GCSE Physics topical past papers
578 Pearson Edexcel GCSE Physics past-paper questions, sorted into 15 topics. Pick a topic to start practising online and check your answers against the official mark scheme.
Topics
Motion and forces
Practise →- Scalar quantity5 questions
- Vector quantity12 questions
- Difference between vector and scalar quantities11 questions
- Vector and scalar quantities10 questions
- Velocity and speed19 questions
- Speed and distance equations30 questions
- Distance/time graphs10 questions
- Acceleration equation28 questions
- Final and initial velocity equation16 questions
- Velocity/time graphs21 questions
- Laboratory methods for determining speeds19 questions
- Typical speeds in everyday experience3 questions
- Acceleration in free fall10 questions
- Newton's first law15 questions
- Newton's second law22 questions
- Weight and gravitational field strength20 questions
- Measuring weight1 question
- Relationship between weight and gravitational field strength13 questions
- Core Practical: Relationship between force, mass and acceleration4 questions
- Circular motion and changing velocity9 questions
- Centripetal force7 questions
- Inertial mass1 question
- Newton's third law and conservation of momentum10 questions
- Momentum19 questions
- Momentum in collisions13 questions
- Newton's second law and momentum11 questions
- Human reaction times13 questions
- Stopping distance14 questions
- Factors affecting stopping distance10 questions
- Factors affecting a driver's reaction time7 questions
- Dangers of large decelerations8 questions
- Work done and braking distance7 questions
Conservation of energy
Practise →- Gravitational potential energy31 questions
- Kinetic energy43 questions
- Energy transfer diagrams21 questions
- Conservation of energy33 questions
- Energy stores and system changes10 questions
- Energy transfers in a closed system11 questions
- Wasteful mechanical processes17 questions
- Energy dissipation38 questions
- Reducing unwanted energy transfer13 questions
- Building insulation4 questions
- Efficiency37 questions
- Increasing efficiency1 question
- Energy sources11 questions
- Use of energy resources16 questions
Waves
Practise →- Waves and energy transfer10 questions
- Evidence of wave travel1 question
- Frequency and wavelength34 questions
- Amplitude, period, wave velocity and wavefront18 questions
- Longitudinal and transverse waves31 questions
- Wave speed equations47 questions
- Measuring the velocity of sound6 questions
- Calculating depth or distance from time and wave velocity19 questions
- Effects of waves at material interfaces8 questions
- Refraction20 questions
- Absorption, transmission, refraction and reflection of waves17 questions
- Sound waves and vibrations15 questions
- Ultrasound18 questions
- Infrasound12 questions
- Uses of ultrasound and infrasound17 questions
- Transmission of sound waves between media5 questions
- Core Practical: Measuring speed, frequency and wavelength of a wave6 questions
Radioactivity
Practise →- The atom16 questions
- Size of atoms and small molecules3 questions
- Structure of nuclei of isotopes14 questions
- Isotopes17 questions
- Relative masses and charges of subatomic particles19 questions
- Neutral atoms6 questions
- Electron orbits1 question
- Electron orbit changes1 question
- Positive ions1 question
- Radiation from unstable nuclei9 questions
- Ionising radiations15 questions
- Background radiation15 questions
- Origins of background radiation7 questions
- Measuring and detecting radioactivity19 questions
- Nature of alpha, beta and gamma radiation41 questions
- Penetration and ionisation of alpha, beta and gamma radiations29 questions
- The atomic model2 questions
- β- decay12 questions
- β+ decay7 questions
- Radioactive decays20 questions
- Gamma radiation9 questions
- Nuclear equations9 questions
- Activity of a radioactive source11 questions
- The Becquerel4 questions
- Half-life34 questions
- Predicting radioactive decay7 questions
- Half-life calculations23 questions
- Uses of radioactivity33 questions
- Dangers of ionising radiation31 questions
- Dangers of ionising radiation and half-life9 questions
- Safety precautions for radiation22 questions
- Contamination and irradiation6 questions
- Treatment of tumours8 questions
- Radioactive substances in diagnosis11 questions
- Isotopes for PET scanners8 questions
- Nuclear power12 questions
- Nuclear reactions as a source of energy12 questions
- Fission of U-23517 questions
- Controlled nuclear chain reaction17 questions
- Controlling chain reactions in a nuclear reactor12 questions
- Generation of electricity in a nuclear power station11 questions
- Products of nuclear fission3 questions
- Nuclear fusion15 questions
- Nuclear fusion and nuclear fission7 questions
- Conditions for nuclear fusion10 questions
- Practicality of nuclear fusion4 questions
Light and the electromagnetic spectrum
Practise →- Reflection, refraction and total internal reflection (TIR)26 questions
- Specular and diffuse reflection2 questions
- Colour of light2 questions
- Power and focal length of a lens27 questions
- Refraction by lenses28 questions
- Real and virtual images24 questions
- Transverse nature of electromagnetic waves11 questions
- Energy transfer by electromagnetic waves13 questions
- Core Practical: Refraction in rectangular glass blocks7 questions
- Groupings of the electromagnetic spectrum21 questions
- The continuous electromagnetic spectrum40 questions
- Visible light spectrum13 questions
- Interaction of electromagnetic waves with substances26 questions
- Velocities of electromagnetic waves in different substances12 questions
- Emission of radiation15 questions
- Constant temperature and radiation9 questions
- Radiation and temperature change20 questions
- Temperature of the Earth1 question
- Core Practical: Thermal energy radiation and absorption7 questions
- Dangers of electromagnetic waves17 questions
- Harmful effects of electromagnetic radiation24 questions
- Uses of electromagnetic radiation38 questions
- Radio waves and electrical circuits5 questions
- Generation and absorption of radiation by atoms and nuclei8 questions
Energy – forces doing work
Practise →- Energy stores3 questions
- Energy transfers in a closed system2 questions
- Work done and energy transferred21 questions
- Work done equation28 questions
- Calculating changes in energy11 questions
- Gravitational potential energy6 questions
- Kinetic energy7 questions
- Energy dissipation7 questions
- Wasteful mechanical processes4 questions
- Power17 questions
- Power equation22 questions
- Watts and joules per second4 questions
- Efficiency2 questions
Forces and their effects
Practise →Electricity and circuits
Practise →- Structure of the atom3 questions
- Electric circuit diagrams29 questions
- Series and parallel circuits15 questions
- Voltmeters21 questions
- Potential difference (voltage)36 questions
- Energy transferred, charge and potential difference13 questions
- Ammeters17 questions
- Electric current36 questions
- Charge, current and time20 questions
- Current in a closed circuit3 questions
- Current at a junction6 questions
- Resistance and current18 questions
- Potential difference, current and resistance35 questions
- Resistance in series and parallel6 questions
- Calculations for series circuits5 questions
- Design and construction of series circuits1 question
- Core Practical: Constructing electrical circuits4 questions
- Current and potential difference for different components17 questions
- Resistance of a light-dependent resistor (LDR)3 questions
- Resistance of a thermistor9 questions
- Exploring variation of resistance7 questions
- Energy transfer in a resistor5 questions
- Electrical energy dissipation5 questions
- Reducing unwanted energy transfer2 questions
- Heating effect of an electric current18 questions
- Energy transferred, current, potential difference and time9 questions
- Power9 questions
- Power, energy transferred and time16 questions
- Electrical power equations31 questions
- Energy transfer in domestic devices9 questions
- Direct and alternating voltage4 questions
- Direct current (d.c.)10 questions
- Alternating current (a.c.)13 questions
- UK domestic supply2 questions
- Live and neutral mains wires2 questions
- Earth wire, fuses and circuit breakers7 questions
- Switches and fuses in the live wire2 questions
- Dangers of the live wire2 questions
Astronomy
Practise →- Weight and g on different bodies in space5 questions
- The Solar System24 questions
- The eight planets2 questions
- Structure of the Solar System18 questions
- Orbits14 questions
- Circular orbits5 questions
- Stable orbits3 questions
- Steady State and Big Bang theories8 questions
- Evidence for the Big Bang theory12 questions
- The Big Bang theory as the accepted model9 questions
- The Doppler effect10 questions
- Red-shift18 questions
- Red-shift as evidence for an expanding Universe17 questions
- Red-shift in the Big Bang and Steady State theories4 questions
- Cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation12 questions
- Evolution of stars15 questions
- Life cycle of stars16 questions
- Evolution of stars with a mass larger than the Sun5 questions
- Observing the Universe18 questions
Static electricity
Practise →- Charging an insulator by friction22 questions
- Gaining and losing electrons21 questions
- Repulsion and attraction of charges26 questions
- Electrostatic phenomena18 questions
- Earthing18 questions
- Uses of electrostatic charges5 questions
- Dangers of sparking8 questions
- Electric field9 questions
- Shape and direction of an electric field6 questions
- The concept of an electric field12 questions
Magnetism and the motor effect
Practise →- Magnetic poles8 questions
- Permanent and temporary magnetic materials8 questions
- Permanent and induced magnets6 questions
- Magnetic fields14 questions
- Plotting compasses5 questions
- The Earth's magnetic field3 questions
- Magnetic effect of a current9 questions
- Strength of a magnetic field5 questions
- Solenoids3 questions
- Force on a current carrying conductor9 questions
- Magnetic forces10 questions
- Fleming's left-hand rule4 questions
- Force on a conductor equation5 questions
- Electric motors3 questions
Electromagnetic induction
Practise →- Producing an electric current14 questions
- Induced potential difference12 questions
- Alternators and dynamos6 questions
- Microphones, loudspeakers and headphones1 question
- Transformers14 questions
- Changing voltage with a transformer13 questions
- Turns ratio equation for transformers11 questions
- The national grid10 questions
- Step-up and step-down transformers10 questions
- Power equation for transformers6 questions
- Power transmission in high-voltage cables9 questions
Particle model
Practise →- Kinetic theory model of matter26 questions
- Density20 questions
- Core Practical: Densities of solid and liquids8 questions
- Density and states of matter11 questions
- Physical changes7 questions
- Heating and energy stores9 questions
- Specific heat capacity and specific latent heat17 questions
- Change in thermal energy12 questions
- Thermal energy for a change of state10 questions
- Thermal insulation7 questions
- Core Practical: Properties of water1 question
- Pressure of a gas17 questions
- Temperature and pressure of a gas9 questions
- Absolute zero1 question
- Kelvin and Celsius scales9 questions
- Compression and expansion of gases2 questions
- Pressure and force in a gas4 questions
- Volume and pressure of a gas17 questions
- Pressure and volume equation16 questions
Forces and matter
Practise →- Stretching, bending or compressing4 questions
- Elastic and inelastic distortion5 questions
- Linear elastic distortion6 questions
- Work done in stretching a spring6 questions
- Linear and non-linear relationships between force and extension2 questions
- Core Practical: Extension and work done on a spring4 questions
- Atmospheric pressure11 questions
- Pressure in a fluid8 questions
- Pressure in fluids7 questions
- Pressure, force and area14 questions
- Pressure equation15 questions
- Pressure in fluids and depth12 questions
- Pressure in liquids7 questions
- Calculating pressure in liquids8 questions
- Upthrust4 questions
- Upthrust and displaced fluid5 questions
- Floating and sinking5 questions
Questions students ask
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Studying a different exam board? GCSE Physics (AQA), O Level Physics (Cambridge (CIE))
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