Question breakdown in Upgrading a Town's Traffic Signals (Q16–Q20)
| Question | Response Type | Topic | NYSP12SLS Standard | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 16 | 1-credit Multiple Choice (4 options) | Energy | HS-PS3-6 | Solve in workspace → |
| Question 17 | 1-credit Constructed Response (rubric-scored) | Energy | HS-PS3-6 | Solve in workspace → |
| Question 18 | 1-credit Multiple Choice (4 options) | Energy | HS-PS3-6 | Solve in workspace → |
| Question 19 | 1-credit Constructed Response (rubric-scored) | Energy | HS-PS3-4 | Solve in workspace → |
| Question 20 | 1-credit Multiple Choice (4 options) | Waves and electromagnetic radiation | HS-PS4-1 | Solve in workspace → |
Other clusters in Physics Practice Exam F
| Questions | Cluster & Topics | Format | Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–5 | Air Tankers on a Wildfire LineWater dropped from a firefighting air tanker: projectile motion, net force after release, and choosing a drop altitudeForces and interactions · Engineering design (HS-PS2-1, HS-ETS1-3) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 6–10 | Short-Track Skating: Starts, Laps and TurnsA skating club's sensor and video data: impulse from force–time graphs, average speed, circular motion, relay momentumForces and interactions (HS-PS2-1) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 11–15 | Fitting Lenses at an Eye ClinicGlasses for three patients: lens images and magnification, UV photon energy, lens materials, anti-reflective coatingsWaves and electromagnetic radiation · Engineering design (HS-PS4-6, HS-PS4-4, HS-ETS1-3, HS-PS4-3) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 21–25 | Raising an Orbit with Xenon IonsA xenon ion thruster on a satellite: electric fields and forces on ions, impulse, Newton's third law, and kinetic energyForces and interactions · Energy (HS-PS2-4, HS-PS2-1, HS-PS3-5) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 26–30 | Analyzing the Pole VaultPole vaults analyzed on video: conservation of energy, elastic potential energy, impulse in landings, and net forceEnergy · Forces and interactions (HS-PS3-1, HS-PS3-2, HS-PS2-3, HS-PS2-1, HS-PS3-3) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 31–35 | Quieting a School Beside a HighwayA noise barrier between a highway and a school: sound waves, wavelength and diffraction, absorption, and test designWaves and electromagnetic radiation · Energy · Engineering design (HS-PS4-1, HS-PS3-3, HS-ETS1-3) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 36–40 | Tuning a Violin in the WorkshopA violin maker tunes strings and tests the body: standing waves and harmonics, beats, and string vs sound wavesWaves and electromagnetic radiation (HS-PS4-1, HS-PS4-3) | 2 MC, 3 CR | Practice cluster |
| 41–45 | Flying on a Column of AirIndoor skydiving tunnel: forces on a floating flyer, fan power and current, kinetic energy, energy in a closed air loopForces and interactions · Energy (HS-PS2-1, HS-PS3-6, HS-PS3-1, HS-PS3-3, HS-PS3-2) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 46–50 | Watching BetelgeuseThe red supergiant Betelgeuse: star lifetimes and fusion, infrared vs visible light, and nuclear vs chemical energyEarth and space science · Waves and electromagnetic radiation · Matter and nuclear processes (HS-ESS1-2, HS-PS4-1, HS-PS1-8) | 4 MC, 1 CR | Practice cluster |
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.