Physics (II) Charts, School Education

Quick Answer: Physics (II) Charts are the second set in a numbered series of physics teaching charts, usually covering light, electricity and magnetism through ray diagrams, circuit diagrams and magnetic field patterns. They are used in secondary and senior secondary physics.

Rays, Circuits and Fields

Optics is taught almost entirely through diagrams, which suits a wall chart well. Physics teaching charts in this second set usually show the laws of reflection at a plane mirror, image formation by concave and convex mirrors and lenses for different object positions, refraction through a glass slab, dispersion of white light by a prism, and the human eye with the correction of short sight and long sight.

Electricity sheets set out circuit symbols, series and parallel connections, Ohm’s law in the form V = IR, and the heating effect of current. Magnetism sheets show field lines around a bar magnet and a current-carrying coil, Fleming’s left-hand rule for the motor effect and the right-hand rule for induced current, with labelled diagrams of the electric motor and the AC generator.

Which topics fall in set (II) rather than another set varies by edition, so compare the titles with your syllabus.

Care & Handling

• In a darkened optics room, hang the Physics (II) ray-diagram sheets near the door or window, where there is still enough light to read them.
• Mount the electricity sheets on the wall behind the circuit bench, above the level of leads and power supplies.
• Keep the optics and the electricity-and-magnetism sheets in separate labelled tubes so one topic can go up at a time.

Specifications

Applications

• Drawing ray diagrams before an optical bench practical
• Teaching circuit symbols and building series and parallel circuits
• Explaining the motor and generator with field-line diagrams
• Revising diagrams that are frequently examined

Why Choose LabEquip

Schools usually buy this set with the Physics (I) Charts on mechanics, and hang the optics sheets beside lenses, mirrors and prisms from the light and optics range. Orders go through the LabEquip contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a real and a virtual image?

A real image forms where light rays actually meet, can be caught on a screen and is inverted. A virtual image forms where rays only appear to come from, cannot be caught on a screen and is upright, like the image in a plane mirror.

How are short sight and long sight corrected?

In short sight (myopia) the image forms in front of the retina, and a concave (diverging) lens corrects it. In long sight (hypermetropia) the image forms behind the retina, and a convex (converging) lens corrects it.

What does Ohm’s law state?

At constant temperature, the current through a metallic conductor is directly proportional to the potential difference across it, written V = IR, where R is the resistance in ohms.

What is the difference between series and parallel circuits?

In series, components share one path, so the same current flows through each and their resistances add. In parallel, each component sits on its own branch across the same voltage, so one can be switched off without affecting the others, as in household wiring.

What is Fleming’s left-hand rule used for?

It gives the direction of the force on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field, the principle of the electric motor. The forefinger points along the field, the middle finger along the current, and the thumb shows the direction of motion.

Why does a prism split white light into colours?

Different colours travel at slightly different speeds in glass, so they bend by different amounts. Violet bends the most and red the least, and white light spreads out into a spectrum.

Last Updated: September 2026