Cambridge International · AS & A Level
9702 AS & A Level Physics
AS Level: Papers 1, 2 and 3. A Level: all five papers.
Source: Cambridge International 9702 specification · Confirm the syllabus year with your school.
Exam infoExam structure, syllabus and formula booklet0 official documents
Syllabus for exams in 2025–2027
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 Multiple Choice | 1 h 15 min | 40 | 31% AS · 15.5% A Level |
| Paper 2 AS Level Structured Questions | 1 h 15 min | 60 | 46% AS · 23% A Level |
| Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills | 2 h | 40 | 23% AS · 11.5% A Level |
| Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions | 2 h | 100 | 38.5% A Level |
| Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation | 1 h 15 min | 30 | 11.5% A Level |
- AS Level: Papers 1, 2 and 3 (topics 1–11). A Level: all five papers (topics 1–25).
- A data and formulae list is printed in every paper.
- Exams are in March (India only), June and November.
Summarised from the official specification, checked 19 Oct 2026. The board's document is the final word.
All Cambridge documents: exam rules, key dates and grade thresholds →
Paper 1Multiple Choice11 topics
- Physical quantities and units
SI units, prefixes and estimates · Errors and uncertainties · Scalars and vectors3 lessons - Kinematics
Equations of motion and graphs · Projectile motion2 lessons - Dynamics
Newton's laws and momentum · Conservation of momentum and collisions2 lessons - Forces, density and pressure
Moments, couples and equilibrium · Density, pressure and upthrust2 lessons - Work, energy and power
Work, power and efficiency · Kinetic and potential energy2 lessons - Deformation of solids
Stress, strain and the Young modulus · Elastic and plastic behaviour2 lessons - Waves
Progressive waves and intensity · The Doppler effect · Electromagnetic spectrum and polarisation3 lessons - Superposition
Stationary waves · Diffraction and interference · The diffraction grating3 lessons - Electricity
Electric current · Potential difference and power · Resistance and resistivity3 lessons - D.C. circuits
E.m.f. and internal resistance · Kirchhoff's laws · Potential dividers3 lessons - Particle physics
Atoms, nuclei and radiation · Fundamental particles2 lessons
Paper 2AS Level Structured Questions11 topics
- Physical quantities and units
SI units, prefixes and estimates · Errors and uncertainties · Scalars and vectors3 lessons - Kinematics
Equations of motion and graphs · Projectile motion2 lessons - Dynamics
Newton's laws and momentum · Conservation of momentum and collisions2 lessons - Forces, density and pressure
Moments, couples and equilibrium · Density, pressure and upthrust2 lessons - Work, energy and power
Work, power and efficiency · Kinetic and potential energy2 lessons - Deformation of solids
Stress, strain and the Young modulus · Elastic and plastic behaviour2 lessons - Waves
Progressive waves and intensity · The Doppler effect · Electromagnetic spectrum and polarisation3 lessons - Superposition
Stationary waves · Diffraction and interference · The diffraction grating3 lessons - Electricity
Electric current · Potential difference and power · Resistance and resistivity3 lessons - D.C. circuits
E.m.f. and internal resistance · Kirchhoff's laws · Potential dividers3 lessons - Particle physics
Atoms, nuclei and radiation · Fundamental particles2 lessons
Paper 3Advanced Practical Skills1 topics
- Practical skills
Readings, uncertainties and tables · Graphs and evaluation2 lessons
Paper 4A Level Structured Questions14 topics
- Motion in a circle
Kinematics of circular motion · Centripetal acceleration and force2 lessons - Gravitational fields
Gravitational force and field strength · Gravitational potential and orbits2 lessons - Temperature
Thermal equilibrium and temperature scales · Specific heat capacity and latent heat2 lessons - Ideal gases
The ideal gas equation · Kinetic theory of gases2 lessons - Thermodynamics
Internal energy · The first law of thermodynamics2 lessons - Oscillations
Simple harmonic motion · Velocity and energy in SHM · Damping and resonance3 lessons - Electric fields
Electric fields and uniform fields · Coulomb's law · Electric potential3 lessons - Capacitance
Capacitors and capacitance · Energy stored in a capacitor · Discharging a capacitor3 lessons - Magnetic fields
Force on a current-carrying conductor · Force on a moving charge · Magnetic fields due to currents · Electromagnetic induction4 lessons - Alternating currents
Characteristics of alternating currents · Rectification and smoothing2 lessons - Quantum physics
Photons and the photoelectric effect · Wave–particle duality · Energy levels and line spectra3 lessons - Nuclear physics
Mass defect and binding energy · Radioactive decay2 lessons - Medical physics
Ultrasound · X-rays and CT scanning · PET scanning3 lessons - Astronomy and cosmology
Standard candles · Stellar radii · Hubble's law and the Big Bang3 lessons
Paper 5Planning, Analysis and Evaluation1 topics
- Planning, analysis and evaluation
Planning an investigation · Analysis, error bars and evaluation2 lessons