Physics is a subject often rejected by students on the grounds that it is simply too difficult. Yesterday's papers should have gone some way to redressing this.

The Irish Times Leaving Cert diarist, Daithi Mac Sithigh, sat higher-level physics yesterday afternoon. His verdict was that the the paper was a lot easier than the mock exam, which was "a bit hair-raising". He called it "a very fair exam, with a lot of choice. I think it would encourage people to do physics. Section A covered virtually every part of the course, whereas sections B and C allowed you to pick the bits you were interested in."

ASTI subject representative Mr Matt Bermingham said his initial reaction to the higher-level paper was that it was awkward but, on closer examination, it was reasonable. In the higher-level paper, the first three questions in section A, the short-answer section, were fine. But the fourth question concentrated on one specific topic (the charge on the electron) and asked very specific questions, said Mr Bermingham, who teaches in St Colman's College, Fermoy, Co Cork.

Question 6 in section B, the experimental section, gave an account of an experiment to measure the speed of sound in air in the laboratory. There are three methods to do this, Mr Bermingham said, and students would have preferred the other two methods.

There was a wide choice in section C, and question 13 also gave an internal choice. Students should do well in this section, Mr Bermingham said.

At ordinary level, Mr Bermingham said the paper had a new layout and the marks allocated to each subsection of each question were given for the first time. This should make it easier for students to plan their answers. "It was attractively laid out and well illustrated with clear diagrams."

This was the second last time the old Leaving Cert physics syllabus will be examined. A new Leaving Cert physics syllabus will be introduced into schools next September. Mr Bermingham said the main problem with the old syllabus has been its length: most physics teachers would still be teaching new material in May. The new syllabus would be shorter, he said, so it should be more attractive.

There were 8,919 entries for yesterday morning's physics paper, while 1,106 students entered for the combined physics and chemistry papers.