AQA A LEVEL 2021 PHYSICS COMPLETE PAPER 3
Question and Answer (2026/2027) | Real Recently
Tested Questions | A+ Verified
• Speed . CORRECT ANSWER: =distance / time
• Velocity . CORRECT ANSWER: Is a vector and therefore has both direction and
magnitude.
=displacement / time
• Accelaration . CORRECT ANSWER: =(v-u)/t
Where v is initial velocity and u is final velocity
• Displacement time graph . CORRECT ANSWER: upward slope - constant positive
velocity
flat line - stationary
downward slope - negative constant velocity
It can often be easier to just draw a distance-time graph.
• velocity-time graph . CORRECT ANSWER:
• Acceleration-time graph . CORRECT ANSWER: a graph describing motion of an
object, with acceleration on the vertical axis and time on the horizontal axis.
upward slope - increasing acceleration
flat line - constant acceleration
downward slope - decreasing acceleration
• Adding vectors . CORRECT ANSWER: Draw both vectors next to each other head to
tail and then use Pythagoras and/or trig to calculate the missing side of the triangle and
the angle.
Remember, in order to draw these correctly, you'll probably have to move one of the
vectors.
• Moments . CORRECT ANSWER: the turning, movement of a force.
=force x perpendicular distance from the pivot.
• Principle of moments . CORRECT ANSWER: For an object that is in equilibrium:
- the sum of the clockwise moments = the sum of the anticlockwise moments
- There is no resultant force.
• Centre of gravity . CORRECT ANSWER: The point where the entire weight of an
object appears to act.
This is essentially the same thing as the centre of mass
,This always lies along the line of symmetry. for a flat irregular object hang it from
different points and draw a line straight down. Where the lines connect that's the centre
of mass, because it will always hang directly under a point of suspension.
For other irregular objects it can be found using moments.
• Newton's First Law . CORRECT ANSWER: An object at rest stays at rest and an
object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless
acted upon by an unbalanced force.
• Newton's Second Law . CORRECT ANSWER: F=ma
• Newton's Third Law . CORRECT ANSWER: For every action there is an equal and
opposite reaction
• Kinematics . CORRECT ANSWER: s = displacement
u = initial velocity
v = final velocity
a = acceleration
t = time.
All of the equations apart from s = (u+v)/2 xt are given in the formula book. Just use
them.
• Resolving vectors . CORRECT ANSWER: A single diagonal vector can also be
broken down into it's horizontal and vertical components. The principle is the same as
when finding resultant vectors.
• projectile motion . CORRECT ANSWER: When objects are thrown up into the air or
kicked off a cliff or something similar, they move in a curved line.
By separating the horizontal and vertical components of this motion we can calculate
distances, times and velocities etc.
The vertical component just goes straight up and down and has acceleration due to
gravity.
• gravitational potential energy . CORRECT ANSWER: The energy that an object has
by virtue of it's position in a gravitational field.
= mgh
• Kinetic energy . CORRECT ANSWER: the energy an object has by virtue of its
movement
= ½mv²
• Transfer of energy . CORRECT ANSWER: When an object falls, gravitational
potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. This happens as energy must be
conserved.
,For this specific conversion, you don't even need to know the mass of the object as
mgh=½mv² and therefore the Ms cancel out, leaving you with gh=½v²
In this conversion you assume that air resistance can be ignored
• Work done . CORRECT ANSWER: force × distance moved in the direction of the
force
It is measured in Joules. This is the same as energy transferred
• Work done at angles . CORRECT ANSWER: In order to find out work done, you need
to resolve the forces to find the component of a force that is acting in the direction of
motion.
• Power . CORRECT ANSWER: = energy transferred/time taken
Measured in Watts
• Efficiency . CORRECT ANSWER: =useful energy out/total energy in
=useful power output/total power input
• Momentum . CORRECT ANSWER: p=mv (momentum is the product of mass and
velocity)
• Momentum & Newton's 2nd Law . CORRECT ANSWER: *The rate of change of
momentum of a body is directly proportional to the resultant force applied to the body,
and is in the same direction as the force*
This is because:
F=ma and a=(v-u)/t
F=m(v-u)/t
F=dp/dt -> this is the rate of change of momentum.
This is the mathematical way of writing a rate of change but we can write the average
change of small timescales as Δp/Δt
• Conservation of linear momentum . CORRECT ANSWER: In a closed system the
sum of total momentum before a collision/explosion is the same as the sum of total
momentum after the collision/explosion.
• Momentum and newtons third law . CORRECT ANSWER: Momentum is responsible
for Newtons third law. As momentum in a closed system (in this case a very big system
such as our whole earth etc.) must be conserved, if a force increases momentum in one
direction there must be another force increasing it in the other direction, therefore there
is always an equal and opposite force.
• Current . CORRECT ANSWER: The rate of flow of charged particles. found by I=Q/t
• Potential difference . CORRECT ANSWER: The amount of work done per unit of
charge
, • Resistance . CORRECT ANSWER: Resistance is found by V=IR
• Ohm's law . CORRECT ANSWER: When a resistor follows ohms law current is
directly proportional to the potential difference.
• Charge of an electron . CORRECT ANSWER: The charge of an electron is 1.6 x 10-¹⁹
This can also be used to calculate the charge of an ion
• Electromotive force . CORRECT ANSWER: The potential difference of the entire
circuit (therefore the cell)
• Current in circuits . CORRECT ANSWER: Due to the CONSERVATION OF CHARGE
current is the same in series but splits in parallel.
• Potential Difference in circuits . CORRECT ANSWER: Due to the CONSERVATION
OF ENERGY potential difference is split in series but the same in parallel
• Resistance in series . CORRECT ANSWER: R=R₁+R₂+R₃
This is because:
R=V/I
R=(V₁+V₂)/I
R=V₁/I₁ + V₂/I₂
Therefore:
R=R₁+R₂
• Resistance in parallel . CORRECT ANSWER: 1/R=1/R₁+1/R₂+1/R₃
This is because:
R=V/I
1/R=I/V
1/R=(I₁+I₂)/V
1/R=I₁/V₁ + I₂/V₂
Therefore:
1/R=1/R₁+1/R₂
• Power . CORRECT ANSWER: P=IV
This can be used with V=IR to derive the equations:
P=I²R and P=V²/R
• Current-potential difference graphs . CORRECT ANSWER: Need to be able to sketch
them for:
-Filament bulbs
-Thermistors
-Resistors
-Diodes
Question and Answer (2026/2027) | Real Recently
Tested Questions | A+ Verified
• Speed . CORRECT ANSWER: =distance / time
• Velocity . CORRECT ANSWER: Is a vector and therefore has both direction and
magnitude.
=displacement / time
• Accelaration . CORRECT ANSWER: =(v-u)/t
Where v is initial velocity and u is final velocity
• Displacement time graph . CORRECT ANSWER: upward slope - constant positive
velocity
flat line - stationary
downward slope - negative constant velocity
It can often be easier to just draw a distance-time graph.
• velocity-time graph . CORRECT ANSWER:
• Acceleration-time graph . CORRECT ANSWER: a graph describing motion of an
object, with acceleration on the vertical axis and time on the horizontal axis.
upward slope - increasing acceleration
flat line - constant acceleration
downward slope - decreasing acceleration
• Adding vectors . CORRECT ANSWER: Draw both vectors next to each other head to
tail and then use Pythagoras and/or trig to calculate the missing side of the triangle and
the angle.
Remember, in order to draw these correctly, you'll probably have to move one of the
vectors.
• Moments . CORRECT ANSWER: the turning, movement of a force.
=force x perpendicular distance from the pivot.
• Principle of moments . CORRECT ANSWER: For an object that is in equilibrium:
- the sum of the clockwise moments = the sum of the anticlockwise moments
- There is no resultant force.
• Centre of gravity . CORRECT ANSWER: The point where the entire weight of an
object appears to act.
This is essentially the same thing as the centre of mass
,This always lies along the line of symmetry. for a flat irregular object hang it from
different points and draw a line straight down. Where the lines connect that's the centre
of mass, because it will always hang directly under a point of suspension.
For other irregular objects it can be found using moments.
• Newton's First Law . CORRECT ANSWER: An object at rest stays at rest and an
object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless
acted upon by an unbalanced force.
• Newton's Second Law . CORRECT ANSWER: F=ma
• Newton's Third Law . CORRECT ANSWER: For every action there is an equal and
opposite reaction
• Kinematics . CORRECT ANSWER: s = displacement
u = initial velocity
v = final velocity
a = acceleration
t = time.
All of the equations apart from s = (u+v)/2 xt are given in the formula book. Just use
them.
• Resolving vectors . CORRECT ANSWER: A single diagonal vector can also be
broken down into it's horizontal and vertical components. The principle is the same as
when finding resultant vectors.
• projectile motion . CORRECT ANSWER: When objects are thrown up into the air or
kicked off a cliff or something similar, they move in a curved line.
By separating the horizontal and vertical components of this motion we can calculate
distances, times and velocities etc.
The vertical component just goes straight up and down and has acceleration due to
gravity.
• gravitational potential energy . CORRECT ANSWER: The energy that an object has
by virtue of it's position in a gravitational field.
= mgh
• Kinetic energy . CORRECT ANSWER: the energy an object has by virtue of its
movement
= ½mv²
• Transfer of energy . CORRECT ANSWER: When an object falls, gravitational
potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. This happens as energy must be
conserved.
,For this specific conversion, you don't even need to know the mass of the object as
mgh=½mv² and therefore the Ms cancel out, leaving you with gh=½v²
In this conversion you assume that air resistance can be ignored
• Work done . CORRECT ANSWER: force × distance moved in the direction of the
force
It is measured in Joules. This is the same as energy transferred
• Work done at angles . CORRECT ANSWER: In order to find out work done, you need
to resolve the forces to find the component of a force that is acting in the direction of
motion.
• Power . CORRECT ANSWER: = energy transferred/time taken
Measured in Watts
• Efficiency . CORRECT ANSWER: =useful energy out/total energy in
=useful power output/total power input
• Momentum . CORRECT ANSWER: p=mv (momentum is the product of mass and
velocity)
• Momentum & Newton's 2nd Law . CORRECT ANSWER: *The rate of change of
momentum of a body is directly proportional to the resultant force applied to the body,
and is in the same direction as the force*
This is because:
F=ma and a=(v-u)/t
F=m(v-u)/t
F=dp/dt -> this is the rate of change of momentum.
This is the mathematical way of writing a rate of change but we can write the average
change of small timescales as Δp/Δt
• Conservation of linear momentum . CORRECT ANSWER: In a closed system the
sum of total momentum before a collision/explosion is the same as the sum of total
momentum after the collision/explosion.
• Momentum and newtons third law . CORRECT ANSWER: Momentum is responsible
for Newtons third law. As momentum in a closed system (in this case a very big system
such as our whole earth etc.) must be conserved, if a force increases momentum in one
direction there must be another force increasing it in the other direction, therefore there
is always an equal and opposite force.
• Current . CORRECT ANSWER: The rate of flow of charged particles. found by I=Q/t
• Potential difference . CORRECT ANSWER: The amount of work done per unit of
charge
, • Resistance . CORRECT ANSWER: Resistance is found by V=IR
• Ohm's law . CORRECT ANSWER: When a resistor follows ohms law current is
directly proportional to the potential difference.
• Charge of an electron . CORRECT ANSWER: The charge of an electron is 1.6 x 10-¹⁹
This can also be used to calculate the charge of an ion
• Electromotive force . CORRECT ANSWER: The potential difference of the entire
circuit (therefore the cell)
• Current in circuits . CORRECT ANSWER: Due to the CONSERVATION OF CHARGE
current is the same in series but splits in parallel.
• Potential Difference in circuits . CORRECT ANSWER: Due to the CONSERVATION
OF ENERGY potential difference is split in series but the same in parallel
• Resistance in series . CORRECT ANSWER: R=R₁+R₂+R₃
This is because:
R=V/I
R=(V₁+V₂)/I
R=V₁/I₁ + V₂/I₂
Therefore:
R=R₁+R₂
• Resistance in parallel . CORRECT ANSWER: 1/R=1/R₁+1/R₂+1/R₃
This is because:
R=V/I
1/R=I/V
1/R=(I₁+I₂)/V
1/R=I₁/V₁ + I₂/V₂
Therefore:
1/R=1/R₁+1/R₂
• Power . CORRECT ANSWER: P=IV
This can be used with V=IR to derive the equations:
P=I²R and P=V²/R
• Current-potential difference graphs . CORRECT ANSWER: Need to be able to sketch
them for:
-Filament bulbs
-Thermistors
-Resistors
-Diodes
