Choosing subjects & tiers
What's on the GCSE physics specification?
GCSE Physics is two written papers with no coursework. Every English board covers energy, electricity, the particle model, radioactivity, forces and motion, waves, magnetism and - on separate Physics only - space. Some equations sit on the exam sheet; a longer list you still have to recall. Required practicals are examined in the papers. Foundation and Higher share the topics at different depth. Tick topics off your board’s PDF as you go.
Last updated 23 September 2026 · Written and fact-checked by the GCSEwiz team
The areas every board examines
AQA (8463) groups Physics into eight topics; Edexcel (1PH0) splits the same content more finely. The map below is the shared national content.
| Area | What it actually covers |
|---|---|
| Energy | Stores and transfers, conservation, efficiency, power, and energy resources including the National Grid. |
| Electricity | Current, potential difference and resistance, series and parallel circuits, mains electricity and electrical power. |
| Particle model of matter | Density, changes of state, specific heat capacity, latent heat and the behaviour of gases. |
| Atomic structure and radioactivity | The nuclear model, isotopes, alpha, beta and gamma decay, half-life, and hazards and uses of radiation. |
| Forces and motion | Scalars and vectors, Newton’s laws, acceleration, the motion equations, stopping distances and momentum. |
| Waves | Transverse and longitudinal waves, the wave equation, reflection and refraction, and the electromagnetic spectrum. |
| Magnetism and electromagnetism | Magnetic fields, electromagnets, the motor effect and (Higher) induced potential and transformers. |
| Space physics (separate Physics only) | The solar system, life cycle of stars, orbital motion, red-shift and the Big Bang. Not on Combined Science papers. |
How the papers split, and the equation sheet
On AQA, Paper 1 is energy, electricity, the particle model and atomic structure; Paper 2 is forces, waves, magnetism and space. Each paper is 1 hour 45 minutes, 100 marks, 50%. You get an equations sheet in the exam. That sheet is not the whole list - a substantial set of equations still has to be recalled and chosen. The productive revision is not staring at the sheet. It is practising questions until you know which equation a situation needs, whether it is on the sheet or not.
What's on Physics Paper 1 and Paper 2?
This is where the boards differ most. Electricity is Paper 1 on AQA and OCR but Paper 2 on Edexcel; waves are Paper 2 on AQA and OCR but Paper 1 on Edexcel. Check the row for your board before you build a mock checklist:
- Equations and practical method are examined on both papers, so the equations sheet comes into every exam.
- OCR numbers its Higher papers 3 and 4, so a Higher student's "Paper 1" is printed as Paper 3.
| Board | Paper 1 | Paper 2 |
|---|---|---|
| AQA (8463) | 1 Energy; 2 Electricity; 3 Particle model of matter; 4 Atomic structure | 5 Forces; 6 Waves; 7 Magnetism and electromagnetism; 8 Space physics |
| Edexcel (1PH0) | 1 Key concepts of physics; 2 Motion and forces; 3 Conservation of energy; 4 Waves; 5 Light and the electromagnetic spectrum; 6 Radioactivity; 7 Astronomy | 1 Key concepts again; 8 Energy - forces doing work; 9 Forces and their effects; 10 Electricity and circuits; 11 Static electricity; 12 Magnetism and the motor effect; 13 Electromagnetic induction; 14 Particle model; 15 Forces and matter |
| OCR Gateway (J249) | P1 Matter; P2 Forces; P3 Electricity; P4 Magnetism and magnetic fields | P5 Waves in matter; P6 Radioactivity; P7 Energy; P8 Global challenges |
Required practicals
AQA lists ten required practicals; Edexcel lists eight core practicals. Typical work includes specific heat capacity, resistance, density, force and extension, acceleration, waves, and radiation. As with the other sciences, the exam tests whether you understood the method: variables, measurements, and how you would improve it.
Separate Physics vs Combined Science
Combined Science physics covers the same core areas with less depth, and it does not include space physics. If you are sitting Combined Science, do not revise from a separate-Physics checklist - you will spend time on content your papers cannot ask. If you are sitting separate Physics, space is a full topic on Paper 2, and several other topics run deeper (more demanding electricity, forces and waves content). Your PDF is the only list that is safe.
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