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Physics A Good Choice?

I just got back my maths results and i got an A* in my first go. I will be going for statistics next year (year 11) and hopefully will get an A*. As for Physics itself, I am aiming for an A* but will be happy with an A.

Is Physics at A-Level hard, I mean could someone, who has chosen it of course, give me a detailed answer telling me everything about it from the topics to how hard it is and if it is a good choice and what not. Thank you

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Reply 1
Well I did it at AS (just dropped it, woo :P ) and i found it hard. I do OCR. You do a mechanics paper which is basically applied maths which can be very difficult. The content is so easy but you get questions and you can have no idea what to do. The second paper is Electrons, Waves and Photons and again there is applied maths, especially with electrons and that can be hard. However there are lots of easy marks such as definitions. In my opinion physics is the hardest, do not base how well you do at GCSE on how well you do at A level. Basically physics has easy content but hard questions. You say you want to statistics which is applied maths and the skills needed for that are very similar for skills in physics so I would say you should do well at it :smile: I'm not amazing at applied maths but im much better at pure maths :smile: I'd say go for it
Reply 2
Original post by Invest
I just got back my maths results and i got an A* in my first go. I will be going for statistics next year (year 11) and hopefully will get an A*. As for Physics itself, I am aiming for an A* but will be happy with an A.

Is Physics at A-Level hard, I mean could someone, who has chosen it of course, give me a detailed answer telling me everything about it from the topics to how hard it is and if it is a good choice and what not. Thank you


A lot of people say physics is one of the hardest A levels, and the low grade boundaries and pass rates would tend to agree.

However, that wasn't my experience. Of my A level subjects (biology, maths, and physics at A2, and chemistry at AS), I found physics the easiest by a significant margin.

I think it really just depends on whether or not you have a head for it. A lot of people hate physics and find it difficult, and for those people A level physics would be terrible, but if you enjoy physics and have an aptitude for it, everything should fall into place relatively easy. Being able to get a proper understanding of the topics, and relate them to one another, is the key.
Physics was the hardest AS level I did by far, I did chemistry, maths, physics, geography (and general studies). I got 274/300 which was my lowest UMS apart from general studies.

It's great for uni applications and such as it shows very strong numerical skills and is a solid subject.

Make sure you keep on top or the work and understand the fundamentals!
Reply 4
Original post by Munrot07
Well I did it at AS (just dropped it, woo :P ) and i found it hard. I do OCR. You do a mechanics paper which is basically applied maths which can be very difficult. The content is so easy but you get questions and you can have no idea what to do. The second paper is Electrons, Waves and Photons and again there is applied maths, especially with electrons and that can be hard. However there are lots of easy marks such as definitions. In my opinion physics is the hardest, do not base how well you do at GCSE on how well you do at A level. Basically physics has easy content but hard questions. You say you want to statistics which is applied maths and the skills needed for that are very similar for skills in physics so I would say you should do well at it :smile: I'm not amazing at applied maths but im much better at pure maths :smile: I'd say go for it


What did you get at GCSE Maths if you don't mind me asking :smile:
Reply 5
Original post by dendodge
A lot of people say physics is one of the hardest A levels, and the low grade boundaries and pass rates would tend to agree.

However, that wasn't my experience. Of my A level subjects (biology, maths, and physics at A2, and chemistry at AS), I found physics the easiest by a significant margin.

I think it really just depends on whether or not you have a head for it. A lot of people hate physics and find it difficult, and for those people A level physics would be terrible, but if you enjoy physics and have an aptitude for it, everything should fall into place relatively easy. Being able to get a proper understanding of the topics, and relate them to one another, is the key.


What results did you get in total for the other A-Levels & what did you get for GCSE Maths?

Also, how were you compared to the rest of the class?
Reply 6
Original post by Davelittle
Physics was the hardest AS level I did by far, I did chemistry, maths, physics, geography (and general studies). I got 274/300 which was my lowest UMS apart from general studies.

It's great for uni applications and such as it shows very strong numerical skills and is a solid subject.

Make sure you keep on top or the work and understand the fundamentals!


What did you get for Physics and maths at GCSE? And what did you get for Maths at AS?
Reply 7
Physics is an excellent choice. For AQA Physics A:
AS: Not so hard. You study electric circuits, direct current, fundamental particles, motion in the straight line, moments, direction of forces, materials and light waves.
A2: Gets harder. You study circular motion, simple harmonic motion, alternating current, magnetic fields, gravitational fields, electric fields, ideal gas laws, nuclear radiation and a topic of your choice (astronomy, medical physics, physics experiments or practical physics).
Reply 8
Original post by Invest
What results did you get in total for the other A-Levels & what did you get for GCSE Maths?

Also, how were you compared to the rest of the class?


I got an A* in maths, an A in physics, a B in biology, and a C in AS chemistry. (Physics was actually easier than maths, I just had a slightly dodgy last exam in physics, I don't know why).

I also got an A* in GCSE maths (and science & additional science).

I was somewhere near the top of the class. I'd probably say I did the best in the class, but I'm already afraid I'm coming across as big-headed in this thread and I don't know for sure. But it was a small class...
Reply 9
Original post by Ben Kenobi
Physics is an excellent choice. For AQA Physics A:
AS: Not so hard. You study electric circuits, direct current, fundamental particles, motion in the straight line, moments, direction of forces, materials and light waves.
A2: Gets harder. You study circular motion, simple harmonic motion, alternating current, magnetic fields, gravitational fields, electric fields, ideal gas laws, nuclear radiation and a topic of your choice (astronomy, medical physics, physics experiments or practical physics).


The sixth form I plan to go to's physics exam board is AQA. Should I be worried :frown:
Reply 10
Original post by dendodge
I got an A* in maths, an A in physics, a B in biology, and a C in AS chemistry. (Physics was actually easier than maths, I just had a slightly dodgy last exam in physics, I don't know why).

I also got an A* in GCSE maths (and science & additional science).

I was somewhere near the top of the class. I'd probably say I did the best in the class, but I'm already afraid I'm coming across as big-headed in this thread and I don't know for sure. But it was a small class...


Ace. What exam board was your Physics at A-Level?
Reply 11
Original post by Invest
Ace. What exam board was your Physics at A-Level?


Edexcel, although I've been told there's not a great deal of difference between exam boards, and it's very similar to the AQA description posted above, although there are no optional units (we had to do astrophysics), and there was a practical assessment each year (and a case study in year 1)
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 12
It's strange. I did Physics with AQA, and despite doing generally terribly in the exams, I didn't find it difficult :s-smilie:. I found the lessons simple and I always walked out the exams feeling that they went well, but overall I only got a C, and that was from resitting 3 modules I got D's in. I'm also starting Physics at uni in september :s-smilie:

I think I thought it wasn't hard because I enjoyed it so much. I did much better in chemistry with solid B's throughout but found it much harder due to it being so boring to me and not concentrating properly.
I'd say that Physics is relatively harder than the other Sciences (i.e. Maths, Chemistry and Biology), but is not the hardest A Level in my opinion. I did Physics AQA A (AS Levels) and I got an A for the subject (sorry if I'm coming across as a little arrogant). As long as you understand the theory properly and try a plethora of past exam questions you should do well. However, I think that the practical assessment can be quite difficult for Physics, especially if you do the EMPA, so I would recommend that you try to do your best in this practical assessment. Hope this helps. :smile:
Reply 14
Original post by Invest
The sixth form I plan to go to's physics exam board is AQA. Should I be worried :frown:

Don't be worried about Physics. At least try it at AS. You can drop it at A2 for whatever reason. As I have said AS Physics is not that hard, considering that you put in some work. It gets more mathematical at A2, but judging by your most relevant GCSE results I am sure you will cope well with Physics.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 15
Original post by dendodge
Edexcel, although I've been told there's not a great deal of difference between exam boards, and it's very similar to the AQA description posted above, although there are no optional units (we had to do astrophysics), and there was a practical assessment each year (and a case study in year 1)

Yeah, I think your physics teacher chooses the topic of your optional unit for you. Haha
Reply 16
Original post by Ben Kenobi
Yeah, I think your physics teacher chooses the topic of your optional unit for you. Haha


Well, the textbook had no other units in it, although I guess it's possible they could print a different textbook for each option...
Reply 17
Original post by dendodge
Well, the textbook had no other units in it, although I guess it's possible they could print a different textbook for each option...

Mine textbook did not have an optional unit written down. The teachers choose what optional unit to teach you and you have to revise from your notes.
Original post by Invest
What did you get for Physics and maths at GCSE? And what did you get for Maths at AS?


Both A*'s and 275/300 (I should really have gotten more but I got 88 on C1, messed up the final part of the last question!) :smile:
Reply 19
Original post by Invest
What did you get at GCSE Maths if you don't mind me asking :smile:


A* :smile: got A at AS maths (over 90%)

I also got an A* in physics GCSE and got an A at A level...dunno how :P still dropping it, just not a physics fan
(edited 10 years ago)

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