LEAVING CERT PHYSICS - HIGHER AND ORDINARY LEVEL:STUDENTS RELYING on exam predictions to get them through the Leaving Cert higher level physics paper were disappointed yesterday morning. Two of the four questions in section A appeared on the paper in 2006. "They weren't expected to come up again this year," said ASTI subject representative Edel McInerney.

Overall, the response to the higher level paper was a positive one however, as the paper rewarded diligent students who had learned their definitions and practised questions from previous exam papers.

"If students had looked at previous exam papers they would have come across most of what was on the paper before," said TUI subject representative Michael Gillespie.

Physics, as it applies to the real world, was a theme that ran through both the higher and ordinary level papers. "Question six in the higher level paper was a question about gravity as applied to a space station," Mr Gillespie said.

"The application of theory to real-world situations brings physics into the real world for students."

"Some of the questions were very topical," Ms McInerney agreed. "There was one about the energy needs of a house on the ordinary level paper which was good to see."

Of the long questions on the higher level paper, question nine on light was unanimously seen as the more difficult option by teachers. "It appeared nice at the outset," Ms McInerney said, "but the end of the question was very tough for all but the really excellent students."

Question eight on electromagnetic induction was "clever", according to Pat Doyle of the Institute of Education, while Mr Gillespie said that those who had worked steadily and covered the basics were rewarded as there were more marks than usual going for definitions this year.

Ms McInerney said the option questions were, "very fair. She singled out question 12 about Ireland's energy needs for praise. "I think that when a student is familiar with an issue like the need for renewable energy, it helps them to do the question."

Students at ordinary level were also greeted with a topical paper. "It was very straightforward," Mr Gillespie said. "Question four might have been a bit difficult," Ms McInerney said, "but really there was nothing out of the ordinary in this paper."

Physics is widely regarded as a difficult subject by students. While biology boasted more than 27,000 sits this year, both chemistry and physics had just over 7,300 each.