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Prelim Statistics

Note: no statistics have yet been compiled for the revised prelim (2021 onwards), but the subject matter and breakdown are likely to be similar.

Combined Statistics, 1995-2011

This spreadsheet contains all-in-one, combined statistics of UC Davis Prelim exams 1995--2011. It will be updated from time to time. Please note that this spreadsheet consists of TWO separate sheets, Sheet 1 and Sheet 2. The later contains detailed statistics by subject. Problems by subject based on Sheet 2 will be uploaded to <UC Davis Prelims by Topic> folder on Prelims page (one PDF file per one subject). Old statistics can be found below.

Combined Prelim Statistics

Old statistics

The following are summaries of the types of problems and number of occurrence, organized by subject, on Prelims 1987-2005. Check the attachments on the Prelims page for collections of UC Davis prelim exams by topic.

Second Half of Prelim

Quantum Mechanics (1986-1989, 1995-2005)

1. Uncertainty relations

First Half of Prelim

Classical Mechanics (tests 1998-2005, 2007)

1. Lagrangian / Hamiltonian

2005 - 3 (pendulum)

2004 - 2 (pendula + hoop)

2004 - 8 (bead on a wire)

2003 - 2 (pendulum)

2002 - 2 (pulley + springs)

2001 - 5 (bead on a wire)

2000 - 5 (bead on hoop)

2000 - 13 (rolling down plane, also find I)

2000 - 16 (sprint + rod in water)

1999 - 1 (yo-yo)

1999 - 5 (marbles in dish, also find H)

1999 - 8 (double pendulum)

2. Lagrange’s Undetermined Multipliers

2005 - 9

2001 - 10 (ladder)

2000 - 15

3. Eigenfrequencies/vectors of masses and springs

2002 - 8 (triangular)

2001 - 4 (linear)

4. Gravity

2007 - 10 (torsion pendulum, small oscillations)

2005 - 7

1998 - 13 (comet)

5. Virial Theorem

2003 - 6

6. Central Force

2003 - 4

2000 - 8

1998 - 7

7. Misc

2007 - 4 (moment of inertia tensor, impulse)

2004 - 5 (force, PE, KE)

2002 - 10 (pendulum, energy conservation)

1998 - 3 (H.O., turning points)

Electromagnetism (tests 1998-2004)

1. Electrostatics

2004 - 9

2004 - 6

1999 - 6

2. Images

2004 - 3

3. Boundary Conditions

2003 - 9

2003 - 3

2002 - 7

2001 - 8

1999 - 9

2001 - 9

4. Electrodynamics

2003 - 5

2003 - 10

2004 - 4

5. Plane waves

2002 - 5

2001 - 3

1999 - 4

2000 - 19

6. Magnetics

2001 - 2

2005 - 8

2002 - 9

2000 - 10

2000 - 1

7. Dipoles

1998 - 5

1999 - 2

8. Vector Potential and 4-vectors

1998 - 19

2000 - 11

1998 - 15

2005 - 8

9. Other problems

2002 - 1

1998 - 1

Particle Collision:

2006-13

2004-14

2002-15c

1989-16

Particle Decay:

2005-18

1998-20b

1988-12

Math Methods (1985-1989, 1995-2006)

1. Complex Analysis

2005 - 8

2004 - 1

2003 - 1

2002 - 6

1999 - 7

1995 - 17

2000 - 7

1995 - 4

2003 - 7

2002 - 3

1997 - 15

1989 - 19

1984 - 7

1982 - 22

2001 - 6

2. Fourier Analysis

2000 - 4

2005 - 5

1987 - 12

3. Differential Equations

2004 - 10

1999 - 3

1989 - 13

1982 - 1

4. Green's Functions

2003 - 8

1982 - 18

2006 - 9

1981 - 5

5. Legendre Polynomials

2004 - 6

2002 – 4

6. Integrals

1998 - 12

1986 - 5

2001 - 1

7. Miscellaneous

2006 - 7

1989 - 1

2003 - 15

2005 - 16

2005 - 13

2. Simple Harmonic Oscillator

2000 - 12

2003 - 18

3. Operator Manipulations

1997 - 6

1999 - 12

2000 - 2

1988 - 19

1987 - 22

2004 - 16

1998 - 14

1989 - 15

4. Attractive Potentials

2002 - 13

2002 - 17

2004 - 18

1997 - 9

1987 - 15

2001 - 14

5. Simple Scattering Theory*

2000 - 20

2001 - 20

2003 - 19

1986 - 11

*note that this material is no longer a requisite

6. 2-state Systems, and Spin Coupling

2001 - 15

2002 - 19

2005 - 14

2004 - 19

2001 - 13

1986 - 3

2004 - 11

2000 - 9

7. Perturbation Theory & Variational Methods

1988 - 18

2002 - 11

1987 - 10

1988 - 9

1986 - 22

8. Rigid Rotator

1997 - 2

1998 - 4

2005 - 11

1988 - 6

9. Electric and/or Magnetic Field Interactions

10. Misc. Oddball Stuff

Thermodynamics (1981-1989, 1995-2005)

1. Ideal gas

1981 - 7

1998 - 11

1999 - 11

2003 - 12

2003 - 20

2005 - 17

2. Potentials

1981 - 6

1983 - 7

1987 - 21

2000 - 17

2001 - 16

2003 - 14

2004 - 17

3. Entropy

1986 - 6

1988 - 22

1989 - 23

1996 - 12

2002 - 12

4. Miscellaneous

1981 - 4

1982 - 11

1986 - 10

1989 - 2

2001 - 19

Statistical Mechanics Problems (1981-1989, 1995-2005)

1. Diatomic Molecules

1987 - 17

2000 - 14

2. Harmonic oscillator

1984 - 23

1995 - 19

1996 - 19

1997 - 19

1999 - 14

2001 - 11

2002 - 14

2004 - 15

2005 - 19

3. Magnetics

1982 - 10

1984 - 16

1989 - 18

2005 - 12

4. Fermi-Dirac/Bose-Einstein

1997 - 4

1998 - 6

2002 - 20

2004 - 20

5. Miscellaneous

1988 - 17

2000 - 3

1981 - 4

Lab Methods, Data Analysis, Misc. (1985-1989, 1995-2007)

1. Probability Distributions and Error Analysis

2007 - 18

2006 - 17

2005 - 15

2004 - 13

2003 - 16

2001 - 17

1999 - 20

1998 - 10

1998 - 16

1997 - 16

1996 - 9

1996 - 15

1995 - 6

2. Experiments

2004 - 12

2002 - 18

1997 - 10

1989 - 9

1986 - 4

1985 - 4

3. Specialized Topic

2003 - 19

2001 - 12

1998 - 20

1997 - 11

1996 - 18

1987 - 13

1986 - 18

1985 - 12

Special Relativity (1988-1989, 1995-2007)

1. E&M 4-Vector

2007 - 5

2000 - 11

1998 - 19

1995 - 3

2. Lorentz Transform with 4-Vector

2007 - 12

1988 - 21

3. Particle Collision

2006 - 13

2004 - 14

2002 - 15c

1999 - 13

1999 - 18

1995 - 5

1989 - 16

4. Particle Decay

2005 - 18

1998 - 20b

1996 - 6

1988 - 12

5. Lagrangian

1996 - 16

1995 - 11

1989 - 6

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