The Most-Tested Topics in A-Level Physics (CIE 9702)
Every 9702 past-paper question, tagged to its syllabus topic — ranked by how often each is tested (2022–2025).
AS Level (Papers 1–3)
117 papers analysed · top 15 of 55 topics
| # | Topic | % of all questions | Questions | Avg marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Measurement techniques and uncertainties | 10.5% | 138 | 14.2 |
| 2 | Equilibrium, moments and torque | 5.9% | 78 | 3.3 |
| 3 | SI base units and derived units | 3.7% | 48 | 2.9 |
| 4 | Newton's three laws of motion | 3.5% | 46 | 5.2 |
| 5 | Power and efficiency | 3.1% | 41 | 3.5 |
| 6 | Wavelength, frequency, period and wave speed (v = fλ) | 3.1% | 41 | 4.3 |
| 7 | Stationary (standing) waves | 3.1% | 41 | 4.1 |
| 8 | Elastic and plastic deformation; strain energy | 3% | 40 | 4.5 |
| 9 | Electric charge, current and charge carriers | 2.9% | 38 | 4.1 |
| 10 | Resistors in series and parallel | 2.7% | 35 | 5.3 |
| 11 | Radioactive decay equations and the unified atomic mass unit (u) | 2.6% | 34 | 5.3 |
| 12 | Hadrons (baryons, mesons), leptons and quark changes in beta decay | 2.6% | 34 | 3.8 |
| 13 | Displacement-time and velocity-time graphs | 2.6% | 34 | 4.9 |
| 14 | Upthrust and Archimedes' principle | 2.6% | 34 | 5.5 |
| 15 | Conservation of energy | 2.6% | 34 | 6 |
A Level (A2 topics) (Papers 4–5)
117 papers analysed · top 15 of 60 topics
| # | Topic | % of all questions | Questions | Avg marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gas laws (Boyle, Charles, pressure law) and ideal gas equation | 1.1% | 14 | 11.4 |
| 2 | Photon: quantum of EM energy, E = hf, electronvolt, and momentum p = E/c | 1.1% | 14 | 10.1 |
| 3 | First law of thermodynamics (Delta U = q + W) and work done by a gas (W = p Delta V) | 1% | 13 | 10.7 |
| 4 | Simple harmonic motion: defining equation (a = −ω²x) | 1% | 13 | 9.9 |
| 5 | Centripetal acceleration and centripetal force | 0.9% | 12 | 10.4 |
| 6 | Kinetic theory of gases (pV = ⅓Nm<c²>) | 0.9% | 12 | 11.8 |
| 7 | Energy in SHM (KE, PE interchange) | 0.9% | 12 | 9.8 |
| 8 | Capacitor charge and discharge curves (RC circuits) | 0.9% | 12 | 10.3 |
| 9 | Characteristics of alternating current: period, frequency and peak value (x = x0 sin wt) | 0.9% | 12 | 9.7 |
| 10 | Luminosity and radiant flux intensity (F = L/4πd²) | 0.9% | 12 | 9.8 |
| 11 | Specific heat capacity (Q = mcΔθ) | 0.8% | 11 | 10.8 |
| 12 | Uniform electric fields (E = V/d) | 0.8% | 11 | 10.6 |
| 13 | R.m.s. and peak values; mean power in a resistive load | 0.8% | 11 | 9.2 |
| 14 | Half-life and exponential decay (lambda = 0.693/t_half, x = x0 e^(-lambda t)) | 0.8% | 11 | 9.8 |
| 15 | Angular displacement, velocity and period | 0.8% | 10 | 10.6 |
How this was measured
Based on OwlsPrep's database of official CIE 9702 past papers (2022–2025), 1314 questions each tagged to its syllabus topic. “% of all questions” = the share of all tagged 9702 questions that test the topic. Because one question can test several topics, shares do not sum to 100%. AS and A2 are listed separately; A2 tends to use fewer, higher-mark questions. Figures are aggregate statistics from question metadata — no exam questions or mark schemes are reproduced.
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