At a glance
- Cambridge code
- 9702
- Edexcel IAL units
- WPH11 to WPH16
- AQA code
- 7408 (AS: 7407)
- Cambridge lab exam
- Paper 3, 2 hours, 40 marks
- Grades
- A* to E
Cambridge International 9702 assessment
From the 9702 syllabus for exams in 2025, 2026 and 2027. Papers 1 to 3 are the AS Level.
| Paper | Length | Marks | Share of A Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 Multiple Choice (40 questions) | 1 hour 15 minutes | 40 | 15.5% (31% of AS) |
| Paper 2 AS Level Structured Questions | 1 hour 15 minutes | 60 | 23% (46% of AS) |
| Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills | 2 hours | 40 | 11.5% (23% of AS) |
| Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions | 2 hours | 100 | 38.5% |
| Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation (two compulsory questions) | 1 hour 15 minutes | 30 | 11.5% |
Entries in the June and November series. A new 9702 syllabus applies from 2028.
Pearson Edexcel International A Level Physics units
From the IAL Physics specification, Issue 3.
| Unit | Length | Marks | Share of IAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| WPH11 Unit 1: Mechanics and Materials | 1 hour 30 minutes | 80 | 20% |
| WPH12 Unit 2: Waves and Electricity | 1 hour 30 minutes | 80 | 20% |
| WPH13 Unit 3: Practical Skills in Physics I | 1 hour 20 minutes | 50 | 10% |
| WPH14 Unit 4: Further Mechanics, Fields and Particles | 1 hour 45 minutes | 90 | 20% |
| WPH15 Unit 5: Thermodynamics, Radiation, Oscillations and Cosmology | 1 hour 45 minutes | 90 | 20% |
| WPH16 Unit 6: Practical Skills in Physics II | 1 hour 20 minutes | 50 | 10% |
Units 1 to 3 are the International AS. Units are listed as available in January, June and October. The specification sets a minimum of 40% of marks across the papers for mathematics at Level 2 or above.
AQA A-level Physics 7408
| Paper | Length | Marks | Share of A-level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: sections 1 to 5 and periodic motion (60 marks written, 25 multiple choice) | 2 hours | 85 | 34% |
| Paper 2: thermal physics, fields and nuclear physics, assuming earlier content (60 marks written, 25 multiple choice) | 2 hours | 85 | 34% |
| Paper 3: practical skills and data analysis, plus one option | 2 hours | 80 | 32% |
Paper 3 options: astrophysics, medical physics, engineering physics, turning points in physics, or electronics. The school usually chooses the option. All papers are sat in one May/June series.
Why A-Level Physics feels so different from IGCSE
A large share of A-Level Physics is applied mathematics. Students rearrange equations with several unknowns, handle powers of ten and prefixes, work with vectors and resolve forces, and read gradients and areas from graphs as physical quantities. Edexcel states the maths share outright: at least 40% of IAL Physics marks target Level 2 mathematics or above. A student whose algebra is shaky will lose marks on questions where the physics idea is perfectly understood.
The second shift is explanation. Questions on fields, waves and quantum ideas ask students to explain observations in a precise chain of reasoning, and mark schemes reward each link. Third, practical skills are tested in writing in every board: uncertainty and percentage uncertainty, significant figures, choosing axes for a straight-line graph, and judging how to improve an experiment.
Common mark losers in physics papers
- Unit and prefix errors, for example mixing mA and A, or cm^2 and m^2 in pressure and stress questions.
- Answers given to the wrong number of significant figures, or without a unit.
- Using the wrong form of an equation of motion, or applying it when acceleration is not constant.
- Circuit questions answered by intuition rather than by the potential divider and Kirchhoff rules.
- Explanations of fields or the photoelectric effect that skip a step the mark scheme needs.
- Graphs with poor scales, unlabelled axes or a best-fit line forced through the origin.
How LiveTutor physics lessons are run
Lessons are 60 minutes, one to one, in LiveTutor's online classroom with video and a shared whiteboard, so tutor and student can sketch free-body diagrams, set out calculations line by line and annotate graphs together. The tutor teaches to your child's board and uses its past papers, so a Cambridge student practises Paper 4 style structured questions and an Edexcel student works through unit papers in the order they will sit them.
Early lessons often run two tracks: the current school topic, and a short block of maths fluency (rearranging, logs where needed, graph gradients) that supports every later topic. Before exams, lessons move to timed past-paper sections and a list of the specific errors that keep recurring. For AQA students, the tutor can also prepare the Paper 3 option the school has chosen.
When to start
The best time is the first term of Year 12, when mechanics and electricity set the habits used in every later topic. Students applying for engineering or physics degrees should aim to have a strong AS result or strong mock grades by the autumn of Year 13, because predicted grades are set then. Students taking A-Level Maths alongside Physics usually find the two support each other once algebra is secure.
Common questions
Does my child need A-Level Maths to take A-Level Physics?
It is not a formal requirement of the qualifications, but the maths in physics is substantial and most schools strongly recommend taking both. Engineering and physics degrees usually require both subjects; check each university's entry page.
Which AQA Paper 3 option is easiest?
None is officially easier; each is a self-contained topic examined in Section B of Paper 3. The best option is usually the one your child's school teaches, since class notes and practice will match it.
Is Cambridge Paper 3 a real lab exam?
Yes. Advanced Practical Skills is a two-hour practical paper in which students carry out experiments and answer structured questions on them. Edexcel IAL units 3 and 6 test practical skills in written papers instead.
How much are A-Level Physics lessons?
Each lesson is $15, the same for every subject, on a weekly plan of 1 to 5 lessons a week billed monthly. The first lesson is free, and there is a 7-day money-back guarantee before the first paid lesson.
Can the same tutor teach my child Physics and Maths?
Sometimes, if a tutor lists both subjects for your child's board. Ask when you book. Many families prefer a specialist for each subject in Year 13, and paid lessons can be used with different tutors.
Sources
Dates and figures on this page come from these official and published sources. Always confirm deadlines on the official page before acting on them.