Course Specifics

Edexcel A Level Physics (9PH0)

Students are entered for three examinations for the A level, Paper 1 (Advanced physics 1), Paper 2 (Advanced physics 2), and Paper 3 (General and practical principles in physics).

Papers 1 and 2 have a duration of 1 hour 45 minutes and are marked out of 90. Each paper may include multiple-choice, short open, open-response, calculation, and extended writing questions. Paper 3 has a duration of 2 hours 30 minutes and is marked out of 120. This paper may include, short open, open-response, calculations, and extended writing questions.

Papers 1 and 2 are worth 30% each and Paper 3 is worth 40% of the A level qualification.

The content is split into 25 teaching topics organised in two different approaches. There is a great deal of overlap between these approaches, one is concept-based and the other is context-based.

Concept approach

• 1 Working as a physicist
• 2 Mechanics
• 3 Electric circuits
• 4 Materials
• 5 Wave and particle nature of light
• 6 Further Mechanics
• 7 Electric and Magnetic Fields
• 8 Nuclear and Particle Physics
• 9 Thermodynamics
• 10 Space
• 11 Nuclear Radiation
• 12 Gravitational Fields
• 13 Oscillations

Salters Horners (context) approach

• 1 Working as a physicist
• 2 Higher, faster, stronger (HFS)
• 3 The sound of music (MUS)
• 4 Good enough to eat (EAT)
• 5 Technology in Space (SPC)
• 6 Digging up the past (DIG)
• 7 Spare-part surgery (SUR)
• 8 Transport on Track (TRA)
• 9 The Medium is the Message (MDM)
• 10 Probing the Heart of Matter (PRO)
• 11 Build or Bust? (BLD)
• 12 Reach for the Stars (STA)

These different approaches lead to the same common assessment papers for this qualification.

Syllabus

Click here to access the full syllabus.