Cambridge International A-Level
Physics 9702
Full 9702 syllabus coverage, built around understanding rather than repetition, with an emphasis on the mistakes that actually cost marks.
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AS
AS Level: Papers 1, 2 & 3
Medium AS LevelPhysical quantities and units, kinematics, dynamics, forces, momentum, work, energy and power, materials, waves, superposition, electricity, DC circuits, particle physics, and practical skills.
Notes & Download
High‑Resolution Annotated Notes
AS Level Physics — Part 1
Physical quantities, kinematics, dynamics, forces, work, energy, power, materials, waves.
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High‑Resolution Annotated Notes
AS Level Physics — Part 2
Superposition, electricity, DC circuits, particle physics, practical skills.
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Anki Flashcards
Anki Deck
Paper 2 Definitions
Key definitions for AS Physics (Paper 2). Mark scheme phrases you need to memorise.
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Anki Deck
Paper 3 Improvements & Limitations
Common experimental limitations and improvements, the exact phrasing examiners expect.
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Common Mistakes
- !Underestimating the time pressure in Paper 1. Every question is worth the same mark so a long question stuck on is costing you easy marks elsewhere.
- !Assuming there is only one way to draw a vector triangle. Multiple arrangements can be valid.
- !Applying formulas without knowing what they describe. Paper 4 in particular tests whether you understand derivations, not just results.
- !Treating equilibrium as just net force = 0. Torque must also be zero.
- !Applying Newton's Third Law to the same object. The two forces act on different bodies.
- !Taking Paper 3 measurements without checking eye level or instrument calibration first.
- !Memorising improvements and limitations without understanding what the experiment is actually doing. The flashcards help but you need to understand the setup too.
Tips
- 💡In Paper 1, skip any question taking more than a minute and come back. Every question is one mark.
- 💡State the law or formula before applying it. Examiners award marks for explicit statements.
- 💡Use AC instead of ON on your calculator to recover previous values. Saves a lot of time you'd otherwise waste retyping numbers.
- 💡Note down the mistakes you keep making in Paper 3 practice. The same errors come up repeatedly.
- 💡Draw a vector diagram whenever forces or momentum are involved, even for simple cases.
P4
Paper 4: A2 Structured Questions
Hard A2 LevelGravitational fields, electric fields, capacitance, magnetic fields, electromagnetic induction, alternating currents, thermal physics, ideal gases, quantum physics, nuclear physics, and medical imaging.
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High‑Resolution Annotated Notes
Paper 4 — Part 1
Gravitational fields, electric fields, capacitance, magnetic fields.
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High‑Resolution Annotated Notes
Paper 4 — Part 2
Electromagnetic induction, alternating currents, thermal physics, ideal gases.
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High‑Resolution Annotated Notes
Paper 4 — Part 3
Quantum physics, nuclear physics, medical imaging.
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Anki Flashcards: Paper 4
Anki Deck
Paper 4 Flashcards (All‑in‑one)
Definitions, formulas, explain/state questions, and important graphs for Paper 4.
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Common Mistakes
- !Losing marks on proportionality questions. Know what depends on what for every major topic.
- !Using informal terminology in written answers. Learn the exact phrases the mark scheme expects.
- !Ignoring significant figure instructions in the question. If it says 3 sig figs, use 3 sig figs.
- !Mixing up field strength, potential, and energy, especially in electric and gravitational field questions.
- !Forgetting the assumptions behind a derivation when the question asks you to state them.
- !Confusing the left hand and right hand rules. The palm method in the notes is more reliable than the traditional approach.
- !Reproducing memorised explanations without understanding the underlying physics. Examiners change the scenario, not just the wording.
Tips
- 💡For rate of change derivations, start with a single particle or charge and scale up. The derivation usually becomes straightforward.
- 💡Check units when stuck on which equation to use. The units usually tell you what to combine.
- 💡If Fleming's rules consistently confuse you, switch to the palm method described in the notes.
- 💡In graph questions, always ask what the gradient represents and what the area under the curve represents.
- 💡Sketch the field before calculating. A rough field diagram prevents most sign errors.
- 💡For every quantity in a topic, know what it is proportional to and what it is independent of.
P5
Paper 5: Practical
Medium A2 LevelPlanning experiments, data analysis, error handling, and drawing conclusions.
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High‑Resolution Annotated Notes
Paper 5 Practical Notes
Planning experiments, data analysis, error handling, drawing conclusions, graphing.
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Common Mistakes
- !Drawing error bars the wrong length. Half the absolute uncertainty on each side.
- !Using the wrong uncertainty formula. Percentage uncertainty for multiplication or division, absolute for addition or subtraction.
- !Taking logs without first checking whether the relationship is actually exponential or power.
- !Quoting calculated values to the wrong number of significant figures. Match the precision of the raw measurements.
- !Drawing lines of best fit that hug too many points rather than balancing them. The line should minimise distance from all points.
- !Forgetting how uncertainties propagate. Add percentage uncertainties when multiplying or dividing.
Tips
- 💡Record raw measurements to the precision of the instrument, no more and no less.
- 💡Calculated values should be quoted to the same significant figures as the least precise measurement used.
- 💡Keep significant figures consistent within a data column. Inconsistency loses marks.
- 💡Starting with Question 2 is worth considering. It is usually more straightforward and settles you in.
- 💡Draw graphs repeatedly in practice. Neat axes, proper error bars, and a balanced line of best fit all need habit to be fast.
- 💡Before writing anything for Question 1, plan the measurements and apparatus mentally. A rushed plan leads to missing control variables.
- 💡The ET Physics playlist linked in the resources is the most useful thing for Paper 5. Follow the method shown there.
Physics 9702
Before You Sit the Exam
Things I wish someone had told me before the actual papers.
How I Approached 9702
Revision Workflow
During the Year
- 1Learn the theory using notes and videos. ET Physics and Science Shorts cover most topics well.
- 2Do topical questions for each topic before moving to past papers.
- 3Review every mistake immediately after the question, not at the end of the session.
- 4Add to your flashcards whenever you find a better explanation or phrase for a definition.
- 5For Paper 3, get familiar with the actual equipment. Reading about parallax errors helps much less than measuring with a ruler and seeing them.
Before Exams
- 1Spend most of your time on your weak topics using topical questions.
- 2Use the Anki decks to lock in definitions and the mark scheme phrasing for common explanations.
- 3Complete at least 10 to 15 past papers per paper type, timed strictly.
- 4Review Paper 5 graphing and uncertainty regularly. These are learnable marks.
- 5Review where every formula comes from, not just the formula itself. Paper 4 tests derivations regularly.
Extra Help
General Tips & Resources
General Tips
- 💡Write down the relevant formula before substituting numbers. Even if you get the final answer wrong, the formula often earns a mark.
- 💡In Paper 5, draw the line of best fit before the worst acceptable line. The order matters for how clearly you can judge the gradient uncertainty.
- 💡Paper 4 is not a memory test. The questions change but the underlying physics stays the same.
- 💡Learn the exact phrasing the mark scheme uses for common definitions. One wrong word can cost a mark.
General Resources
- Prosperity Academy: free resources: prosperityacademics.com/free-resources
- Senpai Corner Formula Sheet: senpaicorner.com
- ET Physics Blog: 9702-physics.blogspot.com/p/resources.html
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