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How to Make Sense of the SEC G2 Science (Physics, Chemistry) Syllabus in Singapore | K223 Papers, Topics and Marks

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by

eduKate Asia
Student in a white shirt, blue tie and navy skirt standing in a bright covered school corridor.

The SEC G2 Science (Physics, Chemistry) syllabus, code K223, is the official SEAB document for students in Singapore who take G2 Science with Physics and Chemistry as its two parts. This guide explains how the four papers are split between the two sciences, what each science covers, what the examiners look for and how families can use the document well.

What this quick-reference guide does: This document reference clarifies the G2 Physics–Chemistry examination papers and the correct K223 pairing. For topic explanations, original scientific problems and future pathways, read the primary Physics–Chemistry guide. Match revision materials to the actual SEAB subject code, not merely to a broad Science or Mathematics label.

The K223 syllabus is official.

It is precise, and it shares one document with two other Science combinations.

It is easy to miss which pages apply to you.

Once you know where Physics and Chemistry sit, the document becomes a useful map.

This guide is useful for families who need to:

  • see how the four K223 papers divide between Physics and Chemistry;
  • check the thirteen Physics topics and nine Chemistry topics;
  • understand how practical skills are assessed without a practical paper; or
  • know which parts of the shared G2 Science document to set aside.

At eduKateSG, we start from the official syllabus document whenever we plan lessons, and this guide applies the same habit to G2 Science.

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SEC G2 Science (Physics, Chemistry) Syllabus at a Glance

  • Syllabus code: K223
  • Subject code for reference (2026 and earlier): 5105, as shown on the SEAB listing page
  • Who it is for: school candidates taking G2 Science with Physics and Chemistry
  • Examination year of this document: 2027
  • The document: one combined G2 Science syllabus that also covers K224 and K225
  • Papers: four, Papers 1 and 2 in Physics and Papers 3 and 4 in Chemistry
  • Total time: two sessions of 1 hour 15 minutes each
  • Weightings: Papers 1 and 3 are 20% each, Papers 2 and 4 are 30% each, so each science adds up to 50%
  • Practical: no practical paper; experimental skills are about 10% of the marks in the written papers
  • Calculator: an approved calculator may be used in all papers
  • Periodic Table: printed as part of Papers 3 and 4
  • Formula sheet: not mentioned in the syllabus document
  • Where to download: SEAB 2027 SEC G2 syllabuses page

This guide is based on the SEAB syllabus document examined in 2027. SEAB can update syllabuses, so always check the latest version on the SEAB website.

What the Syllabus Is For

K223 shares three aims with the other two G2 Science combinations. They are to:

  • give all students a worthwhile experience of science, whether or not they study it further;
  • build the understanding and skills of the practices of science, so students can apply science and solve problems; and
  • develop values and attitudes such as curiosity, integrity, objectivity and healthy scepticism.

The Physics section aims for a coherent understanding of energy, matter and how they relate. It works within classical physics, explaining the physical world with models, principles and laws.

The Chemistry section puts less weight on factual material and more on understanding and applying concepts. Its big ideas are about what matter is and how particles interact.

The document does not describe what comes before or after K223. On SEAB’s 2027 G2 list, it sits beside Science (Physics, Biology), K224, and Science (Chemistry, Biology), K225.

How the Examination Is Structured

The combined document lists six papers. K223 candidates take four: the two Physics papers and the two Chemistry papers. Papers 5 and 6, the Biology papers, are not part of K223.

Papers 1 and 2: Physics

  • Session: one sitting of 1 hour 15 minutes for both papers
  • Paper 1: Multiple Choice, 20 compulsory questions, 20 marks, 20%
  • Paper 2: Structured, 30 marks, 30%
  • Paper 2 Section A: 22 marks of compulsory structured questions, the last worth 8 marks
  • Paper 2 Section B: 8 marks, answer one of two structured questions
  • Equipment: candidates should have geometrical instruments with them for both Physics papers

Papers 3 and 4: Chemistry

  • Session: one sitting of 1 hour 15 minutes for both papers
  • Paper 3: Multiple Choice, 20 compulsory questions, 20 marks, 20%
  • Paper 4: Structured, 30 marks, 30%, with the same Section A and Section B pattern as Paper 2
  • Data: a copy of the Periodic Table of Elements is printed as part of both Chemistry papers

Candidates are advised to spend no more than 30 minutes on each multiple-choice paper, which leaves at least 45 minutes for the structured paper in the same session.

Added up, the Physics papers and the Chemistry papers are worth 50% each, and in each science the structured paper carries more than the multiple-choice paper.

What the Syllabus Covers

K223 uses two of the document’s three science sections. Physics has six sections and thirteen topics; Chemistry has three sections and nine topics.

Physics I: Measurement

  • physical quantities, units and measurement.

Physics II: Newtonian Mechanics

  • kinematics;
  • force and pressure;
  • dynamics; and
  • energy.

Physics III: Thermal Physics

  • kinetic particle model of matter; and
  • thermal processes.

Physics IV: Waves

  • general wave properties; and
  • electromagnetic spectrum.

Physics V: Electricity and Magnetism

  • electric charge and current of electricity;
  • d.c. circuits; and
  • practical electricity.

Physics VI: Radioactivity

  • radioactivity.

Chemistry I: Matter (Structures and Properties)

  • experimental chemistry;
  • the particulate nature of matter; and
  • chemical bonding and structure.

Chemistry II: Chemical Reactions

  • chemical calculations;
  • acid-base chemistry;
  • qualitative analysis; and
  • patterns in the Periodic Table.

Chemistry III: Chemistry in a Sustainable World

  • organic chemistry; and
  • maintaining air quality.

The two sciences meet in places. Physics has a kinetic particle model of matter and Chemistry has kinetic particle theory; Physics looks at the composition of the atom and Chemistry at atomic structure.

What the Examiners Are Looking For

The assessment objectives are shared by all six papers, with approximate weightings.

A: Knowledge with Understanding, about 45%

Facts, laws, definitions, concepts, vocabulary, units, apparatus and applications. Within this, about 20% of the marks go to recall.

B: Handling Information and Solving Problems, about 45%

Selecting and presenting information, translating between forms, handling numbers and data, finding patterns, explaining, predicting and solving problems.

C: Experimental Skills and Investigations, about 10%

Choosing techniques and apparatus, taking readings, interpreting data and suggesting improvements. These marks sit inside the written papers.

Across the papers, handling information counts for about as much as knowledge.

How to Read the Syllabus Document

The document covers three sciences, so read it selectively.

  • Aims and Practices of Science: the shared purpose of all three G2 Science combinations
  • Assessment Objectives: the three skill areas and their weightings
  • Scheme of Assessment: the K223 line (Papers 1, 2, 3 and 4), then the six-paper table
  • Physics Section: introduction, disciplinary ideas, content structure, subject content, key quantities and practical guidelines
  • Chemistry Section: the same parts, plus the Notes for Qualitative Analysis and the Periodic Table
  • Biology Section: not part of K223
  • Glossary of Terms: what command words such as “Explain” and “Suggest” ask for
  • Special Note: nomenclature, units and significant figures, calculators and geometrical instruments

Common Misunderstandings

“K223 has its own syllabus document.”

It shares one G2 Science document with K224 and K225. Use the Physics and Chemistry sections and the K223 line of the scheme of assessment.

“There is a practical examination.”

The scheme of assessment has no practical paper. Students are expected to have carried out at least four tasks from each science’s practical list, and theory papers may refer to those techniques.

“Each paper has its own time limit.”

Papers 1 and 2 share one 1 hour 15 minute session, and so do Papers 3 and 4. The syllabus advises no more than 30 minutes on each multiple-choice paper.

“Electricity and Magnetism means a lot of magnet work.”

In this syllabus, that section’s three topics are electric charge and current, d.c. circuits and practical electricity.

“A formula sheet will be provided.”

The document does not include or promise a formula list. It does print the Periodic Table in the Chemistry papers.

How Students Can Use the Syllabus

1. Mark your two sections

Tab the Physics and Chemistry sections and set the Biology section aside.

2. Make a twenty-two-topic checklist

List the thirteen Physics topics and nine Chemistry topics, and rate your confidence in each.

3. Practise each session as a pair

Do 20 multiple-choice questions in no more than 30 minutes, then a structured paper in the time left.

4. Know the practical tasks

Understand the techniques in both practical lists, such as finding density, measuring resistance, titration and testing for gases.

5. Learn the command words

Use the glossary to see what each instruction word asks for.

6. Check units every time

The Special Note warns that misusing units or significant figures is liable to be penalised.

How Parents Can Help

  • download the combined document and mark the K223 parts;
  • ask your child to show you the topic checklist now and then;
  • ask about practical work in school, not only test scores;
  • make sure your child has an approved calculator and geometrical instruments;
  • encourage short, regular revision in both sciences; and
  • keep conversations about results calm and specific.

How eduKateSG Uses the G2 Science (Physics, Chemistry) Syllabus

  • we read the official SEAB document first, rather than relying on second-hand summaries;
  • we help families find the parts of the combined document that apply to K223;
  • we use the syllabus’s own objectives to ask whether a difficulty is about recall, handling information or experimental skills;
  • we look for habits that matter in both sciences, such as reading graphs and writing units; and
  • we are honest about whether our classes are the right fit for a student’s science needs.

Getting Support

Every student starts from a different place.

Speak with us about your child’s level, subject and recent results. If our 3-pax classes are the right fit, we will explain how they work. If they are not, we will say so honestly.

Format: Premium 3-pax small-group tutorials, 1.5 hours weekly

The usual first step is a parent–student consultation.

What Parents Can Bring to the Consultation

Useful materials include:

  • a copy of the syllabus, or its code;
  • recent test papers and weighted assessments;
  • the latest report book;
  • the school’s assessment schedule; and
  • examples of questions the student finds difficult.

We are not only looking at the score.

We are looking for patterns.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many papers are there in SEC G2 Science (Physics, Chemistry)?

K223 candidates take four papers: Papers 1 and 2 in Physics and Papers 3 and 4 in Chemistry. Each pair is taken in one session of 1 hour 15 minutes.

How are the marks split between Physics and Chemistry?

Each science has a 20-mark multiple-choice paper worth 20% and a 30-mark structured paper worth 30%. Physics and Chemistry therefore carry equal weight.

Is there a practical exam in K223?

No practical paper is listed in the scheme of assessment. Students are expected to have carried out at least four practical tasks from each science’s list, and experimental skills make up about 10% of the marks in the written papers.

Is a calculator allowed, and is the Periodic Table provided?

An approved calculator may be used in all papers. A copy of the Periodic Table of Elements is printed as part of Papers 3 and 4. The document does not mention a formula sheet.

Is K223 the same as the earlier syllabus 5105?

The SEAB listing page shows 5105 as the subject code for reference for 2026 and earlier. The K223 document does not describe any changes, so use the 2027 PDF as your reference.

Where do I download the K223 syllabus?

It is on the SEAB page for 2027 SEC G2 syllabuses. The link opens the combined G2 Science document, which also covers K224 and K225.

Helpful Reading

The eduKateSG Syllabus Series

Plain-language guides to SEAB syllabuses, from PSLE to A-Level. More guides are being added.

Science guides

More Secondary (SEC) guides

SEC G2 Science (Physics, Chemistry) Syllabus: Two Sciences, Equal Weight

The syllabus is not a textbook.

It is a map.

Four papers. Two sessions. Two sciences.

Physics and Chemistry each carry half the weighting.

Read your two sections once properly, and every topic has a place.

Then practise steadily, with care over timing, units and working.

Arrange a Parent–Student Consultation

Speak with us about your child’s level, recent results, learning gaps and the dates ahead.

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