AQA Physics Paper 1 Question and Answer
(2026/2027) | Real Recently Tested
Questions | A+ Verified
• What is meant by ionisation energy? (2) -✓✓ Minimum energy required to
remove an electron from an atom (1) from the ground state (1)
• Why do emitted electrons have a kinetic energy that varies up to a maximum
value? (4) -✓✓ Energy of a photon is fixed/constant (1)
Energy is required for electrons to overcome work function ø (1)
Electrons deeper into/below the surface of the metal require more energy to
overcome work function and therefore have less KE(1)
Maximum KE = Energy of photon - work function ø (1)
• Explain how (bright ring) diagram is evidence of the wave-particle duality of
electrons? -✓✓ Diffraction pattern maxima/minima (bright and dark areas) (1)
Diffraction is a property of waves- proves wave-behaviour of electrons (1)
• What is meant by the ground state? -✓✓ The lowest energy state of an atom
• Explain the difference between excitation and ionisation (2) -✓✓ An electron
receives a discrete amount of energy for BOTH (1)
Excitation promotes an electron to a higher energy level
Ionisation is when an electron receives enough energy to leave the atom
, • Explain why only photons of certain frequencies cause excitation (4) -✓✓
discrete energy levels (1)
Electrons need to absorb a DISCRETE amount of energy to move to a higher
energy level (1)
Photons need to have a certain frequency to provide this energy, because E=hf (1)
interaction is a 1:1 reaction all of the photon's energy is absorbed (1)
• Explain how excitation takes place in a fluorescent tube -✓✓ Electrons flow
through the tube to the applied PD causing a current to flow (1)
Electrons collide with mercury atoms in the tube (1)
This raises electrons in the mercury atom to a higher energy level (1)
• What is the purpose of coating in a fluorescent tube? -✓✓ UV/ High energy
photons emitted from mercury atoms when the electrons in the atom de-excite
(1)
High energy photons absorbed by the coating (1)
Coating emits photons in the visible spectrum (1)
• What happens when annihilation occurs? (2) -✓✓ particle and an anti-particle
collide and cease to exist (1)
Their mass is released as energy in the form of a pair of gamma photons (1)
• How does the strong nuclear force between two nucleons vary with the
separation of the nucleons? (3) -✓✓ repulsive at < 0.5 fm (1)
attractive from 0.5 to 3 fm (1)
above 3 fm, force 0 (1)
(2026/2027) | Real Recently Tested
Questions | A+ Verified
• What is meant by ionisation energy? (2) -✓✓ Minimum energy required to
remove an electron from an atom (1) from the ground state (1)
• Why do emitted electrons have a kinetic energy that varies up to a maximum
value? (4) -✓✓ Energy of a photon is fixed/constant (1)
Energy is required for electrons to overcome work function ø (1)
Electrons deeper into/below the surface of the metal require more energy to
overcome work function and therefore have less KE(1)
Maximum KE = Energy of photon - work function ø (1)
• Explain how (bright ring) diagram is evidence of the wave-particle duality of
electrons? -✓✓ Diffraction pattern maxima/minima (bright and dark areas) (1)
Diffraction is a property of waves- proves wave-behaviour of electrons (1)
• What is meant by the ground state? -✓✓ The lowest energy state of an atom
• Explain the difference between excitation and ionisation (2) -✓✓ An electron
receives a discrete amount of energy for BOTH (1)
Excitation promotes an electron to a higher energy level
Ionisation is when an electron receives enough energy to leave the atom
, • Explain why only photons of certain frequencies cause excitation (4) -✓✓
discrete energy levels (1)
Electrons need to absorb a DISCRETE amount of energy to move to a higher
energy level (1)
Photons need to have a certain frequency to provide this energy, because E=hf (1)
interaction is a 1:1 reaction all of the photon's energy is absorbed (1)
• Explain how excitation takes place in a fluorescent tube -✓✓ Electrons flow
through the tube to the applied PD causing a current to flow (1)
Electrons collide with mercury atoms in the tube (1)
This raises electrons in the mercury atom to a higher energy level (1)
• What is the purpose of coating in a fluorescent tube? -✓✓ UV/ High energy
photons emitted from mercury atoms when the electrons in the atom de-excite
(1)
High energy photons absorbed by the coating (1)
Coating emits photons in the visible spectrum (1)
• What happens when annihilation occurs? (2) -✓✓ particle and an anti-particle
collide and cease to exist (1)
Their mass is released as energy in the form of a pair of gamma photons (1)
• How does the strong nuclear force between two nucleons vary with the
separation of the nucleons? (3) -✓✓ repulsive at < 0.5 fm (1)
attractive from 0.5 to 3 fm (1)
above 3 fm, force 0 (1)
