The AQA A level Physics specification (7408), explained

By The STEM-Tutor team · Updated October 2026

The AQA A-level Physics specification sets out eight core sections, five options and three papers. Knowing exactly which section goes in which paper turns a long document into a clear revision plan.

The core sections

1. Measurements and their errors
2. Particles and radiation
3. Waves
4. Mechanics and materials
5. Electricity
6. Further mechanics and thermal physics (A-level only)
7. Fields and their consequences (A-level only)
8. Nuclear physics (A-level only)

Sections 1 to 5 are designed for the first year and are also the AS content.

What the core sections contain

• 1 Measurements and their errors: SI units, uncertainties and estimation.
• 2 Particles and radiation: atomic structure, particle classification, quarks and leptons, conservation laws, and the photoelectric effect.
• 3 Waves: progressive and stationary waves, interference, diffraction and refraction.
• 4 Mechanics and materials: forces, moments, motion, Newton's laws, momentum, work and energy, and the properties of materials.
• 5 Electricity: current, resistance, resistivity, circuits, potential dividers, and e.m.f. with internal resistance.
• 6 Further mechanics and thermal physics: circular motion, simple harmonic motion, forced vibrations and resonance, thermal energy, the ideal gas laws and molecular kinetic theory.
• 7 Fields and their consequences: gravitational and electric fields, capacitance, magnetic fields and electromagnetic induction.
• 8 Nuclear physics: radioactivity, nuclear instability, the radius of the nucleus, mass and energy, and fission and fusion.

The options

Every A-level student studies one option, assessed in Paper 3: 9 Astrophysics, 10 Medical physics, 11 Engineering physics, 12 Turning points in physics or 13 Electronics. Your school usually chooses the option.

The three A-level papers

• Paper 1: sections 1 to 5 and 6.1 (periodic motion). 2 hours, 85 marks, 34% of the A-level: 60 marks of short and long answer questions and 25 multiple choice questions.
• Paper 2: sections 6.2 (thermal physics), 7 and 8, with sections 1 to 6.1 assumed. 2 hours, 85 marks, 34%.
• Paper 3: Section A, practical skills and data analysis (45 marks), and Section B, your option (35 marks). 2 hours, 80 marks, 32%.

AS Physics

The separate AS qualification has two papers on sections 1 to 5: Paper 1 (1 hour 30 minutes, 70 marks) and Paper 2 (1 hour 30 minutes, 70 marks), each 50% of the AS. AS results do not count towards the A-level.

Practical work

• The specification lists 12 required practicals for the A-level (6 of them in the AS content), such as determining g by free fall, finding the Young modulus and measuring the resistivity of a wire.
• At least 15% of the marks in the written papers assess practical skills.
• The practical endorsement is assessed by your teachers and reported separately from the grade.

Data and formulae

Every paper comes with AQA's data and formulae booklet. See our guide to the AQA A-level Physics data booklet.

Mapping a question to the specification

A question asks for the time constant of an RC circuit. Which section and paper is it?

• Capacitors are in section 7, Fields and their consequences.
• So it is Paper 2 content.

A section 4 calculation

A wire of length 2.0 m and cross-sectional area 0.50 mm² extends by 1.2 mm under a 60 N load. Find the Young modulus.

• Stress = 60 / 0.50 × 10⁻⁶ = 1.2 × 10⁸ Pa.
• Strain = 1.2 × 10⁻³ / 2.0 = 6.0 × 10⁻⁴.
• Young modulus = 1.2 × 10⁸ / 6.0 × 10⁻⁴ = 2.0 × 10¹¹ Pa.

A section 6.1 calculation

Find the period of a 0.40 kg mass on a spring with k = 160 N/m.

• T = 2π√(m/k) = 2π√(0.40/160) = 2π × 0.050 = 0.31 s.

Using the specification to revise

1. Download the current specification from AQA and print the subject content pages.
2. Rate each point green, amber or red, and revise red and amber first.
3. Revise by paper in the final months: Paper 1 and Paper 2 content are separate, while Paper 3 needs practical skills and your option.
4. Learn your option thoroughly: it is 35 marks in Paper 3, often the most controllable marks in the exam.

More questions

Which sections are hardest?

Many students find fields (section 7) and further mechanics (section 6) hardest, because they combine new ideas with heavier maths. Start them early and practise past paper questions on each.

How much maths is in A-level Physics?

At least 40% of the marks assess maths skills, such as rearranging, logarithms, graphs and uncertainties, so the maths must be practised alongside the physics.

Does every option use the data booklet?

Yes. The data and formulae booklet has a section for each option, so use the section for the option your school has chosen.

Common mistakes

• Revising sections 7 and 8 for Paper 1, which does not test them.
• Leaving the option topic until the last few weeks.
• Treating the required practicals as separate from the exams: they are examined.
• Forgetting that 6.1 periodic motion is in Paper 1, not Paper 2.

Practice questions

Try each one before opening the answer.

Frequently asked questions

Which option is easiest?

None is easiest for everyone. Choose (or ask your school about) the option that connects best with the rest of the course and your interests.

Is there a practical exam in AQA A-level Physics?

No separate practical exam. Practical skills are tested in the written papers, especially Paper 3, and the practical endorsement is assessed in school.

Is AS Physics part of the A-level grade?

No. The AS is a separate qualification, and its results do not count towards the A-level.

Key takeaways

• Eight core sections and five options.
• Paper 1: sections 1 to 5 and 6.1. Paper 2: 6.2, 7 and 8.
• Paper 3: practical skills (45 marks) and the option (35 marks).
• 12 required practicals; at least 15% of marks are practical.
• Use the specification as your checklist.

Related guides

• AQA A level Physics data booklet
• A level Physics topics
• A level Physics required practicals
• AQA A level Physics past papers