Specification Map & Revision Checklist

This lesson provides a complete map of the AQA GCSE Physics specification, showing every topic, its paper allocation, Higher-tier-only content, equations, high-frequency exam areas, and cross-topic links. Use this as your master revision guide — tick off each topic as you revise it, and focus your final revision on areas you have not yet covered or feel weakest on.

---

Full AQA GCSE Physics Specification Map

The AQA GCSE Physics specification is divided into eight main topics, numbered 6.1 to 6.8 in the specification document. Topics 1–4 are examined on Paper 1, and topics 5–8 are examined on Paper 2.

Paper 1 Topics

6.1 Energy

Sub-topic	Key Content	Higher Only?
6.1.1 Energy changes in a system	Energy stores, transfers, kinetic energy, GPE, elastic PE, specific heat capacity	No
6.1.2 Conservation and dissipation of energy	Conservation of energy, dissipation, efficiency, ways to reduce unwanted transfers	No
6.1.3 National and global energy resources	Renewable and non-renewable resources, trends, environmental impact	No

Required Practicals: RP1 (Specific heat capacity), RP2 (Thermal insulation)

6.2 Electricity

Sub-topic	Key Content	Higher Only?
6.2.1 Current, potential difference, and resistance	Charge flow, Ohm's law, I-V characteristics, resistors, LDRs, thermistors	No (core); some Higher content on LDR/thermistor circuits
6.2.2 Series and parallel circuits	Rules for current, PD, and resistance in series and parallel	No
6.2.3 Domestic uses and safety	AC vs DC, mains supply (230 V, 50 Hz), wiring a plug, fuses, circuit breakers, earthing	No
6.2.4 Energy transfers	Power, energy calculations, National Grid	P = I^2 x R application is Higher
6.2.5 Static electricity	Charging by friction, electric fields	No

Required Practicals: RP3 (Resistance — length of wire), RP4 (I-V characteristics)

6.3 Particle Model of Matter

Sub-topic	Key Content	Higher Only?
6.3.1 Changes of state and the particle model	States of matter, state changes, internal energy	No
6.3.2 Internal energy and energy transfers	Specific heat capacity, specific latent heat	No
6.3.3 Particle model and pressure	Pressure in gases, effect of temperature on pressure, p x V = constant	p x V = constant is Higher

Required Practical: RP5 (Density)

6.4 Atomic Structure

Sub-topic	Key Content	Higher Only?
6.4.1 Atoms and isotopes	Structure of the atom, isotopes, history of the atomic model	No
6.4.2 Atoms and nuclear radiation	Alpha, beta, gamma radiation; properties; uses; dangers	Nuclear equations are Higher
6.4.3 Hazards and uses of radioactive emissions and of background radiation	Half-life, contamination vs irradiation, uses in medicine	Calculating half-life quantitatively is Higher
6.4.4 Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion	Fission chain reactions, fusion in stars	No

Required Practicals: None for this topic

---

Paper 2 Topics

6.5 Forces

Sub-topic	Key Content	Higher Only?
6.5.1 Forces and their interactions	Scalar vs vector, contact vs non-contact, gravity, resultant forces	No
6.5.2 Work done and energy transfer	W = F x s, relationship to energy	No
6.5.3 Forces and elasticity	Hooke's law, elastic and inelastic deformation, spring constant	No
6.5.4 Moments, levers, and gears	Moments, principle of moments, levers, gears	No
6.5.5 Pressure and pressure differences in fluids	Pressure in liquids, atmospheric pressure	p = h x rho x g is Higher
6.5.6 Forces and motion	Speed, velocity, acceleration, distance-time graphs, velocity-time graphs, Newton's laws	No (core); terminal velocity explanation is Higher
6.5.7 Momentum	Conservation of momentum, calculations	All of 6.5.7 is Higher

Required Practicals: RP6 (Force and extension — Hooke's law), RP7 (Acceleration — F=ma)

6.6 Waves

Sub-topic	Key Content	Higher Only?
6.6.1 Waves in fluids	Transverse and longitudinal waves, amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period, wave speed	No
6.6.2 Electromagnetic waves	EM spectrum, properties, uses, dangers	No
6.6.3 Optics	Reflection, refraction, lenses, colour, filters	Convex lens ray diagrams and magnification equation are Higher

Required Practicals: RP8 (Waves — ripple tank), RP9 (Light — reflection and refraction)

6.7 Magnetism and Electromagnetism

Sub-topic	Key Content	Higher Only?
6.7.1 Permanent and induced magnetism	Magnetic poles, magnetic fields, induced magnetism, magnetic field patterns	No
6.7.2 The motor effect	Fleming's left-hand rule, F = B x I x l, DC motor	F = B x I x l calculation is Higher
6.7.3 Induced potential, transformers, and the National Grid	Generator effect, alternators, dynamos, transformers, National Grid	All of 6.7.3 is Higher

Required Practical: RP10 (Radiation and absorption — infrared)

6.8 Space Physics (Physics Only — NOT Combined Science)

Sub-topic	Key Content	Higher Only?
6.8.1 Solar system, stability of orbital motion, satellites	Planets, moons, orbits, gravity and orbits	No
6.8.2 Red-shift	Doppler effect, red-shift evidence for expanding universe, Big Bang	No

Required Practicals: None for this topic

---

Paper 1 vs Paper 2 Topic Split — Quick Reference

Paper 1	Paper 2
6.1 Energy	6.5 Forces
6.2 Electricity	6.6 Waves
6.3 Particle Model of Matter	6.7 Magnetism and Electromagnetism
6.4 Atomic Structure	6.8 Space Physics (Physics only)

---

Higher-Tier-Only Content — Complete List

The following content is ONLY examined on the Higher tier papers. If you are sitting Foundation, you will not be asked about these topics.

Topic	Higher-Only Content
Electricity	Using LDR and thermistor in potential divider circuits
Electricity	Detailed National Grid calculations using P = I^2 x R
Particle model	p x V = constant (gas pressure-volume relationship)
Atomic structure	Writing and balancing nuclear equations (alpha and beta decay)
Atomic structure	Quantitative half-life calculations (not just reading from a graph)
Forces	Calculating pressure in a column of liquid: p = h x rho x g
Forces	Momentum (all of section 6.5.7): conservation of momentum, calculations
Forces	Detailed explanation of terminal velocity
Waves	Convex lens ray diagrams, real and virtual images, magnification calculations
Magnetism	Calculating force on a conductor: F = B x I x l
Magnetism	All of section 6.7.3: induced potential, generator effect, alternators, dynamos, transformers

---

Equations to Memorise — Full List

These are the equations NOT provided on the equation sheet. You must know them from memory.

#	Equation	Variables
1	E_k = 0.5 x m x v^2	kinetic energy (J), mass (kg), speed (m/s)
2	E_p = m x g x h	gravitational PE (J), mass (kg), g (N/kg), height (m)
3	E_e = 0.5 x k x e^2	elastic PE (J), spring constant (N/m), extension (m)
4	E = m x c x delta_T	energy (J), mass (kg), SHC (J/kg degC), temp change (degC)
5	P = E / t	power (W), energy (J), time (s)
6	Efficiency = useful output / total input	(no units, or as percentage)
7	Q = I x t	charge (C), current (A), time (s)
8	V = I x R	PD (V), current (A), resistance (ohms)
9	P = V x I	power (W), PD (V), current (A)
10	P = I^2 x R	power (W), current (A), resistance (ohms)
11	E = P x t	energy (J), power (W), time (s)
12	E = Q x V	energy (J), charge (C), PD (V)
13	rho = m / V	density (kg/m^3), mass (kg), volume (m^3)
14	W = m x g	weight (N), mass (kg), g (N/kg)
15	W = F x s	work done (J), force (N), distance (m)
16	F = k x e	force (N), spring constant (N/m), extension (m)
17	distance = speed x time	distance (m), speed (m/s), time (s)
18	a = delta_v / t	acceleration (m/s^2), change in velocity (m/s), time (s)
19	F = m x a	resultant force (N), mass (kg), acceleration (m/s^2)
20	p = m x v	momentum (kg m/s), mass (kg), velocity (m/s)
21	v = f x lambda	wave speed (m/s), frequency (Hz), wavelength (m)
22	T = 1 / f	period (s), frequency (Hz)
23	V_p / V_s = n_p / n_s	transformer turns ratio

---

Equations on the AQA Equation Sheet — Full List

These equations WILL be provided in the exam.

#	Equation	Variables
1	E = m x L	energy (J), mass (kg), specific latent heat (J/kg)
2	p x V = constant	pressure (Pa), volume (m^3) — at constant temperature
3	moment = F x d	moment (Nm), force (N), perpendicular distance (m)
4	p = h x rho x g	pressure (Pa), height (m), density (kg/m^3), g (N/kg) — Higher
5	magnification = image height / object height	(no units)
6	F = B x I x l	force (N), magnetic flux density (T), current (A), length (m) — Higher
7	V_p x I_p = V_s x I_s	transformer power equation — Higher
8	orbital speed = 2 x pi x r / T	speed (m/s), radius (m), period (s)

---

High-Frequency Exam Topics

Based on analysis of past AQA GCSE Physics papers, the following topics appear most frequently. Prioritise these in your revision.

Paper 1 — High-Frequency Topics

Topic	Why It Appears Often
Energy stores and transfers	Foundation of the energy topic; tested in describe/explain questions
Kinetic energy and GPE calculations	Reliable calculation questions worth 3–4 marks
Specific heat capacity (RP1)	Required practical — tested for method, variables, errors, calculations
Efficiency calculations	Straightforward calculation + Sankey diagram interpretation
Ohm's law and circuit calculations	Multiple calculation opportunities: V = IR, P = VI, P = I^2R
I-V characteristics (RP4)	Required practical — graph shape recognition, method, variables
Series and parallel circuit rules	Current and voltage rules in circuits — often misunderstood
National Grid	Why high voltage is used for transmission (P = I^2 x R argument)
Density calculations (RP5)	Required practical with calculation
Half-life	Graph reading and calculation (Higher: quantitative)

Paper 2 — High-Frequency Topics

Topic	Why It Appears Often
Newton's laws of motion	Three laws — application to various scenarios
F = ma calculations (RP7)	Required practical and calculation
Distance-time and velocity-time graphs	Graph interpretation, gradient, area under graph
Hooke's law (RP6)	Required practical — force-extension graph, spring constant
Stopping distance	Thinking + braking distance; factors affecting each
EM spectrum	Properties, uses, dangers of different EM waves
Reflection and refraction (RP9)	Required practical — angles, laws
Transformers	Turns ratio equation and National Grid context (Higher)
Momentum conservation	Calculations involving collisions (Higher)
Red-shift and the Big Bang	Evidence for expanding universe (Physics only)

---

Cross-Topic Links

AQA often sets questions that link concepts from different topics. Recognising these links helps you see the bigger picture and answer synoptic questions.

Energy Transfers Across All Topics

Energy is a unifying concept that runs through every topic in the specification.