AQA Physics A Unit 5 - Nuclear and thermal physics

Simple(ish) question - does anyone know what's going on past-paper-wise?

Aside from the optional topics, the only paper I can find for this unit at all is the first one: June 2010. And I can't find the mark scheme for this, which makes the paper itself virtually useless. Have no other papers or mark schemes actually been published? I can't find any *anywhere*, and I don't really know what to do about it. It's very difficult to prepare for an exam with no resources at all.

Information on this is really what I'm after, but I would absolutely love if someone had access to all past papers and mark schemes and could post them! If they aren't being published, does anyone have tips on how to revise for this exam without the materials? Simply knowing and understanding the entire specification and Nelson Thornes textbook doesn't seem to be enough for AQA examiners


Thanks a bunch

PM me with your email address and I'll send the mark scheme to you.

Do you have the mark schemes for just the one unit 5 paper or several - and please would you be prepared to email me the mark schemes if I PM you my email? Thanks in advance.

is there a unit 5 paper for january?

I have all the papers and mark schemes for all the AS/A2 units from 2000-2007 (the old spec) and 2008-2010 (the new spec). Of course, just PM me your email address and tell me which ones you want and I'll send them over.

How are we all finding this? Much better than unit 4 IMO.

Quick question about the binding energy graph, is there a specific value where it should peak?

Hi, i was also wondering if you could send the past papers and mark schemes over to me? have been searching the internet for ages trying to find them!

I'm stuck on what we actually need to know for Binding Energy, is there values that I need to have memorised for this question:

Calculate the energy released when this Uranium 235 isotope nucleus emits an alpha particle.

The mark scheme seems to pluck values like 238.05076u out of thin air, are we meant to know this?

(this is a 2000-2007 spec question, just incase the syllabus is different now)

thanks!

Edit: I understand the method, its just the values that are confusing me right now!

We aren't expected to learn any values like that, the specification makes absolutely no mention of it. However, we are expected to be able to calculate them with (relative) ease - with use of the data sheet and the particular isotope they give you in the question. (Using the rest mass of a proton and a neutron and the number of protons and nucleons in the particular element).

As a side note, the syllabus was very slightly different pre-2008, but it was just the spread of the content that was different, not the actual content itself, so the pre-2008 past papers are still suitable to use as past paper practice.

Ahh ok, that's really helpful cheers! I've been wondering for ages, thanks for the past papers you've uploaded as well!

No problem, glad I could help. Which option unit do you study then?

Turning points in Physics, I actually really like it just trying to get through all the old past papers now in the hope that I'll feel confident in a few weeks time, what about yourself?

Oh our school usually does turning points, but we all agreed this year that we would try astrophysics, but it's so boring, turning points looks good with all the special relativity, we just have stars and more stars. Yeah I'm going to start past papers next week, I didn't want to start too early. How are you finding Unit 4? Most of it's okay, it's just some of the multiple choice questions that can be really stupid...

Turning points is good and interesting, but it feels like it's a lot of work and a few people in my class just feel confused by some of the Special Relativity bits. I wouldn't have minded Astrophysics, I just wanted to avoid Medical Physics at all costs, it felt like that's all we did at GCSE!

Turning points is good and interesting, but it feels like it's a lot of work and a few people in my class just feel confused by some of the Special Relativity bits. I wouldn't have minded Astrophysics, I just wanted to avoid Medical Physics at all costs, it felt like that's all we did at GCSE!

I did Unit 4 in January, there's quite a lot of people in my sixth form that will end up doing resits so they try and make everyone do a few exams in January just incase. I hated the multiple choice questions, they lull you into a false sense of security and you think they're really easy but you've forgotten about something Got 101 Ums in the end do you do all your exams in the summer?

sorry to interject lol turning points is a really awesome module Phys5 is my favourite physics module by far. I'm only in a class of 4 who are all really into physics so we're not having many issues with the content.

(also for anyone doing turning points I have all the nelson thornes notes on PDF if you would like them )

Yeah, medical physics was a definite no no, it looks even more boring than astrophysics. Applied physics looks pretty interesting, but our teacher says it's much more difficult than the others.

Yeah I did some maths exams in January, but I'm doing both Unit 4 and Unit 5 in June. Yeah they're really silly in the way they are worded, and they make you doubt yourself after you're convinced you've got the correct answer. That's good, I only need an A so I'd be happy with that. You off to university in September I assume?