Question breakdown in Observing Whales Above and Below Water (Q31–Q35)
| Question | Response Type | Topic | NYSP12SLS Standard | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 31 | 1-credit Multiple Choice (4 options) | Projectile | HS-PS2-1 | Solve in workspace → |
| Question 32 | 1-credit Constructed Response (rubric-scored) | Wave properties | HS-PS4-1 | Solve in workspace → |
| Question 33 | 1-credit Multiple Choice (4 options) | Wave interactions | HS-PS4-1 | Solve in workspace → |
| Question 34 | 1-credit Multiple Choice (4 options) | Wave properties | HS-PS4-1 | Solve in workspace → |
| Question 35 | 1-credit Constructed Response (rubric-scored) | Engineering design | HS-ETS1-1 | Solve in workspace → |
Other clusters in Physics Practice Exam K
| Questions | Cluster & Topics | Format | Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–5 | Analyzing Basket TossesCheerleaders launching a flyer into the air: projectile motion, net force and acceleration, energy conservationProjectile · Net force · Energy conservation · Work power (HS-PS2-1, HS-PS3-1) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 6–10 | Cargo Capsule CaptureA supply craft latching onto an orbiting station: conservation of momentum, impulse and average force, and energyMomentum conservation · Kinematics · Impulse · Energy conservation · Net force (HS-PS2-2, HS-PS2-1, HS-PS2-3, HS-PS3-1) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 11–15 | Water and Boats at Canal LocksDraining a lock chamber and towing a boat along a canal: energy transformations, free fall, and net forceEnergy conservation · Kinematics · Efficiency · Net force (HS-PS3-2, HS-PS2-1, HS-PS3-3) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 16–20 | Comparing Holiday Light StringsOlder incandescent and newer LED decorations: conducting paths and resistance, energy changes, and outlet currentCircuits · Energy transformation · Thermal (HS-PS3-6, HS-PS3-3, HS-PS3-4) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 21–25 | Charging a Museum DemonstrationSparks from a Van de Graaff generator: electric potential energy, electric fields, work from potential differenceElectric field · Energy transformation (HS-PS3-5, HS-PS2-4, HS-PS3-3) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 26–30 | Signals in an MRI ScannerCoils, pulses, and safety limits in a hospital scanner: electromagnetic induction, the EM spectrum, and absorbed powerMagnetism induction · Electromagnetic radiation · Wave properties · Engineering design (HS-PS2-5, HS-PS4-3, HS-PS4-4, HS-PS4-1, HS-ETS1-3) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 36–40 | Viewing the HarborA museum periscope and night cameras: mirror images, refraction and the critical angle, and the electromagnetic spectrumOptics · Electromagnetic radiation (HS-PS4-6, HS-PS4-1, HS-PS4-5) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 41–45 | Satellite Signals and PositionGPS navigation on a phone: signal timing, circular motion and gravitational force, and digital data in noiseWave properties · Circular motion · Information signals · Gravitation (HS-PS4-1, HS-PS2-1, HS-PS4-2, HS-PS2-4) | 3 MC, 2 CR | Practice cluster |
| 46–50 | Durability Tests for Solar ModulesHail-test ice balls and charge drifting through panel glass: force diagrams, kinetic energy, and electric fieldsNet force · Energy conservation · Kinematics · Electric field · Circuits (HS-PS2-1, HS-PS3-1, HS-PS3-5, HS-PS3-6) | 3 MC, 2 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 New 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.