How to Answer 'Compare' Physics Questions | HSC Physics Key Verb Series Part 2

Answering ‘compare’ long response questions

Students find ‘compare’ Physics questions tricky to answer. Most students struggle to identify the comparative features and provide irrelevant and non-comparative response.

‘How to answer ‘compare’ Physics questions’ is a comprehensive guide for students on how to develop a structured scientific response that is specific, relevant and comparative.

In this article, we’re going to discuss;

• Types of ‘compare’ Physics questions
• The process for answering ‘compare’ Physics questions
• Sample ‘compare’ long response questions and answers using the ToC Framework

Types of ‘compare’ long response questions in the HSC Physics Exam

Compare physics questions are perceived to be relatively easy to answer. But it’s also the question type students can lose marks easily without knowing.

There is always one or more ‘compare’ question in the HSC Physics Exam.

There are two main types of compare questions asked in HSC Physics exams:

1. Compare qualitatively {………………}
2. Compare quantitatively {………………}

Examples of ‘compare’ questions in Physics exams

Marks allocated for an ‘compare’ long response question can vary from 2 to 6 marks. Examples of ‘compare’ questions with different marks are listed below.

What is the process for answering ‘compare’ Physics questions?

To answer ‘compare’ physics questions, you must first understand the meaning of the verb, ‘compare’.

The NSW Education Standards Authority defines ‘compare’ as “show how things are similar or different.”

When answering ‘compare’ questions, students are required to show similarities and/or differences between two or more things.

Compare requires similarities and/or differences whereas ‘contrast’ requires differences only. 

One of the ways to show similarities and/or differences using Learnable’s ToC Framework^TM  to construct a specific and relevant response. 

Learnable’s ToC Framework^TM

The ToC Framework^TM or Table of Comparison helps you compare similarities and/or differences between two or more things in a structured manner and meet the marking criteria for ‘compare’ questions.

A ToC for comparing 2 objects is shown below.

A ToC for comparing 3 objects is shown below.

When comparing 2 objects, you need to construct a 3 column ToC. When comparing 3 objects, you need to construct a 4 column ToC.

Sample ‘compare’ Physics questions and answers using the ToC Framework^TM

Let’s apply Learnable’s ToC Framework to answer the two types of ‘compare’ Physics questions.

1. Compare qualitatively {……………….}
2. Compare quantitatively {……………….}

Solution to Question 1(a)

This is qualitative comparative question.  

Step 1: Identify the features that require a direct comparison.

Step 2: Provide a qualitative or quantitative comparative detail for each feature identified.

Step 3: Construct a specific, relevant and comparative response.

A sample response to the question using the ToC Framework is shown below.

The force of Earth on the moon is equal in magnitude to the force of the moon on Earth, but in the opposite direction.

Solution to Question 1(b)

Part (b): This is quantitative comparative question.  

Step 1: Identify the features that require a direct comparison.

Step 2: Provide a qualitative or quantitative comparative detail for each feature identified.

Step 3: Construct a specific, relevant and comparative response.

Quantitative comparison of the mass and weight of a 70 kg person on the moon and on Earth is given in the table below.

The table of comparison in Step 2 can be presented as the answer. In fact the HSC Marketing Committee recommends that students use a table for answering ‘compare’ Physics questions.

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Written by DJ Kim

DJ is the founder of Learnable and has a passionate interest in education and technology. He is also the author of Physics resources on Learnable.