How to Get an A* in A Level Physics (9702): Paper-by-Paper Strategy

How is the A* awarded in Cambridge A Level Physics (9702)?

The A* in Cambridge International A Level Physics (9702) is awarded on your overall weighted total across all five papers, not on any single paper. Cambridge states that grade A* does not exist at component level; the A* threshold for each combination of papers is calculated from the A and B thresholds and the maximum mark.

This has two important consequences for how you prepare. First, there is no "A* paper": a strong Paper 4 can make up for a weaker Paper 1, and the reverse is also true. Second, because thresholds are set after each exam series, there is no fixed percentage that guarantees an A*. Cambridge publishes grade threshold tables for every series, and the A* threshold moves from series to series and between different combinations of papers.

Linear or staged: does it change the A*?

Cambridge offers three routes for 9702: AS Level only, a staged A Level (AS in year one, then Papers 4 and 5 in year two with the AS result carried forward), or a linear A Level with all five papers in the same series. Only candidates on an A Level route are eligible for grades A* to E. Carry-forward is subject to the rules and time limits in the Cambridge Handbook, so check with your exam centre before you rely on it.

Whichever route you take, the final grade is calculated from the weighted total of all five papers. If you are staging, your AS performance is half of your A Level, so a weak AS result makes the A* much harder to reach in year two.

What is the 9702 paper structure?

Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics (9702) has five papers. Papers 1, 2 and 3 make up the AS Level and 50% of the A Level; Papers 4 and 5 make up the other 50%. The largest single paper is Paper 4, worth 38.5% of the A Level, so it deserves the most revision time.

The figures below come from the official 9702 syllabus for exams in 2025, 2026 and 2027. The 2028–2030 syllabus keeps the same five papers, durations, marks and weightings.

Two things stand out. Practical skills (Papers 3 and 5) are worth 23% of the A Level between them, which is too much to treat as an afterthought. And the theory papers (1, 2 and 4) together are worth 77%, so secure content knowledge is still the foundation of an A*.

How do you score highly on Paper 1 (multiple choice)?

Paper 1 of Cambridge A Level Physics (9702) is 40 four-option questions on the AS content in 1 hour 15 minutes, worth 15.5% of the A Level. Treat it as a speed-and-accuracy exercise: under two minutes per question, quick estimation instead of full working, and careful reading of units, powers of ten and each option's wording.

Paper 1 strategy

• Do two passes. Answer everything you can in under two minutes on the first pass, mark the rest, and come back. Leaving no blanks costs nothing, as each question carries one mark.
• Estimate before you calculate. Many options differ by a factor of ten or a factor of two. A rough order-of-magnitude check often eliminates two options immediately.
• Know the "trap" topics. Questions on uncertainties, vector components, the direction of forces and graph gradients are where careful students lose easy marks through haste.
• Use the data page. Cambridge prints data and formulae on page 2 of Papers 1 and 2. Know what is there so you do not waste time recalling a constant.

How do you approach Paper 2 (AS structured questions)?

Paper 2 of Cambridge A Level Physics (9702) has structured questions on the AS content, 60 marks in 1 hour 15 minutes, worth 23% of the A Level. It rewards precise definitions, clear working for every calculation and correct use of command words. Most lost marks come from vague explanations and missing units rather than from unfamiliar physics.

Paper 2 strategy

• Learn definitions word for word. When a question says "define", Cambridge wants a precise meaning. Definitions such as the volt, the newton or Young modulus are quick marks if learned exactly.
• Show every step. In multi-step calculations, method marks are available even if the final answer is wrong. Write the equation, substitute with units and then give the answer to a sensible number of significant figures.
• Read the command word. "State" needs a short answer; "explain" needs a reason; "show that" needs every step, ending with a value more precise than the one given.
• Practise the AS topics evenly. The AS content runs from physical quantities and units through kinematics, dynamics, waves, superposition, electricity, d.c. circuits and particle physics. Paper 2 can sample any of them.

How do you prepare for Paper 3 (Advanced Practical Skills)?

Paper 3 of Cambridge A Level Physics (9702) is a two-hour laboratory exam with two experiments worth 20 marks each. Question 1 always involves collecting data, plotting a graph and drawing conclusions; Question 2 involves an inaccurate method that you must evaluate and improve. The skills are predictable, so regular hands-on practice is the most reliable route to high marks.

What Paper 3 actually tests

The syllabus sets out the skills and minimum mark allocations for each question:

The remaining marks in each question are allocated across these skills and may vary from paper to paper. Notice that Question 2 is weighted towards evaluation: estimating uncertainties, identifying limitations and suggesting improvements.

Paper 3 strategy

• Build a results-table routine. Every column needs a heading with a quantity and a unit, raw readings should be recorded to the precision of the instrument, and calculated values should follow the syllabus rule: if the least precise raw reading has n significant figures, give the calculated value to n or n + 1 significant figures.
• Plot graphs that use most of the grid, with sensible scales and a best-fit line. Use a large triangle for the gradient and show the coordinates you read.
• For Question 2, learn the common limitations (for example, a difficulty in judging when something happens, or too few readings) and pair each with a specific, practical improvement.
• Practise in a real lab if you can. If you cannot, work through the experiments in past papers using real data from your school lab or from published mark schemes.

How do you master Paper 4 (A Level structured questions)?

Paper 4 of Cambridge A Level Physics (9702) is the single most important paper for an A*: 100 marks in 2 hours, worth 38.5% of the A Level. It covers the A Level topics and assumes all the AS content. Make Paper 4 your core revision project and practise full papers under timed conditions.

What Paper 4 covers

The A Level topics are motion in a circle, gravitational fields, temperature, ideal gases, thermodynamics, oscillations, electric fields, capacitance, magnetic fields, alternating currents, quantum physics, nuclear physics, medical physics, and astronomy and cosmology. Data and formulae are printed on pages 2 and 3 of the paper.

Paper 4 strategy

• Connect topics. Many questions combine ideas, such as fields with circular motion, or capacitance with exponential decay. Practise explaining the link in words, not just in equations.
• Master the derivations the syllabus asks for. Where the syllabus says "derive" or "show that", expect to reproduce the reasoning step by step.
• Do not neglect the later topics. Medical physics and astronomy and cosmology are often taught last and revised least. They are examinable on the same terms as everything else.
• Pace yourself at roughly 1.2 minutes per mark. Leave time at the end for the final part-questions, which often carry the highest marks per line.

How do you tackle Paper 5 (Planning, Analysis and Evaluation)?

Paper 5 of Cambridge A Level Physics (9702) is a 1 hour 15 minute written paper with two compulsory 15-mark questions, worth 11.5% of the A Level. Question 1 asks you to plan an experiment; Question 2 gives an equation and data and asks for a constant and its uncertainty. Both follow a stable pattern, so checklists work well.

Question 1: planning

The syllabus lists what earns credit. A strong plan identifies the independent variable, the dependent variable and the variables to keep constant; describes how each is measured and controlled; includes a clear labelled diagram; explains how the data will be analysed (usually which graph to plot and how to use its gradient or intercept); and adds relevant detail, including safety. Write it under these headings so the examiner can find each point.

Question 2: analysis, conclusions and evaluation

You will usually need to rearrange the equation into a straight-line form, complete a table of results with uncertainties, plot a graph with error bars, draw best-fit and worst acceptable lines, and calculate the constant with its uncertainty. This is procedural: practise it until the sequence is automatic.

Paper 5 strategy

• Keep a one-page planning checklist and use it on every past question until you no longer need it.
• Practise rearranging equations such as exponential and power relationships into linear form, since this unlocks most of Question 2.
• Show uncertainty calculations clearly, including absolute and percentage uncertainties, and state the final value with an appropriate number of significant figures.

What does an A* revision timeline for 9702 look like?

An effective revision plan for Cambridge A Level Physics (9702) covers all content first, then moves to topical practice, then to full timed papers. Allow at least four to six months before the final exams, and give Paper 4 the largest share of time because it carries 38.5% of the A Level.

A sample plan for a student on the linear route, sitting all five papers in a June series, might look like this:

Adjust this plan if you are staging the A Level, and build in extra time for any topics where you consistently lose marks. Look up the exact dates for your series on our exam dates page, and use previous grade boundaries to judge how your practice scores compare with past A and A* thresholds.

Getting help

Heights International Academy offers live online A Level Physics tutoring for the Cambridge 9702 syllabus, with sessions built around your paper-by-paper weak spots. If you are also taking maths, our A Level Mathematics tutors can help with the calculus and algebra that physics relies on. Pakistani students planning a medical career should also read our guide to IBCC equivalence for O and A Level, and you can book a free trial class to try a session before you commit.