Side-by-side comparison: Physical Science: Physics vs. Physical Setting/Physics
| Feature | New Exam (NYSP12SLS) | Legacy Exam (Retiring) |
|---|---|---|
| Official NYSED title | Regents Examination in Physical Science: Physics | Regents Examination in Physical Setting/Physics |
| Standards framework | NYSP12SLS three-dimensional standards (SEP + DCI + CCC), including Engineering Design (HS-ETS1), Nuclear Processes (HS-PS1-8), and Big Bang / Stellar Spectra (HS-ESS1-2) | Legacy Physical Setting/Physics Core Curriculum |
| Question count & structure | 45–55 questions across 9–11 phenomenon clusters (50 questions in 10 clusters on June 2026: 30 MC, 20 CR; 1 credit each) | 85 questions across Part A (35 MC), Part B-1 (15 MC), Part B-2 (15–20 CR), and Part C (15–20 CR) |
| Reference tables | 2025 Edition Reference Tables for Physical Science: Physics | 2006 Edition Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Physics |
| Laboratory requirement | 1,200 lab minutes including all 3 required NYSED Physics Investigations | 1,200 lab minutes with satisfactory written laboratory reports |
| Where to practice | All Regents — interactive phenomenon clusters for the June 2026 exam, 2025 sample clusters, and Practice Exams A & B | NYSED’s legacy Physical Setting/Physics archive |
Old exam vs. new exam: 4 real Physics cluster comparisons from our library
| Domain | How Legacy Physical Setting/Physics Tested It | How the New Physical Science: Physics Exam Tests It |
|---|---|---|
| Impulse, Momentum & Engineering Design | Isolated Part A/B calculation: given mass, speed, and stopping time, solve FΔt = mΔv. | In June 2026 Cluster 4: Motorcycle Helmets (Q15–20), you combine impact force-time graphs, liner energy absorption, and quantitative engineering design constraints (HS-PS2-3, HS-ETS1-2). |
| Conservation of Mechanical Energy | Standalone pendulum or spring problem using PEs = ½kx2 or KE = ½mv2. | In 2025 Sample Cluster 1: Bungee Jumping (Q1–5) and June 2026 Cluster 1: Pendulum Motion (Q1–5), you translate between experimental tables, energy bar charts, and multi-stage gravitational/elastic energy models. |
| Waves, Optics & Digital Information | Single Snell’s law angle lookup or wave speed calculation (v = fλ). | In June 2026 Cluster 2: Kidney Stone Detection (Q6–10) and Sample Cluster 2: Automotive Optics (Q1–5), you analyze acoustic impedance, total internal reflection in rain-sensing windshields, LiDAR photon energy, and digital wave encoding (Voice Recognition Software, Q41–45). |
| Astrophysics & Nuclear Processes | Standard Model quark/lepton table lookups (removed) and isolated photon energy transitions. | In June 2026 Cluster 5: Emission Spectra and Nuclear Fusion (Q21–24) and Cluster 8: From Astro Blaster to Supernova (Q36–40), you connect Doppler redshift of atomic spectra (HS-ESS1-2), stellar fusion mass-energy equivalence (HS-PS1-8), and multi-body momentum transfer. |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between Physical Science: Physics and Physical Setting/Physics?
- Physical Science: Physics is NYSED's new NYSP12SLS Regents exam (debuted June 2026), featuring 45–55 questions across 9–11 phenomenon clusters (50 questions in 10 clusters on June 2026) and the 2025 Edition Reference Tables. Physical Setting/Physics is the retiring exam based on the legacy Core Curriculum, featuring 85 questions across Parts A, B-1, B-2, and C with the 2006 Reference Tables.
- When is the last administration of the old Physical Setting/Physics Regents exam?
- June 2027 (Thursday, June 24, 2027 at 9:15 a.m.) is the final administration of the legacy Physical Setting/Physics exam. Both Physics Regents exams run simultaneously on Wednesday, January 27, 2027 at 1:15 p.m. and Thursday, June 24, 2027 at 9:15 a.m.
- How can I tell which Physics Regents exam I am taking in 2027?
- Check whether your class uses the 2025 Edition Reference Tables for Physical Science: Physics or the 2006 Edition Reference Tables, whether your class completed the 3 required NYSED Physics Investigations, and confirm the exact booklet title with your teacher.