A level Physics past papers
Every A level Physics exam board publishes its past papers free, with mark schemes and examiner reports. Each board sets three papers, with practical skills tested in the written papers and a data and formulae booklet provided. Pick your board below to preview, open or download its papers.
Choose your exam board
- AQA A level Physics past papersA level Physics (7408): every public paper to preview or download
- Edexcel A level Physics past papersA level Physics (9PH0): where to find every paper, and how they work
- OCR A level Physics past papersPhysics A (H556): every public paper to preview or download
How the boards compare
| Board | Papers | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| AQA (7408) | Papers 1 and 2, then Paper 3: practical skills and an option topic | 85, 85 and 80 marks | 2 hours each |
| Edexcel (9PH0) | Advanced Physics I and II, then General and Practical Principles | 90, 90 and 120 marks | 1 h 45, 1 h 45 and 2 h 30 |
| OCR Physics A (H556) | Modelling physics, Exploring physics, Unified physics | 100, 100 and 70 marks | 2 h 15, 2 h 15 and 1 h 30 |
How to use past papers
- Learn the content first. Use topic questions while you are still learning; save full papers for when you have covered most of the course.
- Do full papers under exam conditions: timed, no notes, with the formula sheet or booklet you will have on the day.
- Mark strictly with the mark scheme, including method marks, and add up your score.
- Read the examiner report for the questions you lost marks on: it explains the common mistakes and what full marks looked like.
- Keep an error log of every lost mark and its topic, then revise those topics before your next paper.
- Save the newest papers for your final mocks in the last few weeks.
Free A level Physics practice questions
Ten original questions written by our tutors in the style of the exam. Choose an answer to see if you are right and why.
Answered 0 of 10 · 0 correct
1. A ball is dropped from rest. How far does it fall in 3.0 s? (g = 9.81 m/s²)
Show answer
C. s = ½gt² = ½ × 9.81 × 9 = 44.1 m.
2. What is the momentum of a 0.20 kg ball moving at 15 m/s?
Show answer
B. p = mv = 0.20 × 15 = 3.0 kg m/s.
3. Two 6.0 Ω resistors are connected in parallel. What is the total resistance?
Show answer
A. 1/R = 1/6 + 1/6, so R = 3.0 Ω.
4. A photon has frequency 6.0 × 10¹⁴ Hz. What is its energy? (h = 6.63 × 10⁻³⁴ J s)
Show answer
B. E = hf = 6.63 × 10⁻³⁴ × 6.0 × 10¹⁴ = 4.0 × 10⁻¹⁹ J.
5. A 2.0 kg mass on a spring with k = 50 N/m oscillates. What is its period?
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C. T = 2π√(m/k) = 2π√0.04 = 2π × 0.2 = 1.26 s.
6. A 10 μF capacitor is charged to 12 V. How much energy does it store?
Show answer
B. E = ½CV² = ½ × 10 × 10⁻⁶ × 144 = 7.2 × 10⁻⁴ J.
7. A 0.50 kg mass moves in a circle of radius 2.0 m at 4.0 m/s. What is the centripetal force?
Show answer
C. F = mv²/r = 0.50 × 16 ÷ 2.0 = 4.0 N.
8. A wire has resistance 4.0 Ω. What is the resistance of a wire of the same material, twice as long and with twice the cross-sectional area?
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B. R = ρL/A: doubling L and A leaves R unchanged at 4.0 Ω.
9. A gas is at 300 K. At constant volume, its pressure doubles. What is its new temperature?
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C. At constant volume p ∝ T, so T doubles to 600 K.
10. A battery of emf 9.0 V and internal resistance 1.0 Ω drives 2.0 A. What is the terminal potential difference?
Show answer
B. V = ε − Ir = 9.0 − 2.0 × 1.0 = 7.0 V.
Frequently asked questions
Is a formula sheet provided in A level Physics?
Yes. Every board provides a data and formulae booklet. It does not list every relationship, so learn which ones you still need to know.
How are practicals assessed in A level Physics?
Practical skills are tested in the written papers, and the separate practical endorsement is assessed by your teachers at school.
Which board am I doing?
Check with your teacher or an old mock: the code is 7408 (AQA), 9PH0 (Edexcel) or H556 (OCR Physics A).
When should I start A level Physics past papers?
Use questions on each topic as you finish it, and full papers once you have covered most of the course, usually in the spring of Year 13.