Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics (9702): Complete Study Guide
Complete study guide · Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics (9702)Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics (9702): Complete Study Guide
- AS and A Level routes
- Twelve physics units
- Original worked examples
Move from the physical system and command word to the right diagram, graph, equation, table, or experimental plan. Keep definitions, directions, units, assumptions, uncertainty, and precision visible from the first line to the conclusion.
- How the exam is assessed AS candidates take Papers 1, 2, and 3; the full A Level uses Papers 1 through 5 through a staged or same-series route.
- What the guide covers Six core units serve both levels, followed by six additional A Level units.
- How to earn clear credit State the governing relationship, convert units before substitution, keep the sign or direction, and interpret the result.
- Worked practice The free example carries measured dimensions through volume and percentage uncertainty.
The supplied data and formula pages can save recall time, but they do not choose a method, state a condition, or supply a derivation. Practice recognizing when each relationship applies and showing why it fits the situation.
What Cambridge Physics 9702 covers
The first six units cover AS content used by both AS and A Level candidates. The next six add the A Level content. Use each link to study the central decision, a first move, formulas, graphs, common errors, and a complete example.
Cambridge International publishes no per-unit percentage for Cambridge International A Level Physics; Paper 1 accounts for 31% of the AS Level total and 15.5% of the A Level total.
AS uses three papers; A Level uses five
AS Level: Paper 1 accounts for 31%, Paper 2 for 46%, and Paper 3 for 23% of the AS Level result. AS candidates take Papers 1, 2, and 3 in the same examination series.
A Level: Paper 1 accounts for 15.5%, Paper 2 for 23%, Paper 3 for 11.5%, Paper 4 for 38.5%, and Paper 5 for 11.5%. Candidates may take Papers 1, 2, and 3 first and Papers 4 and 5 later, or take all five in one examination series.
Cambridge International publishes no per-unit percentage for Cambridge International A Level Physics; Paper 1 accounts for 31% of the AS Level total and 15.5% of the A Level total.
| Level and paper | Time | Marks | Weight | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AS Paper 1: Multiple Choice | 75 minutes | 40 | 31% | four-choice multiple-choice items, 40 questions |
| AS Paper 2: AS Level Structured Questions | 75 minutes | 60 | 46% | structured questions |
| AS Paper 3: Advanced Practical Skills | 120 minutes | 40 | 23% | practical work and structured questions, 2 questions |
| A Level Paper 1: Multiple Choice | 75 minutes | 40 | 15.5% | four-choice multiple-choice items, 40 questions |
| A Level Paper 2: AS Level Structured Questions | 75 minutes | 60 | 23% | structured questions |
| A Level Paper 3: Advanced Practical Skills | 120 minutes | 40 | 11.5% | practical work and structured questions, 2 questions |
| A Level Paper 4: A Level Structured Questions | 120 minutes | 100 | 38.5% | structured questions |
| A Level Paper 5: Planning, Analysis and Evaluation | 75 minutes | 30 | 11.5% | written practical-skills questions, 2 questions |
Data and formulas appear on page 2 of Papers 1 and 2 and on pages 2 and 3 of Paper 4. A supplied result does not replace the need to know its conditions or derivation. See the official Cambridge International syllabus for the current details, stated here as of 2026-10-09.
Worked example: dimensions, prefixes and uncertainty
Read each question as it appears on the exam paper, choose your answer, then tap it to see the feedback.
A cylinder is measured using a digital calliper.
A cylinder has diameter 12.40 ± 0.05 mm and length 48.0 ± 0.1 mm. Calculate its volume and percentage uncertainty.
[4]Show all necessary working.
A. Convert both lengths to meters, use V = πd²L/4, and add two fractional diameter uncertainties plus one fractional length uncertainty.
✅ Correct! 😊 Correct. The diameter is squared, so its fractional uncertainty contributes twice; converting before substitution also keeps the volume in m³.
B. Use the millimetre values directly in the formula and label the result in m³.
❌ Not quite 😭 This squares and cubes millimetre-scale values without converting them. The numerical result would be in mm³, not m³.
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C. Convert both lengths, but add the diameter fractional uncertainty only once.
❌ Not quite 😭 This recognizes the SI conversion but misses the power of two on d. The percentage uncertainty is therefore too small.
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D. Convert both lengths and subtract the length uncertainty from the diameter uncertainty.
❌ Not quite 😭 Independent percentage uncertainties are added for multiplication and powers. Subtracting them can hide uncertainty instead of propagating it.
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Full explanation
- Step 1Convert first: d = 0.01240 m and L = 0.0480 m.
- Step 2Use V = πd²L/4 to obtain 5.80 × 10⁻⁶ m³.
- Step 3Calculate 2(0.05/12.40 × 100%) + 0.1/48.0 × 100% = 1.01%.
- Step 4Convert 1.01% of the volume to 0.06 × 10⁻⁶ m³ and match the precision.
A student is checking a calculated physical quantity.
Which sequence gives the most complete method for a numerical physics answer?
[1]Choose the best answer.
A. Choose a formula, insert the printed numbers, and omit units until the end.
❌ Not quite 😭 This can hide incompatible units during substitution. A plausible final number may then carry the wrong scale.
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B. State the relationship, convert to compatible SI quantities, substitute, retain guard digits, then report the correct dimensions and precision.
✅ Correct! 😊 Correct. This route makes the physics choice, conversions, numerical work, and reporting decision visible.
C. Round every intermediate value to one significant figure before using the equation.
❌ Not quite 😭 Early rounding discards useful precision and can shift the final answer. Guard digits should be retained until reporting.
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D. Start with the requested dimensions and work backwards without identifying the governing relationship.
❌ Not quite 😭 Dimensional thinking can check a method, but it cannot replace choosing the physical relationship and its conditions.
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Full explanation
- Step 1Identify the requested quantity and select a relationship that applies to the stated physical situation.
- Step 2Convert all values to compatible units before substitution so prefixes and powers are handled correctly.
- Step 3Carry sufficient digits through the calculation and check the resulting dimensions.
- Step 4Give the final value with appropriate dimensions, precision, sign or direction where relevant.
Fifteen terms to use precisely
Use each definition with the matching quantity, equation, graph, field, particle, or experimental decision.
- SI base unit
- one of the independent units from which SI derived units are formed
- percentage uncertainty
- absolute uncertainty divided by the measured value and multiplied by 100%
- momentum
- mass multiplied by velocity, with the same direction as the velocity
- density
- mass per unit volume
- frequency
- the number of complete oscillations passing a point per unit time
- electric charge
- a conserved property of matter measured in coulombs
- internal resistance
- effective resistance within a source that causes lost potential difference when current flows
- beta particle
- an electron or positron emitted in a beta decay process
- simple harmonic motion
- oscillation in which acceleration is proportional and opposite to displacement
- specific latent heat
- energy required per unit mass for a change of state without temperature change
- electric field strength
- force per unit positive test charge
- dielectric
- an insulating material that polarises in an electric field
- root-mean-square value
- the square root of the mean of the squared instantaneous values
- de Broglie wavelength
- wavelength associated with momentum, equal to Planck constant divided by momentum
- acoustic impedance
- density multiplied by wave speed for a medium
What to expect and how to use this guide
Are the example questions copied from published examination papers?
No. The contexts, values, calculations, figures and explanations are independently written for study.
Which papers include supplied data and formulae?
The current syllabus states that data and formulae appear on page 2 of Papers 1 and 2 and on pages 2 and 3 of Paper 4.
How should a calculation be presented?
Write the governing relation, convert values to compatible units, retain guard digits, state the answer with a suitable unit and precision, and interpret its sign or direction where relevant.
Is this guide produced or endorsed by Cambridge International?
No. This is an independent AskSia study guide. AskSia is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Cambridge International is a trademark of Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
What is the official Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics (9702) exam structure?
AS Level: Multiple Choice (75 min, 40 questions, 31%); AS Level Structured Questions (75 min, 46%); Advanced Practical Skills (120 min, 2 questions, 23%) | A Level: Multiple Choice (75 min, 40 questions, 15.5%); AS Level Structured Questions (75 min, 23%); Advanced Practical Skills (120 min, 2 questions, 11.5%); A Level Structured Questions (120 min, 38.5%); Planning, Analysis And Evaluation (75 min, 2 questions, 11.5%). These figures come from the current Cambridge International specification; where Cambridge International does not publish a per-unit weighting, this guide does not invent one.
Does the official formula booklet or data sheet give me everything I need?
No. The booklet lists results, not the conditions for using them or the derivations behind them. Each unit here marks what the booklet gives you and what you must still know and justify in your working.
Build a repeatable route from system to physical conclusion
Pass 1 — identify the system and command. Decide whether the prompt asks you to calculate, determine, describe, explain, compare, suggest, or evaluate. Name the system boundary, direction, requested quantity, and relevant conditions before choosing a relationship.
Pass 2 — choose the representation. Use a force diagram for interactions, aligned axes for vectors, a circuit diagram for topology, a graph for gradients or areas, a table for controlled measurements, and a symbolic equation for the final link between known and unknown quantities.
Pass 3 — reproduce complete examples. Work from Problem to Calculation to Answer without hiding unit conversions, signs, directions, assumptions, or precision. Use the four-column check to compare your method with evidence a reader can audit.
Pass 4 — mix calculation, explanation, and practical reasoning. Alternate focused repair with mixed-paper practice. Keep an error log that records the first physics decision that should have been made, then redo the item with that decision visible.
Use supplied formulas actively. Practice locating the relevant relationship, naming every symbol, checking its conditions, and connecting it to the current diagram or graph. The formula page gives results, but you still need to know derivations and justify why a relationship applies.
Do not drop a unit because of an estimated planning weight. Revisit all twelve units while giving extra repair time to weak decisions, unit conversions, graph operations, and practical evaluation.
AskSia is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Cambridge International is a trademark of Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Exam structure is based on official Cambridge International information as of 2026-10-09; the worked settings and values in this guide are independently written for learning.