Physics
Every topic Edexcel can examine. Tap a topic to see its specification points; Y12 and Y13 show which year each one is taught.
Topics
Topics 1 to 13
Statement numbers follow the specification. CP marks a core practical.
1Working as a PhysicistUnits, estimating, the limits of measurements, and how science works in society.8 points
- 1Base and derived quantities; SI unitsY12
- 2Practical skills and techniquesY12
- 3Estimating physical quantitiesY12
- 4Limitations of physical measurementY12
- 5Communicating information with appropriate terminologyY12
- 6Applications and implications of scienceY12
- 7The scientific community and validating knowledgeY12
- 8How society uses science in decision makingY12
2MechanicsMotion, suvat equations, vectors, projectiles, Newton's laws, momentum, moments, work, energy and power.22 points
- 9Equations for uniformly accelerated motionY12
- 10Displacement–time, velocity–time and acceleration–time graphsY12
- 11Quantities from gradients and areas of graphsY12
- 12Scalar and vector quantitiesY12
- 13Resolving a vector into perpendicular componentsY12
- 14Resultant of coplanar vectorsY12
- 15Independence of vertical and horizontal motion of a projectileY12
- 16Free-body force diagramsY12
- 17Newton's first and second laws; terminal velocityY12
- 18Gravitational field strength and weight, W = mgY12
- 19CP1: Determine the acceleration of a freely-falling objectY12
- 20Newton's third lawY12
- 21Momentum, p = mvY12
- 22Conservation of linear momentum in one dimensionY12
- 23Moment of a forceY12
- 24Centre of gravity; principle of momentsY12
- 25Work doneY12
- 26Kinetic energyY12
- 27Gravitational potential energyY12
- 28Conservation of energyY12
- 29PowerY12
- 30EfficiencyY12
3Electric CircuitsCurrent, potential difference and resistance, resistivity, circuits, potential dividers and internal resistance.18 points
- 31Electric current as rate of flow of chargeY12
- 32Potential difference as work done per unit chargeY12
- 33Resistance; Ohm's lawY12
- 34Current and conservation of chargeY12
- 35Potential difference and conservation of energyY12
- 36Resistors in series and parallelY12
- 37Electrical powerY12
- 38I–V characteristicsY12
- 39Resistivity, R = ρl/AY12
- 40CP2: Determine the electrical resistivity of a materialY12
- 41I = nqvA and the range of resistivitiesY12
- 42Potential along a uniform current-carrying wireY12
- 43Potential dividersY12
- 44Potential dividers with thermistors and LDRsY12
- 45e.m.f. and internal resistanceY12
- 46CP3: Determine the e.m.f. and internal resistance of an electrical cellY12
- 47Resistance and temperatureY12
- 48Resistance and illuminationY12
4MaterialsFluids (density, upthrust, viscosity) and solid materials (Hooke's law, stress, strain and the Young modulus).10 points
- 49DensityY12
- 50UpthrustY12
- 51Stokes' law; viscosityY12
- 52CP4: Use a falling-ball method to determine the viscosity of a liquidY12
- 53Hooke's law; stiffnessY12
- 54Stress, strain and the Young modulusY12
- 55Force–extension and force–compression graphsY12
- 56Stress–strain graphs; breaking stressY12
- 57CP5: Determine the Young modulus of a materialY12
- 58Elastic strain energyY12
5Waves and Particle Nature of LightWaves, superposition, refraction, lenses, polarisation, diffraction, and the particle nature of light and electrons.38 points
- 59Amplitude, frequency, period, speed and wavelengthY12
- 60The wave equation, v = fλY12
- 61Longitudinal wavesY12
- 62Transverse wavesY12
- 63Graphs of wavesY12
- 64CP6: Determine the speed of sound in air using a 2-beam oscilloscopeY12
- 65Superposition, coherence, path difference and phaseY12
- 66Phase difference and path differenceY12
- 67Standing waves; nodes and antinodesY12
- 68Speed of a transverse wave on a stringY12
- 69CP7: Effect of length, tension and mass per unit length on the frequency of a vibrating stringY12
- 70Intensity, I = P/AY12
- 71Refraction; Snell's law; refractive indexY12
- 72Critical angleY12
- 73Total internal reflectionY12
- 74Measuring refractive indexY12
- 75Focal length of converging and diverging lensesY12
- 76Ray diagramsY12
- 77Power of a lens, P = 1/fY12
- 78Thin lenses in combinationY12
- 79Real and virtual imagesY12
- 80The thin lens equationY12
- 81MagnificationY12
- 82Plane polarisationY12
- 83Diffraction; Huygens' constructionY12
- 84Diffraction grating, nλ = d sin θY12
- 85CP8: Determine the wavelength of light using a diffraction gratingY12
- 86Electron diffractionY12
- 87de Broglie wavelengthY12
- 88Transmission and reflection at interfacesY12
- 89Pulse–echo techniqueY12
- 90Wave and photon models of electromagnetic radiationY12
- 91Photon energy, E = hfY12
- 92Photoelectric emissionY12
- 93Threshold frequency, work function and the photoelectric equationY12
- 94The electronvoltY12
- 95Photoelectric effect as evidence for the particle nature of lightY12
- 96Atomic line spectra and energy levelsY12
6Further MechanicsMomentum in two dimensions, collisions and circular motion.11 points
- 97Impulse, FΔt = ΔpY13
- 98CP9: Force exerted on an object and its change of momentumY13
- 99Conservation of linear momentum in two dimensionsY13
- 100CP10: Use ICT to analyse collisions between small spheresY13
- 101Elastic and inelastic collisionsY13
- 102Kinetic energy, Ek = p²/2mY13
- 103Radians and degreesY13
- 104Angular velocity, v = ωrY13
- 105Centripetal accelerationY13
- 106Centripetal forceY13
- 107Equations for centripetal forceY13
7Electric and Magnetic FieldsElectric fields, capacitors, magnetic fields and electromagnetic induction.22 points
- 108Electric fieldsY13
- 109Electric field strength, E = F/QY13
- 110Coulomb's lawY13
- 111Field due to a point chargeY13
- 112Electric field and electric potentialY13
- 113Uniform field between parallel plates, E = V/dY13
- 114Potential in a radial fieldY13
- 115Field lines and equipotentialsY13
- 116Capacitance, C = Q/VY13
- 117Energy stored by a capacitorY13
- 118Charging and discharging; time constant RCY13
- 119CP11: Display and analyse the p.d. across a charging and discharging capacitorY13
- 120Exponential discharge equationsY13
- 121Magnetic flux density, flux and flux linkageY13
- 122Force on a moving chargeY13
- 123Force on a current-carrying conductor, F = BIl sin θY13
- 124Induced e.m.f. from relative motionY13
- 125Induced e.m.f. from a changing currentY13
- 126Lenz's lawY13
- 127Faraday's lawY13
- 128Alternating current: frequency, period, peak and r.m.s.Y13
- 129Peak and r.m.s. valuesY13
8Nuclear and Particle PhysicsThe nuclear atom, particle accelerators and detectors, and the standard model of particles.14 points
- 130Nucleon number and proton numberY13
- 131Alpha particle scatteringY13
- 132Thermionic emission; accelerating electronsY13
- 133Linear accelerators, cyclotrons and detectorsY13
- 134Charged particles in a magnetic field, r = p/BQY13
- 135Conservation laws in particle interactionsY13
- 136High energies to probe nucleon structureY13
- 137Pair creation and annihilationY13
- 138MeV, GeV and MeV/c²Y13
- 139Relativistic increase in particle lifetimeY13
- 140The standard quark–lepton modelY13
- 141AntiparticlesY13
- 142Conservation of charge, baryon number and lepton numberY13
- 143Particle equationsY13
9ThermodynamicsHeating, specific heat and latent heat, internal energy, ideal gases and kinetic theory.12 points
- 144Specific heat capacity and specific latent heatY13
- 145CP12: Calibrate a thermistor in a potential divider as a thermostatY13
- 146CP13: Determine the specific latent heat of a phase changeY13
- 147Internal energyY13
- 148Absolute zeroY13
- 149Kinetic theory, pV = ⅓Nm⟨c²⟩Y13
- 150Ideal gas equation, pV = NkTY13
- 151CP14: Pressure and volume of a gas at fixed temperatureY13
- 152Mean kinetic energy, ½m⟨c²⟩ = 3/2 kTY13
- 153Black body radiationY13
- 154Stefan–Boltzmann lawY13
- 155Wien's lawY13
10SpaceRadiation from stars, measuring astronomical distances, the life cycles of stars and the expanding universe.8 points
- 156Intensity and luminosityY13
- 157Trigonometric parallaxY13
- 158Standard candlesY13
- 159Hertzsprung–Russell diagramY13
- 160Life cycles of starsY13
- 161Doppler effectY13
- 162Redshift; Hubble's law, v = H₀dY13
- 163Age and fate of the universe; dark matterY13
11Nuclear RadiationBinding energy, fission and fusion, the properties of nuclear radiation and radioactive decay.10 points
- 164Binding energy and mass deficitY13
- 165Atomic mass unitY13
- 166Fission and fusionY13
- 167Conditions for fusionY13
- 168Background radiationY13
- 169Alpha, beta and gamma radiationY13
- 170Nuclear equationsY13
- 171CP15: Investigate the absorption of gamma radiation by leadY13
- 172Random nature of radioactive decayY13
- 173Half-life and decay equationsY13
12Gravitational FieldsGravitational fields, Newton's law of gravitation and orbits.7 points
- 174Gravitational fieldsY13
- 175Gravitational field strength, g = F/mY13
- 176Newton's law of universal gravitationY13
- 177Field due to a point massY13
- 178Gravitational potentialY13
- 179Comparing electric and gravitational fieldsY13
- 180OrbitsY13
13OscillationsSimple harmonic motion, damping, forced oscillations and resonance.11 points
- 181Condition for simple harmonic motionY13
- 182Equations of simple harmonic motionY13
- 183Mass–spring system and simple pendulumY13
- 184Velocity from a displacement–time graphY13
- 185Acceleration from a velocity–time graphY13
- 186ResonanceY13
- 187CP16: Determine an unknown mass using resonant frequenciesY13
- 188Energy in damped and undamped oscillatorsY13
- 189Free and forced oscillationsY13
- 190Forced oscillations near the natural frequencyY13
- 191Damping and plastic deformationY13
Across the whole course
Assessed in every paper: maths makes up at least 40% of the marks.
MSMathematical skillsThe maths you need in physics: units, standard form, uncertainties, rearranging equations, logarithms, graphs and trigonometry.35 points
- 0.1Units and prefixesY12–13
- 0.2Decimal and standard formY12–13
- 0.3Ratios, fractions and percentagesY12–13
- 0.4Estimating effects of changing parametersY12–13
- 0.5Calculator: powers, exponentials and logsY12–13
- 0.6Calculator: sin, cos and tanY12–13
- 1.1Significant figuresY12–13
- 1.2Means of repeated readingsY12–13
- 1.3Simple probabilityY12–13
- 1.4Order-of-magnitude calculationsY12–13
- 1.5Combining uncertaintiesY12–13
- 2.1Symbols =, <, ≪, ≫, >, ∝, ≈, ΔY12–13
- 2.2Changing the subjectY12–13
- 2.3Substituting values with unitsY12–13
- 2.4Solving equationsY12–13
- 2.5LogarithmsY12–13
- 3.1Graphical, numerical and algebraic formsY12–13
- 3.2Plotting dataY12–13
- 3.3y = mx + cY12–13
- 3.4Gradient and interceptY12–13
- 3.5Rate of change from a straight lineY12–13
- 3.6Tangents to curvesY12–13
- 3.7Instantaneous and average ratesY12–13
- 3.8Area under a graphY12–13
- 3.9Calculus ideas without calculusY12–13
- 3.10Logarithmic plotsY12–13
- 3.11Testing exponential and power laws with log plotsY12–13
- 3.12Sketching k/x, kx², kx, sin x, cos x, e^(±x), sin²x, cos²xY12–13
- 4.1Angles in 2D and 3D structuresY12–13
- 4.22D and 3D formsY12–13
- 4.3Areas and volumesY12–13
- 4.4Pythagoras and angle sum of a triangleY12–13
- 4.5sin, cos and tan in physical problemsY12–13
- 4.6Small-angle approximationsY12–13
- 4.7Degrees and radiansY12–13
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The exam papers
Paper 1: Advanced Physics I (Topics 1 to 3, 6 to 8)1 h 45 min · 90 marks · 30%9PH0/01
Paper 2: Advanced Physics II (Topics 1, 4, 5, 9 to 13)1 h 45 min · 90 marks · 30%9PH0/02
Paper 3: General and Practical Principles in Physics2 h 30 min · 120 marks · 40%9PH0/03