AQA A Level Physics Exam Questions By Topic

SI Units, Powers of Ten, Estimating Physical Quantities

Sources of Uncertainty, Calculating Uncertainties, Determining Uncertainties from Graphs

Atomic Structure, Nucleon & Proton Number, Strong Nuclear Force, Alpha & Beta Decay, Particles, Antiparticles & Photons

Hadrons, Baryons, Mesons, Leptons, Quarks & Antiquarks, Strange Quarks, Collaborative Efforts in Particle Physics

The Four Fundamental Interactions, The Electromagnetic & Strong Force, The Weak Interaction, Feynman Diagrams, Application of Conservation Laws

The Electronvolt, Threshold Frequency & Work Function, The Photoelectric Equation

Collisions of Electrons with Atoms, Energy Levels & Photon Emission, Wave-Particle Duality, The de Broglie Wavelength, Diffraction Effects of Momentum, Analysis of the Nature of Matter

Progressive Waves, Longitudinal & Transverse Waves, Polarisation

Stationary Waves, Formation of Stationary Waves, Harmonics, Required Practical: Investigating Stationary Waves

Path Difference & Coherence, Demonstrating Interference, Young's Double-Slit Experiment, Developing Theories of EM Radiation, Required Practical: Young's Slit Experiment & Diffraction Gratings

Single Slit Diffraction, The Diffraction Grating

Refraction at a Plane Surface, Snell's Law, Fibre Optics

Scalars & Vectors, Resolving Vectors

Moments, Couples, Centre of Mass

Motion Along a Straight Line, Motion Graphs, SUVAT Equations, Projectile Motion, Drag Forces, Terminal Velocity, Required Practical: Determination of g

Newton’s First Law, Newton's Second Law, Newton's Third Law

Linear Momentum, Conservation of Momentum, Impulse, Impulse on a Force-Time Graph, Collisions

Work & Power, Area Under a Force-Displacement Graph, Efficiency, Conservation of Energy, Kinetic & Gravitational Potential Energy

Density, Hooke's Law, Stress & Strain, Elastic Strain Energy, Elastic & Plastic Behaviour, Energy Conservation

The Young Modulus, Required Practical: The Young Modulus

Basics of Electricity, Current–Voltage Characteristics

Resistivity, Resistance in a Thermistor, Superconductivity, Required Practical: Investigating Resistivity

Resistors in Series & Parallel, Series & Parallel Circuits, Electrical Energy & Power, Potential Divider Circuits

Electromotive Force & Internal Resistance, Required Practical: Investigating EMF & Internal Resistance

Circular Motion, Radians, Angular Speed, Centripetal Acceleration, Centripetal Force

Conditions for Simple Harmonic Motion, SHM Graphs, Calculating Maximum Speed & Acceleration, Period of Mass-Spring System, Period of Simple Pendulum, Harmonic Oscillators in Context, Energy in SHM, Required Practical: Investigating SHM

Damping, Free & Forced Oscillations, Resonance

Internal Energy, The First Law of Thermodynamics, Specific Heat Capacity, Latent Heat Capacity

The Kelvin Scale & Absolute Zero, Gas Laws, Ideal Gas Equation, Work Done by a Gas, Avogadro, Molar Gas & Boltzmann Constant, Required Practical: Investigating Gas Laws

Gas Laws v Kinetic Theory, Kinetic Theory of Gases Equation, Average Molecular Kinetic Energy, Brownian Motion, Evolving Models of Gas Behaviour

Force Fields, Gravitational Field Strength, Representing Gravitational Fields, Newton's Law of Gravitation, Gravitational Field Strength in a Radial Field

Gravitational Potential, Calculating Gravitational Potential, Graphical Representation of Gravitational Potential, Work Done on a Mass

Circular Orbits in Gravitational Fields, Energy of an Orbiting Satellite, Escape Velocity, Geostationary Orbits

Coulomb's Law, Electric Field Lines, Electric Field Strength, Uniform Electric Field, Motion of Charged Particles, Radial Electric Field, Comparing Gravitational & Electrostatic Forces

Electric Potential, Graphical Representation of Electric Potential, Work Done on a Charge

Capacitance, Parallel Plate Capacitor, Energy Stored by a Capacitor

Charge & Discharge Graphs, The Time Constant, Charge & Discharge Equations, Required Practical: Charging & Discharging Capacitors

Magnetic Flux Density, Magnetic Force on a Current-Carrying Conductor, Fleming's Left Hand Rule, Force on a Moving Charge, Circular Path of Particles, Required Practical: Investigating Magnetic Fields in Wires

Magnetic Flux, Magnetic Flux Linkage, Principles of Electromagnetic Induction, Faraday's & Lenz's Laws, Applications of EM Induction, Required Practical: Investigating Flux Linkage on a Search Coil

Alternating Current & Voltage, The Operation of an Oscilloscope, The Operation of a Transformer, Transformer Efficiency, Transformer Inefficiencies

Rutherford Scattering, Changing Models of the Nucleus, Alpha, Beta & Gamma Radiation, Inverse-Square Law of Gamma Radiation, Background Radiation, Radiation Safety, Required Practical: Inverse Square-Law for Gamma Radiation

Radioactive Decay, Exponential Decay, Half-Life, Applications of Radioactivity

Nuclear Instability, Decay Equations, Nuclear Excited States, Nuclear Radius, Closest Approach Estimate, Nuclear Radius Equation, Nuclear Density

Energy & Mass Equivalence, Mass Difference & Binding Energy, Nuclear Fusion & Fission, Binding Energy, Induced Fission, Operation of a Nuclear Reactor, Safety Aspects of Nuclear Reactors

Lenses & Ray Diagrams for Telescopes, Refracting Telescopes, Reflecting Telescopes, Reflecting vs Refracting Telescopes, Resolving Power of Telescopes, Collecting Power of Telescopes, Radio, IR, UV & X-Ray Telescopes, Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs) in Astronomy

Brightness & Apparent Magnitude, Inverse Square Law of Radiation, Astronomical Distances, Absolute Magnitude, Wien’s Displacement Law, Stefan's Law, Emission & Absorption Spectra in Stars, Stellar Spectral Classes, Star Formation, Life Cycle of a Low Mass Star, Life Cycle of a High Mass Star, Supernovae & Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs), Supernovae as Standard Candles, Neutron Stars & Black Holes, The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

The Doppler Effect of Light, Binary Star Systems, Galactic Redshift, Hubble's Law, Evidence for the Big Bang, Dark Energy, Quasars, Exoplanets

Converging & Diverging Lenses, Lens Calculations, Structure of the Eye, Sensitivity of the Eye, Spatial Resolution of the Eye, Defects of Vision

Structure of the Ear, The Decibel Scale, Equal Loudness Curves, Defects of Hearing

ECG Machines

The Piezoelectric Transducer, Generation & Detection of Ultrasound, Ultrasound Imaging, Applications of Ultrasound, Fibre Optics & Endoscopy, Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Production of X-rays, Rotating-Anode X-ray Tube, Using X-rays in Medical Imaging, X-ray Detection, Attenuation of X-rays, The CT Scanner

Radioactive Tracers, The Molybdenum-Technetium Generator, The PET Scanner, Physical, Biological & Effective Half Life, Gamma Camera, Radiotherapy, Comparing Imaging Techniques

Rotational Motion, Angular Acceleration Equations, Torque, Moment of Inertia, Newton’s Second Law for Rotation, Angular Momentum, Angular Impulse, Rotational Work & Power, Rotational Kinetic Energy, Flywheels in Machines

The First Law of Thermodynamics, p–V Diagrams, Thermodynamic Processes, Petrol Engine Cycle, Diesel Engine Cycle, Comparing Petrol & Diesel Engines, Power Output of an Engine, Engine Efficiency, The Second Law of Thermodynamics, Heat Engines, Limitations of Real Heat Engines, Reversed Heat Engines, Coefficients of Performance

Cathode Rays, Thermionic Emission, Specific Charge Experiments, Significance of Thomson's Experiment, Millikan’s Oil Drop Experiment, Stokes' Law

Theories of Light, Young's Double Slit Interference, Maxwell's Wave Equation, Hertz's Discovery of Radio Waves, Fizeau's Speed of Light Experiment, UV Catastrophe & Black-Body Radiation, The Discovery of Photoelectricity, De Broglie's Hypothesis, Electron Diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscope, Scanning Tunnelling Microscope

The Michelson-Morley Interferometer, The Invariance of the Speed of Light, Inertial Frames of Reference, Einstein's Postulates, Time Dilation, Muon Lifetime Experiment, Length Contraction, Relativistic Mass, Relativistic Energy, Bertozzi's Experiment