TCE Physical Sciences past exams 2021–2025, by year and topic

The rest of the syllabus

Question-level mapping for these areas is still being verified. Every official paper covering them is in the year table above.

• Criterion 4 — Atoms and nuclear reactions — Atomic structure and the periodic table: Electron configuration, shells and periodic trends in atomic radii and valency · Isotopes and relative atomic mass: Isotopes, mass spectra and calculating relative atomic mass from abundances · Radioactive decay and decay equations: Alpha, beta negative and gamma decay: equations, metastable isotopes and penetrating power · Half-life, fission and radiation safety: Half-life calculations, decay graphs, induced fission chain reactions and the biological effects of ionising radiation
• Criterion 5 — Motion and force — Describing motion: Scalars, vectors and the equations of uniformly accelerated motion · Motion graphs: Constructing and reading s-t, v-t and a-t graphs, and using slopes and areas · Vectors and projectile motion: Right-angle vector addition, vertical motion under gravity and horizontal projectile motion · Newton's laws, force and momentum: Force diagrams, weight and normal reaction, F = ma and F = Δp/Δt
• Criterion 6 — Conservation in physics — Conservation of momentum: One-dimensional collisions and explosions using Σp(before) = Σp(after) · Work, energy and the conservation of energy: Work Done = Fs, Ek and Ep, energy transformations and elastic versus inelastic collisions · Power: Average power in kinetic and gravitational potential energy situations, and household kilowatt-hour costs · Electric circuits: Charge, current, potential difference, Ohm's Law, ohmic and non-ohmic devices, and series and parallel circuits
• Criterion 7 — Chemical structures and properties — Bonding and structure: Metallic, ionic, covalent molecular and covalent network structures and the properties they explain · Ions, formulae and naming: Common cations and anions, naming ionic and covalent molecular compounds, and electron dot diagrams · Analytical chemistry and precipitation: Solubility rules, overall and net ionic equations, spectator ions, flame tests and gas tests · Organic chemistry: aliphatic hydrocarbons: IUPAC naming, isomers and the reactions of alkanes, alkenes and cyclic compounds
• Criterion 8 — Reactions and reacting quantities — The mole and reacting quantities: n = m/M, n = N/N(A), the Law of Conservation of Mass and simple stoichiometry · Empirical and molecular formulae: Percentage composition by mass, water of crystallisation and formula determination · Acids, bases and pH: The Brønsted-Lowry model, common acids and bases, monoprotic and polyprotic acids, strong versus concentrated · Solutions, dilution and titration: c = n/V, converting mol L-1 and g L-1, dilution calculations and simple acid-base titrations