Edexcel A-Level Physics answers, written to the spec
13 topics · specification 9PH0 · explanations and examiner marking in Edexcel’s own language
Studying Edexcel A-Level Physics? Pick your board once and every answer, mark and flashcard elid gives you follows that specification. Free to start, no card needed. Open elid →
This is the full Edexcel A-Level Physics specification, code 9PH0, as elid holds it — 13 topics, each with the terminology Edexcel marks against. Every explanation and every mark elid gives you is written against this list, not a generic A-level one, because the same question answered in AQA, CAIE or OCR language loses marks it should have earned.
The Edexcel A-Level Physics specification, topic by topic
Working as a Physicist
Assessed in Paper 1, 2, 3
Base and derived SI units, estimation, physical quantities, uncertainties, systematic and random errors, experimental methods.
Specification terms elid matches
SI units
SI base units
derived units
base quantity
derived quantity
random error
systematic error
uncertainty
percentage uncertainty
absolute uncertainty
error bars
line of best fit
worst acceptable line
resolution
Mechanics
Assessed in Paper 1, 3
Rectilinear motion, vector addition and resolution, projectile motion, Newton's laws of motion, drag, terminal velocity, moments, work, power, efficiency.
Density, upthrust, Stokes' law, laminar and turbulent flow, viscosity, Hooke's law, elastic and plastic deformation, stress, strain, Young modulus.
Specification terms elid matches
density
upthrust
Stokes' law
viscosity
hooke's law
elastic deformation
plastic deformation
tensile stress
tensile strain
young modulus
Archimedes' principle
viscous drag force
coefficient of viscosity
elastic limit
Waves and Particle Nature of Light
Assessed in Paper 2, 3
Wave properties, phase, polarization, diffraction, refraction, Snell's law, total internal reflection, lens equations, interference, photoelectric effect, work function, de Broglie wavelength.
Specification terms elid matches
polarization
diffraction
refraction
total internal reflection
lens equation
interference
stationary wave
superposition
photoelectric effect
work function
de Broglie wavelength
transverse wave
longitudinal wave
wavefront
Further Mechanics
Assessed in Paper 1, 3
Linear momentum, conservation of momentum, elastic and inelastic collisions, impulse, circular motion, angular velocity, centripetal acceleration.
Specification terms elid matches
momentum
conservation of momentum
elastic collision
inelastic collision
impulse
circular motion
angular velocity
centripetal acceleration
linear momentum
change in momentum
rate of change of momentum
angular displacement
angular speed
Radian
Electric and Magnetic Fields
Assessed in Paper 1, 3
Coulomb's law, electric field strength, electric potential, capacitance, capacitor charging and discharging, magnetic fields, electromagnetic induction, Faraday's and Lenz's laws.
elid uses these weightings when it decides which topics deserve your revision time first.
Paper
Share of the qualification
Paper 1
30%
Paper 2
30%
Paper 3
40%
Marked the way Edexcel marks it
Paste an answer you have written and elid marks it point by point against the Edexcel scheme: which marking points you hit, which you missed, and the sentence that would have earned each missing one. It is the difference between being told an answer is “good” and being told exactly where the marks went.
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