GCE A-level Physics focuses on application of Physics concepts in real life situations and predicting the numerical values of outcomes. If you would like to apply for a Physics or Engineering related discipline at university, it is encouraged that you take A Level Physics. Top universities might also require students to have done Further Maths if they desire to apply for Physics.
In addition, you would benefit from taking physics on the optional mathematic paper (M1-M3) as some of the concepts from those mechanic papers are already taught in the Physics.
Most students find it challenging to relate the Physical problem into the given formula. In order to work towards a A/A*, you should start practicing past paper questions and preparing responses for potential questions that could come up on the exam. Moreover, it is recommended that you review the formula booklet so that you can easily recall formulas in the exam.
At CANA, our tutors guide students through the course by relating the Physics to daily life and providing them with past exam questions arranged by topic. Our structured approach consolidates their understanding of the subject whilst also honing their exam technique, giving our students the best of chance of achieving top grades in tests, mocks and the final exam.
If you are a student who studied and enjoyed GCSE Physics, perhaps you are now taking GCE Physics. GCE Physics is of course significantly harder, but the recommended approaches to revision are quite similar to GCSE Physics. Let’s dive into some effective revision methods.
Firstly, GCE Physics differs from GCSE because it covers a great deal more topics, and each topic will go further in depth. Exam papers mostly focus on calculation-based questions, rather than theory. They test how each student uses known equations in order to solve the problem.
The most useful revision approach to GCE Physics is to know the definitions and know how to use equations. In exams, students should also highlight important terms and data in the question, and read the given information carefully to figure out how to use the equations. Like GCSE, the majority of GCE Physics questions are related to daily life situations. Your job as a Physics student is to understand how tangible situations translate into calculations and physics theorems.
In GCE, exams focus more on equations compared to GCSE. Many students may rely heavily on their data booklets at first. This is perfectly acceptable when you are first learning, but many students become overly reliant. If it is just before the exam and a student still needs to rely heavily on the data booklet to do practice questions, this is a bad sign.
It is therefore highly recommended that students memorise the equations. This should not be too difficult if you do enough practice questions. Through practice, you can organically memorise the process and remember the equation naturally, using it in exam conditions with no problem. If a student is unsure whether they know the topic and concepts well enough, they should see if they can recall the equations (without rote-memorisation) and use them. This is an effective benchmark that reveals whether students are well-prepared.
We recommend that students go through each equation in the data booklet and ask themselves the following:
- Do I know how to use the equation?
- Do I understand the logic behind each equation?
- Do I know what each term in the equation represents?
- Do I know what this equation is used to calculate?
Another tip for acing your GCE Physics exam is to practice questions from other syllabuses. Often, some of the questions you will receive in your exam have appeared previously in other syllabus exams, or are similar to these past papers. For example, if you study GCE, you can revise with IB questions or GCE questions from other exam boards. This allows you to go over similar content and also examine a wider range of questions. Ask your teacher if they can provide these materials or search for them online. You may find this boosts your exam performance massively!
Overall, GCE Physics students don’t need to spend too much time revising content. Once you know the concept and can do the questions confidently, you’re good to go! Familiarise yourself with a wide range of examples, different equations, and varied question types, and you will naturally be better at approaching the GCE Physics exam.
Contact us for advice on GCE Physics.
