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Edexcel A-Level Physics (9PH0): complete guide to the topics and the exams

A complete guide to Pearson Edexcel A-Level Physics (specification 9PH0). Covers the core content from mechanics to nuclear and astrophysics, how the three written papers are structured and marked, the 16 core practicals, the maths demand, and how to study each area for top grades.

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Edexcel A-Level Physics (specification 9PH0) is a two-year linear course assessed by three written papers at the end of Year 13. There is no coursework grade; practical work is reported separately as the Science Practical Endorsement. This page is the index: below is a map of the content areas, the exam structure, and how to study each one.

The Edexcel Physics content areas

The specification runs from mechanics to astrophysics, taught across two years. The earlier areas form the first-year (AS) content; the later areas are second-year A-level content. We group the content into six study modules.

Mechanics and materials
Describing motion with the suvat equations and projectiles, forces and Newton's three laws with moments and equilibrium, work, energy and power, momentum and impulse, and the mechanical properties of materials and fluids including the Young modulus and Stokes' law.
Waves and the particle nature of light
Wave properties and the wave equation, superposition and stationary waves, refraction, total internal reflection and diffraction with the grating, the photoelectric effect with energy levels, and wave-particle duality.
Electric circuits
Current and charge, resistance and resistivity, series and parallel circuits with Kirchhoff's laws and internal resistance, and potential dividers used as sensor circuits.
Fields and their consequences
Electric fields and Coulomb's law, capacitance and exponential discharge, magnetic fields and electromagnetic induction, and gravitational fields and orbits.
Nuclear and particle physics
The nuclear atom and alpha scattering, quarks, leptons and accelerators, radioactivity with the decay law and half-life, and mass-energy with binding energy, fission and fusion.
Thermodynamics, space and oscillations
Thermal energy and the ideal gas with kinetic theory, circular motion, simple harmonic motion with resonance, and astrophysics and cosmology.

Exam structure

Edexcel A-Level Physics is assessed by three written papers, all sat at the end of the course. A calculator and the Edexcel formulae and data booklet are provided in every paper.

  • Paper 1 (Advanced Physics I) - mechanics, electric circuits, and further mechanics, fields and particles. 1 hour 45 minutes, 90 marks, 30%.
  • Paper 2 (Advanced Physics II) - waves and the particle nature of light, thermodynamics, space, and nuclear and particle physics. 1 hour 45 minutes, 90 marks, 30%.
  • Paper 3 (General and Practical Principles in Physics) - synoptic, testing practical skills and data analysis across the whole specification. 2 hours 30 minutes, 120 marks, 40%.

At least 40% of marks assess maths skills, and practical skills from the 16 core practicals are tested across all three papers.

How to study Edexcel Physics

Physics rewards confident calculation, precise definitions, and clear diagrams.

  1. Work from the specification statements. Each statement is a checklist; questions are written from them.
  2. Drill the maths. With 40% of marks mathematical, rearranging equations, logs and exponentials, and uncertainty work must be automatic.
  3. Learn definitions and derivations. Mark schemes reward precise wording and standard derivations such as the kinetic theory equation.
  4. Master the core practicals. The 16 practicals and uncertainty analysis recur across all three papers and are central to the synoptic Paper 3.
  5. Practise synoptic and unfamiliar contexts. Paper 3 spans the whole course; drill past papers from the start of Year 13.

The six modules, dot point by dot point

Each module has specification-statement-level answer pages with worked exam questions and cross-links, plus an overview guide and a check-your-knowledge quiz. Browse the full set at /a-level-edexcel/physics/syllabus.

For the official specification

Pearson publishes the full specification (9PH0), past papers, mark schemes and the practical guidance at qualifications.pearson.com. Always revise from the current specification and Edexcel's own past papers, because question style is board-specific.

Physics guides

In-depth written guides with paired practice quizzes.

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Physics practice quizzes

Multiple-choice drills with worked answer explanations. Your scores stay on this device.

The A-LEVEL-EDEXCEL system, explained

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Common questions about Physics

How is Edexcel A-Level Physics (9PH0) structured?
Edexcel A-Level Physics is a two-year linear course assessed entirely by three written exams at the end of Year 13. The content runs from mechanics and materials, waves and the particle nature of light, and electric circuits in the first year, through electric, magnetic and gravitational fields, nuclear and particle physics, and thermodynamics, space and oscillations in the second year. There is no coursework grade, but practical competence is reported separately as the Science Practical Endorsement.
What are the three Edexcel A-Level Physics exam papers?
Paper 1 (Advanced Physics I) is 1 hour 45 minutes, 90 marks and worth 30 per cent, covering working as a physicist, mechanics, electric circuits, and further mechanics, fields and particles. Paper 2 (Advanced Physics II) is also 1 hour 45 minutes, 90 marks and 30 per cent, covering waves and the particle nature of light, thermodynamics, space, nuclear and particle physics. Paper 3 (General and Practical Principles in Physics) is 2 hours 30 minutes, 120 marks and worth 40 per cent, and is synoptic, testing practical skills and data analysis across the whole specification.
How much maths is in Edexcel A-Level Physics?
At least 40 per cent of the marks assess mathematical skills, the highest proportion of the three sciences. Expect algebra and rearranging equations, trigonometry for resolving vectors, logarithms and exponentials for capacitor discharge and radioactive decay, standard form and SI prefixes, gradients and areas under graphs, and uncertainty and error analysis. A calculator is allowed in every paper and Edexcel provides a formulae and data booklet.
What are the core practicals and the Science Practical Endorsement?
There are 16 core practicals, for example determining the viscosity of a fluid, measuring the Young modulus, investigating resistivity, charging and discharging a capacitor, and investigating simple harmonic motion. They are not assessed in a lab exam, but practical skills are tested across the written papers, especially the synoptic Paper 3. Separately, your teacher assesses hands-on competence; passing earns the Science Practical Endorsement reported alongside your grade.
How should I structure my Edexcel A-Level Physics revision?
Work area by area against the specification statements, because questions are written directly from them. Build mechanics first because the suvat, force and energy methods underpin almost everything, then waves and electric circuits, then the fields, nuclear and thermal-space-oscillations content. Physics rewards fluent calculation, so drill each equation type until automatic, learn definitions and derivations precisely, and practise the synoptic, practical-focused Paper 3 from the start of Year 13.
How does Edexcel A-Level Physics compare to other exam boards?
All A-Level Physics specifications (Edexcel, AQA, OCR, Eduqas) cover the same core regulated content, so mechanics, fields and nuclear physics are broadly the same everywhere. Edexcel's distinctive features are its topic structure, the paper split into Advanced Physics I (Paper 1), Advanced Physics II (Paper 2) and the synoptic, practical-focused General and Practical Principles (Paper 3), and its specific list of 16 core practicals. Always revise from the current Edexcel specification and Edexcel past papers, because question style is board-specific.
How do I approach projectile motion problems?
Split the motion into horizontal (constant velocity) and vertical (constant acceleration due to gravity). Use t as the shared variable across both axes.
What's the difference between work and power?
Work (J) is energy transferred by a force over a distance. Power (W) is the rate of doing work β€” work divided by time.
When is momentum conserved?
In any collision (elastic or inelastic) where no external net force acts on the system. Kinetic energy is only conserved in elastic collisions.
What's the photoelectric effect?
Light shone on a metal can eject electrons, but only if the photon energy (hf) exceeds the work function. The kinetic energy of the ejected electron is hf - W. Evidence that light behaves as discrete quanta (photons).
How do magnetic forces on current-carrying wires work?
F = BIL sin ΞΈ for a wire in a uniform field B with current I and length L. Direction comes from the right-hand rule. Underpins motors, generators, and ammeters.