A-Level Physics (AQA)

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics coverage of particles and radiation (3.2): the constituents of the atom, isotopes and nuclear stability, particles and antiparticles, the quark model and hadron/lepton classification, exchange particles and the four fundamental forces, Feynman diagrams, conservation laws in particle interactions, the photoelectric effect, atomic energy levels and line spectra, electron-atom collisions and the fluorescent tube, and wave-particle duality (de Broglie). Phase 2 will add the spec-3.2.1 introductory lessons and the spec-3.2.2 energy-levels and electron-collision lessons.

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics coverage of waves (3.3): progressive and stationary waves, the electromagnetic spectrum, superposition and interference, Young's double-slit experiment, single-slit and grating diffraction, refraction and total internal reflection, stationary waves on strings and in pipes, and polarisation, with Required Practicals RP3 (resonance in standing waves) and RP4 (two-slit interference).

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics coverage of mechanics and materials (3.4): kinematics and SUVAT, projectile motion, Newton's laws of motion, momentum and impulse, work-energy-power, moments and equilibrium, stress-strain behaviour and Young's modulus, material properties, density and pressure, with Required Practicals RP1 (free-fall g) and RP2 (Young's modulus).

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics coverage of electricity (3.5): charge, current and charge carriers, potential difference and EMF, resistance and Ohm's law, I-V characteristics, resistivity, series and parallel circuits, internal resistance, potential dividers, and Kirchhoff's laws, with Required Practicals RP5 (resistivity of a wire) and RP6 (EMF and internal resistance).

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics coverage of further mechanics (3.6.1 — periodic motion): circular motion fundamentals (angular speed, radians, period and frequency), centripetal force and acceleration, applications of circular motion (banked tracks, vertical loops, charged particles), introduction to simple harmonic motion, SHM energy and phase relationships, mass-spring and pendulum systems, damping (light, critical, heavy) and resonance, and the Required Practical 10 investigation of SHM.

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics coverage of thermal physics (3.6.2): internal energy and thermal energy, specific heat capacity, specific latent heat, the gas laws (Boyle, Charles, Gay-Lussac), the ideal gas equation, molecular kinetic theory, the relationship between kinetic energy and temperature, Brownian motion as evidence for the molecular model, and energy transfer mechanisms, with Required Practical RP8 (specific heat capacity).

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics coverage of fields 3.7.1–3.7.4: gravitational fields and field strength, gravitational potential and orbital motion, electric fields and Coulomb's law, electric potential and equipotentials, capacitance fundamentals, and capacitor charge/discharge behaviour. Phase 2 will add lessons on energy stored in capacitors and applications, and a Required Practical 9 capacitor-discharge deep dive.

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics coverage of magnetic fields, induction and alternating currents (3.7.5): magnetic fields and the force on a current-carrying conductor, electromagnetic induction, alternating currents, and a synthesis lesson comparing gravitational, electric and magnetic fields. Phase 2 will add lessons on charged particles in magnetic fields (cyclotron, mass spec), Faraday's and Lenz's laws as a distinct topic, transformers and power transmission, and the Required Practical 11 force-on-current-wire deep dive.

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics coverage of nuclear physics (3.8): atomic structure and the Rutherford scattering experiment, types of radioactive decay (alpha, beta, gamma), the radioactive decay equation and half-life, nuclear binding energy and mass defect, and nuclear fission and fusion. Phase 2 expansion will add nuclear-radius and density (RP7 anchor), induced fission and reactor physics, and a full RP7 inverse-square-law deep dive.

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics coverage of astrophysics (3.9 — optional A): refracting and reflecting astronomical telescopes, non-optical telescopes (radio, IR, UV, X-ray), classification of stars by luminosity and magnitude, stellar spectra and the Stefan and Wien laws, stellar evolution and the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, cosmological distance and the Doppler effect, Hubble's law and Big-Bang cosmology, exoplanets, quasars, supernovae and black holes. Optional unit — students only need this course if their school chose option A.

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics coverage of medical physics (3.10 — optional B): physics of the eye (lenses, defects, correction); physics of the ear (sensitivity, audiograms, intensity); biological measurement and ECG; non-ionising imaging (ultrasound, fibre optics, endoscopy, MRI); X-ray imaging (production, attenuation, CT); radionuclide imaging (gamma camera, PET) and therapy. Optional unit — students only need this course if their school chose option B.

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics coverage of engineering physics (3.11 — optional C): rotational dynamics and moment of inertia; angular momentum conservation and rotational energy; the first law of thermodynamics with the four ideal-gas processes (isothermal, adiabatic, isobaric, isochoric); indicator diagrams and engine cycles (Otto, Diesel); the second law, entropy, and the Carnot cycle; reversed heat engines (refrigerators and heat pumps); engineering applications and efficiency analysis. Optional unit — students only need this course if their school chose option C.

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics coverage of turning points in physics (3.12 — optional D): the discovery of the electron (Thomson cathode-ray experiment, specific-charge measurement); Millikan oil-drop experiment and quantisation of charge; the wave-particle debate from Newton vs Huygens to the 19th century; electromagnetic waves and Maxwell's synthesis; the photoelectric effect and quantum pioneers (Planck, Einstein); electron diffraction and de Broglie wave-particle duality; the Michelson-Morley experiment and the aether problem; special relativity (time dilation, length contraction, mass-energy equivalence). Optional unit — students only need this course if their school chose option D.

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics coverage of electronics (3.13 — optional E): discrete semiconductor devices and junction transistors; analogue vs digital signals; operational amplifiers (open-loop / inverting / non-inverting / summing) and negative feedback; filters and analogue signal processing (low-pass, high-pass, band-pass); logic gates and combinational Boolean algebra; sequential logic (flip-flops, counters, registers); data communication (modulation, transducers, channels). Optional unit — students only need this course if their school chose option E.

AQA 7408 A-Level Physics exam-technique course: paper structure and assessment objectives across Papers 1, 2 and 3; the 12 Required Practicals and CPAC criteria; mark-scheme patterns and command words; calculation strategy and significant-figures conventions; full specification map and revision strategy.