As Level Physics Syllabus Content
As Level Physics Syllabus Content
As Level Physics Syllabus Content
Cambridge International
AS & A Level
Physics 9702
Use this syllabus for exams in 2025, 2026 and 2027.
Exams are available in the June and November series.
Also available for examination in March 2025, 2026 and 2027 for India.
Version 1
For the purposes of screen readers, any mention in this document of Cambridge IGCSE
refers to Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education.
Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content
1 understand that all physical quantities consist of a numerical magnitude and a unit
1.2 SI units
1 recall the following SI base quantities and their units: mass (kg), length (m), time (s), current (A),
temperature (K)
2 express derived units as products or quotients of the SI base units and use the derived units for
quantities listed in this syllabus as appropriate
4 recall and use the following prefixes and their symbols to indicate decimal submultiples or multiples of
both base and derived units: pico (p), nano (n), micro (μ), milli (m), centi (c), deci (d), kilo (k), mega (M),
giga (G), tera (T)
1 understand and explain the effects of systematic errors (including zero errors) and random errors in
measurements
3 assess the uncertainty in a derived quantity by simple addition of absolute or percentage uncertainties
1 understand the difference between scalar and vector quantities and give examples of scalar and vector
quantities included in the syllabus
2 Kinematics
2 use graphical methods to represent distance, displacement, speed, velocity and acceleration
6 derive, from the definitions of velocity and acceleration, equations that represent uniformly accelerated
motion in a straight line
7 solve problems using equations that represent uniformly accelerated motion in a straight line, including
the motion of bodies falling in a uniform gravitational field without air resistance
8 describe an experiment to determine the acceleration of free fall using a falling object
9 describe and explain motion due to a uniform velocity in one direction and a uniform acceleration in a
perpendicular direction
3 Dynamics
An understanding of forces from Cambridge IGCSE/O Level Physics or equivalent is assumed.
1 understand that mass is the property of an object that resists change in motion
2 recall F = ma and solve problems using it, understanding that acceleration and resultant force are
always in the same direction
3 define and use linear momentum as the product of mass and velocity
6 describe and use the concept of weight as the effect of a gravitational field on a mass and recall that
the weight of an object is equal to the product of its mass and the acceleration of free fall
1 show a qualitative understanding of frictional forces and viscous/drag forces including air resistance
(no treatment of the coefficients of friction and viscosity is required, and a simple model of drag force
increasing as speed increases is sufficient)
2 describe and explain qualitatively the motion of objects in a uniform gravitational field with air resistance
3 understand that objects moving against a resistive force may reach a terminal (constant) velocity
2 apply the principle of conservation of momentum to solve simple problems, including elastic and
inelastic interactions between objects in both one and two dimensions (knowledge of the concept of
coefficient of restitution is not required)
3 recall that, for an elastic collision, total kinetic energy is conserved and the relative speed of approach is
equal to the relative speed of separation
4 understand that, while momentum of a system is always conserved in interactions between objects,
some change in kinetic energy may take place
1 understand that the weight of an object may be taken as acting at a single point known as its centre of
gravity
3 understand that a couple is a pair of forces that acts to produce rotation only
2 understand that, when there is no resultant force and no resultant torque, a system is in equilibrium
3 derive, from the definitions of pressure and density, the equation for hydrostatic pressure ∆p = ρg∆ h
5 understand that the upthrust acting on an object in a fluid is due to a difference in hydrostatic pressure
6 calculate the upthrust acting on an object in a fluid using the equation F = ρgV (Archimedes’ principle)
1 understand the concept of work, and recall and use work done = force × displacement in the direction
of the force
3 recall and understand that the efficiency of a system is the ratio of useful energy output from the system
to the total energy input
1 derive, using W = Fs, the formula ∆EP = mg∆ h for gravitational potential energy changes in a uniform
gravitational field
2 recall and use the formula ∆EP = mg∆ h for gravitational potential energy changes in a uniform
gravitational field
1
3 derive, using the equations of motion, the formula for kinetic energy EK = 2 mv2
1
4 recall and use EK = 2 mv2
6 Deformation of solids
1 understand that deformation is caused by tensile or compressive forces (forces and deformations will
be assumed to be in one dimension only)
2 understand and use the terms load, extension, compression and limit of proportionality
5 define and use the terms stress, strain and the Young modulus
6 describe an experiment to determine the Young modulus of a metal in the form of a wire
1 understand and use the terms elastic deformation, plastic deformation and elastic limit
2 understand that the area under the force–extension graph represents the work done
3 determine the elastic potential energy of a material deformed within its limit of proportionality from the
area under the force–extension graph
1 1
4 recall and use EP = 2 Fx = 2 kx2 for a material deformed within its limit of proportionality
7 Waves
An understanding of colour from Cambridge IGCSE/O Level Physics or equivalent is assumed.
1 describe what is meant by wave motion as illustrated by vibration in ropes, springs and ripple tanks
2 understand and use the terms displacement, amplitude, phase difference, period, frequency,
wavelength and speed
3 understand the use of the time-base and y-gain of a cathode-ray oscilloscope (CRO) to determine
frequency and amplitude
4 derive, using the definitions of speed, frequency and wavelength, the wave equation v = f λ
7 recall and use intensity = power/area and intensity ∝ (amplitude)2 for a progressive wave
1 understand that when a source of sound waves moves relative to a stationary observer, the observed
frequency is different from the source frequency (understanding of the Doppler effect for a stationary
source and a moving observer is not required)
2 use the expression fο = f sv / (v ± vs) for the observed frequency when a source of sound waves moves
relative to a stationary observer
1 state that all electromagnetic waves are transverse waves that travel with the same speed c in free
space
2 recall the approximate range of wavelengths in free space of the principal regions of the
electromagnetic spectrum from radio waves to γ-rays
3 recall that wavelengths in the range 400–700 nm in free space are visible to the human eye
7.5 Polarisation
2 recall and use Malus’s law (I = I0 cos2θ ) to calculate the intensity of a plane-polarised electromagnetic
wave after transmission through a polarising filter or a series of polarising filters (calculation of the effect
of a polarising filter on the intensity of an unpolarised wave is not required)
8 Superposition
2 show an understanding of experiments that demonstrate stationary waves using microwaves, stretched
strings and air columns (it will be assumed that end corrections are negligible; knowledge of the
concept of end corrections is not required)
3 explain the formation of a stationary wave using a graphical method, and identify nodes and antinodes
4 understand how wavelength may be determined from the positions of nodes or antinodes of a
stationary wave
8.2 Diffraction
2 show an understanding of experiments that demonstrate diffraction including the qualitative effect of the
gap width relative to the wavelength of the wave; for example diffraction of water waves in a ripple tank
8.3 Interference
2 show an understanding of experiments that demonstrate two-source interference using water waves in
a ripple tank, sound, light and microwaves
2 describe the use of a diffraction grating to determine the wavelength of light (the structure and use of
the spectrometer are not included)
9 Electricity
4 use, for a current-carrying conductor, the expression I = Anvq, where n is the number density of charge
carriers
1 define the potential difference across a component as the energy transferred per unit charge
1 define resistance
3 sketch the I–V characteristics of a metallic conductor at constant temperature, a semiconductor diode
and a filament lamp
4 explain that the resistance of a filament lamp increases as current increases because its temperature
increases
7 understand that the resistance of a light-dependent resistor (LDR) decreases as the light intensity
increases
8 understand that the resistance of a thermistor decreases as the temperature increases (it will be
assumed that thermistors have a negative temperature coefficient)
10 D.C. circuits
1 recall and use the circuit symbols shown in section 6 of this syllabus
2 draw and interpret circuit diagrams containing the circuit symbols shown in section 6 of this syllabus
3 define and use the electromotive force (e.m.f.) of a source as energy transferred per unit charge in
driving charge around a complete circuit
4 distinguish between e.m.f. and potential difference (p.d.) in terms of energy considerations
5 understand the effects of the internal resistance of a source of e.m.f. on the terminal potential difference
1 recall Kirchhoff’s first law and understand that it is a consequence of conservation of charge
2 recall Kirchhoff’s second law and understand that it is a consequence of conservation of energy
3 derive, using Kirchhoff’s laws, a formula for the combined resistance of two or more resistors in series
4 use the formula for the combined resistance of two or more resistors in series
5 derive, using Kirchhoff’s laws, a formula for the combined resistance of two or more resistors in parallel
6 use the formula for the combined resistance of two or more resistors in parallel
2 recall and use the principle of the potentiometer as a means of comparing potential differences
4 explain the use of thermistors and light-dependent resistors in potential dividers to provide a potential
difference that is dependent on temperature and light intensity
11 Particle physics
1 infer from the results of the α-particle scattering experiment the existence and small size of the nucleus
2 describe a simple model for the nuclear atom to include protons, neutrons and orbital electrons
4 understand that isotopes are forms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons in their
nuclei
6 understand that nucleon number and charge are conserved in nuclear processes
7 describe the composition, mass and charge of α-, β- and γ-radiations (both β – (electrons) and β+
(positrons) are included)
8 understand that an antiparticle has the same mass but opposite charge to the corresponding particle,
and that a positron is the antiparticle of an electron
9 state that (electron) antineutrinos are produced during β – decay and (electron) neutrinos are produced
during β+ decay
10 understand that α-particles have discrete energies but that β-particles have a continuous range of
energies because (anti)neutrinos are emitted in β-decay
1 understand that a quark is a fundamental particle and that there are six flavours (types) of quark: up,
down, strange, charm, top and bottom
2 recall and use the charge of each flavour of quark and understand that its respective antiquark has the
opposite charge (no knowledge of any other properties of quarks is required)
3 recall that protons and neutrons are not fundamental particles and describe protons and neutrons in
terms of their quark composition
4 understand that a hadron may be either a baryon (consisting of three quarks) or a meson (consisting of
one quark and one antiquark)
5 describe the changes to quark composition that take place during β – and β+ decay
6 recall that electrons and neutrinos are fundamental particles called leptons