Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027.

Syllabus overview

Assessment overview
Paper 1 Paper 4

Multiple Choice 1 hour 15 minutes A Level Structured Questions 2 hours

40 marks 100 marks
40 multiple-choice questions Structured questions
Questions are based on the AS Level syllabus Questions are based on the A Level syllabus
content. content; knowledge of material from the AS Level
Externally assessed syllabus content will be required.
31% of the AS Level Externally assessed
15.5% of the A Level 38.5% of the A Level

Paper 2 Paper 5

AS Level Structured Questions Planning, Analysis and Evaluation

1 hour 15 minutes 1 hour 15 minutes
60 marks 30 marks
Structured questions Candidates answer two compulsory questions.
Questions are based on the AS Level syllabus Questions are based on the experimental skills in
content. the Practical assessment section of the syllabus.
Externally assessed The context of the questions may be outside the
syllabus content.
46% of the AS Level
Externally assessed
23% of the A Level
11.5% of the A Level

Paper 3

Advanced Practical Skills 2 hours

40 marks
Practical work and structured questions
Questions are based on the experimental skills in
the Practical assessment section of the syllabus.
The context of the questions may be outside the
syllabus content.
Externally assessed
23% of the AS Level
11.5% of the A Level

Information on availability is in the Before you start section.

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 11

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Syllabus overview

There are three routes for Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics:
Route Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Paper 4 Paper 5

1 AS Level only
(Candidates take all AS yes yes yes
components in the same exam
series)

2 A Level (staged over two years)

Year 1 AS Level* yes yes yes

Year 2 Complete the A Level yes yes

3 A Level
(Candidates take all components in yes yes yes yes yes
the same exam series)

* Candidates carry forward their AS Level result subject to the rules and time limits described in the Cambridge
Handbook. See Making entries for more information on carry forward of results.

Candidates following an AS Level route are eligible for grades a–e. Candidates following an A Level route are
eligible for grades A*–E.

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 12

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Syllabus overview

Weighting for assessment objectives

The approximate weightings allocated to each of the assessment objectives (AOs) are summarised below.

Assessment objectives as a percentage of each qualification

Assessment objective Weighting in AS Level % Weighting in A Level %

AO1 Knowledge and understanding 40 40

AO2 Handling, applying and evaluating information 40 40

AO3 Experimental skills and investigations 20 20

Total 100 100

Assessment objectives as a percentage of each component

Assessment objective Weighting in components %

Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Paper 4 Paper 5

AO1 Knowledge and understanding 50 50 0 50 0

AO2 Handling, applying and evaluating information 50 50 0 50 0

AO3 Experimental skills and investigations 0 0 100 0 100

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 14

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content

A Level subject content

12 Motion in a circle

12.1 Kinematics of uniform circular motion

Candidates should be able to:

1 define the radian and express angular displacement in radians

2 understand and use the concept of angular speed

3 recall and use ω = 2π / T and v = rω

12.2 Centripetal acceleration

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that a force of constant magnitude that is always perpendicular to the direction of motion
causes centripetal acceleration

2 understand that centripetal acceleration causes circular motion with a constant angular speed

3 recall and use a = rω2 and a = v2 / r

4 recall and use F = mrω2 and F = mv2 / r

13 Gravitational fields

13.1 Gravitational field

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that a gravitational field is an example of a field of force and define gravitational field as
force per unit mass

2 represent a gravitational field by means of field lines

13.2 Gravitational force between point masses

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that, for a point outside a uniform sphere, the mass of the sphere may be considered to be
a point mass at its centre

2 recall and use Newton’s law of gravitation F = Gm1m2 / r2 for the force between two point masses

3 analyse circular orbits in gravitational fields by relating the gravitational force to the centripetal
acceleration it causes

4 understand that a satellite in a geostationary orbit remains at the same point above the Earth’s surface,
with an orbital period of 24 hours, orbiting from west to east, directly above the Equator

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 26

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content

13.3 Gravitational field of a point mass

Candidates should be able to:

1 derive, from Newton’s law of gravitation and the definition of gravitational field, the equation
g = GM / r 2 for the gravitational field strength due to a point mass

2 recall and use g = GM / r 2

3 understand why g is approximately constant for small changes in height near the Earth’s surface

13.4 Gravitational potential

Candidates should be able to:

1 define gravitational potential at a point as the work done per unit mass in bringing a small test mass
from infinity to the point

2 use ϕ = –GM / r for the gravitational potential in the field due to a point mass

3 understand how the concept of gravitational potential leads to the gravitational potential energy of two
point masses and use EP = –GMm / r

14 Temperature

14.1 Thermal equilibrium

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that (thermal) energy is transferred from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower
temperature

2 understand that regions of equal temperature are in thermal equilibrium

14.2 Temperature scales

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that a physical property that varies with temperature may be used for the measurement of
temperature and state examples of such properties, including the density of a liquid, volume of a gas at
constant pressure, resistance of a metal, e.m.f. of a thermocouple

2 understand that the scale of thermodynamic temperature does not depend on the property of any
particular substance

3 convert temperatures between kelvin and degrees Celsius and recall that T / K = θ / °C + 273.15

4 understand that the lowest possible temperature is zero kelvin on the thermodynamic temperature
scale and that this is known as absolute zero

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 27

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content

14.3 Specific heat capacity and specific latent heat

Candidates should be able to:

1 define and use specific heat capacity

2 define and use specific latent heat and distinguish between specific latent heat of fusion and specific
latent heat of vaporisation

15 Ideal gases

15.1 The mole

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that amount of substance is an SI base quantity with the base unit mol

2 use molar quantities where one mole of any substance is the amount containing a number of particles
of that substance equal to the Avogadro constant NA

15.2 Equation of state

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that a gas obeying pV ∝ T, where T is the thermodynamic temperature, is known as an

ideal gas

2 recall and use the equation of state for an ideal gas expressed as pV = nRT, where n = amount of
substance (number of moles) and as pV = NkT, where N = number of molecules

3 recall that the Boltzmann constant k is given by k = R / NA

15.3 Kinetic theory of gases

Candidates should be able to:

1 state the basic assumptions of the kinetic theory of gases

2 explain how molecular movement causes the pressure exerted by a gas and derive and use the
1
relationship pV = 3 Nm<c2>, where <c2> is the mean-square speed (a simple model considering
1
one-dimensional collisions and then extending to three dimensions using 3 <c2> = <cx2> is sufficient)

3 understand that the root-mean-square speed cr.m.s. is given by <c 2 >

1
4 compare pV = 3 Nm<c2> with pV = NkT to deduce that the average translational kinetic energy of a
3
molecule is 2 kT, and recall and use this expression

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 28

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content

16 Thermodynamics
An understanding of energy from Cambridge IGCSE/O Level Physics or equivalent is assumed.

16.1 Internal energy

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that internal energy is determined by the state of the system and that it can be expressed
as the sum of a random distribution of kinetic and potential energies associated with the molecules of a
system

2 relate a rise in temperature of an object to an increase in its internal energy

16.2 The first law of thermodynamics

Candidates should be able to:

1 recall and use W = p∆V for the work done when the volume of a gas changes at constant pressure and
understand the difference between the work done by the gas and the work done on the gas

2 recall and use the first law of thermodynamics ∆U = q + W expressed in terms of the increase in
internal energy, the heating of the system (energy transferred to the system by heating) and the work
done on the system

17 Oscillations

17.1 Simple harmonic oscillations

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand and use the terms displacement, amplitude, period, frequency, angular frequency and
phase difference in the context of oscillations, and express the period in terms of both frequency and
angular frequency

2 understand that simple harmonic motion occurs when acceleration is proportional to displacement
from a fixed point and in the opposite direction

3 use a = – ω2 x and recall and use, as a solution to this equation, x = x0 sin ωt

4 use the equations v = v0 cos ωt and v = ± ω (x02 − x 2)

5 analyse and interpret graphical representations of the variations of displacement, velocity and
acceleration for simple harmonic motion

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 29

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content

17.2 Energy in simple harmonic motion

Candidates should be able to:

1 describe the interchange between kinetic and potential energy during simple harmonic motion

1
2 recall and use E = 2 mω2 x02 for the total energy of a system undergoing simple harmonic motion

17.3 Damped and forced oscillations, resonance

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that a resistive force acting on an oscillating system causes damping

2 understand and use the terms light, critical and heavy damping and sketch displacement–time graphs
illustrating these types of damping

3 understand that resonance involves a maximum amplitude of oscillations and that this occurs when an
oscillating system is forced to oscillate at its natural frequency

18 Electric fields

18.1 Electric fields and field lines

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that an electric field is an example of a field of force and define electric field as force per
unit positive charge

2 recall and use F = qE for the force on a charge in an electric field

3 represent an electric field by means of field lines

18.2 Uniform electric fields

Candidates should be able to:

1 recall and use E = ∆V / ∆d to calculate the field strength of the uniform field between charged parallel
plates

2 describe the effect of a uniform electric field on the motion of charged particles

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 30

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content

18.3 Electric force between point charges

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that, for a point outside a spherical conductor, the charge on the sphere may be
considered to be a point charge at its centre

2 recall and use Coulomb’s law F = Q1Q2 / (4πε 0 r 2) for the force between two point charges in free space

18.4 Electric field of a point charge

Candidates should be able to:

1 recall and use E = Q / (4πε 0 r 2) for the electric field strength due to a point charge in free space

18.5 Electric potential

Candidates should be able to:

1 define electric potential at a point as the work done per unit positive charge in bringing a small test
charge from infinity to the point

2 recall and use the fact that the electric field at a point is equal to the negative of potential gradient at
that point

3 use V = Q / (4πε 0 r) for the electric potential in the field due to a point charge

4 understand how the concept of electric potential leads to the electric potential energy of two point
charges and use EP = Qq / (4πε 0 r)

19 Capacitance

19.1 Capacitors and capacitance

Candidates should be able to:

1 define capacitance, as applied to both isolated spherical conductors and to parallel plate capacitors

2 recall and use C = Q / V

3 derive, using C = Q / V, formulae for the combined capacitance of capacitors in series and in parallel

4 use the capacitance formulae for capacitors in series and in parallel

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 31

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content

19.2 Energy stored in a capacitor

Candidates should be able to:

1 determine the electric potential energy stored in a capacitor from the area under the potential–charge
graph

1 1
2 recall and use W = 2 QV = 2 CV2

19.3 Discharging a capacitor

Candidates should be able to:

1 analyse graphs of the variation with time of potential difference, charge and current for a capacitor
discharging through a resistor

2 recall and use τ = RC for the time constant for a capacitor discharging through a resistor

3 use equations of the form x = x0 e –(t / RC) where x could represent current, charge or potential difference
for a capacitor discharging through a resistor

20 Magnetic fields

20.1 Concept of a magnetic field

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that a magnetic field is an example of a field of force produced either by moving charges or
by permanent magnets

2 represent a magnetic field by field lines

20.2 Force on a current-carrying conductor

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that a force might act on a current-carrying conductor placed in a magnetic field

2 recall and use the equation F = BIL sin θ, with directions as interpreted by Fleming’s left-hand rule

3 define magnetic flux density as the force acting per unit current per unit length on a wire placed at right-
angles to the magnetic field

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 32

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content

20.3 Force on a moving charge

Candidates should be able to:

1 determine the direction of the force on a charge moving in a magnetic field

2 recall and use F = BQv sin θ

3 understand the origin of the Hall voltage and derive and use the expression VH = BI / (ntq),
where t = thickness

4 understand the use of a Hall probe to measure magnetic flux density

5 describe the motion of a charged particle moving in a uniform magnetic field perpendicular to the
direction of motion of the particle

6 explain how electric and magnetic fields can be used in velocity selection

20.4 Magnetic fields due to currents

Candidates should be able to:

1 sketch magnetic field patterns due to the currents in a long straight wire, a flat circular coil and a long
solenoid

2 understand that the magnetic field due to the current in a solenoid is increased by a ferrous core

3 explain the origin of the forces between current-carrying conductors and determine the direction of the
forces

20.5 Electromagnetic induction

Candidates should be able to:

1 define magnetic flux as the product of the magnetic flux density and the cross-sectional area
perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic flux density

2 recall and use Φ = BA

3 understand and use the concept of magnetic flux linkage

4 understand and explain experiments that demonstrate:

• that a changing magnetic flux can induce an e.m.f. in a circuit
• that the induced e.m.f. is in such a direction as to oppose the change producing it
• the factors affecting the magnitude of the induced e.m.f.

5 recall and use Faraday’s and Lenz’s laws of electromagnetic induction

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 33

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content

21 Alternating currents
An understanding of the practical and economic advantages of transmission of power by electricity
from Cambridge IGCSE / O Level Physics or equivalent is assumed.

21.1 Characteristics of alternating currents

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand and use the terms period, frequency and peak value as applied to an alternating current or
voltage

2 use equations of the form x = x0 sin ωt representing a sinusoidally alternating current or voltage

3 recall and use the fact that the mean power in a resistive load is half the maximum power for a
sinusoidal alternating current

4 distinguish between root-mean-square (r.m.s.) and peak values and recall and use I r.m.s. = I0 / 2 and
Vr.m.s. = V0 / 2 for a sinusoidal alternating current

21.2 Rectification and smoothing

Candidates should be able to:

1 distinguish graphically between half-wave and full-wave rectification

2 explain the use of a single diode for the half-wave rectification of an alternating current

3 explain the use of four diodes (bridge rectifier) for the full-wave rectification of an alternating current

4 analyse the effect of a single capacitor in smoothing, including the effect of the values of capacitance
and the load resistance

22 Quantum physics

22.1 Energy and momentum of a photon

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that electromagnetic radiation has a particulate nature

2 understand that a photon is a quantum of electromagnetic energy

3 recall and use E = hf

4 use the electronvolt (eV) as a unit of energy

5 understand that a photon has momentum and that the momentum is given by p = E / c

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 34

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content

22.2 Photoelectric effect

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that photoelectrons may be emitted from a metal surface when it is illuminated by
electromagnetic radiation

2 understand and use the terms threshold frequency and threshold wavelength

3 explain photoelectric emission in terms of photon energy and work function energy

1
4 recall and use hf = Φ + 2 mvmax2

5 explain why the maximum kinetic energy of photoelectrons is independent of intensity, whereas the
photoelectric current is proportional to intensity

22.3 Wave-particle duality

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that the photoelectric effect provides evidence for a particulate nature of electromagnetic
radiation while phenomena such as interference and diffraction provide evidence for a wave nature

2 describe and interpret qualitatively the evidence provided by electron diffraction for the wave nature of
particles

3 understand the de Broglie wavelength as the wavelength associated with a moving particle

4 recall and use λ = h / p

22.4 Energy levels in atoms and line spectra

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that there are discrete electron energy levels in isolated atoms (e.g. atomic hydrogen)

2 understand the appearance and formation of emission and absorption line spectra

3 recall and use hf = E1 – E2

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 35

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content

23 Nuclear physics

23.1 Mass defect and nuclear binding energy

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand the equivalence between energy and mass as represented by E = mc2 and recall and use
this equation

2 represent simple nuclear reactions by nuclear equations of the form 147 N + 24 He " 178 O + 11 H

3 define and use the terms mass defect and binding energy

4 sketch the variation of binding energy per nucleon with nucleon number

5 explain what is meant by nuclear fusion and nuclear fission

6 explain the relevance of binding energy per nucleon to nuclear reactions, including nuclear fusion and
nuclear fission

7 calculate the energy released in nuclear reactions using E = c2∆ m

23.2 Radioactive decay

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that fluctuations in count rate provide evidence for the random nature of radioactive decay

2 understand that radioactive decay is both spontaneous and random

3 define activity and decay constant, and recall and use A = λN

4 define half-life

5 use λ = 0.693 / t 1
2

6 understand the exponential nature of radioactive decay, and sketch and use the relationship x = x0e –λt,
where x could represent activity, number of undecayed nuclei or received count rate

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 36

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content

24 Medical physics

24.1 Production and use of ultrasound

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that a piezo-electric crystal changes shape when a p.d. is applied across it and that the
crystal generates an e.m.f. when its shape changes

2 understand how ultrasound waves are generated and detected by a piezoelectric transducer

3 understand how the reflection of pulses of ultrasound at boundaries between tissues can be used to
obtain diagnostic information about internal structures

4 define the specific acoustic impedance of a medium as Z = ρc, where c is the speed of sound in the
medium

5 use IR / I0 = (Z1 – Z2)2 / (Z1 + Z2)2 for the intensity reflection coefficient of a boundary between two media

6 recall and use I = I0e –μ x for the attenuation of ultrasound in matter

24.2 Production and use of X-rays

Candidates should be able to:

1 explain that X-rays are produced by electron bombardment of a metal target and calculate the minimum
wavelength of X-rays produced from the accelerating p.d.

2 understand the use of X-rays in imaging internal body structures, including an understanding of the
term contrast in X-ray imaging

3 recall and use I = I0e –μ x for the attenuation of X-rays in matter

4 understand that computed tomography (CT) scanning produces a 3D image of an internal structure
by first combining multiple X-ray images taken in the same section from different angles to obtain a 2D
image of the section, then repeating this process along an axis and combining 2D images of multiple
sections

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 37

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content

24.3 PET scanning

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that a tracer is a substance containing radioactive nuclei that can be introduced into the
body and is then absorbed by the tissue being studied

2 recall that a tracer that decays by β+ decay is used in positron emission tomography (PET scanning)

3 understand that annihilation occurs when a particle interacts with its antiparticle and that mass–energy
and momentum are conserved in the process

4 explain that, in PET scanning, positrons emitted by the decay of the tracer annihilate when they interact
with electrons in the tissue, producing a pair of gamma-ray photons travelling in opposite directions

5 calculate the energy of the gamma-ray photons emitted during the annihilation of an electron-positron
pair

6 understand that the gamma-ray photons from an annihilation event travel outside the body and can
be detected, and an image of the tracer concentration in the tissue can be created by processing the
arrival times of the gamma-ray photons

25 Astronomy and cosmology

25.1 Standard candles

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand the term luminosity as the total power of radiation emitted by a star

2 recall and use the inverse square law for radiant flux intensity F in terms of the luminosity L of the source
F = L / (4πd 2)

3 understand that an object of known luminosity is called a standard candle

4 understand the use of standard candles to determine distances to galaxies

25.2 Stellar radii

Candidates should be able to:

1 recall and use Wien’s displacement law λmax ∝ 1 / T to estimate the peak surface temperature of a star

2 use the Stefan–Boltzmann law L = 4πσr 2 T 4

3 use Wien’s displacement law and the Stefan–Boltzmann law to estimate the radius of a star

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 38

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Subject content

25.3 Hubble’s law and the Big Bang theory

Candidates should be able to:

1 understand that the lines in the emission and absorption spectra from distant objects show an increase
in wavelength from their known values

2 use ∆λ / λ . ∆f / f . v / c for the redshift of electromagnetic radiation from a source moving relative to an
observer

3 explain why redshift leads to the idea that the Universe is expanding

4 recall and use Hubble’s law v . H0 d and explain how this leads to the Big Bang theory
(candidates will only be required to use SI units)

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 39

 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Details of the assessment

Command words
Command words and their meanings help candidates know what is expected from them in the exam. The table
below includes command words used in the assessment for this syllabus. The use of the command word will
relate to the subject context.

Command word What it means

Calculate work out from given facts, figures or information

Comment give an informed opinion

Compare identify/comment on similarities and/or differences

Define give precise meaning

Describe state the points of a topic / give characteristics and main features

Determine establish an answer using the information available

Explain set out purposes or reasons / make the relationships between things evident / provide
why and/or how and support with relevant evidence

Give produce an answer from a given source or recall/memory

Identify name/select/recognise

Justify support a case with evidence/argument

Predict suggest what may happen based on available information

Show (that) provide structured evidence that leads to a given result

Sketch make a simple freehand drawing showing the key features

State express in clear terms

Suggest apply knowledge and understanding to situations where there are a range of valid
responses in order to make proposals

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 41