields, Ohm's law and circuits), Waves and Electromagnetic Radiation (HS-PS4-1 through HS-PS4-6: wave speed, digital information, wave-particle duality, medical/optical imaging), Nuclear Processes and Space Systems (HS-PS1-8, HS-ESS1-2), and Engineering Design (HS-ETS1-1 through HS-ETS1-4).
- Can I practice official NYSP12SLS Physics clusters for free on All Regents?
- Yes. The 3 official Spring 2025 NYSED Physics sample clusters (Bungee Jumping, Automotive Optics, and World Record Jumps) and the 2025 Physics Reference Tables guide are free to practice interactively at https://newregents.com/physics/app with no sign-in required.