A Level Physics AQA Past Papers

AQA A level physics spec at a glance

The AQA A Level Physics course is a challenging qualification made up of three exam papers, 8 core modules and 5 optional modules. The following outlines the course content and exam structure.

Mandatory Modules

1 Measurements and their errors

2 Particles and radiation

3 Waves

4 Mechanics and materials

5 Electricity

6 Further mechanics and thermal physics

7 Fields and their consequences

8 Nuclear physics

Optional Modules

9 Astrophysics

10 Medical physics

11 Engineering physics

12 Turning points in physics

13 Electronics

AS Level Physics Exam Structure:

Paper 1

·Sections 1 – 5

·1 hour 30 minutes

·70 marks

·50% of AS qualification

·The 70 marks are a mixture of short and long answer questions split by topic.

Paper 2

·Sections 1 – 5

·1 hour 30 minutes

·70 marks

·50% of AS qualification

·Questions: Section A is out of 20 marks of short and long answer questions on practical skills and data analysis. Section B is out of 20 marks of short and long answer questions from across all areas of AS content. Section C has 30 multiple choice questions to finish the paper.

A-Level Physics Exam Structure:

Paper 1

·Sections 1 to 5 and 6.1 (Periodic motion)

·2 hours

·85 marks

·34% of the A-level qualification

·The paper is made up of 60 marks of short and long answer questions and 25 multiple choice questions on content.

Paper 2

·Sections 6.2 (Thermal Physics), 7 and 8

·Assumed knowledge from sections 1 to 6.1

·written exam: 2 hours

·85 marks

·34% of A-level qualification

·Questions

·60 marks of short and long answer questions and 25 multiple choice questions on content.

Paper 3

·Section A Compulsory section: Practical skills and data analysis

·Section B: Students enter for one of sections 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13

·2 hours

·80 marks

·32% of the A-level qualification

·The exam is 45 marks of short and long answer questions on practical experiments and data analysis.

·The exam is composed of 35 marks of short and long answer questions on optional topic.