Bilkent PHYS 101 Midterm 1
General Physics I · We broke the last 5 midterms down problem by problem. Projectile motion was on all 5 of them. Circular motion is on the syllabus but didn't come up on any of them. Don't guess what to study; see it below.
Exam facts
From the official PHYS 101 syllabus, Fall 2026-27.
| Date | Saturday, 24 October 2026 · time TBACommon exam: all sections sit it at the same time. The time hasn't been announced yet: in past terms PHYS 101 and 102 were on the same day but at different times. Room and time lists are announced before the exam (course page / Moodle). |
| Scope | Giancoli Ch. 1–5Measurement, 1D kinematics, vectors and 2D motion, Newton's laws, friction and circular motion. Circular motion is on the syllabus but didn't come up in the last 5 MT1s. |
| Format | 3–4 written problems, ~100 pointsThe known MT1s were 90 minutes. Problems have chained parts: (a), (b), (c). |
| Weight | 20% of your gradeMT1 20%, MT2 20%, final 30%, lab 20%, quizzes 10%. |
| Rules | No calculator, no formula sheetNo formula sheet is provided (exam rules). Phones are collected before the exam. If you're more than 20 minutes late you're not admitted, no one may leave in the first 20 minutes, and there are no bathroom breaks during the exam. If you don't sign the Honor Code, your paper isn't graded. Bring your Bilkent ID. |
What came up in the last 5 MT1s
Each box is one exam. Filled red box: the topic was a main problem on that exam. Half box: it came up as a part of another problem. Share of points: the topic's percentage of all the points on the 5 exams (parts included).
- Projectile motion (2D, incl. relative velocity)share of points: 32%
- Drawing the free-body diagram (FBD)share of points: 10%
- 1D constant acceleration / chaseshare of points: 19%
- Pulley + string constraint (Newton's 2nd law)share of points: 13%
- Friction + incline / wedgeshare of points: 14%
- Vector kinematics r(t) → v, ashare of points: 6%
- Static equilibrium / the instant a string is cutshare of points: 5%
- Circular motion / banked curvenever came up
- Drag force / terminal speednever came up
circular motion: 0 in the last 5. leave it for last, don't skip it.
On the syllabus but didn't come up in the last 5 MT1s. It can still show up as a part: leave it for last, don't skip it (~1 hour is enough).
Source: the Spring 2023-24, Fall 2024-25, Spring 2024-25, Fall 2025-26 and Spring 2025-26 MT1s, classified problem by problem by us. This is a study aid, not a guarantee of what will be on the exam.
What to expect this term
- Projectile motion, but never a plain range problem. There's always a twist: clearing a wall, launching from a moving platform, a bounce or a moving target. Expect 25–35 points.
- Newton + pulley + string constraint. A free-body diagram is on all 5 exams and is often graded on its own. Pulleys came up on 3 of the 5; a moving-pulley relation like a₁ = 2a₂ on 2 of the last 5.
- A 1D chase or braking problem. The first problem on 3 of the last 5. Two objects, one accelerating: when does it catch up, and how hard must it brake to avoid a collision?
- An optimization part. 4 of the 5 exams have a min/max part: on 2 of them you set a derivative to zero to find the best angle; on the others you get the minimum speed or acceleration from a condition or an inequality.
- “Under what condition is it impossible?” A part that ends in an inequality is on 4 of the 5 exams.
MT1 in 3 days
If you have 3 days left, start with the topic worth the most points.
- Day 1: Projectile motion (Ch. 3). Don't memorize formulas; start from x(t) and y(t). Spend time on relative velocity and optimizing over θ. Try the 5 past projectile problems before looking at the solutions.
- Day 2: Newton, pulleys, friction (Ch. 4–5). Derive the string constraint from the length of the string. Use the static-friction inequality to find threshold angles and threshold forces.
- Day 3: Kinematics + a full run (Ch. 1–2). Lock in the chase template. In the evening, do one MT1 start to finish with a 90-minute timer.
the 7-day plan, with past problems tied to each day, is in the pack.
Official past exams with solutions
These are free and public. We don't sell them; we just take you to the right file.
All terms: www.fen.bilkent.edu.tr/~phys101/past_exams.html · Official syllabus: PHYS 101 syllabus ↗
How to study for it
- Solve past exams by topic, not by date. Do the five projectile problems back to back and the pattern shows itself. The order the exams were given in teaches you nothing.
- Practice without a calculator. The exam is mostly symbolic. Make it a habit to leave answers in symbols and to check units and limiting cases.
- Never skip the free-body diagram. On most dynamics problems the diagram earns its own points. Writing equations without drawing it leaves points on the table.
- No new topics the night before. On the last evening, do one MT1 in 90 minutes, go back to the topic you got wrong, then sleep.
Finish one pattern free, then decide.
Projectile with a constraint: an 8:38 video in English, the recipe step by step, and exam-level problems with graded solutions. No sign-up.free
Watch the free projectile patternWant the whole topic? The free unit covers vectors, 2D kinematics, projectile motion and relative velocity: a formula sheet, 8 traps, 7 worked examples and 26 exam-style problems. Open the free unit. Lesson text is in Turkish; problems and videos are in English. Full PHYS 101 MT1 pack: 999 TL, one payment, no subscription · refund policy (Turkish)
FAQ
When is the PHYS 101 Midterm 1?
Saturday, 24 October 2026. It's a common exam: all sections sit it at the same time. The time hasn't been announced yet; in past terms PHYS 101 and 102 were on the same day at different times. Room and time lists are announced before the exam on the course page / Moodle.
What topics are on PHYS 101 MT1?
Giancoli Ch. 1–5: measurement, 1D kinematics, vectors and projectile motion, Newton's laws, friction and circular motion. Across the last 5 exams, projectile motion earned the most points. Circular motion is on the syllabus but didn't come up in the last 5: leave it for last, don't skip it.
Where are the past exams and solutions?
The physics department posts solutions to recent terms' MT1, MT2 and final exams on the course page, for free. The links on this page go straight to those PDFs.
How much is MT1 worth, and how do I avoid an FZ?
MT1 is 20% of the letter grade (MT2 20%, final 30%, lab 20%, quizzes 10%). To avoid an FZ, the weighted average of the two midterms must be at least 30, your lab grade at least 60 and your attendance at least 70%.
Is a calculator allowed?
No. Per the syllabus, calculators and phones aren't allowed, and no formula sheet is provided. That's why the problems are mostly symbolic.
Is this an official Bilkent resource?
No. Vizekit is an independent study resource. The analysis and lessons are ours; for the official solved exams we only link.
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