AQA GCSE Physics, Higher tier exam papers and weighting (8463)
Guide overview All topics Sample questions Papers and weighting Look inside Questions and answers
What each AQA GCSE Physics, Higher tier paper assesses
AQA GCSE Physics (specification 8463) is one of the three separate sciences and is examined by two written papers of 1 hour 45 minutes and 100 marks each, worth 50% apiece. Paper 1 covers the first half of the topics and Paper 2 the second, though Paper 2 questions can also draw on energy changes, transfers and conservation from the Energy and Electricity topics. This is the Higher tier: it carries everything on the Foundation papers plus the higher-tier content, and grades 4 to 9 are available, with an allowed grade 3 for a student who just misses grade 4.
| Paper | Covers | Length | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Paper 1 Physics Paper 1 |
Energy Electricity Particle Model of Matter Atomic Structure |
1 hour 45 minutes | 100 marks | 50% |
|
Paper 2 Physics Paper 2 |
Forces Waves Magnetism and Electromagnetism Space Physics |
1 hour 45 minutes | 100 marks | 50% |
Every topic, and where it is examined
| Topic | Examined on | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Structure | Paper 1 | 190 |
| Electricity | Paper 1 | 239 |
| Energy | Paper 1 | 158 |
| Forces | Paper 2 | 386 |
| Magnetism and Electromagnetism | Paper 2 | 129 |
| Particle Model of Matter | Paper 1 | 124 |
| Space Physics | Paper 2 | 60 |
| Waves | Paper 2 | 209 |
Assessment details from the AQA GCSE Physics 8463, version 1.1, September 2019. AQA specification.
AQA GCSE Physics, Higher tier Active Recall Guide
1,495 questions across every paper on the specification.