AQA A Level Physics (7408) Past Papers 2026
Download free AQA A Level Physics 7408 past papers, mark schemes. 9 exam sessions from 2016–2026.
June 2024
Latest Session
9
Sessions
2016–2026
80
Question Papers
74
Mark Schemes
93% coverage
45
Inserts
16
Specimen Papers
Components & time pressure
Marks per minute shows how fast you have to work — the higher the number, the tighter the time pressure in that paper.
| Paper | Component | Marks | Duration | Marks / min | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 7408/1 — Particles, Quantum, Mechanics, Materials, Electricity | 85 | 2h | 0.71 | Moderate |
| Paper 2 | 7408/2 — Thermal Physics, Fields, Nuclear Physics | 85 | 2h | 0.71 | Moderate |
| Paper 3 | 7408/3 — Practical Skills + Optional Topic | 80 | 2h | 0.67 | Steady |
Component structure extracted from 4 official AQA documents (2022–2023). Timings and mark totals are taken from the papers themselves.
Yearly Exam Sessions
Specimen Papers
Show all 16 specimen papersHide specimen papers
Specimen Mark Scheme
AQA-74081-SMS.PDF
Specimen Question Paper
AQA-74081-SQP.PDF
Specimen Mark Scheme
AQA-74082-SMS.PDF
Specimen Question Paper
AQA-74082-SQP.PDF
Specimen Mark Scheme
AQA-74083A-SMS.PDF
Specimen Question Paper
AQA-74083A-SQP.PDF
Specimen Mark Scheme
AQA-74083BA-SMS.PDF
Specimen Question Paper
AQA-74083BA-SQP.PDF
Specimen Mark Scheme
AQA-74083BB-SMS.PDF
Specimen Question Paper
AQA-74083BB-SQP.PDF
Specimen Mark Scheme
AQA-74083BC-SMS.PDF
Specimen Question Paper
AQA-74083BC-SQP.PDF
Specimen Mark Scheme
AQA-74083BD-SMS.PDF
Specimen Question Paper
AQA-74083BD-SQP.PDF
Specimen Mark Scheme
AQA-74083BE-SMS.PDF
Specimen Question Paper
AQA-74083BE-SQP.PDF
Topical Past Papers
AQA Physics questions organised by specification topic — perfect for targeted revision.
How is AQA A Level Physics (7408) examined?
AQA A Level Physics is examined through 3 paper components. Understanding each component helps you allocate revision time effectively.
Paper 1
85 marks7408/1 — Particles, Quantum, Mechanics, Materials, Electricity
Duration: 2h
Paper 2
85 marks7408/2 — Thermal Physics, Fields, Nuclear Physics
Duration: 2h
Paper 3
80 marks7408/3 — Practical Skills + Optional Topic
Duration: 2h
What AQA examiners say about Physics
Verbatim quotes from 4 official AQA examiner reports (2022–2023). Every quote is attributable to a specific paper and session — these are the things AQA markers flag year after year.
Internal resistance ignored or treated as a GCSE-level…
A major difference between problems on electricity at A-level and GCSE is the consideration of internal resistance. Correct answers for 04.5 were extremely rare
Vague, ambiguous or contradictory written answers in…
Answers were often vague or ambiguous. Important details related to the role of the photon, or the significance of energy levels, were also often missing.
Power-of-ten errors and dropped unit conversions
Most students were able to give a complete answer with only powers of ten errors causing problems for some in the final mark.
Most Common Mistakes — Physics (7408)
Based on analysis of 4 official AQA examiner reports (2022, 2023). Avoid these errors to maximise your marks.
Internal resistance ignored or treated as a GCSE-level circuit — 'electricity follows the easiest path'
Paper 1 · Repeated in Paper 1 2022 (Q04.5) and Paper 1 2023 (Q03.1)
Vague, ambiguous or contradictory written answers in extended-writing questions
Paper 1, Paper 2 · Flagged in every Paper 1 and Paper 2 report 2022-2023
Power-of-ten errors and dropped unit conversions
Paper 1, Paper 2 · Paper 1 2022 (Q04.3, Q05), Paper 1 2023 (Q05.1), Paper 2 2022 (Q01.1, Q03.2)
Quoting a Newton law in isolation without applying it to the question
Paper 1, Paper 2 · Paper 1 2022 Q05, Paper 2 2022 Q02.2, Paper 2 2023 Q01.4
Drawing graphs by 'general shape' without matching given data points
Paper 2 · Paper 2 2022 Q02.4 and Q04.4, Paper 2 2023 Q04.1 and Q06.2
Topics Students Struggle With Most
Internal resistance and emf vs terminal pd
Examiners describe correct answers as 'extremely rare' on Paper 1 2022 Q04.5; misconceptions about 'electricity following the easiest path' persist into A-level.
Paper 1
Forces in equilibrium with multiple components / moments
On Paper 1 2022 Q03.2 examiners noted 'much misunderstanding about the components of forces'; the rope tension being uniform was repeatedly missed.
Paper 1
SHM: deriving acceleration equation and resonance reasoning
On Paper 1 2023 Q06 examiners noted students rarely related the force equation to acceleration with a negative sign, and resonance answers omitted reference to amplitude being maximum at resonance.
Paper 1
Total internal reflection and critical-angle identification
Paper 1 2023 Q04.4 was 'one of the most discriminating questions on the paper', with students misidentifying the critical angle and using Snell's law incorrectly.
Paper 1
Ideal gas: kinetic energy, Newton's laws applied to molecules
Paper 2 2022 Q02.2 saw weak Newton's-law application; Paper 2 2023 Q01 had students adding potential energy to the kinetic energy of an ideal gas.
Paper 2
Capacitor energy difference (squares of voltages)
Paper 2 2022 Q03.4: 'The calculation involved the difference between two squares of voltage which was interpreted by many as the difference in voltage squared.'
Paper 2
Transformers and high-voltage transmission efficiency
Paper 2 2022 Q05 found explanations 'not of an A-level standard'; many students wrote that voltage flowed through the core and that high voltage 'reduces resistance'.
Paper 2
Nuclear physics: density of nucleus, neutron-rich fission products
Paper 2 2022 Q06.4 — 'Only a minority of students understood why the fission products would be neutron-rich.' Paper 2 2023 Q06.3 — students substituted mass without including nucleon number A.
Paper 2
AQA A Level Physics (7408) — Full Archive 2016–2026
This page contains all 267 AQA A Level Physics (7408) past papers available for free download — 9 exam sessions from 2016 to 2026. Each session includes question papers (QP), mark schemes (MS), and where available, insert materials (INS). No registration or payment required.
AQA A Level Physics is graded A*–E. The A* grade requires achieving an A on the overall qualification and 90%+ on the A2 units. AQA is the UK's largest exam board, making these past papers the single most relevant resource for your revision.
AQA A Level Physics has no tiers — all students sit the same papers. Papers are split into components (Paper 1, Paper 2, etc.), each testing different areas of the specification. Focus on components where you score lowest to maximise grade improvement.
AQA mark schemes use a clear notation: M marks are for method (your working), A marks are for accuracy (correct answer), and B marks are awarded independently. Understanding this system helps you maximise marks even when you don't reach the final answer — showing clear working can earn method marks. After attempting each Physics past paper under timed conditions, mark it against the official scheme and categorise every dropped mark as a knowledge gap, method error, or misread question. Target your remaining revision at the category where you lose the most marks.
Physics 7408 at other levels
Questions, answered.
PapersDaddy provides 267 free AQA A Level Physics (7408) past papers from 2016–2026. Download question papers and mark schemes as PDF — no registration needed.
We have 267 papers across 9 exam sessions for AQA A Level Physics (7408). This includes question papers and mark schemes, plus 16 specimen papers.
AQA filenames follow the pattern AQA-[CODE]-[TYPE]-[SESSION]. For example, AQA-74071H-QP-JUN19 means: specification 7407, Paper 1, Higher tier, Question Paper, June 2019. QP = Question Paper, W-MS = Mark Scheme, INS = Insert, SQP = Specimen Question Paper.