specification overview
Edexcel A-Level Physics (9PH0) is a two-year linear qualification covering 13 topics from mechanics through to particle physics. Three 1h 45m to 2h 30m papers each contribute 30-40% of the grade, with Paper 3 pulling synoptically across the whole spec and drawing on the 16 core practicals.
specification overview
subject content
1-3. Working as a physicist, mechanics and electric circuits (year 1)
Papers 1, 3- Working as a physicist
- Mechanics: motion, forces, energy and power
- Electric circuits: current, resistance, EMF and internal resistance
4-5. Materials, waves and the particle nature of light (year 1)
Papers 2, 3- Materials: fluids, Stokes' law, Hooke's law and the Young modulus
- Waves and the particle nature of light: superposition, refraction, photons
6-8. Further mechanics, fields and particle physics (year 2)
Papers 1, 3- Further mechanics: momentum, impulse and circular motion
- Electric and magnetic fields: capacitors and electromagnetic induction
- Nuclear and particle physics: accelerators, quarks and leptons
9-13. Thermodynamics, space, nuclear radiation, gravitational fields and oscillations (year 2)
Papers 2, 3- Thermodynamics: internal energy, specific heat capacity and ideal gases
- Space: stellar evolution and cosmology; nuclear radiation and decay
- Gravitational fields; oscillations, damping and resonance
subject content
assessment structure
| Paper | What's assessed | Length | Marks | Weight | Question types |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Advanced Physics I) | Topics 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 (Working as a Physicist, Mechanics, Electric Circuits, Further Mechanics, Electric and Magnetic Fields, Nuclear and Particle Physics) | 1h 45m | 90 | 30% | Multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing |
| Paper 2 (Advanced Physics II) | Topics 1, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 (Working as a Physicist, Materials, Waves and Particle Nature of Light, Thermodynamics, Space, Nuclear Radiation, Gravitational Fields, Oscillations) | 1h 45m | 90 | 30% | Multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing |
| Paper 3 (General and Practical Principles in Physics) | Any content synoptically with strong focus on the 16 core practicals | 2h 30m | 120 | 40% | Short open, open-response, calculations, extended writing + experimental-methods questions |
PaperPaper 1 (Advanced Physics I)
What's assessedTopics 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 (Working as a Physicist, Mechanics, Electric Circuits, Further Mechanics, Electric and Magnetic Fields, Nuclear and Particle Physics)
Length1h 45m
Marks90
Weight30%
Question typesMultiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing
PaperPaper 2 (Advanced Physics II)
What's assessedTopics 1, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 (Working as a Physicist, Materials, Waves and Particle Nature of Light, Thermodynamics, Space, Nuclear Radiation, Gravitational Fields, Oscillations)
Length1h 45m
Marks90
Weight30%
Question typesMultiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculations and extended writing
PaperPaper 3 (General and Practical Principles in Physics)
What's assessedAny content synoptically with strong focus on the 16 core practicals
Length2h 30m
Marks120
Weight40%
Question typesShort open, open-response, calculations, extended writing + experimental-methods questions
Paper 3 is the biggest paper (40%) and pulls content synoptically across all 13 topics. Similar structure to Edexcel A-Level Chemistry.
assessment structure
assessment objectives
| AO | What it means | Overall |
|---|---|---|
| AO1 | Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures. | 31-33% |
| AO2 | Apply knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures in theoretical and practical contexts. | 41-43% |
| AO3 | Analyse, interpret and evaluate scientific information, ideas and evidence to make judgements, reach conclusions and refine practical design and procedures. | 25-27% |
AOAO1
What it meansDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures.
Overall31-33%
AOAO2
What it meansApply knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures in theoretical and practical contexts.
Overall41-43%
AOAO3
What it meansAnalyse, interpret and evaluate scientific information, ideas and evidence to make judgements, reach conclusions and refine practical design and procedures.
Overall25-27%
assessment objectives
required practicals
| Practical | What it involves |
|---|---|
| CP1 Determine the acceleration of a freely-falling object | Determine g using a free-fall method. |
| CP2 Determine the electrical resistivity of a material | Measure resistance, length and cross-section to calculate resistivity. |
| CP3 Determine the e.m.f. and internal resistance of an electrical cell | Vary load and plot V-I to extract EMF and internal resistance. |
| CP4 Use a falling-ball method to determine the viscosity of a liquid | Drop small spheres through a viscous liquid and use Stokes' law. |
| CP5 Determine the Young modulus of a material | Load a wire, measure extension and calculate the Young modulus. |
| CP6 Determine the speed of sound in air using a 2-beam oscilloscope, signal generator, speaker and microphone | Measure sound speed via phase/time-of-flight on a 2-beam oscilloscope. |
| CP7 Investigate the effects of length, tension and mass per unit length on the frequency of a vibrating string or wire | Vary length, tension and mass per unit length on a string and measure frequency. |
| CP8 Determine the wavelength of light from a laser or other light source using a diffraction grating | Use a diffraction grating and measured angles to find wavelength. |
| CP9 Investigate the relationship between the force exerted on an object and its change of momentum | Investigate Newton's second law linking force and change of momentum. |
| CP10 Use ICT to analyse collisions between small spheres | Use video/ICT tools to analyse collisions between small spheres (e.g. ball bearings on a table top). |
| CP11 Use an oscilloscope or data logger to display and analyse the potential difference across a capacitor as it charges and discharges through a resistor | Record capacitor charge/discharge curves through a resistor and analyse time constant. |
| CP12 Calibrate a thermistor in a potential divider circuit as a thermostat | Calibrate a thermistor via a potential divider to act as a thermostat. |
| CP13 Determine the specific latent heat of a phase change | Determine specific latent heat for a phase change (fusion or vaporisation). |
| CP14 Investigate the relationship between pressure and volume of a gas at fixed temperature | Investigate Boyle's law for a fixed mass of gas at constant temperature. |
| CP15 Investigate the absorption of gamma radiation by lead | Measure gamma count-rate through lead absorbers of varying thickness. |
| CP16 Determine the value of an unknown mass using the resonant frequencies of the oscillation of known masses | Use resonance in an oscillating system with known masses to find an unknown mass. |
PracticalCP1 Determine the acceleration of a freely-falling object
What it involvesDetermine g using a free-fall method.
PracticalCP2 Determine the electrical resistivity of a material
What it involvesMeasure resistance, length and cross-section to calculate resistivity.
PracticalCP3 Determine the e.m.f. and internal resistance of an electrical cell
What it involvesVary load and plot V-I to extract EMF and internal resistance.
PracticalCP4 Use a falling-ball method to determine the viscosity of a liquid
What it involvesDrop small spheres through a viscous liquid and use Stokes' law.
PracticalCP5 Determine the Young modulus of a material
What it involvesLoad a wire, measure extension and calculate the Young modulus.
PracticalCP6 Determine the speed of sound in air using a 2-beam oscilloscope, signal generator, speaker and microphone
What it involvesMeasure sound speed via phase/time-of-flight on a 2-beam oscilloscope.
PracticalCP7 Investigate the effects of length, tension and mass per unit length on the frequency of a vibrating string or wire
What it involvesVary length, tension and mass per unit length on a string and measure frequency.
PracticalCP8 Determine the wavelength of light from a laser or other light source using a diffraction grating
What it involvesUse a diffraction grating and measured angles to find wavelength.
PracticalCP9 Investigate the relationship between the force exerted on an object and its change of momentum
What it involvesInvestigate Newton's second law linking force and change of momentum.
PracticalCP10 Use ICT to analyse collisions between small spheres
What it involvesUse video/ICT tools to analyse collisions between small spheres (e.g. ball bearings on a table top).
PracticalCP11 Use an oscilloscope or data logger to display and analyse the potential difference across a capacitor as it charges and discharges through a resistor
What it involvesRecord capacitor charge/discharge curves through a resistor and analyse time constant.
PracticalCP12 Calibrate a thermistor in a potential divider circuit as a thermostat
What it involvesCalibrate a thermistor via a potential divider to act as a thermostat.
PracticalCP13 Determine the specific latent heat of a phase change
What it involvesDetermine specific latent heat for a phase change (fusion or vaporisation).
PracticalCP14 Investigate the relationship between pressure and volume of a gas at fixed temperature
What it involvesInvestigate Boyle's law for a fixed mass of gas at constant temperature.
PracticalCP15 Investigate the absorption of gamma radiation by lead
What it involvesMeasure gamma count-rate through lead absorbers of varying thickness.
PracticalCP16 Determine the value of an unknown mass using the resonant frequencies of the oscillation of known masses
What it involvesUse resonance in an oscillating system with known masses to find an unknown mass.
required practicals
key tips for success
Prioritise Paper 3
Paper 3 is worth 40% and draws synoptically on all 13 topics with a heavy practical focus. Practise synoptic questions and core-practical scenarios throughout year 2.
Master the 16 core practicals
Practical-context questions appear on all three papers plus feed the Practical Endorsement. Learn method, apparatus and expected results for each.
Build maths fluency
AO2 is 41-43%, the largest AO. Physics leans heavily on algebra, logarithms, exponentials, differential equations, vectors, trigonometry. Practise until automatic.
Master field equations
Gravitational, electric and magnetic fields have analogous equations. Learn the parallels to apply confidence to unfamiliar problems.
Practise the extended-writing format
All three papers include extended-writing questions worth 6+ marks. Structure with clear physics reasoning, standard equations and applied conclusions.
Track your Practical Endorsement
Assessed continuously through year. Some university science courses require a Pass, so check in with your teacher regularly.
key tips for success
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