International GCSE Programme

This International GCSE qualification is designed to engage students in physics. It encourages a questioning approach to scientific ideas and prepares students for working scientifically.

The new addition of Space physics to the syllabus enables you to teach the underlying principles of physics in a fascinating topic.

Practicals in this specification include investigating factors that determine the strength of an electromagnet and investigating the relationship between force and extension for a spring. Exam questions will be asked on the practicals, but there is no coursework or practical exam.

Update to specification
All four International GCSE Science specifications now include an update to section 5.2 on Prohibited Combinations: centres cannot enter a student in a separate OxfordAQA International GCSE Science and the OxfordAQA International GCSE Combined Science in the same series.

This qualification is available for teaching now in China, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

Units

Paper 1: Any part of the specification may be assessed.

Paper 2: Any part of the specification may be assessed.

Resits

  • Linear specification; individual components may not be re-sat.
  • Candidates can re-take the whole qualification as many times as they wish.

Syllabus summary

Forces and their effects

  • Forces and their interactions
  • Motion
  • Resultant forces
  • Momentum
  • Safety in public transport
  • Forces and terminal velocity
  • Centre of mass
  • Moments & levers

Energy

  • Forces and energy
  • Energy transfers, conservation and dissipation of energy
  • Energy resources

Waves

  • General properties of waves
  • The electromagnetic spectrum
  • Sound and ultrasound
  • Reflection
  • Refraction and total internal reflection
  • Lenses and the eye

Particle model of matter

  • Kinetic theory
  • Energy transfers and particle motion

Electricity and magnetism

  • Electrical circuits
  • Magnetism and electromagnetism

Generating and distributing electricity and household use

  • Generating electricity
  • Electricity transmission and distribution
  • Using electricity in the home
  • The motor effect
  • Transferring electrical energy

Nuclear physics

  • Atomic structure
  • Ionizing radiation from the nucleus
  • Nuclear fission
  • Nuclear fusion

Space physics

  • Life cycle of a star
  • Solar system and orbital motion
  • Red shift and the expanding universe

Resources available with this specification

OxfordAQA provides the resources and advice you need to teach the International GCSE Physics specification effectively.