Physics A-level

Any advice for getting atleast an A in my physics A-level? (AQA) I’m currently predicted a C (1 mark off from a B) and I need an A or A*. What are some useful resources that can help me achieve that?
Also, what are the best revision methods? How easy is it to get an A?

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 1

tamilGuy.

17

Hi,

I did AQA too.

Resources:
https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/physics/specifications/AQA-7407-7408-SP-2015.PDF

http://www.alevelphysicsnotes.com/ --> has only some topics but really good
https://www.animatedscience.co.uk/exam-question-booklets --> questions on topics
https://umutech.net/ --> questions on topics
https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/ --> for pretty much everything, but notes is incredible
http://www.physbot.co.uk/ --> think this website is down for some reason
https://www.savemyexams.co.uk/a-level/physics/aqa/17/revision-notes/ --> for notes
Youtube: Physics Online, Science Shorts, ZPhysics, Malmesbury Education (for practicals)

How I revised?
Make notes at school
Once the topic has been fully covered at school:
Understand the content of a topic
Use the specification alongside to ensure you have covered all aspects of a strand
Print out the revision notes booklet from PMT
Make notes on the booklet itself using some of the webistes detailed above
(used savemyexams and CGP revision guide extensively)
Ensure all of it has been covered + made notes + understood

Do question on that individual topic (animated science booklets/ pmt questions/ umutech)
Make sure every question is understood + mark scheme has been understood + examiners guidance is read (for hard questions)
Move onto past papers (of the new specification) and cover questions for that topic or if all topics have been covered, complete the past paper fully.

MCQs:
Do as many as you can
For the ones that rely on knowledge recall, you just need to read your notes a lot consistently

But there are questions which are more trick-based. What I mean by this is that some questions require you to apply a trick almost. For example, two forces 5N and 8N act on an object, which of the following cannot be a possible resultant force? They will give you three numbers which are between 3N and 13N and one value outside of this range and the asnwer is the one that lies outside. The explanation is that 3 and 13 are the minimum (oppposite directions) and max (both in the same direction) resultants which could be formed from 5 and 8N. So there are so many questions which require you to know tiny things like this.. This comes with practice. If you do get stuck in an mcq, search it up and it will likely have been discussed on tsr already and its a good place to get tips. The question above, I looked it up and this 'trick' was provided by a user on tsr.

So its a valuable site for mcq tips.

Practice a lot of MCQs!!

I think thats it from me. Oh I have notes pdf for some y1 topics and y2 topics too. You might benefit from them. I made them either in y1 (before i adopted the making notes on pmt booklets approach) or I just wanted to shorten it so I made a pdf almost. But if you want it, either post your email here or pm me with an email address. I'll send them to you.

Goodluck :smile:

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 2

Hana Abdou

OP

13

Hello,
Thank you so much for those tips.

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 3

Sinnoh

22

Original post by Hana Abdou

Hello,
Thank you so much for those tips.
My e-mail address is edit - redacted by VT

Please don't put your email address publicly out there - use PMs for that.

Reply 4

Dreamzzzz12

8

Original post by tamilGuy.

Hi,

I did AQA too.

Resources:
https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/physics/specifications/AQA-7407-7408-SP-2015.PDF

http://www.alevelphysicsnotes.com/ --> has only some topics but really good
https://www.animatedscience.co.uk/exam-question-booklets --> questions on topics
https://umutech.net/ --> questions on topics
https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/ --> for pretty much everything, but notes is incredible
http://www.physbot.co.uk/ --> think this website is down for some reason
https://www.savemyexams.co.uk/a-level/physics/aqa/17/revision-notes/ --> for notes
Youtube: Physics Online, Science Shorts, ZPhysics, Malmesbury Education (for practicals)

How I revised?
Make notes at school
Once the topic has been fully covered at school:
Understand the content of a topic
Use the specification alongside to ensure you have covered all aspects of a strand
Print out the revision notes booklet from PMT
Make notes on the booklet itself using some of the webistes detailed above
(used savemyexams and CGP revision guide extensively)
Ensure all of it has been covered + made notes + understood

Do question on that individual topic (animated science booklets/ pmt questions/ umutech)
Make sure every question is understood + mark scheme has been understood + examiners guidance is read (for hard questions)
Move onto past papers (of the new specification) and cover questions for that topic or if all topics have been covered, complete the past paper fully.

MCQs:
Do as many as you can
For the ones that rely on knowledge recall, you just need to read your notes a lot consistently

But there are questions which are more trick-based. What I mean by this is that some questions require you to apply a trick almost. For example, two forces 5N and 8N act on an object, which of the following cannot be a possible resultant force? They will give you three numbers which are between 3N and 13N and one value outside of this range and the asnwer is the one that lies outside. The explanation is that 3 and 13 are the minimum (oppposite directions) and max (both in the same direction) resultants which could be formed from 5 and 8N. So there are so many questions which require you to know tiny things like this.. This comes with practice. If you do get stuck in an mcq, search it up and it will likely have been discussed on tsr already and its a good place to get tips. The question above, I looked it up and this 'trick' was provided by a user on tsr.

So its a valuable site for mcq tips.

Practice a lot of MCQs!!

I think thats it from me. Oh I have notes pdf for some y1 topics and y2 topics too. You might benefit from them. I made them either in y1 (before i adopted the making notes on pmt booklets approach) or I just wanted to shorten it so I made a pdf almost. But if you want it, either post your email here or pm me with an email address. I'll send them to you.

Goodluck :smile:

hi i appreciate the tips :smile:

Is it possible to have the notes too