A Level Physics (Cambridge 9702)9702
3 papers200 marks4 h 30 min
What we predict comes up
From the syllabus weighting and how the papers are usually set. The papers below follow it.
- Measurement and mechanics20%Units, uncertainties, kinematics, dynamics, forces and energy are the largest AS block: about 16 of the 40 Paper 1 items and a third of Paper 2. Our estimate; Cambridge publishes no per-topic marks.
- Electricity and particle physics16%Resistivity, internal resistance, potential dividers and Kirchhoff's laws, plus quarks and beta decay, take roughly a third of Paper 1 and a long question on Paper 2.
- Electric fields, capacitance, magnetism and a.c.16%Electric fields, capacitance, magnetic forces on charges, induction and alternating current are the largest A Level block, often a third of Paper 4.
- Materials, waves and superposition14%Young modulus, progressive and stationary waves, Doppler, the diffraction grating and two-slit interference usually fill about a quarter of each AS paper.
Paper 1: Multiple Choice
1 h 15 min · 40 marks · Calculator allowed
- There are forty questions on this paper. Answer all questions.
- For each question there are four possible answers, A, B, C and D. Choose the one you consider correct.
- Each correct answer will score one mark. There is no penalty for a wrong answer.
- You may use a calculator.
- Data (as on the 9702 data sheet): g = 9.81 m s⁻², c = 3.00 × 10⁸ m s⁻¹, e = 1.60 × 10⁻¹⁹ C, mₑ = 9.11 × 10⁻³¹ kg, h = 6.63 × 10⁻³⁴ J s.
Answer or mark a question and your score adds up here.
40 questions
Every paper, every question, the answers and the mark scheme. Free with a Knomi account.
Not included: Paper 3 (Advanced Practical Skills, a laboratory test) and Paper 5 (Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, built on practical skills) are not included; this sitting is the three written theory papers, 1, 2 and 4.
A Level Physics (Cambridge 9702) study checklist
Revise in this order: the topics worth the most marks first. Tick a topic off when you can answer its questions in the paper above without notes.
- Measurement and mechanics · about 20% of the marksUnits, uncertainties, kinematics, dynamics, forces and energy are the largest AS block: about 16 of the 40 Paper 1 items and a third of Paper 2. Our estimate; Cambridge publishes no per-topic marks.
- Electricity and particle physics · about 16% of the marksResistivity, internal resistance, potential dividers and Kirchhoff's laws, plus quarks and beta decay, take roughly a third of Paper 1 and a long question on Paper 2.
- Electric fields, capacitance, magnetism and a.c. · about 16% of the marksElectric fields, capacitance, magnetic forces on charges, induction and alternating current are the largest A Level block, often a third of Paper 4.
- Materials, waves and superposition · about 14% of the marksYoung modulus, progressive and stationary waves, Doppler, the diffraction grating and two-slit interference usually fill about a quarter of each AS paper.
- Circular motion and gravitational fields · about 8% of the marksGravitational field and potential, orbits (geostationary especially) and circular motion are usually one or two Paper 4 questions, about 15 of its 100 marks.
- Temperature, ideal gases and thermodynamics · about 8% of the marksIdeal gas equation, kinetic theory and the first law of thermodynamics appear on nearly every Paper 4, about 15 marks together.
- Quantum and nuclear physics · about 8% of the marksThe photoelectric effect, de Broglie wavelength, binding energy and exponential decay take about 16 marks of Paper 4.
- Medical physics, astronomy and cosmology · about 6% of the marksMedical physics (ultrasound, X-ray attenuation, PET) and astronomy (Wien, Stefan-Boltzmann, redshift) close Paper 4, each usually 6 to 8 marks.
- Oscillations · about 4% of the marksOne simple harmonic motion question (defining equation, energy, damping) of about 9 marks is a Paper 4 fixture.
Questions
What topics come up most in A Level Physics (Cambridge 9702)?
Our prediction: Measurement and mechanics (about 20% of the marks), Electricity and particle physics (about 16% of the marks), Electric fields, capacitance, magnetism and a.c. (about 16% of the marks). The full list with the reason for each is at the top of this page.
When is the A Level Physics (Cambridge 9702) exam?
A Level is sat May to June; Cambridge also sits October to November, and February to March in India. Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge International publishes the exact timetable for each sitting; check it for your paper's date.
How many papers are there, and how long are they?
3 papers: Paper 1: Multiple Choice (1 hour 15 minutes, 40 marks); Paper 2: AS Level Structured Questions (1 hour 15 minutes, 60 marks); Paper 4: A Level Structured Questions (2 hours, 100 marks). That is 4 hours 30 minutes and 200 marks in all.
Can I use a calculator?
In this format a calculator is allowed in every paper. Check your board's current rules before the exam.
Are these the real A Level Physics (Cambridge 9702) papers?
No. They are predicted papers written by us in the real format, with original questions, not copies of past papers. Use them alongside the official past papers and specimen papers from Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge International.
Is it free?
Yes. The outline, the predictions and the first questions are open to everyone; every paper, the answers and the mark scheme are free with a Knomi account.
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