AQA_2024: A-level Physics - Paper 3 Section A
(Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme)
Please write clearly in block capitals.
Centre number Candidate number
Surname
Forename(s)
Candidate signat ure
I declare this is my own work.
A-level
PHYSICS
Paper 3
Section A
Monday 17 June 2024 Morning Time allowed: The total time for
Materials
both sections of this paper is
For this paper you must have: 2 hours. You are advised to
a pencil and a ruler spend approximately
a scientific calculator
a Data and Formulae Booklet 70 minutes on this section.
a protractor.
For Examiner’s Use
Instructions
Question Mark
Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page. 1
Answer all questions. 2
3
TOTAL
, 2
You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not write outside the box around each Do not write
outside the
page or on blank pages. Section A box
If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of this book. Write the question
number against your answer(s).
Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
Show all your working.
Information
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
The maximum mark for this paper is 45.
You are expected to use a scientific calculator where appropriate.
A Data and Formulae Booklet is provided as a loose insert.
IB/M/Jun24/G4005/E9
7408/3A
For A-Level Physics Paper 3 Section A, focus on the following key areas:
1. Practical Skills:
Experimental Design and Techniques: Be familiar with a range of practical experiments and their
methods, including setting up experiments, measuring, and analyzing data.
Error Analysis: Know how to evaluate and minimize errors in experiments. Understand how to
calculate uncertainties, absolute and percentage errors, and how they propagate in calculations.
Data Collection and Interpretation: Practice interpreting experimental data, drawing conclusions,
and comparing theoretical models with experimental results.
Graphing: Be comfortable with plotting data on graphs, calculating gradients, determining the line of
best fit, and finding physical quantities from graph results.
2. Mechanics:
Forces and Motion: Understand how to measure force, acceleration, and mass in practical setups,
and how to apply Newton's laws of motion in experimental contexts.
Projectile Motion: Be able to design and carry out experiments involving projectile motion, including
measurements of time, height, and distance.
Circular Motion: Know how to set up and conduct experiments to measure centripetal force and
acceleration in circular motion.
3. Electricity:
Ohm's Law and Circuits: Be able to investigate the relationship between current, voltage, and
resistance in both series and parallel circuits.
Capacitors: Understand the charging and discharging of capacitors, the use of RC circuits, and
how to measure time constants in practical experiments.
Electric Fields: Know how to investigate electric fields and the forces acting on charged particles in
electric fields.
4. Waves:
Wave Properties: Be able to measure wave properties, such as wavelength, frequency, and
amplitude, and perform experiments involving the speed of sound and light.
IB/M/Jun24/7408/3A
, 2
Interference and Diffraction: Understand how to set up experiments to investigate wave Do not write
outside the
interference and diffraction, including the double-slit
Section A experiment for light. box
5. Thermal Physics:
Heat and Temperature: Understand how to measure specific heat capacity, latent heat, and
temperature changes in experiments involving materials.
Thermodynamic Processes: Study experimental setups for heat engines and how to analyze their
efficiency.
6. Nuclear Physics:
Radioactivity: Know how to measure the activity of radioactive materials and determine half-life using
experimental data.
Gamma Radiation and Detection: Understand how to detect and measure gamma radiation using
scintillation counters or other detectors.
7. Practical Questions:
Practice answering questions about experimental procedures, data analysis, and improvements or
modifications to experiments. Be able to suggest meth
IB/M/Jun24/7408/3A
, 2
Answer all questions in this section. Do not write
outside the
Section A box
0 1 This question is based on a method to determine the resistivity of a wire (required
practical activity 5).
Figure 1 shows a micrometer screw gauge.
Figure 1
Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of the scales.
Figure 2
IB/M/Jun24/7408/3A
(Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme)
Please write clearly in block capitals.
Centre number Candidate number
Surname
Forename(s)
Candidate signat ure
I declare this is my own work.
A-level
PHYSICS
Paper 3
Section A
Monday 17 June 2024 Morning Time allowed: The total time for
Materials
both sections of this paper is
For this paper you must have: 2 hours. You are advised to
a pencil and a ruler spend approximately
a scientific calculator
a Data and Formulae Booklet 70 minutes on this section.
a protractor.
For Examiner’s Use
Instructions
Question Mark
Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page. 1
Answer all questions. 2
3
TOTAL
, 2
You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not write outside the box around each Do not write
outside the
page or on blank pages. Section A box
If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of this book. Write the question
number against your answer(s).
Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
Show all your working.
Information
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
The maximum mark for this paper is 45.
You are expected to use a scientific calculator where appropriate.
A Data and Formulae Booklet is provided as a loose insert.
IB/M/Jun24/G4005/E9
7408/3A
For A-Level Physics Paper 3 Section A, focus on the following key areas:
1. Practical Skills:
Experimental Design and Techniques: Be familiar with a range of practical experiments and their
methods, including setting up experiments, measuring, and analyzing data.
Error Analysis: Know how to evaluate and minimize errors in experiments. Understand how to
calculate uncertainties, absolute and percentage errors, and how they propagate in calculations.
Data Collection and Interpretation: Practice interpreting experimental data, drawing conclusions,
and comparing theoretical models with experimental results.
Graphing: Be comfortable with plotting data on graphs, calculating gradients, determining the line of
best fit, and finding physical quantities from graph results.
2. Mechanics:
Forces and Motion: Understand how to measure force, acceleration, and mass in practical setups,
and how to apply Newton's laws of motion in experimental contexts.
Projectile Motion: Be able to design and carry out experiments involving projectile motion, including
measurements of time, height, and distance.
Circular Motion: Know how to set up and conduct experiments to measure centripetal force and
acceleration in circular motion.
3. Electricity:
Ohm's Law and Circuits: Be able to investigate the relationship between current, voltage, and
resistance in both series and parallel circuits.
Capacitors: Understand the charging and discharging of capacitors, the use of RC circuits, and
how to measure time constants in practical experiments.
Electric Fields: Know how to investigate electric fields and the forces acting on charged particles in
electric fields.
4. Waves:
Wave Properties: Be able to measure wave properties, such as wavelength, frequency, and
amplitude, and perform experiments involving the speed of sound and light.
IB/M/Jun24/7408/3A
, 2
Interference and Diffraction: Understand how to set up experiments to investigate wave Do not write
outside the
interference and diffraction, including the double-slit
Section A experiment for light. box
5. Thermal Physics:
Heat and Temperature: Understand how to measure specific heat capacity, latent heat, and
temperature changes in experiments involving materials.
Thermodynamic Processes: Study experimental setups for heat engines and how to analyze their
efficiency.
6. Nuclear Physics:
Radioactivity: Know how to measure the activity of radioactive materials and determine half-life using
experimental data.
Gamma Radiation and Detection: Understand how to detect and measure gamma radiation using
scintillation counters or other detectors.
7. Practical Questions:
Practice answering questions about experimental procedures, data analysis, and improvements or
modifications to experiments. Be able to suggest meth
IB/M/Jun24/7408/3A
, 2
Answer all questions in this section. Do not write
outside the
Section A box
0 1 This question is based on a method to determine the resistivity of a wire (required
practical activity 5).
Figure 1 shows a micrometer screw gauge.
Figure 1
Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of the scales.
Figure 2
IB/M/Jun24/7408/3A
