OCR A-Level Physics B (Advancing Physics) guide FAQ (H557)
Guide overview All 21 topics Sample questions Papers and weighting Look inside Questions and answers
OCR A-Level Physics B (Advancing Physics): questions and answers
Specification H557. Two sets, because students and parents ask different things.
For students
Is this the right specification? I have seen H556 mentioned.
This guide is Physics B, Advancing Physics, H557. The other OCR specification is Physics A, H556, which is organised by topic in six modules.
They are different courses and the guides are not interchangeable. If your code is H556 you need the Physics A guide.
I have heard H557 is being withdrawn. Does that affect me?
It does not affect the exam you sit. OCR is withdrawing H557: the last first teaching was September 2026 and the final assessment is summer 2028, with no resit opportunity after that.
If you are sitting your A-Level in 2027 or 2028 you are on H557 and this is your guide.
Which topics are on which paper?
All of them, on all three. Each component can draw on any of the six teaching modules. The papers differ in style: Component 01 is fundamentals, Component 02 is scientific literacy and Component 03 is practical skills.
Are phasors covered?
Yes. Waves and Quantum Behaviour is 179 questions and treats quantum behaviour with phasors as the specification does, rather than as the wave against particle account used on other specifications.
Is the Practical Endorsement in it?
The endorsement itself is marked by your teacher and reported separately, so it is not examined.
Practical and data analysis skills are examined, and Component 03 is 22 per cent. That content is in the guide as seven topics totalling 445 questions.
How long does one session take?
About twenty minutes for one subtopic, all three steps. Topics run from 45 to 245 questions, so work by subtopic.
Can I do it in my head instead of writing?
Write. Physics definitions are marked on precision, and step 2 is where your version gets replaced by the printed one. The method page sets out the evidence.
Do I still need past papers?
Yes. The method puts the physics into memory. Past papers train the unfamiliar context and the data analysis. OCR publishes them free.
For parents
What is this, in plain terms?
A PDF of 2,455 exam-style questions covering the whole of OCR A-Level Physics B, with the answers printed after each topic.
Is this specification being withdrawn?
Yes. OCR is withdrawing H557. The final assessment is summer 2028 and there is no resit after that.
A student sitting in 2027 or 2028 is unaffected and this is the correct guide.
How do I check it is the right course?
Find the specification code. OCR runs Physics A (H556) and Physics B Advancing Physics (H557). If your child’s notes use headings like Imaging and Signalling, Sensing and Creating Models, it is H557.
How do I know if it is being used properly?
There should be handwritten answers on paper and three passes over the same questions, and two scores per session to compare.
How much is it compared with a textbook?
£8.00 for the whole specification. An endorsed Advancing Physics textbook is usually £30 to £40.
How much time does the whole course take?
168 subtopics at roughly twenty minutes each is about 56 hours for a full first pass, spread across two years.
What else does my child need?
Past papers, which OCR publishes free, a calculator, and their own notes for anything not yet taught.
OCR A-Level Physics B (Advancing Physics) Active Recall Guide
2,455 questions with their answers, 168 subtopics, one file.