Edexcel GCSE Physics Paper 2 practice questions

What is on Paper 2?

• Paper 2 covers forces, waves, magnetism and space.
• It is a written paper of 1 hour 45 minutes, worth 100 marks — 50% of the GCSE.
• Questions are a mix of multiple choice, short answer, calculations and extended writing.
• Core practicals and maths skills from across the course can be examined on either paper.

Paper 2 practice questions with answers

8 original questions across the 4 Paper 2 topics. Try each one before reading the answer.

1. Forces, motion and Newton's laws

   1. A 1500 kg car accelerates at 2 m/s². Calculate the resultant force.

   Answer: 3000 N

   F = ma = 1500 × 2.

2. Forces, motion and Newton's laws

   2. A skydiver reaches terminal velocity. This means:

   • • There is no force acting
   • • Weight equals drag, so resultant force is zero
   • • Weight is greater than drag
   • • They are accelerating

   Answer: Weight equals drag, so resultant force is zero

   Balanced forces mean constant velocity.

3. Waves and the electromagnetic spectrum

   3. A wave has frequency 50 Hz and wavelength 4 m. Calculate its speed.

   Answer: 200 m/s

   v = f × λ = 50 × 4.

4. Waves and the electromagnetic spectrum

   4. Which has the highest frequency?

   • • Radio waves
   • • Infrared
   • • Ultraviolet
   • • Gamma rays

   Answer: Gamma rays

   Gamma sits at the high-frequency, high-energy end.

5. Magnetism and electromagnetism

   5. Like magnetic poles will:

   • • Attract
   • • Repel
   • • Have no effect
   • • Cancel out

   Answer: Repel

   Like poles (N-N or S-S) repel; unlike poles (N-S) attract.

6. Magnetism and electromagnetism

   6. Magnetic field lines point from:

   • • South to north outside the magnet
   • • North to south outside the magnet
   • • Always downward
   • • Randomly in all directions

   Answer: North to south outside the magnet

   By convention, field lines leave the north pole and enter the south pole outside the magnet.

7. Space physics: life cycle of stars, orbits and red-shift

   7. Stars initially form from:

   • • Solid rock
   • • Clouds of dust and gas (nebulae)
   • • Pure energy
   • • Black holes

   Answer: Clouds of dust and gas (nebulae)

   Gravity pulls together dust and gas in a nebula to form a protostar, which becomes a star.

8. Space physics: life cycle of stars, orbits and red-shift

   8. What keeps a main sequence star stable?

   • • No forces acting on it
   • • Balance between gravitational collapse and outward pressure from fusion
   • • Constant cooling
   • • Magnetic repulsion

   Answer: Balance between gravitational collapse and outward pressure from fusion

   The star remains a stable size when the inward pull of gravity balances the outward pressure from nuclear fusion.

Where Paper 2 marks are usually lost

• Ignoring direction in momentum and velocity questions.
• Misreading motion graphs — check whether the axes show distance or velocity before interpreting.
• Using the wave equation with mismatched units, for example cm instead of m.
• Omitting the direction of force or field in electromagnetism answers.
• Not stating the assumption behind a calculation, such as ignoring air resistance.

How to pick up the extended-answer marks

• Spend the first 30 seconds underlining the command word — 'describe', 'explain' and 'evaluate' are marked differently.
• Plan one point per mark, each carrying a scientific term and a consequence. Short linked sentences beat one long paragraph.
• For 'evaluate' questions, include a benefit, a drawback and a judgement sentence at the end.
• For required practical questions, name the control variable and how the result was measured — method detail is where the marks sit.

Timing that works under pressure

• Work at roughly one mark per minute so you keep spare time for checking at the end.
• Bank the short recall questions first, then return to the longer answers with your remaining time.
• If a question stalls for more than two minutes, write down what you know and move on — partial marks still count.
• Leave five minutes to check units, significant figures and whether any question part was skipped over a page break.

Revise each Paper 2 topic

• Forces, motion and Newton's laws (90 questions)
• Waves and the electromagnetic spectrum (87 questions)
• Magnetism and electromagnetism (80 questions)
• Space physics: life cycle of stars, orbits and red-shift (81 questions)

Edexcel Physics Paper 2 FAQs

What topics are on Edexcel GCSE Physics Paper 2?

Paper 2 assesses forces and motion, waves, magnetism and electromagnetism, and space. Required practicals and data skills linked to these topics can also be examined.

How long is Edexcel GCSE Physics Paper 2?

It is a 1 hour 45 minute written exam worth 100 marks, which is 50% of the GCSE. Working at about one mark per minute leaves time to check your answers.

How should I revise for Physics Paper 2?

Practise answering questions rather than rereading notes. Short daily sets of five questions per topic, marked straight away, expose weak areas faster than a long passive revision session.