Edexcel A-Level Physics Active Recall Guide (9PH0)
Edexcel · A-Level
Edexcel A-Level Physics Active Recall Guide
A question-and-answer revision guide for Edexcel A-Level Physics, built to be worked in three passes rather than read.
- Edexcel
- A-Level
- Specification 9PH0
- 13 topics
The 3-step active recall method
Re-reading notes is a futile process when your aim is to remember the information and successfully apply it in exam settings. Active recall is the method you use to ensure the information sticks for a long period of time.
But even active recall can be futile unless you have a structured way of implementing it. This is where the 3-step active recall method comes in, a structured method that is signature to the Levo Learning guides.
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Step 1
Answer up to 10 questions cold, closed book, even if you are unsure on the topic.
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Step 2
Answer the same questions again, but open book. Write the correct answer down even if it seems pointless.
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Step 3
Repeat as step 1 and answer the questions closed book again.
Worked across the Edexcel A-Level Physics specification, one subtopic at a time.
The subject, and what is assessed
Edexcel A-Level Physics (specification 9PH0) is assessed by three written papers. Paper 1 and Paper 2 each last 1 hour 45 minutes and carry 90 marks, with the advanced physics topics divided between them.
Paper 3 lasts 2 hours 30 minutes and carries 120 marks, covering general and practical principles across the whole specification.
The core practicals are examined through written questions rather than assessed separately, so the method behind each one needs to be known as securely as the theory.
| Paper | Covers | Length | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Advanced Physics I | 1 hour 45 minutes | 90 marks | 30% |
| Paper 2 | Advanced Physics II | 1 hour 45 minutes | 90 marks | 30% |
| Paper 3 | General and Practical Principles in Physics | 2 hours 30 minutes | 120 marks | 40% |
Memorisation, then application
Marks are given for applying content to the question that has been set, which cannot happen while the content is still being looked up. Step 1 shows what is actually held.
Step 2 puts the correct wording in front of you while the gap is still fresh. Step 3 repeats the cold test, and the difference between the first and third attempt is the part that has moved.
Every question in the guide is paired with its answer in the same document, so step 2 is done from the guide itself rather than from a separate set of notes.
What is inside the guide
Questions are grouped by topic and then by subtopic, following the Edexcel specification. Open a topic to see its subtopics.
Working as a Physicist3 subtopics
- Quantities, units and estimation23
- Practical skills and the limitations of measurement30
- Communicating physics and the role of science in society23
Mechanics7 subtopics
- Equations of motion and motion graphs25
- Scalars, vectors and projectile motion26
- Forces, Newton's laws and weight30
- Momentum and conservation of linear momentum20
- Moments, centre of gravity and equilibrium22
- Work, energy and conservation of energy26
- Power and efficiency24
Electric Circuits6 subtopics
- Current, potential difference, resistance and electrical power27
- Circuit rules and combining resistances25
- I-V characteristics and resistance changes with temperature and light23
- Resistivity and conduction in materials24
- Potential dividers24
- E.m.f. and internal resistance25
Materials4 subtopics
- Density and upthrust24
- Viscous drag and Stokes' law25
- Hooke's law, stress, strain and the Young modulus25
- Force-extension graphs, material behaviour and elastic strain energy27
Waves and Particle Nature of Light11 subtopics
- Wave properties and the wave equation21
- Longitudinal and transverse waves and wave graphs27
- Superposition, coherence and interference26
- Stationary waves28
- Intensity, refraction and total internal reflection30
- Lenses and image formation31
- Reflection, transmission and pulse-echo techniques20
- Polarisation, diffraction and the diffraction grating30
- Wave-particle duality and electron diffraction20
- Photons, photon energy and atomic line spectra28
- The photoelectric effect25
Further Mechanics4 subtopics
- Impulse and momentum in two dimensions26
- Elastic and inelastic collisions21
- Angular displacement and angular velocity21
- Circular motion: centripetal acceleration and force26
Electric and Magnetic Fields8 subtopics
- Electric fields and electric field strength20
- Coulomb's law and radial electric fields22
- Electric potential, uniform fields and field diagrams26
- Capacitance and energy stored in a capacitor20
- Charging and discharging capacitors26
- Magnetic fields and forces on charges and currents23
- Electromagnetic induction: Faraday's and Lenz's laws24
- Alternating currents and r.m.s. values22
Nuclear and Particle Physics5 subtopics
- Atomic structure and evidence from alpha particle scattering22
- Particle accelerators, detectors and particle tracks29
- Mass-energy equivalence, particle energies and relativistic lifetimes23
- The standard quark-lepton model and antiparticles24
- Conservation laws and particle equations22
Thermodynamics4 subtopics
- Specific heat capacity and latent heat28
- Internal energy, temperature and absolute zero20
- Kinetic theory and ideal gases27
- Black body radiation, Stefan-Boltzmann and Wien's laws21
Space3 subtopics
- Luminosity, intensity and astronomical distances21
- The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and the life cycle of stars22
- Doppler effect, redshift and the expanding universe28
Nuclear Radiation3 subtopics
- Binding energy, fission and fusion23
- Types of nuclear radiation, background radiation and nuclear equations28
- Radioactive decay and half-life23
Gravitational Fields3 subtopics
- Gravitational fields and gravitational field strength20
- Newton's law of universal gravitation and orbital motion21
- Gravitational potential and comparison with electric fields21
Oscillations4 subtopics
- Simple harmonic motion: conditions and equations30
- Displacement, velocity and acceleration graphs for oscillations20
- Energy in damped and undamped oscillations20
- Free and forced oscillations and resonance23
Sample questions
Taken from the Edexcel A-Level Physics guide. Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Working as a Physicist
Which six SI base quantities are used in physics at this level, and what is the SI unit of each?
Show the answer
Mass in kilograms (kg), length in metres (m), time in seconds (s), electric current in amperes (A), thermodynamic temperature in kelvin (K) and amount of substance in moles (mol). -
Mechanics
Under what conditions may the equations of uniformly accelerated motion be used?
Show the answer
They apply only when the acceleration is constant in both magnitude and direction and the motion is along a straight line. -
Electric Circuits
What is the SI unit of charge, and how is it related to the ampere?
Show the answer
The coulomb, where 1 C is the charge that passes when a current of 1 A flows for 1 s. -
Materials
What is the density of fresh water?
Show the answer
The density of fresh water is approximately 1.0 × 10³ kg m⁻³. -
Waves and Particle Nature of Light
How is the amplitude of a wave defined?
Show the answer
The amplitude is the maximum displacement of a point on the wave from its equilibrium position. -
Further Mechanics
What is the linear momentum of a body, and what kind of quantity is it?
Show the answer
Momentum is the product of a body's mass and its velocity, p = mv, and it is a vector quantity acting in the direction of the velocity. -
Electric and Magnetic Fields
Why is an electric field classed as a force field?
Show the answer
Because it exerts a force at a distance on any object carrying the relevant property, which for an electric field is charge. -
Nuclear and Particle Physics
What is meant by the nucleon number, or mass number, of a nucleus?
Show the answer
It is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus, given the symbol A.
Questions about this guide
How do you use active recall for Edexcel A-Level Physics?
Answer up to 10 questions cold and closed book. Answer the same questions again open book, writing the correct answer down.
Then answer them closed book one more time. The difference between the first and third attempt is what has moved into recall.
How is Edexcel A-Level Physics assessed?
Edexcel A-Level Physics is assessed by 3 components: Paper 1, advanced physics I (1 hour 45 minutes, 90 marks, 30%); Paper 2, advanced physics II (1 hour 45 minutes, 90 marks, 30%); Paper 3, general and practical principles in physics (2 hours 30 minutes, 120 marks, 40%).
What topics does the Edexcel A-Level Physics active recall guide cover?
It covers Working as a Physicist, Mechanics, Electric Circuits, Materials, Waves and Particle Nature of Light, Further Mechanics, Electric and Magnetic Fields, Nuclear and Particle Physics, Thermodynamics, Space, Nuclear Radiation, Gravitational Fields and Oscillations.
Is the Edexcel A-Level Physics guide a PDF?
Yes. It is a digital PDF sent to the email address on your order after purchase.
Check the address is correct at checkout, and check junk or spam if it has not arrived.
Does the guide include the answers?
Yes. Every question has its answer in the same document, grouped by topic, so step 2 of the method is done from the guide.
Edexcel A-Level Physics Active Recall Guide
Every question paired with its answer, grouped by topic, ready to work in three passes.